What's the food like on the Tour du Mont Blanc & Walkers Haute Route?

What will the food be like on the Tour du Mont Blanc & Walkers Haute Route?

We get asked many times about food offered on the Tour du Mont Blanc, Walkers Haute Route & Traverse of the Gran Paradiso. And quite rightly so, it’s a very important element of your trekking holiday.

The enjoyment of eating local cuisine after a long hard day in the mountain is such an enjoyable part of the experience. You will be burning lots of calories each day so fuelling up during the day & when you get to each destination is essential & of course delicious!
One of the most important things in addition to fitness is your nutrition & hydration during the trek. Poor nutrition & hydration can severely affect your physical performance & it is important to get your nutrition & hydration right, you will be burning lots of calories & loosing essential fluid each day so it is imperative you carry the right kinds of food & enough water with you to avoid dehydration & malnutrition.

It is advisable to drink plenty of water before you sent off on each day’s trek so you are fully hydrated. A pack lunch can be bought from local supermarkets when staying in villages or from the accommodation if ordered the night of arrival. If you are not familiar with the kinds of food & drink that would be good when exerting yourself on a daily basis do some research beforehand and trial what works best for you.

So, what is on offer & what is provided when clients have dietary requirements.

On all of our treks guided or self-guided breakfast will be provided each day, 3 course evening meal is also provided on all nights apart from your first & last night, please see individual trek information for further clarification.

When trekking on the Tour du Mont Blanc or the Walkers Haute Route you will be trekking through 2 or 3 countries, France, Italy & Switzerland and each county has its own specialities. Its the mountains so its good calorific hearty food, plenty of local cheeses, dried meats, bread & pastries, sweat pies made with local fruit & fresh salads. Local specialities tend to be Fondue- melted cheese with lots of tasty bits to dip in, Tartifalette- baked potatoes, cheese & bacon, Rostie- grated potato, cheese, meet & egg & of course delicious Pasta & Pizza in Italy.

Breakfast: This varies depending on accommodation, some locations are more basic than others. But you can expect at least cereal, milk, break & jam. When staying in hotels they will offer a more substantial breakfast including yogurt, cheeses, cold meats, eggs & pastries.

Lunch: This is not included & you will need to purchase a picnic to carry with you each day. This can be bought from local bakeries or supermarkets or when staying in more remote locations it can be ordered from the refuge on the night of arrival. Allow approx. 10 euros each day for your picnic. Make sure you take plenty with you, don’t reply on stopping for lunch en-route although on some days this will be possible it’s always good to have your own provisions in case the refuge or café is closed or very busy.

Evening meal: when on the trek, this is provided & will consist of 3 courses, typically you will have soup or a salad for the starter, meat or vegetarian option for the main course and a dessert or cheese.

Dietary requirements: If you have any specific dietary requirements you must let us know at the time of booking & then we will inform each accommodation so they are prepared. It is advisable to remind them on arrival as they have many many guests each day & sometimes requests do get overlooked. The accommodations we use will do their best to accommodate specific requests however it is advisable if you are lactose or gluten free to carry additional food supplies, for example gluten free bread with you in your bag transfer so you can supplement the food provided if need be.

Drinks: Drinks with the evening meal are not included & we ask that all drinks bought at the accommodation are paid for at the time so we don’t have any additional bills to chase after you have departed.

For further information on any aspect of food & dietary requirements contact Sara at: info@montblanctreks.com

Find out more information on our Guided & Self guided treks see our website:

Walkers Haute Route: The Walkers Haute Route also features as one of the worlds top ten treks & is approximately 180km in length, the route crosses 11 high mountain passes with 12,000m of ascent through France and Switzerland the Haute Route walk makes for a fabulous challenge.


Tour du Mont Blanc: The Tour du Mont Blanc features in the world’s top ten 'must do' treks & it's not hard to understand why as this trek is outstanding with amazing views day after day.

What gear will I need on the Tour du Mont Blanc?

Mont Blanc Treks guide to what trekking gear to use on our treks.

Being prepared is the key to fully enjoying the experience, there is nothing worse than being out & about in the mountains & not having the correct kit. 
For multi day treks you will need a range of good quality kit that will keep you cool in warm weather and dry if things get a little inclement for Tour du Mont Blanc & Walkers Haute Route multi day treks. This list is not exhaustive but feel that the majority of items listed will be essential to your comfort and enjoyment of the trek. If you require any further information or advise about the kit needed for individual treks please just get in touch. 
Treks with bag transfer needn’t carry a change of clothes apart from the nights you are in mountain huts where as treks without bag transfer we recommend you travel as light a possible without leaving out any of the essentials listed below. If you have a bag transfer at a mid point don’t forget you can always replenish your kit at that point.

