Tour of Mont Blanc hike in 10 days, the complete itinerary

We'll meet in Les Houches at 8.30am, where you'll meet your guide and the other members of the group. This first day gets off to a gentle start. We take the cable car to gain altitude effortlessly, then walk along a balcony path that runs alongside the rails of the Nid d'Aigle cog railway. The path winds past meadows, horses and cows, with the Chamonix valley in the background.

After crossing a torrent on a footbridge, the ascent to the Col du Tricot is gradual. A picnic break by the stream gives us a chance to admire the Dômes de Miage. We finish the day with a leisurely descent through the mountain pastures to the Chalet du Truc, a simple, cosy accommodation surrounded by greenery.

After a hearty breakfast, it's off for a second day's walking. After a gentle descent, we walk towards the Combe d'Armancette, an idyllic valley where lush green mountain pastures meet snow-capped peaks. This is a good time to listen to the soothing sounds of the streams rushing down the slopes.

We continue our route, still in the Contamines-Montjoie nature reserve, on a traversing path. We continue past the Tré la tête Mountain hut, descending through the forest to the Nant-Borrant valley. From here, we'll wind down to our Mountain hut perched on the side of the mountain. The panoramic view of the surrounding valleys and nearby glaciers is impressive.

This is one of the most physical stages of the trip. We begin our ascent of the Col du Bonhomme, at 2,329 m. From the summit, there is a spectacular view of the Mont-Blanc and Beaufortain massifs.

The day continues with a traverse to the Croix du Bonhomme. If the weather is fine, we can take the more scenic "Les Fours" option. Finally, we descend to the hamlet of Les Chapieux, where we spend the night at the Mountain hut de la Nova.

Today we cross the border into Italy at the Col de la Seigne, perched at 2,516m. The path follows a mineral landscape, typical of a landscape shaped by glaciers.

The descent to the Lée Blanche valley offers a striking contrast between alpine meadows and impressive rock faces. We end the day in the Val Veny, at the Monte Bianco Mountain hut, facing the mountains on the Italian side.

We start the day with a descent to Courmayeur, a village in the Aosta Valley with lauze roofs, before climbing back up through a pine forest. The path, sometimes on a balcony, sometimes in the forest, offers stunning views of the south face of Mont Blanc.

The climb to Rifugio Bonatti, one of the most famous Mountain huts on the route, is demanding but very rewarding. Here, the Italian welcome and the comfort of the place will allow you to recover well.

On this sixth day, we head for Switzerland with the ascent of the Grand Col Ferret (2,537 m), the gateway to a new mountain culture. The gradual but sustained climb is punctuated by breathtaking views of the Italian Val Ferret and its sparkling glaciers spreading their tongues down the valley. At the pass, the horizon opens out onto the Swiss Alps, where lush green pastures contrast with the rugged peaks.

The descent is made on a balcony through mountain pastures, herd bells and fir forests. The atmosphere here is peaceful, warm and conducive to relaxation after a fine day's walking.

This gentle stage crosses the Swiss Val Ferret, where flower-filled chalets, waterfalls and sparkling streams create a bucolic picture. The route winds through spruce forests and alpine meadows, with the snow-capped peaks of the Mont Blanc massif as a constant backdrop. The arrival at Lac de Champex, nicknamed "Switzerland's little Canada", is a real reward.

This crystal-clear lake, lined with typical chalets, is an invitation to contemplate and, for the bravest, to take a refreshing dip! A short walk takes us past the lake to our hostel in Champex-le-haut.

This is our most alpine day, with an altitude pass culminating at 2,665m in the middle of rocky moraines. We pass through a wide variety of natural environments, and may be lucky enough to spot some ibex. The passage of boulders and the steep final climb to the pass are well worth the reward of the exceptional panorama, including the Trient glacier.

The path leads down the other side to the small hamlet of Le Trient, at the foot of the mountains. We spend the night at the Mountain hut in Peuty, in an authentic mountain atmosphere.

The ascent of the Col de Balme (2,191 m) marks our return to France, and offers a beautiful panorama of Mont Blanc and the Chamonix valley. We climb along a panoramic path dotted with flower-filled meadows and coniferous forests. Sheep and marmots enliven this bucolic landscape. After a contemplative pause at the pass, we begin the descent via the chalets de balme, where the sounds of cows' clarines enhance the landscape. Finally, we descend to the village of Le Tour to find the eponymous Mountain hut, where hikers and mountaineers meet.

The last day is one of the most sumptuous. We enter the Aiguilles rouges nature reserve on a slope that literally faces Mont Blanc. We'll be very lucky to catch a glimpse of one of the Alps' most emblematic species, the Alpine ibex.

After a detour to the Chéserys lakes, we climb the ladders to reach the mythical Lac Blanc, where the peaks of the high peaks are reflected in the turquoise waters of this jewel of the Alps.

On this last stage, we can contemplate the whole Mont-Blanc range, which we've been circling all along this adventure. We make our way quietly down to the flégère, where we take the cable car back to Chamonix. This is an opportunity to pass through this village, a pioneer of mountaineering in France, before catching the bus to Les Houches, where our expedition ends.

Walking times are given as a guide and may vary.