Tour du Mont Blanc: Self-Launched Alpine Circuit (8 Days)

Fly or train into Geneva (GVA), then take a Swiss Federal Railways train to Martigny (~2h, CHF 35-45 / ~£32-40) and a local bus or short taxi up to Col de la Forclaz hostel/auberge. Check in, then do the easy unguided walk toward the Trient Glacier viewpoint to loosen your legs and check your kit. Buy a Swiss 1:25,000 map or download offline GPX tracks for the whole circuit (Swisstopo/Outdooractive are free-ish), and pick up any stove fuel or snacks in Martigny as the Col has limited shops. Own-cooking dinner at the refuge.

🚌Geneva GVA → Martigny train (~CHF 40) + local bus/taxi to Col (~CHF 5-15)

🛏Col de la Forclaz hostel/auberge dorm bed (~£30-35, self-catering kitchen available)

• →Train Geneva to Martigny and bus to Col de la Forclaz
• →Unguided walk to Trient Glacier viewpoint
• →Kit check and download offline maps/GPX

Classic long day west on the Bovine Route (Fenêtre d'Arpette is the harder alternative). Climb gently over the Bovine ridge with views back to the Rhône Valley, descend to Champex-Lac for a coffee (and the famous ice cream), then follow the Champex Lac / Val Ferret track down to Orsières. Stay in a cheap gîte in Orsières — a supermarket dinner keeps Swiss costs down. Roughly 7 hours walking; start early.

🚌On foot all day

🛏Orsières gîte or budget guesthouse dorm/private room (~£25-30)

• →Trek Col de la Forclaz to Champex-Lac via Bovine Route
• →Trek Champex-Lac to Orsières (Val Ferret)
• →Mont Blanc massif views and St Bernard Pass scenery

Take the local bus from Orsières up to La Fouly (~CHF 10-12, about 30-40 min). Trek up Val Ferret under the Grandes Jorasses and Mont Dolent to the Grand Col Ferret (2,537 m) — the Switzerland–Italy border and arguably the best pass on the whole circuit. Descend into Val Ferret, Italy, and take the local bus from Lavachey/Arp Nouva to La Palud (~€3-5) or walk the extra hour. Eat pizza in Italy — it's half the price of Switzerland.

🚌Local bus Orsières–La Fouly (CHF ~12); Italian local bus to La Palud (€5)

🛏La Palud or Courmayeur hostel/guesthouse dorm (~£20-28)

• →Bus Orsières to La Fouly
• →Trek over Grand Col Ferret into Italy
• →Bus to La Palud / Courmayeur

Local bus from Courmayeur/La Palud to La Visaille (~€2-4), then walk up Val Veny past the Glacier de Miage and Lac Combal — stop at the Maison de la Vielle for a rest. Climb to Col de la Seigne (2,516 m) for the money view of Mont Blanc's southern face, then descend through La Ville des Glaciers to Les Chapieux. Book a refuge or the village gîte ahead in July-August; the valley has almost no ATMs.

🚌Italian local bus La Visaille (€4); rest on foot

🛏Les Chapieux refuge/gîte dorm with demi-pension optional (~£25-30)

• →Bus to La Visaille
• →Trek Val Veny to Lac Combal and Col de la Seigne
• →Descent to Les Chapieux

Straight from the door of your gîte: climb through alpine pasture to Col de la Croix du Bonhomme (2,483 m), traverse to Col du Bonhomme and drop down the Val Montjoie into Les Contamines. Roughly 7 hours and 1,000 m+ of climbing — the two-bus faff of the guided version is avoided by walking the shorter variant. Stay in a Les Contamines gîte or book a municipal campsite with a hostel bunk if budget is tight.

🚌On foot all day

🛏Les Contamines gîte/hostel or guesthouse (~£28-35)

• →Trek to Col de la Croix du Bonhomme
• →Traverse Col du Bonhomme
• →Val Montjoie descent to Les Contamines

A scenic day: walk to the Chalets de Miage for fresh cheese and tarte, climb to Col de Tricot (2,120 m) and traverse beneath the Glacier de Bionnassay to Col de Voza, then descend to Les Houches. If weather or legs are shot, the Bellevue cable car from Col de Voza cuts 600 m of knee-crunching descent for ~€10. Take the free/nominal Chamonix valley bus to your Les Houches or Chamonix accommodation.

🚌Optional Bellevue cable car (€10); Chamonix valley bus (~€2)

🛏Les Houches or Chamonix hostel dorm (~£30-40)

• →Trek to Chalets de Miage
• →Col de Tricot crossing above Glacier de Bionnassay
• →Col de Voza and descent to Les Houches

The signature finale: take the bus/cable car up to the Flégère or walk up from Les Praz, then follow the Grand Balcon Sud beneath the Aiguilles Rouges to Lac Blanc (2,352 m), looking straight across at Mont Blanc and the Mer de Glace. Time it for clear morning weather. Descend via the Lacs des Chéserys to Les Praz and walk into Chamonix. Reward yourself with a supermarket 'picnic on the balcony' or a cheap fondue as a treat.

🚌Chamonix bus (~€2) and optional Flégère cable car (~€18) if not walking up

🛏Chamonix hostel or budget hotel (~£35-45)

• →Grand Balcon Sud traverse
• →Lac Blanc and Lacs des Chéserys
• →Descent into Chamonix

Morning stroll around Chamonix, coffee on a terrace with the Mont Blanc massif in view, and a last browse of the gear shops. Bus to Geneva Airport with AlpyBus/SAT (~1h30, €25-30) or the seasonal Swiss train via Martigny/Vallorcine. Note that Chamonix and Geneva are the two most expensive stops on the trip — buy food at the Chamonix supermarket before departure.

🚌AlpyBus/SAT Chamonix–Geneva Airport (~€25-30)

🛏None (departure day) — or an extra night if your flight is late

• →Chamonix town and Mont Blanc viewpoints
• →Optional Mer de Glace train (~€40) if time permits
• →Transfer to Geneva Airport