Mont Blanc to the Mediterranean

This hiker’s dream journey brings us from mighty Mont Blanc, with its perpetual glaciers and vast snowfields, to the sunny climes and palm-fringed beaches of the 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 stunning corner of the world. Setting off with sweeping panoramas of Mont Blanc, we hike in high alpine meadows where cowbells echo and blue gentian blooms. Heading south, we follow the legendary GR5 trail across remote national parks of singular beauty, 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
Megève / Mont Blanc

We gather in Megève, an alpine resort with classic Savoy charm. Our first hike reveals the splendor of the French Alps and Mont Blanc (15,771') as we contour along a spectacular ridge to Mont Joly (8,282'), enjoying breathtaking panoramas of the Savoy Pre-Alps and sharp peaks of the Vanoise.

Days 3-7
Vanoise National Park

Our hike up to Col de Bresson (8,098') offers impressive vistas of the southern flanks of the Mont Blanc Range, the monolith of Pierra Menta (8,902'), and the sharp summits of Vanoise National Park, home to ibex, chamois, and golden eagles. One of our hikes leads along a Roman road beneath the towering Grande Casse (12,648') up to Col de la Vanoise (8,255'), with beautiful reflections in three gleaming alpine lakes along the way.

Day 8
Briançon / Ecrins National Park

Sunny Briançon is an enchanting town whose narrow streets are full of history. This is the perfect spot for a rest day or an optional hike up to Le Grand Area (9,411') for irresistible views from Mont Blanc in the north to Mont Viso on the mountainous French-Italian frontier.

Days 9-11
Queyras Regional Park / St. Martin-en-Vesubie / Mercantour National Park

Crossing the Col des Ayes (8,124'), we enter Queyras, one of the most remote and untouched areas of France, and hike across verdant flower-filled meadows to the Col Cross, where mountain sheep roam. Two of our overnights are in St. Martin-en-Vesubie, with its lively outdoor market and Mediterranean ambiance. From here an optional hike brings us into Mercantour National Park, with its tiny perched villages, glacial lakes, and lush forests.

Days 12-14
Menton / Nice

We cross the rocky Pas de l’Arpette (8,237') and pass a series of lakes—relics from the last Ice Age 10,000 years ago—to enter the renowned Vallee des Merveilles, an open-air museum of rock engravings dating from the Bronze Age. After one last hike with views of the Mediterranean, 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. 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.

Although the rooms in our alpine hotels and inns are not always of uniform or international size, our leaders try their best to assign rooms in a fair way so that all participants experience an equal advantage throughout the trip as a whole. In some of the smaller hotels, a bathroom may have to be shared by two or three rooms.

Explanation of Trip Levels