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HIGHLIGHTS
A quick look about this trip!
DURATION
14 DAYS
COMFORT
STYLE
LANGUAGE
RATING
  • Hike from the mountains to the sea through a range of cultures, scenery, and architectural styles 
  • Enjoy superb views of Mont Blanc and the jagged summits of the Vanoise Mountains 
  • Discover two of France’s most beautiful national parks
ACTIVITIES ON THIS TRIP
Primary: Hiking
Other: Local Culture & Cuisine, Swimming
$6795USD
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TRIP MAP
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Mont Blanc to the Mediterranean

This hiker’s dream journey brings us from mighty Mont Blanc, with its perpetual glaciers and snowfields, to the palm-fringed Cote d’Azur, where the Maritime Alps plunge into the blue Mediterranean.
This hiker’s dream journey brings us from Europe’s loftiest peak to the palm-fringed Cote d’Azur, where the jagged Alps plunge into the blue Mediterranean. As we traverse the French Alps from north to south, we witness dramatic changes in the culture, scenery, and ecosystems with each new hiking day. We set off through sweeping alpine landscapes with panoramas of Mont Blanc’s snowy summit, hiking in high meadows where cowbells echo and blue gentian grows. Heading south, partly on the legendary GR5 trail that traverses Europe from the North Sea to the Riviera, we cross two spectacular national parks (Vanoise and Mercantour) and eventually enter the brightly colored hill hamlets that announce that the Mediterranean is near. When we finally arrive on the welcoming Cote d’Azur, we kick off our hiking boots and head for a celebratory swim in the sea!

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.

A Special Note: This itinerary is as accurate as possible, but please note that the hiking distances and elevations listed are estimates. The mountain weather will dictate our exact hiking itinerary.
Day 1: Megève, France
Arrive in Megève and transfer to our hotel in the center of town (a complimentary van transfer is available from the airport in Geneva). Megève is one of the most charming alpine resorts in Europe, full of fashionable boutiques and fine restaurants yet also offering a very well-preserved old town center of typical Savoy charm. We gather for an orientation meeting and welcome dinner tonight. Hotel overnight in Megève...D.
Lodging Hotel Aux Vieux Moulin
Description Just steps from the pedestrian zone of the pretty mountain town of Megeve, this is a chalet-type hotel, all in wood, with a friendly atmosphere and a cozy bar.
Day 2: Mont Blanc Panorama Hike
Today’s hike is a wonderful introduction to the splendor of the French Alps and Mont Blanc in particular. We begin with a cable car ride to Mont Arbois (6,012') and then hike to Mont Joly (8,282') along a spectacular ridge with breathtaking views of Mont Blanc (15,770'), highest peak in western Europe, and all its beautiful southern satellites. There are beautiful panoramas of the Savoie Pre-Alps and peaks of the Vanoise that we will be visiting in a few days. We hike back to the cable car for a ride down to town. Hotel overnight in Megève...BLD Approximate hiking distance: 7 miles, 4 hours, with 2,500-foot ascent and descent.
Lodging Hotel Aux Vieux Moulin
Description Just steps from the pedestrian zone of the pretty mountain town of Megeve, this is a chalet-type hotel, all in wood, with a friendly atmosphere and a cozy bar.
Day 3: Col de Bresson / Bourg-St. Maurice
We head to Lac de Roseland for a hike up to Col de Bresson (8,098') with a descent to the chapel of St. Guérin. Near the top of the col, we enjoy impressive vistas of the southern flanks of Mont Blanc Range and the monolith of Pierra Menta (8,902'), site of the most prestigious ski-mountaineering competition in France. We also get our first glimpses of the summits of the peaks of the Parc National de la Vanoise. After our hike, we head for Bourg-St. Maurice, capital of the Tarentaise Valley. This historic town was once an important stronghold for the House of Savoy because of its location near the Little St. Bernard Pass. Overnight at hotel in Bourg-St. Maurice...BLD Approximate hiking distance: 8 miles, 6.5 hours, with 2,700-foot ascent, 2,900-foot descent.
Lodging Hotel Autantic
Description With a tranquil countryside location outside Bourg-St. Maurice, this modern hotel has traditional Savoyard stone-and-wood architecture and comfortable rooms. Breakfasts are simple but good (with fresh eggs from the hotel’s own chickens!).
