Snowshoe hiking in Chamonix

Starting off from the little village of Le Buet, this hike takes you through the forest and past some old stone huts before entering the Berard valley. Hiking alongside the river to begin with, you’ll find yourself in a magical environment where icicles hang from rocks and snow-crusted branches arch over the path. Wherever the forest opens out you’ll be able to look over your shoulder to the magnificent view of Les Grands Montets, the snowy peaks of the Mont Blanc Massif and the glaciers that fill the gullies surrounding the Mer de Glace on the opposite side of the valley. Hiking upwards through the forest until we come to a small clearing looking over the Swiss border, this is a great place to stop for a picnic lunch and a flask of hot tea. From here it’s all downhill, back through another pretty little hamlet of wooden chalets, looping back through snowy meadows to the bottom of the Poya ski slope.

High above the village of Vallorcine is a little collection of stone huts that look remarkably like a bar of Toblerone – a perfect row of triangular roofs overlooking the valley. This is an excellent snowshoe hike for those who enjoy a fair bit of ascent, rewarded by stunning views. Starting off in the village of Le Buet, the trail climbs up through the forest, twisting and turning through snowy boughs where you might spot chamois or ptarmigan darting amongst the trees. The trail comes out into high alpine meadows surrounded by breathtaking views, dominated by the peak of Mont Buet looming nearby. The Loriaz huts are nestled on a plateau at 2020m, looking across to a panoramic view of the Aiguille Verte and the Massif du Mont Blanc – the perfect place to stop and enjoy a leisurely picnic lunch! The huts are closed during the winter, so you’ll need to bring your own food and a flask of hot tea or coffee.

Combine nature with history on this longer hike to visit an ancient monastery on the Swiss/Italian border. The monastery was founded back in 1050 by Saint Bernard of Menthon as a safe haven for mountain travellers. It because famous for the iconic rescue dogs of the same name, who were bred here for generations. The hike itself is a long but gradual climb up towards a high mountain pass, traversing deep valleys and overlooked by steep snowy slopes until you reach the monastery just a few hundred metres from the Italian border. The scenery is magnificent and the building is very atmospheric. Take some time to explore the chapel and the museum, and enjoy a meal in the auberge. You can also stay overnight at the auberge, a memorable and unique experience that makes longer snowshoe hikes possible.

Please see the list of recommended equipment on this page. Most technical equipment can be rented here in Chamonix and we are happy to help you organise this, please contact us if you would like prices and advice on whatever you need. Chamonix has dozens of outdoor shops, so whatever you don’t already have you can find it here.

We highly recommend that you take out specific insurance for mountain activities. This will cover you for search and rescue services, evacuation by helicopter and emergency medical treatment. You should also make sure that you have adequate travel insurance that covers you for the usual things such as cancelled flights, lost luggage, hospital treatment, etc. Please contact us to organise mountain rescue insurance for your trip.

We can help you to organise your transport to/from Chamonix. We work with well-established airport transfer companies that we trust will provide our clients with a great service. Please contact us for further information regarding either shared or private airport transfers.

If you wish to book accommodation in Chamonix we would be happy to recommend some local hotels, gites, self-catered apartments, or chalets and advise on the best locations. Please contact us if you would like help finding accommodation in Chamonix.