UKC

Thought this would be best placed in this section where many know the area. I'm going to Chamonix with my girlfriend in a few weeks. We want to to a fair bit of hiking but we aren't taking any gear. Just standard boots and good fitness. Does anybody have any recommendations for beautiful hikes? Exciting but not dangerous without the right gear.

In reply to fooby: Lac Blanc is a popular walk
http://www.ukclimbing.com/photos/search.html?nstart=0&sort=&text=la...
there are many high level paths on that side including the Tour of Mont Blanc.

In reply to fooby:
You need Cicerone's Chamonix Mountain Adventures http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chamonix-Mountain-Adventures-Walking-Cicerone/dp/18... by Hilary Sharp.

In reply to fooby:

The tourist folk use to have little walking guide like a piste map; routes are easy to find from signs. Even the most popular walks are fairly exciting and grand scenery - obvious ones are Grand Balcon Nord/Sud, Cascade du Dard, hikes from Brevent cable car, or Take the train from Cham to the Tramway du MB area. Take the cable car to Italy, stunning views, worth every penny of the small fortune it costs.

In reply to fooby:

Second that for Hilary's "Chamonix Mountain Adventures" book [and others by her too] - they are excellent and sounds like just what you are looking for

Pete

In reply to fooby:

Dinosaur footprints at Emosson are a nice half day.

In reply to fooby:

The walk up to the summit of l'Aiguilette des Posettes is beautiful... just follow up through the woods (loads of different routes) and up onto the summit 'ridge' (good footpath all the way) to amazing views of the valley.

In reply to PeterBlackler:


Third that, it's really good.

The walky days we had while we were there were the Aiguillette des Posettes (which was nice), a walk up to the Lac Blanc hut from the Col des Montets (we had a go at the Aiguille du Belvedere the next day, got scared, backed off and walked back down to La Joux) and a walk from Le Buet up the Tre les Eaux valley to to a peak that I can't remember the name of and back down past the Loriaz refuge. If we'd had more time, we'd probably have gone and done Mont Buet and the hike up to the glacier junction on the north side of Mont Blanc.

The Tre les Eaux trip was particularly good - some bits of pulling on chains and a fairly remote feel. The night at Lac Blanc was also good if you fancy something along those lines - the hut's a bit more genteel than the proper mountaineering huts on the south side of the valley, the food's really nice, and the view from the dining room - Aiguille Verte, Grands Jorasses, Mont Blanc - is probably one of the best in Europe.