Our Mont Blanc Highlights is a center-based trip, which means you’ll benefit from relaxing in the same wonderful chalet for the whole duration of your adventure. And depending on availability, we’ll arrange for you to stay in one of three wonderful chalets – Chalet Bedière, Chalet Chocolat or Chalet Chalupa. So, read on as we tell you a bit more about the history behind chalets and why these three different alpine chalets enhance your overall experience of trekking in Mont Blanc.
The history behind chalets
Originally, chalets in the Alps were used as seasonal farms for dairy cattle. Transferring cows from lowland pastures up to the higher plateaus, herders in the region would live in these wooden chalets to produce butter and cheese as a means of preserving the milk so it wouldn’t spoil during the heat of the summer months. Even the very word “Chalet” in Latin translates to “hut of the herder”.
However, when chalets closed for the winter season, and herders moved their livestock down to lower-level grasslands, the chalets remained unoccupied for months. All this changed in the early 1900s, when an appetite for trekking and skiing in the Alps took off, encouraging herders to open up their chalets for travellers and out-of-towners to stay. Over the last century, it’s fair to say that the concept of ‘chalets’ drastically changed from sparse farmhouses to ideal mountain retreats that are rustic yet modern and come complete with amenities such as cosy stone fireplaces, panoramic dining rooms, hot tubs and more. But it’s not just about the amenities, many travellers explain that alpine chalets are much more than just faceless hotels to stay in – they’re a home-from-home in the mountains.
Chalet Bedière
The charming Chalet Bedière situated in the heart of Chamonix-Mt-Blanc, effortlessly combines modern-day comforts within a striking Art Deco mansion and transports you back to France in the 1920s with its original parquet flooring and Venetian plaster walls. The chalet also boasts a beautiful communal garden area and south-facing balconies with spectacular views of the Mont Blanc massif.
Housing up to 10 guests in their five ensuite bedrooms, Chalet Bedière is a brilliant base if you’re looking to explore the vibrant town of Chamonix, as it’s just an eight-minute walk away. You’ll also have easy access to the surrounding trails and valleys. On day four of our Mont Blanc Highlights trip, you’ll get to enjoy fantastic views of the Chamonix Valley, as you make your way from Les Contamines Valley across the Passerelle de Bionnassay suspension bridge and towards the Col de Voza (5,360ft/1,653m) which offers breathtaking panoramas of Chamonix and Bionnassay.
Chalet Chalupa
Another wonderful chalet to use as your base for the week on our Mont Blanc Highlights is the modern Chalet Chalupa, located a short five drive from Musee Montagnard des Houches. This beautiful chalet also comes complete with a sunbathing terrace. There’s also an outdoor hot tub on this floor – perfect for soothing your legs after a rewarding day trekking in the mountains. The evening of day three may be the best time to take advantage of the chalet’s hot tub and, as you and your group will have just completed one the highest ascents on the trip to reach the summit of Aiguillette des Houches (7,500ft/2,285m). This viewpoint is arguably one of the finest panoramas in the Alps, as you get a 360-degree view of the Aiguille Rouge, the Fiz and the snow-capped Mont Blanc massif.
Cinema buffs will also be in their element as the chalet offers a generously sized cinema screen and film library so you can kick back and enjoy some of the classics, to unwind in the evening. If you’ve worked up an appetite on the trails, your friendly chalet hosts will create delicious regional canapes and dishes over the course of the week for your pleasure.
Chalet Chocolat
A quick seven-minute train ride from Chamonix’s city center will take you to the cosy Chalet Chocolat – another one of our spectacular chalets you can stay in on our Mont Blanc Highlights trip. Decorated to exude that traditional alpine feel, the chalet also comes complete with an outdoor hot tub, offering an ideal oasis to relax and soak up the panoramic mountain views.
The chalet’s location allows you easy access to some wonderful wine bars in the region, including Le Chaudron, which offers vintage wines and cheese fondue, and Berlucoquet which serves delicious organic wines alongside charcuterie boards of local cheeses and cured meats. These two local establishments would be ideal to visit on your free day, on day five, or at the tail end of your trip, on day seven, after you and your group make the descent from Grand Balcon Sud, as you’ll have the rest of the afternoon and evening free to soak up the atmosphere in Chamonix before you head home the following day. You’re also in walking distance of the Montenvers – Mer de Glace train, which allows you to travel in a small cable car to the Mer de Glace glacier, to visit its striking ice grotto and Glaciorium exhibition.
How to book
If you’re thinking about booking our Mont Blanc Highlights trip this year, the initial confirmation documents you’ll receive will automatically name Chalet Chalupa as the center-based accommodation for your eight-day stay. However, depending on chalet availability when you receive your Final Joining Instructions, four weeks before your departure date, you may be allocated to Chalet Chocolat or Chalet Bediere.
If you have a particular preference and would like to stay in one chalet over the other on our Mont Blanc Highlights trip, please let us know when you book, and our teams will do their best to secure your preferred accommodation. If you do not request at the time of booking, we’d like to kindly remind customers to get in contact with our customer operations team at least six weeks before departure.
If this has encouraged you to book a trekking trip in Mont Blanc, find out more information about our Mont Blanc Highlights trip or view our full collection of Mont Blanc tours here.
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