Day 4: Vanoise National Park / Pralognan-en-
Our hike begins at the entrance to Vanoise National Park, the first national park in France, created in 1960 to preserve the wild eastern section of the Vanoise Massif. There are over 500 kilometers of footpaths here. The park safeguards precious mountain fauna (and is home to some 2,000 ibex and 5,500 chamois), yet it is also the most extensive skiing area on the planet. We hike above treeline to Lac de la Plagne (7,035') and Col du Plan Séry (8,560'), then descend to Champagny-Le-Haut, a beautiful pastoral hamlet. At hike’s end, we head to Pralognan-en-Vanoise, “capital” of Vanoise outdoor activities and surrounded by 10,000-foot peaks. Overnight at hotel...BLD Approximate hiking distance: 10 miles, 6.5 hours, with 3,500-foot ascent, 3,500-foot descent.
Lodging Hotel de la Vanoise
Description This friendly family-run hotel is in the heart of the unspoiled mountain village of Pralognan-la-Vanoise. The hotel’s bar is a great place to try the favorite local drink, Genepy (herbal liqueur from the Alps) and get acquainted with the locals.
Day 5: Pralognan-en-Vanoise
There are two options for our hike from Pralognan today. The more strenuous option is a climb to the summit of the “Petit Mt Blanc” (8,900’), from where we have extensive views of the surrounding massifs, including Mont Blanc, and across the valley floor. We hike down from the top through alpine meadows (steep in places). For those who want a more moderate option, a short van ride brings us to Les Prioux (where it’s possible to witness the old-fashioned way of making the famous Beaufort cheese), then walk up to the Refuge du Ritort. On the hike back, we stop at the Refuge du Roc de La Pêche, where a lunch of local specialties can be enjoyed. We then return to the hotel on a route that follows the valley floor. BD Approximate hiking distances (strenuous option): 6 miles, 5.5 hours, with 3,300-foot ascent, 3,300-foot descent. Moderate option: 5 miles, 4 hours, with 800-foot ascent, 2,000-foot descent.
Lodging Hotel de la Vanoise
Description This friendly family-run hotel is in the heart of the unspoiled mountain village of Pralognan-la-Vanoise. The hotel’s bar is a great place to try the favorite local drink, Genepy (herbal liqueur from the Alps) and get acquainted with the locals.
Day 6: Col de la Vanoise / Termignon
This is one of the most beautiful hikes of the trip. A cable car carries us up to Mont Bochor (6,635') for some of the best views in the Vanoise, including the rounded Dômes de Vanoise and the very impressive Grande Casse (12,648'). Our hiking route follows an ancient Roman road linking La Tarentaise with the Haute Maurienne valley. We hike beneath the towering Grande Casse to Col de la Vanoise (8,255'), with beautiful reflections in three gleaming alpine lakes along the way. We continue hiking to the Refuge Entre Deux Eaux, and our van transports us to Termignon, a sleepy little village in the Haute Maurienne valley and a step back in time. Overnight at hotel...BLD Approximate hiking distance: 9 miles, 6 hours, with 1,600-foot ascent, 1,300-foot descent.
Lodging Hotel le Moulin de Marie
Description With traditional architecture, this cozy eight-room mountain inn offers us a warm welcome at the end of our hike. Savoyard specialties at the charming restaurant are a delight, from raclette to tartiflette (potatoes and bacon au gratin with delicious Reblochon cheese!).
Day 7: Vallée Etroite / Briançon
A spectacular drive brings us from Termignon to Modane via the Arc Valley this morning, with a glimpse of the old fortifications of Aussois, including hilltop Fort d’Esseillon, a reminder of the wars between the French and Austrians as late as the 19th century. We pass through the Frejus Tunnel into Italy, and over the Col Etroite back into France to reach the Vallée Etroite (“Narrow Valley”), a remote Italian-speaking valley that was used long ago as a passage into France from Italy. This afternoon, we hike to Col des Thures (7,196') through a beautiful and unspoiled forest and then into high alpine meadows, with a descent to the little mountain village of Nevache, where we visit its beautiful, ancient church, the Saint Claude de Val-des-Prés. Later we continue to Briançon for an overnight in a hotel...BLD Approximate hiking distance: 7.5 miles, 4 hours, with 1,500-foot ascent, 1,250-foot descent.
