Your Perfect Weekend in the Alps: A 3-Day Itinerary

Drop your things at your hotel and grab coffee in Courmayeur's charming town square. Today you'll hike a portion of the famous Tour Mont Blanc through Val Ferret, crossing the Larzey-Entreves river and passing through Villair Desot and Villair Damon, before arriving at a traditional refuge for what might be the best lunch of your life. Picture this: polenta valdostana swimming in local Fontina cheese and a salad so loaded with Italian cheeses and cured meats it looks more like a pizza. You'll get the incredible refuge cuisine and views that Tour Mont Blanc hikers rave about, but you'll sleep in your comfortable hotel bed instead of a dormitory bunk.

Notes:
Courmayeur in summer is one of the best values I've found in Italy—laid back and outdoorsy with arts and cultural events, but without the crowds or prices of peak destinations

Remote workers: this would be a spectacular place to hole up for a week or two, work on US time, and enjoy great hiking and Italian hospitality during the day.

Today you’ll experience one of the most unique border crossings in the world: taking a cable car from Italy to France via the highest point in the Alps. You’ll start at Skyway Monte Bianco on the Italian side and end up in Chamonix, France on the Aiguille du Midi system. While it sounds complicated (two different companies, two countries), it’s actually a well-established route that works seamlessly once you’re there.

Plan to spend a few hours enjoying the journey—as you travel through different climate zones, there are opportunities to get out, grab a meal, learn about the area’s history, or simply take in the mountain views. The border crossing itself is straightforward, and you’ll find yourself marveling at how effortlessly you’ve moved between countries suspended high above the Alps.

Just make sure you’re in Chamonix well before 4 pm—you’ll need time to catch the last train to your mountain hotel.

Refuge du Montenvers is among the most special hotel experiences I’ve had in my life. You can only reach it by train, and here’s the magic: since the last public train leaves at 4 pm, after that hour, the only people on the entire mountain are hotel guests. Book this in mid-summer and you’ll have up to five hours of completely private mountain time before the sun sets.

The food is excellent—which is fortunate since there’s literally nowhere else to go—but it’s a focused menu, so one night is perfect. Spend your exclusive hours exploring the mountain, then settle in for a fondue dinner before heading to the roof deck with a digestif as the sun sets over the Alps. In the morning, you’ll have the stunning Mer de Glace glacier practically to yourself.

Tips:

Book as early as possible to ensure your preferred room type is available

For groups, the “family” or “tribe” rooms sleep 5–10 guests—imagine having your own luxury private hostel on a mountaintop

Pack layers; evenings get chilly even in summer