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Mont Blanc de Courmayeur

4,748 m

France, Italy

Also known as Monte Bianco di Courmayeur, Монблан-де-Курмайёр

Monte Bianco di Courmayeur · Монблан-де-Курмайёр

Elevation
4,748 m
Prominence
17 m
Difficulty
5/10
Easy alpine
Best Season
Jul
Routes
1

  • AdvisoryReported 15 Jul 2026

    Two Czech climbers were killed by rockfall in the Grand Couloir (Goûter couloir) in mid-July 2026.

    linfodurable.fr

Routes

1
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AlpinePD-GlacierNormal route

Mont Blanc de Courmayeur is normally climbed as a short extension of a Mont Blanc ascent: follow the Goûter route over the Dôme du Goûter and the Bosses ridge to Mont Blanc's summit, then continue south-east down a corniced snow ridge to the Col Major (about 4,740 m) and up to the subsidiary top, about 600–800 m away, before returning over Mont Blanc.

Elevation Profile

approximate line
2,0003,0004,0005,0000 km2468Nid d'AigleRefuge de Tête RousseDôme du GoûterMont Blanc
Distance
9.5 km
one way
Ascent
+2,510 m
−134 m lost on the way up
High Point
4,806 m
Time Up
9h 49m
DIN 33466
Time Down
6h 39m
DIN 33466 · same way back

Mont Blanc de Courmayeur (4,748 m) is a point on Mont Blanc's south-east ridge with only about 20–40 m of prominence. Its easiest ascent is from the top of Mont Blanc, so the climb is in practice the French normal route plus a short ridge walk. Take the Tramway du Mont-Blanc or the Bellevue cable car to the Nid d'Aigle (2,372 m), walk up to Tête Rousse (about 3,167 m), cross the rockfall-prone Grand Couloir early in the day and climb the rocky rib to the Goûter hut (3,815 m). On summit day go over the shoulder of the Dôme du Goûter, past the Vallot shelter and up the narrow Bosses ridge to Mont Blanc (about 4,808 m). From Mont Blanc's summit, descend the broad snow ridge south-east (towards Italy) to the Col Major, where there are crevasses, skirting some rocks on the Italian side, then rise gently to the summit of Mont Blanc de Courmayeur, the top of the Peuterey and Brouillard ridges. The ridge carries large cornices on the Brenva (east) side: stay well back from the edge, especially in cloud. The distance is about 600 m (German Wikipedia) to 800 m (Italian Wikipedia), with roughly 70 m of descent to the col and the same to climb back to Mont Blanc. Return over Mont Blanc and descend the Goûter route, recrossing the Grand Couloir as early as possible. The extension adds little technical difficulty but extends the time spent above 4,700 m, so keep it for good weather and visibility and a party moving well. The Goûter-route access rules apply in full: hut reservation, booking proof and ID, and the Saint-Gervais minimum equipment list.

Start

Nid d'Aigle2,371 m

  • Tramway du Mont-Blanc (Le Fayet – Nid d'Aigle); Bellevue cable car from Les Houches
  • Train to Saint-Gervais-les-Bains-Le Fayet, then the Tramway du Mont-Blanc to the Nid d'Aigle (2026 season from 13 June); or bus/train to Les Houches and the Bellevue cable car to join the tramway.

Stages

DayStagekmm ascentm descentTime
1Nid d'Aigle → Refuge du Goûter4.51,46405h 27m
2Refuge du Goûter → Mont Blanc de Courmayeur4.91,0451344h 22m

Waypoints

  1. Station:
    Nid d'Aigle2,371 m
  2. Hut:
    Refuge de Tête Rousse3,165 m
  3. Hut:
    Refuge du Goûter3,833 m
  4. Shoulder:
    Dôme du Goûter4,304 m

    Route passes just below the summit (not on route line)

  5. Bivouac:
    Refuge Vallot4,358 m

    Emergency shelter only

  6. Shoulder:
    Les Bosses4,521 m
  7. Shoulder:
    Mont Blanc4,806 m

    Main summit, crossed on the way

  8. Col:
    Col Major4,732 m

    Crevasses; cornices on the Brenva side of the ridge

  9. Summit:
    Mont Blanc de Courmayeur4,748 m

Key Passages

  • Grand Couloir crossing (rockfall)
  • Arête des Bosses (narrow, windy snow ridge)
  • Corniced ridge from Mont Blanc down to the Col Major (crevasses at the col)

Equipment

0/13 packed
Mandatory by Regulation
Safety
Hut & Camping

Downloads

Route confidence 70%
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Overview

A subsidiary summit (4,748 m) on Mont Blanc's south-east ridge, the top of the Peuterey and Brouillard ridges and the highest point seen from Courmayeur. It is normally reached by a short, corniced ridge walk from Mont Blanc's summit at the end of the Goûter route.

Mont Blanc de Courmayeur sits about 600–800 m south-east of Mont Blanc's summit, separated from it by the Col Major (about 4,740 m), and rises only some 20–40 m above the col. Despite its tiny prominence, the UIAA lists it as a separate four-thousander because of its appearance and its importance for mountaineering: from Courmayeur and Val Veny it looks like the summit of Mont Blanc, and the great Italian ridges, the Peuterey and the Brouillard, end here.