Lodging Parc Hotel
Description The Parc is a comfortable, modern 4-story hotel with a great location overlooking Briancon’s fortified old town, which was built three centuries ago on a rocky outcrop.
Day 8: Rest Day / Optional Hikes / Briançon
Briançon is a very pretty town with a strong medieval character, and it’s a great place to take a break from hiking. We enjoy a rest day here with time to stroll ancient streets between narrow, colorful buildings. Not much has changed here over the centuries, and the many shops with local products create the atmosphere of a medieval market place. Outside the city ramparts, we have options for hikes in the surrounding mountains, where there are numerous fortresses, some built by Vauban during the reign of Louis XIV. A worthwhile hike in good weather is the Le Grand Aréa (9,411'), a barren peak with an irresistible panorama of rewarding views from Mont Blanc in the north to the giants of Les Ecrins and La Meige in the south, as well as of Mont Viso and the mountains of Queyras that we visit in the following days. Overnight in Briançon, with dinner on your own to sample the array of local restaurants...B.
Lodging Parc Hotel
Description The Parc is a comfortable, modern 4-story hotel with a great location overlooking Briancon’s fortified old town, which was built three centuries ago on a rocky outcrop.
Day 9: Queyras Regional Park / Arvieux / Ceillac
Heading to St. Pancrace, we start our hike to Col des Ayes (8,124'), gateway to the regional park of Queyras. The Queyras is one of the most remote and scarcely populated areas of France, where people live in a self sufficient way cut off from the rest of the country. Dropping down to the Swiss-style chalets of Eychaillon, we traverse flower-covered meadows to climb up to the Col du Cross, where we can see herds of the Corsican Mouflon mountain sheep that roam these slopes. We continue hiking down to Brunissard, then drive past Arvieux, on the route of one of the most famous Tour de France mountain passes, the Col de l’Izoard, to our little alpine hotel in an isolated mountain valley near Ceillac...BLD Approximate hiking distance: 7 miles, 6 hours, with 3,100-foot ascent, 3,000-foot descent
Lodging Hotel La Cascade
Description This little alpine hotel situated near a beautiful waterfall is family-run and set in splendid isolation in a mountain valley. It is near the idyllic mountain village of Ceillac in the heart of the Parc Naturel Régional du Queyras.
Day 10: St. Martin-en-Vésubie
In the morning, we hike to Lac St. Anne, a beautiful glacier lake above Veillac, with a picnic lunch. After lunch, a drive of about 5.5 hours brings us a spectacular transition from the culture and terrain of the Alps of the north to the Mediterranean Maritime Alps. We cross two mountain passes over 7,000 feet, including Col de La Bonnette (9,191'), the highest in Europe. Weather permitting, we have an opportunity to take a walk to one of the surrounding summits. We also stop en route to enjoy the views and explore little villages, including St. Etienne de Tinée. In the late afternoon, we arrive in St. Martin-en-Vésubie, a charming town with buildings that date back to the 16th century. Here we may see men in the square playing pétanque and sipping Pastis, the favorite drink of southern France. For the first time in our trip, we begin to sense the relaxed Mediterranean atmosphere in the air. Overnight at hotel in St. Martin-en- Vésubie...BLD Approximate hiking distance: 3 miles, 3 hours, with a 1,500-foot ascent, 1,500-foot descent
Lodging Hotel La Chataigneraie
Description A great spot for sipping Pastis on the terrace and playing boules with the locals! This very simple family-run hotel seems straight out of a Marcel Pagnol novel, with its grounds planted with chestnut trees. It’s just steps from the center of the lovely old village of St. Martin.
Day 11: Mercantour National Park / St. Martin-en-Vésubie / Col de Fenestre
St. Martin-en-Vésubie, with its typical Mediterranean marketplace and beautiful old buildings in bright colors, is our base for hikes into the wonderful Parc National du Mercantour, with its tiny perched villages, steep peaks, and forests of holm oak, Mediterranean olive, rhododendrons, and larch. Trip members can spend the day exploring the village on their own, or join today’s hike. Our main hiking choice brings us through pine forests to the upper Borean Valley, with a visit to Lake Trecolpas en route to the Col de Fenestre (8,115') on the border with Italy. Here on this pass, we stand between two national parks, one in Italy and one in France, with fantastic views of vast glaciated mountains and valleys. We may see herds of chamoix near the pass. Dropping down on the French side, we hike to the Refuge of La Madone de Fenestre (6,242'), a pilgrimage site whose chapel contains a 12th century Madonna image, and head back to St. Martin-en-Vésubie for overnight...BLD Approximate hiking distance: 7 miles, 6 hours, with 3,200-foot ascent, 2,300-foot descent.