FOOTWEAR needs to be supportive and with a good grip. Boots are recommended, but there are currently some very good “approach shoes” available which can be more comfortable on hot summer days. Trainers are definitely NOT recommended. Paths can be stony, sometimes we encounter scree type terrain and it is not uncommon to be walking through snow and heavy rain even during the summer.

WATERPROOFS jacket & trousers are essential and need to be functional for the various conditions mentioned above. They need to be carried and so it is your preference as to their weight.

WARM CLOTHING is another requisite. You may not need it throughout the duration of the trek, but conditions can change quickly and you could easily be in desperate need of a hat and gloves at high altitude. You will be best off “layering” so that you can adjust the amount of insulation you require throughout the day. A thermal, wicking base layer is recommended for comfort, ease of wear and ease of laundering.

Do I need walking poles?
Lightweight poles are readily available nowadays and are heavily recommended by us for trekking. They are particularly beneficial for downhill sections, which can be both tiring and wearing on the knees. They are also a benefit for keeping balance etc on other difficult sections.

Food & Drink: You will have to carry food & drink in addition to the things mentioned above. A pack lunch can be bought from local supermarkets when staying in villages or from the accommodation if ordered the night of arrival. It is important to get your nutrition right, as you will be burning lots of calories each day. It is essential you carry enough water with you so you don’t get dehydrated during the day. On some days it may be possible replenish your water at certain places but this is not always the case. Water purifying tablets are useful in case you run out of water and have to use a mountain stream.

Washing kit: The majority of the time you will be staying in good quality hotels therefore it is easy to wash and dry kit through before the next day. Hotels will provide towels and soap so if you carry a towel make sure its small as you will only require this for the nights when in mountain huts.

Packing your sack: It’s a good idea to have a trial at packing your rucksack beforehand to maximize space, check the weight & get rid of any un-needed items! When packing your sack make sure you pack anything not needed during the trekking day at the bottom and essential gear, food & water at the top. If you are not used to trekking with a heavier rucksack take it out with you when training during the months beforehand.

Take a look at the table of trekking gear below & if you have any additional questions please get in touch & ask for a copy of our ‘Packing List’ document for further information or take a look at our http://www.montblanctreks.com/trek-kit-list page on our website.
Contact me at: sara@montblanctreks.com

Happy trekking!


Find out more information on our Guided & Self guided treks see our website:
Tour du Mont Blanc: The Tour du Mont Blanc features in the world’s top ten 'must do' treks & it's not hard to understand why as this trek is outstanding with amazing views day after day.

Walkers Haute Route:The Walkers Haute Route also features as one of the worlds top ten treks & is approximately 180km in length, the route crosses 11 high mountain passes with 12,000m of ascent through France and Switzerland the Haute Route walk makes for a fabulous challenge.

Gran Paradiso & other treks we offer:
Trekking through the Gran Paradiso trail is a must for all adventure lovers. With vivid colours, large ice masses and green meadows, the national park of Italy offers a fantastic glimpse of Europe’s true beauty.

How hard are the treks and what fitness preparation will I need to do?

So you are thinking of signing up for a summer adventure, now is the time you make sure you fit and ready in order to get maximum enjoyment out of your trek. The Tour du Mont Blanc, Walkers Haute route, Traverse of the Gran Paradiso are all great challenges and preparation is the key to achieving your goal.

All of the treks we offer are physically demanding you will be travelling over rugged and mountainous terrain with a sustained amount of ascent and descent on a daily basis. Make sure you are aware of the daily distances travelled and the height gain & descent so you know what to expect.

Trek grading: We grade our treks from 1 to 5 (1 being relatively easy & 5 being extremely hard), each trek receives a grade depending on the difficulty of terrain and numbers of days of sustained trekking.

To explain in more detail:

GRADE 1 EASY: Chamonix valley walks: Easy: General walking fitness on flat & easy terrain, no previous walking experience required. All the trails will be flat with no elevation or descent, walking distances can vary between 6- 14 kilometres depending on the route.

