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Snowshoeing Weekend at Bonatti Hut

Duration: 2 days
Price from: 275€
For more information, contact Pôle Randonnée :
General information

Enjoy two days of snowshoeing in the fresh air, to discover the region of Valle d'Aosta and its treasures. This Italian side will charm you with the warm welcome of its inhabitants, its gastronomy, its preserved traditional architecture and its singular landscapes. With its panoramas on the Mont-Blanc, the Grand Jorasses and the Mont-Dolent, the two-day hike is of great beauty. The soft ascent of the Val Ferret is a perfect appetizer for the traditional Valdotain lunch that you will enjoy on the first day at the Lavachey inn. The Malatra valley, where the Bonatti refuge is located, is a real delight for hikers eager for wide open spaces. In the background, the Mont-Blanc massif does not leave us during these two days. All snowshoeing trips by the Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix are for small groups of 8 people maximum. In this way, our guides will be at your complete service, guaranteeing a high quality trip.

This trip is part of a selection of our favorite journeys, offering unique destinations to explore local heritage and provide you with a genuine change of scenery. Enjoy two discovery trips, one located in the heights of Vallorcine and the other in the Giffre Valley, near Samoëns. Immerse yourself in vast open spaces, whether it's in the Contamines Montjoie reserve or at the Grand Saint Bernard Hospice. Lastly, explore the Italian Val Ferret in the Aosta Valley.
 

Group booking

Group session associates several people who don’t know each other. It allows for a planned program to benefit from an attractive price on fixed dates. This formula is ideal for people looking for the friendliness of a group.

Dates : See below for the group booking module

Price 2025 : 330€ per person based on minimum of 4 participants

This price includes :
- organization and supervision by a mountain leader
- the night in half-board in a refuge (dinner, night in mixed dormitory and breakfast)
- picnics

This price does not include :
- souvenirs and beverages (at least two liters of water)
- repatriation insurance (mandatory). Cancellation insurance is highly recommended
 

Private booking

Private booking is the historical relationship that binds a guide to his/her client. It allows you to be alone, or in a constituted group, with your guide that meets your specific needs. It is undoubtedly the ideal formula to realize your projects because it guarantees you a maximum of comfort. You are free to choose your departure date (depending on the availability of the huts) and the itinerary can be adjusted, according to your specific expectations.

Prices 2025 :
1 person : 1400€ par person
2 people : 765€ par person
3 people : 555€ par person
4 people : 450€ par person
5 people : 385€ par person
6 people : 345€ par person
7 people : 315€ par person
8 people : 290€ par person

The price includes :
- organization and supervision by a mountain leader
- the night in half-board in a refuge (dinner, night in mixed dormitory and breakfast)
- picnics

Not included in the price :
- souvenirs and beverages (at least two liters of water)
- repatriation insurance (mandatory). Cancellation insurance is highly recommended

Further information

Meeting point : 9.30am at the Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix, 190 place de l'Eglise, 74400 Chamonix

Ability level : 2/5 - Accessible to all. For anyone in good physical condition. Between 200 m and 400 m of elevation gain with 4h to 5h of walking. Discovery of snowshoeing techniques on ascents and descents through varied and hilly itineraries. No previous experience is necessary. Personal belongings are carried in the backpack.

Guiding policy : each mountain leader can guides a group from 4 to 8 people. The Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix's guiding policy guarantees a high level experience. Children minimum 12 years old accompanied by a parent

Accommodation : one night in a small dormitory with half board at the Bonatti refuge, a recent and comfortable mountain refuge.
- Before and after: benefit from preferential rates with our hotel partners in Chamonix.

Documentation : Participants must have an insurance with repatriation cover. Cancellation insurance is highly recommended. You can take out insurance offering both of these types of cover when you sign up.

Preparing for the trip : few days before the trip, the mountain guide will be in contact to answer any questions you may have.
 

Equipment

We recommend you to pay particular attention to the choice of your equipment. It contributes greatly to the success of your stay. Weight is decisive: you always have to evaluate the ratio weight/comfort, to find the best compromise. In a general way, it is better to pile up several light coats rather than wear one big clothing.

