Trails with the Best Views around Chamonix

It is always hard to pick a single trail as the winner but when it comes to the most amazing view points and a great variety of amazing views then this big trail from Vallorcine, to the Refuge de Loriaz, to Cheval Blanc, onward to the Summit of Mont Buet and then looping back via the Refuge de Piere a Berard is the one to beat. You will be passing multiple mountain passes which means each time you will be treated to a new view into a new valley. If you start early in the morning then the views of the sun rising from Loriaz will be unforgettable and it has generated one of our favorite pictures we ever took. From Cheval Blanc you will start having 360 degree all around into distant lands for beyond Chamonix. Mont Buet is the highest summit in the area outside of those in the Mont Blanc Massif. Being the highest peak at 3096m of altitude generates massive views as you can expect. On the way down you will be treated to a view point into the beautiful valley towards the Chalets de Villy in the Passy natural reserve. Absolutely stunning. So yes, if you can handle the impressive specifications on this one then we can highly recommend this as your big outing.

One of our favorite places around Chamonix has to be the Aiguillette des Houches and the entire crest trail that runs between the Refuge de Belachat all the way down to the Pierre Blanche. In fact we prefer this view of Mont Blanc over the view you are getting from the Brevent Summit, even though that summit provides a view from quite a bit higher up. The grassy crest just provides such a beautiful natural environment to frame all these dramatic views in. There are a number of ways to reach the Aiguillette des Houches. You could take the Brevent cable car and walk down but leaves either a big walk down to the valley or quite a big walk back up to the cable car. Our suggested trail starts of the Parc Merlet parking and from there you do a really beautiful look to the Refuge de Belachat and then the crest trail to the Aiguillette before looping back. We can highly recommend this trail for some of the best views of Mont Blanc and westwards of the Chamonix Valley over Prarion towards Megeve and Chaine des Aravis.

The crest trail that runs from Tre-le-Champ to the Aiguillette des Posettes is definitely one of the most scenic trails around Chamonix. The unique position of this crest is such that it offers views deep into the Chamonix Valley including all the mountain ranges on either side of the valley. The northern view looks out over the Vallorcine valley towards Loriaz and Mont Buet. The Argentiere Glacier and the Glacier du Tour are also clearly visible. This trail is arguably the most beautiful part of the Marathon du Mont Blanc trail race and they included it for good reason as it really represents some of the very best Chamonix has to offer. Beyond the views, the trail itself is also very beautiful with a nice mix of flowering alpine bushes and pine trees. There are many ways to go up to the Aiguillette des Posettes. We present a larger route that also includes the Tete de Balme summit which offers views north-east into Switzerland. 

This long trail that traverses the Aiguilles Rouges natural reserve includes a visit to three high altitude lakes: Lac Blanc, les Lacs Noirs and Lac Cornu. You will treated to some incredible views from the north side of the valley to the Aiguille Verte and all the peaks of the Mont Blanc Massif. This includes good views across the valley into the Glacier du Tour, Glacier d'Argentiere and the Mer de Glace. You will be crossing over the high mountain passes of Col de la Gliere and Col Cornu with north facing views to Rochers de Fiz and the peaks of the Sixt-Passy natural reserve. After doing this long trail you will be able to check of many of the main view points of this side of the Chamonix Valley.

Mont Lachat is grassy flat summit on the big ridge that runs all the way from Servoz to the summit of Mont Blanc. This little summit is easy to reach thanks to the Bellevue cable car which departs from Les Houches. A small loop trail start of at the Chamonix Valley facing side and then loops around to the Mont Lachat summit. From there you will have wide open views in all direction including far west into Mont Joly and the Chaine des Aravis above Sallanches. North you will look into Rochers de Fiz above Passy and Servoz. To the east you will have a view deep into nearly the entire length of the Chamonix Valley. All in all a fantastic position to really get a good lay of the land and discover areas that you might want to explore further.

The Tour des Fiz is a well-known trail that circles around the Rochers de Fiz and explores large parts of the Sixt-Passy natural reserve above Servoz and Passy. The view from Col d'Anterne is unforgettable and gives some some of the best distant views towards Mont Blanc. On the northern tip of the route you will have views towards Sixt-Fer-a-Cheval and the mountain chains beyond. The descend past the Chalets de Plate at les Egratz is steep and has spectacular views in between the massive rock formations. All in all, this trail is a bit far Chamonix and the logistics might be a bit challenging but its definitely worth it. We got an excelletion video for an annual trail running race called the Tour des 5 Refuges which largely follows this trail and can show you what you are in for.