Stage 3: Les Chapieux → Rifugio Elisabetta

The route

The first part heads up the Vallée des Glaciers on the minor road (or by summer shuttle bus) to the Ville des Glaciers, a handful of alpine farms at the foot of the aiguille of the same name. You then pass the Refuge des Mottets, a restored former alpine farm and the last chance to stock up before Italy.

The climb to the Col de la Seigne (2,516 m) follows steady zigzags up an open slope. At the col, on the French-Italian border, the panorama is one of the great moments of the tour: the Val Veny stretches away towards Courmayeur, overlooked by the Aiguille Noire de Peuterey and the south face of the massif.

The descent on the Italian side passes close to the Casermetta, a former customs post that is now an information point about Espace Mont-Blanc, then reaches the Rifugio Elisabetta Soldini, perched on a spur at the foot of the Lex Blanche Glacier. It is one of the most sought-after huts on the route: book very early.

Practical tips

• A short stage: ideal for making the most of the col and arriving early at the hut.
• If Elisabetta is full, the alternatives are the Cabane du Combal (30 min further down) or descending all the way to Courmayeur.
• Border crossing: keep your identity documents on you, along with your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).