Highlights of Mont Blanc — Self-Launched

Fly or train into Geneva, then take a shared shuttle (Mountain Drop-offs, AlpyBus or FlixBus, roughly £20–30 one way) or the Swiss/French train via Annemasse to Chamonix and onward to Les Houches. Check into a hostel or guesthouse in Les Houches (e.g. Auberge de Jeunesse de Chamonix–Les Houches HI, or a village gîte/chambre d'hôtes) — Les Houches is cheaper and quieter than Chamonix and gives easy access to the Bellevue and Prarion lifts. Spend the late afternoon walking into Les Houches village, buying a picnic stock for the week and picking up a local IGN walking map (or download the free Chamonix Valley trail maps). Evening: supermarket picnic or a crêpe and a beer in the village.

🚌Shared shuttle Geneva Airport to Chamonix ~£20–30; local bus/train onward to Les Houches ~£3

🛏Hostel/gîte dorm or private room, Les Houches

• →Shared shuttle Geneva Airport → Chamonix/Les Houches
• →Settle into hostel or gîte in Les Houches
• →Buy walking map and picnic supplies

Take the local bus or train from Les Houches to Les Bossons, then walk the easy, largely level Petit Balcon Sud path north to Chamonix (about 10 km, 3 hrs) with Mer de Glace and Mont Blanc views across the valley. Picnic at Paradis du Praz or on the Chamonix riverbank. In the afternoon, optionally extend up through the woods to Chalet La Floria (5 km round trip, 300 m ascent) for a drink on the terrace, or simply wander Chamonix's pedestrian centre and pavement cafés. Return to Les Houches by bus or train in the evening. If you're staying in a hostel with a kitchen, cook dinner in; otherwise Chamonix has plenty of pizza/pasta options for £10–15.

🚌Local bus or Mont-Blanc Express train Les Houches ↔ Les Bossons/Chamonix ~£3–4 each way (multi-day valley bus pass available)

🛏Hostel/gîte, Les Houches

• →Petit Balcon Sud hike, Les Bossons → Chamonix (10 km)
• →Optional Chalet La Floria walk
• →Explore Chamonix town

Buy a single ticket on the Bellevue cable car (Télécabine de Bellevue) from Les Houches up to about 1,800 m and walk the ridge to Le Prarion (1,969 m) for 360-degree views over Mont Blanc, the Contamines valley and Mont Joly. Descend on foot through forest back to Les Houches (or take the cable car down to save 1,000 m of knee work and 5.5 km). Carry plenty of water — this is a solid 5–6 hour day. Refuel at the hotel/gîte or a village bakery.

🚌On foot to the Bellevue lift station; cable car ticket ~£15

🛏Hostel/gîte, Les Houches

• →Bellevue cable car ascent
• →Hike to Le Prarion summit
• →Forest descent to Les Houches

Ride the Mont-Blanc Express train from Les Houches to Montroc-le-Planet (Chamonix valley train, hop-on fare ~£4). Hike up from Montroc to Col du Montets with views of Les Drus and the Aiguille d'Argentière, then drop to Le Buet and follow the trail to Les Cascades du Berard in the Aiguilles Rouges nature reserve — this is the day trip's waterfall highlight. Optionally detour 20 minutes to the Grotte à Farinet, the cave linked to the Alps' own Robin Hood. Walk out through the Berard valley forest to Les Granges and take the train back from Le Buet or Les Tines. Refreshments at the café near the falls are a well-earned £5.

🚌Mont-Blanc Express train, Les Houches ↔ Montroc/Le Buet ~£4–6 each way

🛏Hostel/gîte, Les Houches

• →Mont-Blanc Express through Chamonix Valley
• →Hike Montroc → Col du Montets
• →Cascades du Berard waterfalls
• →Aiguilles Rouges nature reserve trail

This is the day the guided tour leaves free — and the day to watch the weather forecast carefully. If the sky is clear, book the Aiguille du Midi cable car (3,842 m) online for the Step into the Void glass box — tickets are cheaper and slots more flexible when booked direct with the Compagnie du Mont-Blanc. If cloud is low, swap to the Montenvers cog railway to the Mer de Glace, walk down the steps to the glacier and visit the ice cave instead (£30–35). Book on the first clear day rather than waiting — this is the most common regret in reviews of the original tour. Evening stroll around Chamonix and a cheap crêpe dinner.

🚌Valley bus/train to Chamonix ~£3–4; lifts extra

🛏Hostel/gîte, Les Houches

• →Aiguille du Midi cable car and Step into the Void (clear weather)
• →Mer de Glace via Montenvers cog railway (cloudy weather)
• →Chamonix town evening

Take the valley bus or train to Le Tour village, then the Charamillon gondola and Les Autannes chairlift (combined return ticket ~£25–30). From the top station, walk across the alpine meadows to Col de Balme, which straddles the French–Swiss border, with close-up views of the Trient glacier and just over the ridge toward the Emosson dam. Climb the easy 30-minute trail to the Aiguillettes des Possettes for a final panorama, then ride the lifts back down. A hut lunch at the Col de Balme refuge is a classic alps moment for around £12. This is another day of loose scree and sun exposure — good boots, poles and sunscreen.

🚌Mont-Blanc Express/bus to Le Tour ~£3–4; lifts ~£25–30

🛏Hostel/gîte, Les Houches

• →Charamillon gondola + Les Autannes chairlift
• →Border walk to Col de Balme
• →Summit Aiguillettes des Possettes

The final big walk and everyone's favourite: take the valley bus to Les Praz and the Télécabine de la Flégère (return ~£25) to Chalet de la Flégère at 1,871 m. Follow the Tour du Mont Blanc trail up to Lac Blanc at 2,352 m (10 km, 5–6 hrs, 470 m ascent/descent) for the mirror-lake reflection of the Mont Blanc massif. The upper section uses ladders and fixed chains — manageable in dry weather but don't attempt it in thunder. Walk down to La Flégère and take the cable car back to the valley. Celebrate the last night with a proper dinner in Chamonix or Les Houches.

🚌Valley bus to Les Praz ~£3; Flégère cable car return ~£25

🛏Hostel/gîte, Les Houches

• →Télécabine de la Flégère
• →Tour du Mont Blanc section to Lac Blanc
• →Lac Blanc panorama

Breakfast at the hostel, then take the valley bus/train to Chamonix and a shared shuttle (Mountain Drop-offs or AlpyBus, ~£20–30 one way) or train to Geneva Airport. Leave a buffer — summer road traffic between Chamonix and Geneva is heavy and the train route via Annemasse takes around 3.5 hours.

🚌Valley bus/train ~£4; shared shuttle to Geneva ~£20–30

🛏—

• →Local transport to Chamonix
• →Shared shuttle or train to Geneva Airport