Mont Blanc to the Mediterranean

This hiker’s dream journey brings us from mighty Mont Blanc to the palm-fringed Cote d’Azur, where the Maritime Alps plunge into the blue Mediterranean. Each new hiking day brings us dramatic changes in the culture and scenery of this beautiful corner of the world. We set off with sweeping panoramas of Mont Blanc, hiking in high alpine meadows where cowbells echo and blue gentian grows. Heading south, we follow the legendary GR5 trail to cross two remote national parks, then enter the brightly colored hill villages that announce that the Mediterranean is near. When we finally arrive on the Cote d’Azur, we kick off our hiking boots and head for a celebratory swim in the sea!

Itinerary at a Glance

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Days 1-2
Megeve / Mont Blanc

Megeve is a charming alpine resort with classic Savoy charm. Our warm-up hike here brings us up a spectacular ridge to Mont Joly (8,282'), with breathtaking panoramas of the splendor of the French Alps and Mont Blanc (15,771').

Days 3-8
Vanoise National Park / Briancon

Tiny villages dot the mountainsides of wild Vanoise National Park, home to ibex, chamois, and golden eagles. Our hikes bring us up to Col de Bresson (8,098') for impressive vistas of 10,000-foot summits and across an old Roman road beneath the towering Grande Casse to Col de la Vanoise (8,255'). In enchanting Briancon, with its narrow streets full of history, we enjoy a rest day or an optional hike with panoramas from Mont Blanc to the mountainous French-Italian frontier.

Days 9-10
Queyras Regional Park / St. Martin-en-Vesubie

Crossing the Col des Ayes (8,124'), we enter Queyras, one of the most remote areas of France, and hike flower-filled meadows to the Col Cross, where mountain sheep roam. Overnights are in Arvieux, near one of the most famous mountain passes of the Tour de France, and delightful St. Martin-en-Vesubie, with its lively outdoor market.

Days 11-12
Mercantour National Park

Right along the Italian border, Mercantour National Park is fantastic for hiking, with its tiny perched villages, glacier lakes, and forests of Holm oak. We cross the rocky Pas de l’Arpette (8,237') to enter the renowned Vallee des Merveilles, an open-air museum of rock engravings dating from the Bronze Age.

Days 13-14
Menton / Nice

After one last hike with views of the Mediterranean and a hearty picnic lunch, we head to the coast for a well-earned swim at the beach. Depart from Nice on Day 14.

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What the Trip is Like

This hike is rated Level 5, Strenuous. All trip members should have mountain hiking experience. Most hiking is between 6,000 and 8,000 feet, and the maximum elevation reached is about 9,000 feet. Trail conditions can be primitive, and there is a good bit of up-and-down (often a 2,000- to 3,000-foot gain and loss in elevation per day). We will undoubtedly encounter snow on the highest passes, and trails can be very rugged. Every participant must understand that this hike is truly challenging—trip members should be in excellent physical condition. We recommend that you make a special effort to get in top physical shape for the trip. Of course, you are always free to skip a day’s hike and travel to the next destination in the support vehicle.

We spend our nights in comfortable small hotels, some with shared baths. Lunches will be picnic-style or in mountain huts. Trip members can purchase their lunches from refuges, in villages, or in small cafes. The Trip Leader will bring trip members to the local shops and bakeries to purchase lunch supplies, and will let you know about any specialties of the region. Most evenings we have dinner at our hotel. Vegetarians please note that we will accommodate dietary needs as best as possible, but it is a good idea to bring along protein bars and other supplements. Luggage space is limited in our van, so we ask that you restrict your luggage to one piece, plus your daypack. Please note that in Europe, the dinner hour is considerably later than what it is in the U.S. We do our best to secure early reservations for our groups, but most often the evening meal will be at 7:30 PM.     

Explanation of Trip Levels