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Biodiversity Excursion around the Mer de Glace glacier
Duration:
3 days
Price from: 820€
Fitness:
Infobulle physique
Physical Level 1: For individuals who engage in occasional physical activities, positive elevation gain of up to 300m.
Physical Level 2: For individuals who engage in regular physical activities, positive elevation gain of up to 600m or routes above 3500m.
Physical Level 3: For individuals who engage in regular endurance activities, positive elevation gain of up to 900m or routes above 4000m.
Physical Level 4: For individuals who engage in regular endurance activities, positive elevation gain of up to 1300m.
Physical Level 5: For individuals who engage in intensive endurance activities, positive elevation gain exceeding 1300m.
Technique:
Infobulle technique
Technical Level 1: For regular hikers wishing to discover mountaineering. The route is not very steep and is well-marked, or the activity may also take place in beginner-friendly areas.
Technical Level 2: For experienced hikers wishing to discover mountaineering. The route includes short, steep sections and may involve scree or rocky ridges, requiring surefootedness.
Technical Level 3: For occasional mountaineers (2 to 5 recent outings). The route includes steep sections requiring prior climbing experience at a French grade 3c level and/or mastery of crampons and ice axe use.
Technical Level 4: For regular mountaineers (5 to 10 recent outings). The route requires climbing at a French grade 4c level and mastery of mountaineering techniques, including the use of crampons and an ice axe, as well as basic roping and belaying techniques.
Technical Level 5: For experienced mountaineers (more than 10 recent outings). The route requires climbing above a French grade 4c level and mastery of mountaineering techniques, including the use of crampons and ice axes for ice climbing, as well as advanced roping and belaying techniques.
General information
The Balconies of the Mer de Glace
High above the Mer de Glace, the balcony trails offer an exceptional journey into the heart of the Mont Blanc massif. Over 3 days, you will cross glacier terrain, moraines and steep mountain trails to reach the Charpoua and Couvercle huts. The route includes long sections of ladders and is designed for experienced hikers comfortable on steep mountain trails, but no previous mountaineering experience is required.
Observe a Changing Mountain Environment
This journey is also an opportunity to discover alpine flora and observe how the mountain environment is changing. Accompanied by a mountain guide, you will learn about the effects of glacier retreat and the gradual evolution of vegetation at altitude in an environment particularly affected by climate change.
Group booking
The group option brings together participants who may not know each other. It allows you to follow a set program on fixed dates while benefiting from an attractive price and the friendly atmosphere of a group.
Dates
See the group booking module below.
Price 2027
€820 per person based on a minimum of 3 participants.
Participants aged 16 and 17 may join only when accompanied by an adult.
✅ This price includes
- IFMGA English-speaking mountain guide
- Two nights in mountain huts with half-board: dinner, breakfast and overnight stay
- Lift tickets
❌ This price does not include
- Picnic lunches and drinks in the huts
- Transportation to the meeting point
- Personal technical equipment
Private booking
The private option allows you to take this trip with your own group and benefit from a guide dedicated exclusively to you. You can choose your departure date subject to hut availability, and the program can be adjusted according to your level, mountain conditions and expectations.
Prices 2027
2 people: €1375 per person
3 people: €1005 per person
4 people: €820 per person
✅ This price includes
- IFMGA English-speaking mountain guide
- Two nights in mountain huts with half-board: dinner, breakfast and overnight stay
- Lift tickets
❌ This price does not include
- Picnic lunches and drinks in the huts
- Transportation to the meeting point
- Personal technical equipment
Further information
To prepare for your trip, read our guides’ tips, which provide useful advice and recommendations for our mountaineering trips.
Meeting point
Meet at 8:30am on the first day at the Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix, 190 place de l’Église, Chamonix.
Technical level
This trip requires previous experience hiking on steep mountain trails. No previous mountaineering experience is required.
Fitness level
This program is designed for people who regularly take part in endurance activities. Days may involve up to 6 hours of physical effort. The long ladder sections also require sustained physical effort.
Guiding policy
3 to 4 participants per guide. Participants aged 16 and 17 may join only when accompanied by an adult.
