Hiking the Tour de Monte Rosa, High Route & GR5 to Geneva

It's my turn to pick so this year we're hiking in the Alps.  Last year we went cycling in France, the year before it was hiking, and so it goes.  This year is a bit more adventurous as the area we (as in I) have chosen is the Monte Rosa, a circuit we found out about on our last hike along the GR5 through the Alps.   The Tour de Monte Rosa traverses several mountain passes around 3000metres, so' we've left the trip until August/September instead of our usual June/July, hoping that the snows have melted on the high passes. 

The 500k walk is in 3 sections.

1. Tour de Monte Rosa - this 150k circuit around the Monte Rosa Massiff begins and ends in Zermatt, with the northern part in Switzerland and the southern part in Italy.

2.  Zermatt to Chamonix - this 170k walk, also known as the Walker's high Route, begins in Zermatt and ends in Chamonix.  Most of this trek is in the Swiss Alps, crossing into France on the last 2 days.  The last 3 days of this walk are part of the Tour de Mont Blanc, which we have previously completed 3 times.

3.  Chamonix to Geneva - this 180k trek comprises part of the GR5 from Chamonix to Lake Geneva, followed by a 5 day walk along the edge of the Lake to Geneva.  It completes a section of the GR5.

I hope you enjoy my blog which I think will give you an insight into trekking in the Alps Somers' style - light backpack (mine is 6.8kg in total including computer and Macpac), long walks up and over mountain passes, overnight stays in hotels or mountain huts with a hot shower - followed by wine, cheeses and an evening meal then off to a warm bed.