Trail Running - Chamonix and the Mont Blanc region : 40 routes in the Chamonix Valley, Italy and Switzerland

The Chamonix Valley and Mont Blanc massif is the global capital of trail running. Crossing three countries — France, Switzerland and Italy — with glaciers, high cols, technical ridgelines and sweeping alpine trails at every turn, it offers trail runners of every level an extraordinary concentration of world-class routes. This Cicerone guidebook covers the full breadth of trail running across the Mont Blanc massif, with something for every runner, from short day runs above Chamonix to multi-country race recces.

The 40 routes range from a 3.8km introduction run to the full 168km UTMB circuit, graded 1 to 5 and categorised as trail running, fell running or skyrunning. Each route includes distance, ascent, descent and timings, with starting points across Chamonix, Les Houches, Servoz, Vallorcine, Champex, Courmayeur and Orsières. Four international race recces are included: the full UTMB (168km), the OCC (Orsières, Champex, Chamonix), the CCC (Courmayeur, Champex, Chamonix) and the TDS (Traces des Ducs de Savoie). Step-by-step route descriptions are accompanied by 1:100,000 mapping and route profiles, with GPX files available to download for all 40 routes.

A comprehensive introduction covers running at altitude, adapting to the Alps, mountain skills, navigation, trail kit and mountain safety, alongside practical information on bases, travel and weather. From your first alpine trail run to a full UTMB recce, this is the essential guide to running in one of the world's great mountain playgrounds.