Mont Blanc Circuit

Our Clients’ Reviews

Here at Exodus we thrive on feedback from our customers. It's the only way we can ensure our trips continue to be the best they can be. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of the trip you're interested in, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers. Any feedback collected (Good or bad) from Exodus clients is posted straight onto our website - totally unedited. Read more...

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  Julie Byrne

  MONT BLANC CIRCUIT

  

  Written September 2012

  First time away on my own (at age of 51), first time on a group holiday, first visit to the alps and first time on a trekking holiday, it exceeded all my expectations.  

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  I think each and every day had its moments, some days many of them,  such as reaching the highest point of the day and having time to take in the stunning views and seeing just how far we had come.  

  What did you think of your group leader?

  Graham was excellent as a leader always approachable, always calm and friendly, had time for everyone and was extremely knowledgable about the mountains, local history and wildlife.  His little 'optional' deviations from the route were always well worth the extra effort.

  Lewis who was in charge of shopping, cooking, moving gear etc was also excellent and the 3 course meals he served up, all on time, were really really good. 

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  Make sure you are fairly confident about covering the distances involved taking into account the ups and downs as some days I found were fairly strenous and I think the fitter you are the more enjoyable it would be. Comfy boots and ruck sack!  

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  I would of loved to have stayed in one of the mountain huts one night just for the experience. If this could be incorporated into the trip it would just improve on what I thought was already an excellent trip. 

   
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  Georgina Sutherland

  MONT BLANC CIRCUIT - Camping

  

  Written September 2012

  An amazing two week alpine hiking experience.  

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  Hard work of uphill climbs was more than rewarded by stunning mountain, glacier and valley vistas, sometimes surrounded by clouds.

  What did you think of your group leader?

  Very professional leader whose extensive experience in the alps made the trip truly great.

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  Working on your fitness before the trip will make a difference. Take lots of photos!

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  If you only ever do one hike in the alps this is the one to do!

   
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  Estelle van Loggerenberg

  MONT BLANC CIRCUIT

  

  Written August 2012

  Not a walk in the park, but the rewards are phenomenal 

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  The last day was rainy and misty. We went ahead with the climb to Aguillette des Houches in spite of low visibility. Just as we arrived on the col, the clouds parted and the top of Mt Blanc came into view: what a moment...

  What did you think of your group leader?

  Excellent guide.

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  Get fit before the trip: this makes it so much easier to enjoy even the harder parts.

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  You have to JUST DO IT!

   
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  Paul Darnley

  MONT BLANC CIRCUIT

  

  Written August 2012

  A harder trek than I thought but the stunning scenery, especially from the top of each climb, and the sense of achievement at the top of the last climb to Brevent made this a truly rewarding experience. 

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  The realisation of what I had achieved on the last climb to Brevent was truly overwhelming.

  The brilliant Savoyard salad I had in a Les Contamines outdoor restaurant.

  Winning the last ever card game of the holiday, with my partner. (It's a game called 500, a New Zealand game, which we were taught by one of the Kiwis in our group.)

  What did you think of your group leader?

  Simon was an excellent group leader, let you walk at your own speed, always sat at various places where there was a trail junction to guide you on the right path, always there to encourage everyone and sensitive to your needs when needed.

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  Go do it!!!

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  First trip with Exodus - very impressed!!

   
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  Chris Delaney

  MONT BLANC CIRCUIT

  

  Written August 2012

  The Mont Blanc Circuit is a challenging adventure.  I had no experience camping or doing extended hiking before my trip!  The exodus crew and fellow hikers made this a once in a lifetime experience - not just a holiday.  I am looking forward to doing more travel like this! 

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  The long trudge each day to the ridge of a col - then a huge panorama opening up - picturesque valleys with glittering rivers, rewarding you for every step!

  What did you think of your group leader?

  Graham (mountain guide) was fantastic, he loves the mountains and was keen to teach us all about his place.  He set a great consistent pace that everyone could follow, while challenging fitter team members with optional extensions.  When the weather was good Graham would vary the route to ensure we had the most spectacular views and the best experience possible - some other groups walking at the same time missed these special experiences.

  Nothing was too hard for Graham or Lewis (camp manager) - they went the extra mile in every aspect to ensure it was a great trip.  Even the little things like buying special cheese from a local farmer to varying the trip schedule & timing to try and beat the weather.

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  Read the packing list carefully, take a huge bag and fit everything in!  Make sure you have helicopter rescue on your travel insurance.

  Walking poles are probably a good idea - they arent heavy to carry if you dont use them. 

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  It was great that the mountain guide was careful in helping us with our equipment both ensuring we had the appropriate gear (with an opportunity to buy at reasonable prices in Chamonix) and instructing us on correct use.