GRADE 2 DEMANDING: Chamonix treks: A reasonable level of fitness is required, at home you do regular exercise each week. During the walks you will experience a degree of height gain & descent during the walk in addition to a distance of between 12-18 kilometres each day. Hill walking experience is advisable so you have knowledge of what it takes to walk in the mountains.

  

GRADE 3 STRENUOUS: Tour du Mont Blanc, Tour of the Vanoise: These treks are strenuous & a good level of fitness needed before you arrive. The height gain & descent are in the region of + or – 1200 metres per day or a period of 8- 11 days without a break. The terrain is difficult at times with steep & rocky ascents & descents.

GRADE 4 TOUGH: Walkers Haute Route: This is a very physically demanding trek which requires an excellent level of fitness and stamina for long mountain days. You need to have plenty of mountain walking experience & exercise on a regular basis. Each day the trek has continued and substantial height gain and decent of over + or -1500 mts per day for a period of 11 days without a break. The terrain is difficult at times with steep & rocky ascents & descents.

GRADE 5 EXTREME: Traverse of the Grand Paradiso: This is the most physically demanding trek we offer & a supreme level of fitness is required for the type of terrain you will encounter on this trek & previous mountain trekking experience is essential. Each day the trek has continued and substantial height gain and decent of over + or -1500 mts per day for a period of 9 days without a break. You will trek to an altitude of over 3000 metres & the terrain is remote, exposed & difficult at times with steep & rocky ascents & descents.

Guide to training

Level of fitness, which best describes you?	Training required
You exercise on a daily basis. You regularly walk in the mountains in your home country. You take a trekking holiday every year.	If this is you then you will have absolutely no problem, keep up the good work & enjoy!
You exercise a few times a week. You regularly walk sometimes in the mountains. You have taken trekking holidays in recent years and coped well.	The same applies if this is you then you will have absolutely no problem, keep up the good work & enjoy! Possibly do some more walking in the mountains & carrying a rucksack to get used to the extra weight.
You do some exercise but not on a regular basis, you do some walking and have walked in the mountains before. You have taken a trekking holiday before but not for many years.	You do some exercise so that’s a good start, from now until the trek start date make sure you get out at least a couple of times a week. To build up endurance skills get out walking building up to 15- 20k in distance. You need to make sure there is height gain & descent to build up leg strength. By the time the trek date arrives you need to be comfortable walking 15-20k per day with 1000m of height gain and descent. You also need to carry a rucksack to get used to the extra weight.
You don’t take regular exercise and haven’t walked in the mountains for a number of years. You have never taken a trekking holiday before.	All is not lost although there is no time to lose in terms of starting your training, maybe enlist the help of a personal trainer and let them work out a program for you. Start easy, get out walking on flat easy routes, and build up the distance over a number of weeks. Once the distance has increased and you feel fitter start to introduce some hill walking. By the time the trek date arrives you need to be comfortable walking 15-20k per day with 1000m of height gain and descent. You also need to carry a rucksack to get used to the extra weight.

Fitness for Participation

It is essential if you undertake one of these treks that you understand, realise and accept the potential risks and hazards that can be over and above those associated with normal ‘package’ holidays. All clients are expected to satisfy themselves prior to booking and departure that they are mentally and physically capable of participating in the itinerary as described in the brochure, the full itinerary and all activities it demands. Each trek is given a trek grading please refer to this information to establish whether you can undertake the trek. Any illness or disability of you must be declared and the information given to us before the start date. Mont Blanc Treks Limited and anyone else working in association with us cannot be held responsible for any accident or mishap that may occur in connection with any part of, or services connected with the tour. You are responsible for your own wellbeing & by agreeing to our terms and conditions you agree not to take any legal proceedings against Mont Blanc Treks Limited or its employees.

Nutrition & hydration

One of the most important things in addition to fitness is your nutrition & hydration during the trek. Poor nutrition & hydration can severely affect your physical performance & it is important to get your nutrition & hydration right. Each day you will be burning lots of calories & loosing essential fluid so it is imperative you carry the right kinds of food & enough water with you to avoid dehydration & malnutrition. It is advisable to drink plenty of water before you sent off on each day so you are fully hydrated. A pack lunch can be bought from local supermarkets when staying in villages or from the accommodation if ordered the night of arrival. If you are not familiar with the kinds of food & drink that would be good when exerting yourself daily do some research beforehand and trial what works best for you.

For more information contact Sara at: info@montblanctreks.com or visit out website www.montblanctreks.com