Most people who stand on it are Mont Blanc climbers who walk across from the main summit, a short detour on a broad but corniced snow ridge with crevasses at the Col Major. The serious ways to it are the long Italian ridge routes: the Brouillard ridge from the Monzino hut and the Eccles bivouacs (AD+) and the Peuterey ridge (D to D+), which are among the great classics of the Alps.

The summit also matters politically. Italian maps place it entirely within Italy, while French maps put it on the French–Italian border; according to English Wikipedia, the demarcation agreement of 7 March 1861 places the border at Mont Blanc's main summit, and the two countries still disagree over the summit area.

Climbing Notes

Preparation is the same as for Mont Blanc's Goûter route: solid glacier skills, crampon technique on 35–45° snow, crevasse rescue, good fitness for a 1,000 m summit day above 3,800 m, and several days of acclimatisation above 3,000 m beforehand. Many climbers go with an IFMGA guide.

Only continue to Mont Blanc de Courmayeur if the weather is stable, visibility is good and your party is moving well on the summit; the extension and the climb back to Mont Blanc add time at 4,700–4,800 m. Keep well back from the cornices on the east (Brenva) side and stay roped across the Col Major.

You need a reservation at a Goûter-route hut (Nid d'Aigle, Tête Rousse or Goûter) to climb beyond the Tête Rousse glacier, and must carry the booking confirmation, ID and the Saint-Gervais minimum equipment. Cross the Grand Couloir early and quickly, and check announcements from Saint-Gervais and the Haute-Savoie prefecture, as huts and route sections have been closed during heat waves.

History

Frederick Clissold made the first ascent on 18 August 1822 with Joseph-Marie Couttet, David Couttet and other Chamonix guides. The upper Brouillard ridge was first climbed by the Gugliermina brothers and Joseph Brocherel in July 1901.

Season

Best Jul
  1. January: Not advisable
  2. February: Not advisable
  3. March: Not advisable
  4. April: Possible
  5. May: Possible
  6. June: Good
  7. July: Best (best window)
  8. August: Good
  9. September: Good
  10. October: Possible
  11. November: Not advisable
  12. December: Not advisable
Jan
Winter; huts unstaffed
Mar
Ski-mountaineering ascents of Mont Blanc for experienced parties
Apr
Spring ski-mountaineering season; not a walking ascent
May
Goûter and Tête Rousse huts open in late May; tramway not yet running
Jun
More snow cover in the Grand Couloir; tramway from mid-June
Jul
Main season; watch for heat waves and Grand Couloir rockfall
Aug
Busy; Goûter and Tête Rousse huts closed 11–26 August 2026 after rockfall
Sep
Quieter, colder; good in stable weather
Oct
Huts close in early October (3–4 October in 2026)

Access & Permits

Permits
  • Hut reservation on the Goûter route (prefectoral decree)Required

    Under a Haute-Savoie prefectoral decree, climbers on the Goûter route beyond the Tête Rousse glacier must hold a personal reservation at one of the route's huts (Nid d'Aigle, Tête Rousse, Goûter) and carry the booking confirmation and a valid identity document, which may be checked. Reservations name each participant and may not be resold.

    montblanc.ffcam.fr
Hut Booking
Goûter and Tête Rousse: online only via montblanc.ffcam.fr, names required; places sell out quickly. Nid d'Aigle hut: no longer run by FFCAM, contact the hut directly.
Fees
  • Hut fees for the Goûter, Tête Rousse or Nid d'Aigle huts
  • Tramway du Mont-Blanc or Bellevue cable car ticket
Rules
  • Goûter route: hut reservation, booking proof and ID required above the Tête Rousse glacier
  • Saint-Gervais municipal ordinance: minimum equipment mandatory on the Goûter route; offenders can be fined
  • Camping and bivouacking are prohibited in the classified Mont Blanc site, except at the Tête Rousse base camp
  • Huts and route sections can be closed by municipal decree in dangerous conditions
Getting There

Saint-Gervais-les-Bains and Les Houches for the Goûter route; Courmayeur below the summit on the Italian side

Geneva (GVA)

  • Train to Saint-Gervais-les-Bains-Le Fayet, then the Tramway du Mont-Blanc to the Nid d'Aigle (2026 season from 13 June)
  • Les Houches: Bellevue cable car to connect with the tramway at Bellevue
  • Road access from Geneva via the A40 motorway to Le Fayet and Les Houches

Hazards

  • Glacier
  • Crevasses
  • Cornices
  • Rockfall
  • Altitude
  • Weather
  • Exposure

Huts & Shelters

3

  • Refuge de Tête RousseRefugeStaffedBooking required

    74 beds · Late May to early October (29 May – 3 October 2026)

    Book Refuge de Tête Rousse

    3,167 m

  • Refuge du GoûterRefugeStaffedBooking required

    120 beds · Late May to early October (30 May – 4 October 2026); winter room outside the season

    Book Refuge du Goûter

    3,815 m

  • Refuge VallotBivouacUnstaffed

    Year-round, emergency use only

    4,362 m