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A Mont Blanc Story

By: Leo LeBon

Leo Le Bon, the founder of Mountain Travel, became obsessed with traveling to truly remote places when he first visited Nepal in 1967. On a three-week trek in the Annapurna Himalaya, he felt an overwhelming sense of freedom and well-being while walking through that immense landscape. A sudden spark was lit—the desire to reach out to the world beyond. The term "adventure travel" didn’t exist then, but words like exploration, wilderness, and expedition were reserved for pioneers such as Hillary, Stanley, and Amundsen—names that evoke Everest, the Congo River basin, the South Pole, and the farthest edges of the earth. As a mountaineer, climber, and travel professional, Leo saw an incredible opportunity to offer adventure travel to others who thirsted for such experiences. He continues to spend his life traveling and sharing his passion for the world’s most remote corners.

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October 7, 2025 | Adventure Experts

On Oct 3, of this year I received MT Sobek’s new 2026 Adventures catalog of upcoming trips, and my interest turned to page 16-17 which features The Alps Tour du Mont Blanc, a hike that has become legendary for its easy trails, great mountain scenery, lush green valleys, and the local foodie cultures of France, Italy and Switzerland. What more could you ask for? This is truly a mountain paradise, and the trek of a lifetime. Don’t miss it!

When Allen Steck, Barry Bishop, and I founded Mountain Travel in 1968, we looked at the mountain ranges of Europe, and one of the first destinations for our new set of adventures were the glorious Alps, and climbing Mt. Blanc, Western Europe’s highest summit at 15,766 feet. The idea was to get people to the top!

RectangleMt. Blanc (15,766') as seen from the Chamonix Valley on a clear sunny day with the rounded summit top in the center. The Gouter ascent route begins from the right edge of the photo. — Mt. Blanc (15,766′) as seen from the Chamonix Valley on a clear sunny day with the rounded summit top in the center. The Gouter ascent route begins from the right edge of the photo.

De Saussure Chamonix structure in the Alps — The statue of the scientist and pioneer climber H.B. De Saussure in the center of Chamonix and his local guide Balmat pointing his finger to the summit of Mt. Blanc.

I went to France and Chamonix, the capital of world mountaineering, to scout for lodging, and I was offered a very nice residence once belonging to Charles de Gaulle, former President of France. I decided the seven-room residence would be perfect for us as it had an expansive view of Mt. Blanc and right across the valley was the great Bionnassay Glacier descending from the south. Our idea was to bring hikers and climbers from the US to France to share with them these iconic mountains, truly Europe’s playground. I also rented several VW vans which would allow us to drive to other areas of the Chamonix Valley if the weather was unsuitable for hiking or climbing.

So began our adventures in Chamonix. The first trips focused on freedom and choice of activities. We offered mountain climbing, guided or on your own, visits to the high peaks via cable car and hiking down to town. In addition to climbing Mt. Blanc, we went to nearby Zermatt and offered a number of climbs, including the Matterhorn and other nearby peaks. We were also able to drive to the Dolomites when there was rain or fog.

The program and the destinations were quite successful for many years, but eventually more people preferred to just walk and explore in these great valleys, rather than climb, as there is so much to do and see. At that time, we began with a camping itinerary and a lodge/chalet/refuge itinerary, but the interest swerved to the traditional small lodgings and the program was eventually revised to lodge occupancy only.

Once we scouted this hike around the mountain, it was indeed the right amount of days, mileage, lodgings, and vistas. As it turned out, it was a smart move, as the local guide service also had the same ideas, so we joined forces. This then became our first Tour du Mount Blanc! In 1987! No climbing, just trekking, while staying overnight in mountain chalets or refuges, as they then existed. There were other considerations such as providing adequate sleeping quarters, transporting luggage, and providing enough food to sustain a hike of eight days or more. Eventually we had our VW vans travel around the massif, from France to Italy and on to Switzerland to adequately supply the hikers with quality services.

So we were, and still are, quite pleased that this program is still one of the most popular for MT Sobek, after roughly 50 years of operation. I calculated that perhaps as many as 10,000 MT Sobek trekkers and hikers have enjoyed this amazing adventure.

Chamonix is truly a very interesting town, full of lively cafes, restaurants, boutiques, and bars with a lot of foot traffic in the streets, with climbers and skiers mixing with the crowds. In the center of town there is the statue of the scientist and early climber H.B. De Saussure who offered a reward to the first man to reach the summit of Mt. Blanc, a goal that was not achieved until 1786. Be sure to take a selfie with him. In 1787 his famous book Voyage Dans Les Alps was published, opening the floodgates to hikers in the region.

bridge in Chamonix on way to Alps Mont Blanc — On the trail leaving Chamonix we crossed an amazing and iconic Roman arch bridge over the Arve River.

Leo Lebon in Mont Blanc in the Alps in Europe — Nadia Le Bon amid alpine fields in full bloom by mid-July (photo by Leo Le Bon).

In early summer of 2012 I decided to retrace this journey with my wife and friends, and it was a blast. The wildflowers were everywhere, the picnic lunches set in scenic spots, and accommodations quite upgraded from our early years of camping and staying in refuges. We particularly enjoyed the change of scene, food, and language from France to Italy and then again in Switzerland.

Mont Blanc with blooming wildflowers in the Alps — We hiked along ancient trails used by villagers who traded across borders, on day 3 of the hike.

MT Sobek guides talking on the Alps Mont Blanc hiking tour — Our guides, Laurent Langoissier and Beatrice Mugnier are professional mountain guides who are great interpreters of the history, nature and geology of the region, here on the Italian side of Mont Blanc.

glaciers in Mont Blanc in the Alps — Last remnants of snow at the higher elevation while descending into Switzerland.

I was lucky to have led and climbed many times on Mt. Blanc and also the Matterhorn. Don’t miss your chance to hike in the Alps!

views of Matterhorn in the air on an Alps adventure — The Matterhorn (14,629′), with the Hornli ridge—the standard route dividing sun and shade up this most impressive of all Alpine giants—is a non-technical climb for those in excellent shape and young of heart. Aerial photo taken in fall from a helicopter (by Leo Le Bon).

Now, if you are a strong trekker, you might even consider climbing Mt. Blanc while you are there, since you would be fit and acclimated after the tour. All you would have to do is ask your guide for a referral to a local mountain guide service in Chamonix, rent an ice axe, crampons and some sturdy mountain boots, and in two days you can be on top of the highest peak in Western Europe (weather permitting)! What an experience to be had!

group of travelers on guided tour of Alps Mont Blanc in Europe — Spectacular vistas on the last days, before descending into the maze of Swiss valleys.

The early days of Mt. Blanc adventures with Mountain Travel are recounted in greater detail in Leo Le Bon’s autobiography Trail Blazing the Unknown, An Adventurous Life (available at: www.wanderlustconsulting.com).

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