France and the Alpine Rings Tour du Mont Blanc (Southern Part) Season (July–September)

🥾 A calm start in the spirit of the southern section of the Tour du Mont Blanc: a forest and mountain-valley walk from Les Houches with an ascent on the Bellevue cable car and then along a well-known marked section to Col de Voza and toward Bionnassay. The active part of the day usually takes about 3.5–5 hours depending on pace and number of stops; difficulty is moderate. If you do the shortened version from the upper station, expect roughly 7–10 km and about 250–450 m of ascent/descent. This is a good day for a regular traveler: the trails are popular, logical, glacier-free, with no chains and no need for a helmet or protection. Along the way — forest, pastures, wide views of the Mont Blanc massif, and characteristic valley panoramas. In July–September it is important to start early: it gets hot in the sun during the day, and thunderclouds are common in the Alps after lunch. Before setting out, check the Bellevue cable car schedule, because in September some lifts close earlier in the second half of the month. If the weather is unstable, this day is easy to shorten and make almost a casual walk.

🥾 One of the most beautiful yet still accessible hiking days of the route: ascent from Les Praz/Chamonix by the Flégère gondola and a walk to Lac Blanc along the famous balcony trail in the Aiguilles Rouges. This is a mountain trail with a lake, rocky scenic sections, and huge views of the Mont Blanc glaciers, but without mountaineering. For a regular traveler, the option from Flégère is the right one: the active part is about 4–5 hours round trip with stops, roughly 6–8 km and about 450–600 m of ascent, moderate difficulty. This option is officially recommended as more suitable for beginners and families compared with the more technical approaches via Col des Montets or Tré-le-Champ. The seasonal nuance is very important: high-altitude trails are usually safer specifically from late June/in July through September, while after fresh snow, rain, or early in the morning the rocks may be slippery. Swimming in Lac Blanc and nearby high-mountain lakes is prohibited, so this is a day for walking, photos, and unhurried breaks rather than a beach outing. If the peaks are covered with clouds, it is better to move this day to the clearest morning of the trip.

🥾 Transfer to Les Contamines-Montjoie and an easier day to let your legs recover after the high-altitude walk. Here the route is devoted to the valley, forest, and the Bon Nant river: a walk from the village or with a short ride to Notre-Dame de la Gorge, then an unhurried walk through the lower part of the Les Contamines-Montjoie nature reserve. The active part usually takes 2.5–4 hours, difficulty easy or easy-moderate depending on the chosen length. You can plan for 5–8 km with a small elevation gain of about 150–300 m. This is a suitable route for a regular traveler because the lower part of the valley is very popular, easy to follow by the markings, and does not require going up to high passes. The atmosphere here is completely different: an old chapel, spruce forest, mountain stream, pastures, and the feeling of a classic Savoy alpine landscape. In July and August it can be warm down low, but after rain some paths are wet, so it is better to go in trekking shoes with a good sole. At the tourist office it is convenient to уточнить the condition of the upper sections and possible conservation restrictions in the reserve.

🥾 The main day connected specifically with the Tour du Mont Blanc: not a full hard crossing over the pass, but a sensible walk on the southern French section of the TMB up the valley toward Nant Borrant and La Balme, with the option to turn back before the technically and physically difficult part. For a regular traveler, this is the best way to feel the atmosphere of the route without overloading yourself. The active part is 4–6 hours, moderate difficulty; depending on the turnaround point it will be about 8–12 km with roughly 350–650 m of elevation gain. The official route to Col du Bonhomme itself is already considered long and difficult, so on this tour it is sensible not to set the pass as the goal, but to use the lower and middle section as a beautiful day walk: forest, meadows, streams, views of the Naturelle des Contamines-Montjoie reserve. This format does not require special equipment and stays within the zone of popular marked trails. Seasonal nuances: in July–September the upper parts of the route depend on snow and weather, so it is best to decide how far to go in the morning based on the conditions. If it is hot, start early; if thunderstorms are forecast, turn back no later than noon.

🥾 After two days in the TMB area — a gentle restorative hike at Lac Vert in the Passy / Plaine-Joux area, convenient from Saint-Gervais. This is a forest walk to an emerald lake with classic views of Mont Blanc and a very calm pace. The active part usually takes 1.5–3 hours, difficulty easy. If you walk from the Plaine-Joux parking area, the approach to the lake itself takes about 30 minutes each way; together with a loop around it and short scenic side paths, it comes to roughly 3–5 km with a small gain of 100–180 m. This day is excellent for regular travelers and for those who want to rest without dropping out of the natural rhythm of the route. The lake is in a protected natural area, so swimming and water activities are prohibited — this is a place valued for silence, forest reflections, and photogenic views. In July–August there is sometimes free shuttle service from Plaine-Joux to Lac Vert, and by early September it should already be rechecked. This is also a good backup day in case one of the high-altitude routes had to be shortened because of cloud cover.

🥾 The final day is a scenic walk using the Tramway du Mont-Blanc to get the feeling of a grand mountain setting without technical risks. Depending on the current operating status of the line and the weather, choose either the easy option around Bellevue/Col de Voza or a panoramic walk in the Nid d’Aigle area along short safe sections without stepping onto the glacier and without entering mountaineering routes. The active part of the day is 2–4 hours, difficulty easy to moderate; the distance is usually 4–7 km with 150–300 m of ascent. This format suits a regular traveler because the tram greatly reduces the climb, and the walk is built only around clear scenic trails where you can turn back at any moment. It is very important not to turn this day into an attempt to go to glaciers or mountain huts with a mountaineering mindset: the goal here is panoramas, fresh air, photo stops, and a short final hike. Seasonal nuance: in summer 2026 the line is announced with expanded access to Nid d’Aigle, but the exact operating mode, opening hours, and restrictions should be checked the day before. Also, in late September and after fresh snowfall the upper walking sections may become uncomfortable for regular footwear, so the backup option via Bellevue is always the wiser one.