I've seen some beautiful places on my travels however I can say wholeheartedly
that nowhere took my breath away quite like Mont Blanc and its surroundings.
It was as though nature was painting a scene so beautiful, it couldn't be real,
and leaving them around each bend in the trail to stop me in my tracks.
The Tour du Mont Blanc is a hiking trail that completely circumnavigates Mont Blanc
the largest mountain in the European Alps. It's a trail that passes
through France, Switzerland and Italy, winding its way through the spectacular
valleys and mountain passes around the foot of this legendary mountain.
It's one of the most spectacular treks on planet Earth and one that I'll be
experiencing with UTracks.
UTracks offer a number of hikes along the
Tour du Mont Blanc ranging in length from 6 to 14 days.
The path we are taking will
take seven days and is considered a moderate to challenging, level four out
of five. Trust me when I tell you the challenge is definitely worth it.
There's got to be one of the most beautiful spots I've ever seen in my
entire life. We've just crossed by foot and mule from Switzerland - over there -
into Italy - over there!
Just look at that.
I would describe this as arguably the most beautiful trek you
could possibly undertake. My wife and I have trekked all over the world and
including in the Himalayas and in South America, that is in Peru with Machu Picchu
and also in Patagonia, this is right up there and in terms of beauty and
spectacular scenery nothing else compares to this trek.
The trip is absolutely amazing it's much better than we'd ever thought it could
be. The scenery is superb. The greens were too green the Blues were too blue and
the whites were too white to be real. It was just amazing.
Challenging hiking in unpredictable weather means packing correctly for a trip such as this is
essential and the packing guide supplied by UTracks makes the job easy. What you
don't need on the hike you can leave it your hotel in Chamonix or Le Tour to
pick up on your return. By choosing a guided trip you not only have a
knowledgeable local guide to show you the way and teach you all about the mountains
but also a friendly mule to help you carry an extra bag up to seven kgs with you.
Mules are the most traditional form of
cargo transport here in the Alps and help make this walk special. The strict
seven kilogram purpose and bag limit ensures that the mules are well within
the ethical pack carrying guidelines.
A guided trip is very efficient you
don't have to make any planning, you can just jump on a trip and everything is
planned for you.
I think the uncertainty of where to go.
No, I think it's just a lot easier. I think your accommodation is sorted for you
your meals are sorted for you.
We are approaching one of the beautiful
mountain refuges we'll be staying out on the journey. Hot food, cold beer, wine
shower, power and a clean warm bed awaits. With accommodation you can opt for
a private double room or the more traditional shared accommodation which
is sometimes individual dorm beds and sometimes shared.
Accommodation has been
really good we paid the extra for the double supplement, because we like a bit
of privacy at the end of the day and..
The accommodation has been
a very big surprise in terms of how good it was - and is - it's very comfortable the
food is just wonderful.
The accommodations been really good. There's
been one or two nights where you're kind of sleeping with quite a few people but it's
no problem after a day's hiking. And the food every night has been amazing. Definitely.
As we cross between countries you can
notice the food and culture changing along the way.
In France we're eating warm soup and beef ragu, while Switzerland was fondue
and venison stew. Italy meant pasta and homemade red wine and we all had a bit
of fun trying to switch from language to language every couple of days.
Lunch on the trail consists of the most incredible local produce, most of it
sourced along the way from local farmers whose production methods have changed
very little in centuries.
We're about to cross the border back into France, right now we're in Italy.
France ! Yeah.
Yeah, you kind of just walked over a hill and then you're in a different country.
While the full Tour du Mont Blanc can be a challenge, UTracks also offer
gentler paced itineraries for those who want time to stop and smell the flowers,
or for families with children from age 7. As well as guided trips, such as this one,
UTracks also offer self guided walks for those of you who have a good sense
of direction and want the freedom of an independent trip but with the advantages
of an organised one
Our journey was coming to an end but we had one last mountain to climb, 1,500 metres
in elevation today, a serious challenge in anyone's book, though we all
made it in our own time. I have to say reaching the top was a feeling I will
never forget, as if it were the icing on the cake of one of the best hiking
experiences I've ever had.
The thing that strikes me about this particular adventure is the sheer beauty
of this place. You find yourself wandering through these lush, green
valleys, surrounded by beautiful wildflowers, staring up at the most
dramatic snow-capped mountains literally all around you. It has to be the ultimate
hiking destination and as a filmmaker, this is definitely one of the most
inspirational places I've ever been. So, I think that if you have the option you
really would be crazy not to come here and experience the Tour du Mont Blanc yourself.