Accommodation
Two nights in mountain huts during the trip. Before and after the trip, you can benefit from preferential rates with our hotel partners in Chamonix.
⚠️ Formalities
Mountain sports insurance with repatriation cover is mandatory. If you are not insured, insurance including repatriation assistance and cancellation cover can be taken out when booking. A valid ID document is also mandatory.
Documents available for download
Equipment
We recommend paying particular attention to your choice of equipment. For this hut-to-hut trip, choose lightweight equipment while maintaining the comfort and protection required for high-mountain conditions.
Equipment
- A backpack of approximately 35 litres
- Sturdy high-cut hiking boots
- Telescopic trekking poles
- Crampons suitable for your boots with anti-balling plates
- A helmet
- A harness
Clothing
- A warm hat suitable for wearing under a helmet
- A sun hat or cap
- A neck warmer such as a Buff
- A technical long-sleeve base layer
- A fleece
- A waterproof hooded jacket such as Gore-Tex
- A lightweight down jacket
- Thermal leggings
- Sturdy hiking trousers
- Shorts
- Waterproof and breathable overtrousers such as Gore-Tex
- Hiking socks
- Ski gloves
- Lightweight gloves
- A change of clothes
Accessories
- Category 4 sunglasses
- A headtorch
- A sleeping bag liner
- A water bottle of at least 1.5 litres
- A personal first aid kit including at least sunscreen, lip balm, blister treatment, as well as your usual medication for headaches and nausea
- Earplugs
- A waterproof pouch containing your ID and euros
- A power bank, as charging electronic devices is not guaranteed in all mountain huts
Our Rental Partners
You can rent equipment at preferential rates from our partner shops Millet (excluding crampons, ice axes and helmet), Sanglard Sports, Ravanel & Co and Concept Pro Shop.
Our Equipment Partners
Millet, Dynastar, Julbo, Grivel and Monnet.
Itinerary
Day 1
Ascent to the Charpoua Hut (2,841 m)
We take the cog railway to Montenvers (1,913 m), then the gondola down to the Mer de Glace. After crossing the glacier, the first ladders mark the beginning of our ascent towards the balcony trails. A steep mountain path with further ladder sections leads through the Charpoua cirque to the hut, located at 2,841 m in a wild valley surrounded by the peaks of the Mont Blanc massif.
Vertical ascent: 1,150 m
Day 2
Traverse to the Couvercle Hut (2,679 m)
Before heading towards the Couvercle Hut, we climb above Charpoua in search of Saussure’s androsace, a rare alpine flower found in the Western Alps. We then join the Couvercle trail, which traverses the slopes of the Aiguille du Moine. The narrow, steep route combines mountain trails and ladder sections, with extensive views over the Mer de Glace and surrounding peaks. We finish the day at the Couvercle Hut, at 2,679 m.
Vertical ascent: 500 m – Vertical descent: 700 m
Day 3
Return to Montenvers
Depending on conditions and the level of the group, we either return directly to the Mer de Glace or extend the route with a detour towards the Leschaux Hut. This wilder option offers remarkable views of the Grandes Jorasses and explores another part of the Mer de Glace basin. We then return to the glacier before taking the gondola and Montenvers train back to Chamonix.
Vertical descent: 1,000 m
Booking
Book your activity
Calculate your carbon footprint
Discover the carbon emissions of this activity and add your trip to the meeting point.
CO2 emitted per person for the activity: 52 kg. Learn out more about the footprint calculation of this activity
CO2 emitted per person for the activity: 52 kg. Learn out more about the footprint calculation of this activity
CO2 emitted per person for this activity & journey(s) = 0 kgIn order to limit global warming to +2°C by 2100, the COP-21 agreement stipulates that each human should emit no more than 2t of CO2 per year. According to the French Ministry of Ecology, today European citizens emit an average of 11t per year, and American citizens emit an average of 21t annually., or 5.2€The price for a ton of CO2 is currently 100€ in the European Union to offset.
Find out more about our zero impact strategy.
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