Hiking boots 

- Boots for snowshoeing should be warm and waterproof. They should also provide high ankle support. New boots should be worn a couple of times before.
- If your feet tend to get blisters easily, you can apply baby talc on dry feet in the morning before wearing your socks.

Back-pack
- Minimum size 35 L (a back-pack with extra room is better than too small).
- Once everything is packed, make sure there is enough room to fit your picnic lunch.
- Although backpack covers are very convenient in bad weather, we recommend using a very large plastic bag as a pack-liner to protect your personal belongings from getting wet.

Clothing
Underwear : avoid using cotton. Compared to technical synthetic material, it is heavier and it dries slowly. Wool is also getting popular amongst sportswear brands. Synthetic and wool are warmer ; they dry fast, and allow you to pack light.

Carrying weight
Taking enough time to pack is essential, as you are going to carry every item for several days in a row. Avoiding extra weight can easily be done by packing your clothes tightly, placing heavy items at the bottom of the pack, and avoiding empty spaces. As a result weight is better spread throughout your back and weight impression diminished).

Daily needs
- 1 synthetic long-sleeve shirt,
- 1 light polar fleece,
- 1 pair of Goretex pants, 1 long synthetic underwear to wear under your trousers,
- 1 a pair of wool socks,
- 1 Goretex jacket,
- 1 pair of fleece gloves, 1 pair of mittens, 1 pair of silk gloves,
- 1 warm hat, a scarf or neck warmer,
- 1 water bottle (1.5 quart, to 2 quarts minimum) isothermal if possible,
- 1 pocket knife + 1 « spork »,
- Cap or sun-hat and sunglasses (category # 3 minimum), sunscreen (face and lips),
- a camera and a pair of binoculars (optional).

What you need for the entire trip
- Down jacket or warm polar fleece,
- long underwear or sweat pants for the evening,
- changes of clothes: (T-shirt, underwear and socks) prefer synthetic to cotton **,
- Pocket light or head lamp,
- Individual first aid kit *,
- Ultra-light shower kit (feel free to customize …) + synthetic « dry fast » towel,
- 1 one-person sleep-sheet (silk is the most comfortable and remains the lightest),
- ID card or passport + spare change for personal expenses + paper tissues and toilet paper,
- gaiters (recommended if your Goretex pants don’t have a boot-skirt).

* Elastoplast (stretchable strapping tape), band-aids, second skin, medicine for common aches and pains (diarrhea, headaches, sore throat…).  Don’t forget to bring personal prescription treatment if you have one. Mountain leaders also carry a complete first aid kit.

Our Rental Partners : You can rent your equipment with our rental shops partners and benefit from special price Millet, Sanglard Sports, Ravanel & Co & Concept Pro Shop
Our Equipment Partners : MilletDynastarJulboGrivel & Monnet

Itinerary

Day 1

Val Ferret - Lavachey - Refuge Bonatti
The Italian Val Ferret parallels the South face of Mont-Blanc range. An easy and varied snowshoe circuit leads us to the hamlet of Lavachey. In the afternoon, we'll hike up to Bonatti hut first crossing a larch forest, and then reaching the open lands over the tree limit. Bonatti hut was built in 1998. It is probably the only refuge of its kind regarding comfort and space. Hot showers, comforters, large dormitories, walls decorated with numerous pictures of Walter Bonatti's adventures.
Elevation gain : 400m / 1 320ft.

 

Day 2

Refuge Bonatti - Vallon de Malatra
Above the Refuge, Malatra's bowl is a perfect playground for snowshoeing. Wherever we look at, the views are breathtaking ! According to weather or snow conditions and our motivation, we'll adapt the length of the hike before going back down to the Val Ferret. Back to Chamonix around 5pm.
Elevation gain : 400m / 1320ft.-  Loss of altitude : 800m / 2 620ft.
 

Booking

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CO2 emitted per person for the activity: 18 kg. Learn out more about the footprint calculation of this activity

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