Lodging Hotel La Chataigneraie
Description A great spot for sipping Pastis on the terrace and playing boules with the locals! This very simple family-run hotel seems straight out of a Marcel Pagnol novel, with its grounds planted with chestnut trees. It’s just steps from the center of the lovely old village of St. Martin.
Day 12: Vallée des Merveilles / La Brigue
We drive up to the Vallon de Gordolasque, where our hike begins. An increasingly steep trail through forest and meadows brings us to the rocky Pas de l’Arpette (8,237'). We descend gradually on the other side via a series of lakes—relics from the last Ice Age 10,000 years ago—into the heart of the most famous part of the Mercantour National Park, the Vallée des Merveilles. This “valley of wonders” is a magnificent mountain region and an open-air museum of more than 36,000 rock engravings from 2,000 BC. This valley was a sacred place during the Bronze Age. Our hike out of the valley follows a natural waterway down to the road above St. Dalmas de Tende and the Roya Valley. Overnight in La Brigue...BLD Approximate hiking distance: 10 miles, 7 hours, with 2,600-foot ascent, 2,600-foot descent.
Lodging Hotel Le Mirval
Description This is a quaint little inn located in a wonderful traditional village. There’s a nice garden—and good food!
Day 13: Col de Razet / Menton
Our last hike brings us views of the sea! We drive to our trailhead on the GR 52 for a hike up to the Col de Razet (3,385'). There are fantastic vistas out to the Mediterranean as we contour up and down along the trail, with Menton spread out below us. We enjoy a picnic lunch en route. At hike’s end, it’s a short drive to Menton for a well-earned swim from the beach in front of our hotel. We gather for a farewell dinner tonight...BLD Approximate hiking distance: 7 miles, 5 hours.
Lodging Hotel Riva
Description Facing the blue Mediterranean, the Riva is a small, modern, quiet hotel with a welcoming atmosphere. There are two great jacuzzis on the rooftop for a relaxing soak, and the pedestrianized streets of Menton are just a 10-minute stroll along the seafront.
Day 14: Depart
We transfer to Nice for departure on homeward-bound flights or destinations in Europe...B only 

A SpecialNote: This itinerary is as accurate as possible, but please note that the hiking distances and elevations listed are estimates. The mountain weather will dictate our exact hiking itinerary.
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Neil C.
This is my second time on this trip! It’s a great hike.
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Laura T.
A superb trip with superb leaders.
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Cathy C.
I loved it all. A great hike with extraordinary views, great company, delicious meals, cozy inns, and dramatic scenery changes. To end with a swim in the Mediterranean was perfection!
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Teddie G.
This is the second time I’ve traveled with WT. I’m noting consistent high quality, excellent planning, excellent Trip Leaders, and nice clientele.
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Helen F.
A trip I would highly recommend!
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Deborah C.
I’ll be doing more of these trips!
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Carrie M.
I loved everything about the trip and just wish it could have lasted longer. Thank you for making my trip so wonderful.
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Randie B.
A fabulous trip! Everythinig was terrific, really quite perfect!
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TRIP INCLUDES
  • Expert leadership of at least two Wilderness Travel Trip Leaders (and sometimes three, depending on group size) 
  • Accommodations in hotels and inns 
  • All meals included except 1 lunch and 1 dinner 
  • Van support and luggage transfer 
  • Cable cars and chairlifts to trail heads for scheduled hikes 
  • Land transportation during the trip, transfers between overnight stops, airport transfers
TRIP DOES NOT INCLUDE
  • International airfare 
  • Any meals not specified in the Full Trip Brochure 
  • Alcohol at meals 
  • Airport departure taxes 
  • Optional tipping or gratuities to leaders or staff 
  • Additional hotel nights that may be necessary airline schedule changes or other factors 
  • Pre-trip expenses of medical immunizations (if any) 
  • Travel insurance, or passports and visas 
  • And other expenses of a personal nature (alcoholic beverages, laundry, etc.).
CANCELLATIONS: 20% cancellation fee applied if cancelled 60 days prior to departure. Cancellations within 60 days are 100% non-cancelable

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