Alps by Design
Itinerary

7 Days in the French Alps: Mont Blanc & the Lakes

The definitive first French Alps trip: the raw drama of Mont Blanc, a night of refined alpine village life, and the turquoise lake that ends every trip on a high.

Length

7 days

Style

Mountains, villages & lakes

Getting around

Mixed

Pace

Balanced

Best season

Late June to September

Budget

$$$$

Best for

First-timers who want France's full range — high-mountain awe, gourmet village charm, and a lake to slow down on.

Your bases

ChamonixMegèveAnnecy

Day by day

  1. Day1

    Into the Mont Blanc valley

    Chamonix

    Transfer from Geneva into Chamonix. Settle in and walk the town with Mont Blanc and its glaciers filling the sky above you.

  2. Day2

    The Aiguille du Midi

    Chamonix

    First clear morning, ride the cable car to a 3,842m terrace for the most jaw-dropping view in the Alps, then the Mer de Glace glacier by the Montenvers railway.

  3. Day3

    A balcony trail

    Chamonix

    Hike a Grand Balcon trail or ride up to Lac Blanc — a full day eye-to-eye with the Mont Blanc massif.

  4. Day4

    Refined Megève

    Megève

    Short transfer to cobbled, car-free Megève. Gondola up Mont d'Arbois for gentle views, then a long gourmet Savoyard dinner.

  5. Day5

    To the lake

    Annecy

    On to Annecy, the Venice of the Alps. Wander the canal-laced old town and watch the lake glow at dusk.

  6. Day6

    Lake day

    Annecy

    Cycle the lakeside greenway, swim in the clearest water in Europe, and lunch in Talloires across the water.

  7. Day7

    Slow exit

    Annecy

    A final morning by the lake, then the short hop back to Geneva for your flight.

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