Tour du Mont Blanc, 12 day circuit

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

This walking holiday takes place on the Tour du Mont Blanc, starting in Les Houches and ending in Chamonix, it travels through an area striving for sustainability. This walking holiday is, therefore, by its very nature, slow and sustainable, with guests walking 11-18km per day and taking the time to appreciate these precious, protected landscapes. On the odd occasion that transfers are needed, guests are encouraged to use public transport within the villages with the aim of reducing the number of cars on the road.

We offer advice for our guests who might like to travel to both the start and end point of this holiday by train or bus. As well as travelling overland by train to different French destinations at the end of their trip.

ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE

With regards to drinking water, we ask guests to bring refillable water bottles as well as a reusable shopping bag to avoid single-use plastic during their trip. We also ask guests to take any packaging away with them on their daily hikes and be mindful of not dropping litter. Our tour manager reminds guests to always practise Leave No Trace throughout their holiday. Trails on this holiday have been waymarked and are regularly maintained; an important measure taken in order to prevent people from straying from the intended routes, therefore reducing any damage to the immediate surroundings of the trails. We also always advise our guests to not stray from the marked way as erosion is currently an issue on the trail. Many of the routes used in this tour have been either developed (or existing trails selected) in collaboration with local authorities and local communities.

We have an in-house responsible tourism expert, who shares tips and advice with our guests in trip notes, blogs and newsletters. For example, on how to practise responsible hiking with regards to the environment and wildlife, giving tips on environmental charities they can support, practising responsible wildlife watching and taking care to protect the marine environment when hiking or swimming.

Whilst currently not a UNESCO site, in 1951 the Tour du Mont Blanc was designated as a site classé in France, a classification which prevents developments and camping that would be a detriment to the local environment. The group L’Espace Mont-Blanc, a cooperative effort between France, Italy and Switzerland, aims to change the status of this landscape with the launch of a bid for UNESCO World Heritage Site status, to further protect the land.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

Accommodation on this tour includes small, locally-owned B&Bs and family-run guest houses. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, good local food or commitment to responsible tourism.

With seven dinners and all breakfasts included on this walking holiday, we encourage our guests to buy additional food for lunches and snacks in local shops, and also recommend small, local eateries en route, or the accommodation provider will also provide dinner if requested. All contributing to the local food economy.

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY

All of our partners along the route live locally and play an important role in contributing to the local economy. At home, we have a strict policy to pay all our own employees and team members a living wage and fair wage, with holiday entitlement. In the hiring process, we prioritise experience, qualifications and passion, emphasising that race, gender, sexual orientation, or nationality are not factors of consideration. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace based on skills and expertise. We also endeavour to support any guests with visible and non-visible disabilities or any special requirements, when possible.