   
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  Robin John

  MONT BLANC CIRCUIT

  

  Written August 2012

  This was a thoroughly enjoyable trip that more than lived up to my expectations. Having the time to do the complete circuit, visiting France, Switzerland and Italy en route, gives you a great feeling of satisfaction and allows you to appreciate both the similarities and differences of these three countries that share a common alpine geography and history. 

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  As well as crossing over many high passes as part of the circuit, we had the opportunity for some side trips up to local peaks 200-300 metres higher and easily accessible from the pass. Reaching the peak gives you a fantastic 360 degree view, definitely a 'wow' moment, and the weather was benign enough so that we could enjoy a relaxing lunch break at the top - sublime!

  What did you think of your group leader?

  The main trek leader, Graham, is a very experienced leader who is thoroughly familiar with the Mont Blanc region. This meant that he could plan good alternative routes when the weather was unfavourable for the planned route. He also kept us informed and entertained with little anecdotes and snippets of local history, which I feel is an important aspect of these treks. So I now know where the word 'alp' comes from - which is not what you might expect!

  We also had the benefit of a trainee leader, Johnie, who led some the walks. This was beneficial, as it made it easier to organise side trips that did not require the participation of the whole group. 

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  This is a hard walking trek, definitely more C than B and with lots of steep descents, so make sure you go equipped with good walking boots and socks, and walking poles are very useful.

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  The pop-up tents are certainly easy to put up, but not so easy to pack away, especially when wet with heavy dew first thing in the morning! I finally got the hang of it by the end of the holiday, but there are always helping hands available.

  And look out for the mobile milking parlour at 2200 metres, definitely a first! 

   
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  emily thompson

  MONT BLANC CIRCUIT

  

  Written July 2012

  The Tour du Mont Blanc is a great trek with amazing views and chosing to camp along the route provides a great atmosphere for the group. We were very lucky with the weather (30 degrees most days) but even the one very wet day we had was still a great day of walking.   

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  After crossing the Col de Balme on day two and teetering downhill on the snow high on the mountain and then zigzagging through the woodland, there was nothing more magical for our first camp in Switzerland than La Peuty. Located on the edge of the village the rough camp spot was quiet (thankfully not the one near the cement works which other reviews have complained about) and more importantly we could sit next to a field of wild flowers in the evening with a small campfire and a well earned beer.

  I was very surprised about the amount of snow still around having not walked in the Alps before, but it made the trip all the better; especially on the last day and after a tough ascent of Le Brevent we could slid on bums back down to Plan Praz.   

  What did you think of your group leader?

  Our group leader Simon had a relaxed style which was great and meant that we were able to walk at our own pace and meet at specific check points (usually refuges for food and drink stops). This meant that a trip that could have felt like bootcamp still felt like a holiday.

  Simon also had the unfortunate task of looking after some group members feet when they suffered from blisters which i though was over and above what i would have expected from a group leader.

  Ben our logistics coordinator was also really great. Being the only vegetarian i expected that i would be eating similar food every day, but i ate very well and was well catered for.

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  Get fit and break in your boots! Most walking days have around 1000m of ascent and also descent which is often quite steep. The upside is that there is always a refuge somewhere enroute to treat yourself to a coffee/hot chocolate/ cake. The Refuge Bonatti has the best hot chocolate and well worth sampling!

  Also, make the most of the rest days. The cable cars, especially up the Auguille de Midi are well worth the money to get close to Mont Blanc and watch alpinists on the snow. It is also very easy to find somewhere to paraglide in Chamonix on the last day. 

   

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  The campsites are all very good, even the two rough camps aren't really wild in that there are facilities available, just no showers. Having group tasks on the camping option - like washing up, means that getting to know one another happens right way. 

  I am usually a purist about walking the whole of a route. However when we had to endure a long road slog from the refuge after the Grand Col de Ferret (about 7 km of road) to the camp, even i would have been grateful if the buses hadn't still been on a 'winter' timetablen and were running up the valley. Yes there are some short sections where buses are used - for us this was only on two of the days due to the bus timetables at the start of the summer season. There is also a section from Cormayeur which is missed -but then this would have been walking up a ski road so not necessarily the most enjoyable walk i imagine.  Most people who organise this trip themselves would stay at the refuges which means that by camping you are covering extra distance every day anyway to get right down to the valley floor. As such this more than makes up for the odd bus trip. 

  The second to last day walk involved 3 cols and over 1000m of ascent and the steepest zigzagged path I've ever walked. This is marked on the map as a variant path and is more challenging than the main route, and is therefore a very rewarding acheivement, and the chance to see the glacier so close up and to cross the rope bridge across the river made it worth the effort. 

   

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