Grand Balcon Sud Hike: La Flégère to Planpraz

The Grand Balcon Sud is one of the most popular hikes in Chamonix, following a beautiful balcony trail along the northern side of the valley, with almost uninterrupted views towards Mont Blanc and the surrounding glaciers.

The classic, and most popular, section of the trail runs between La Flégère and Planpraz, covering approximately 5.5 kilometres. Both ends are accessible by gondola, so you can enjoy some incredible mountain scenery without having to grind your way up from the valley floor.

It’s possible to hike the Grand Balcon Sud without using the gondolas (more on that towards the end of this article), but if you’re after a high effort-to-reward ratio, the lifts make this a stunning half-day hike.

I walked the Grand Balcon Sud after completing the Lac Blanc hike earlier that morning. It was a particularly hot day, and I’ll admit I found the additional walking quite challenging, especially the final uphill stretch towards Planpraz. However, the scenery was gorgeous, and I was very glad I’d decided to add this hike to my day as well.

The hike can be done in either direction, but this guide follows the route from La Flégère to Planpraz.

Quick logistics

Start	La Flégère gondola station
End	Planpraz gondola station
Distance	5.5 km
Elevation gain	504 metres
Highest point	2,081 metres
Time	Approximately 2 hours
Difficulty	Moderate
Route	Point-to-point
Gondolas required	La Flégère and Planpraz
Best time to hike	July to September

Grand Balcon Sud map

From La Flégère, follow the signs towards Planpraz, staying on the balcony trail rather than taking any paths descending towards Chamonix. It’s a well-established trail, with signposts towards Planpraz at main junctions.

There are several intersecting hiking trails around Charlanon and the Planpraz ski area, so I’d recommend downloading an offline map before setting off, just in case.

Getting to the trailhead

The hike starts at La Flégère, a lift station above Les Praz, a small village just outside Chamonix.

To reach the trailhead, you’ll need to travel to Les Praz and take the La Flégère gondola up to approximately 1,877 metres.

By bus: You can take a local bus from Chamonix to Les Praz. The journey takes around 10 – 15 minutes, and the gondola station is a very short walk from the bus stop.

By train: Les Praz has a railway station on the Mont Blanc Express line, within walking distance of the gondola station.

By car: There’s a car park beside the La Flégère gondola station, although it can get busy during the summer.

Once you’ve reached Les Praz, take the gondola up to La Flégère. From the upper station, follow the signs towards Planpraz.

Both lift stations sit at around 2,000 metres, which means you skip the long climb from the valley floor and head straight into the panoramic traverse. You can check lift opening times here.

How much do the gondolas cost?

An adult return ticket for La Flégère costs €25, as of summer 2026. This return ticket can also be used to descend from Planpraz, so you don’t need to pay extra to use the lift at Planpraz.

If you’re going to be spending a few days hiking in Chamonix, I recommend getting the Mont Blanc MultiPass. This covers many of the lifts, buses, trains, Aiguille du Midi, and other attractions in town, meaning it can work out a lot cheaper than buying tickets for everything individually.

Of course, you can also hike the Grand Balcon Sud without using any cable cars, but this would involve a long walk up from the valley floor. I’ll go into this in more detail near the end of this article.

Grand Balcon Sud: Step-by-step hiking route

La Flégère to the Lanchers couloir

As you come out of the La Flégère gondola station, turn left to join the Grand Balcon Sud. You’ll pass by the L’Index chairlift, so you’ll know you’re going the right way.

You won’t have to walk far before enjoying some fantastic views. The Grand Balcon Sud follows the northern side of the Chamonix valley, with Mont Blanc and the surrounding glaciers directly opposite.

The first section is quite rocky in places, and you’ll soon reach a steeper passage with metal steps and handrails fixed into the rock. These help you descend through the uneven terrain above the Lanchers couloir.

Although this section isn’t particularly technical, I’d recommend taking your time here.

Once you’re through the rocky passage, the trail continues across the mountainside towards Charlanon.

Lanchers Couloir to Charlanon

This was probably my favourite section of the Grand Balcon Sud.

Beyond the Lanchers couloir, the trail crosses a scree slope before continuing towards the alpine pastures around Charlanon.

The scenery begins to open up again, with grassy slopes and views across the valley towards the Mont Blanc Massif. You’ll also pass along the upper edge of the forest, with patches of trees providing a change from the more exposed sections of the trail.

This is one of the things I particularly enjoyed about the Grand Balcon Sud. The route stays relatively high above the valley, so you get wonderful mountain views without having to climb continuously uphill.

That doesn’t mean it’s completely flat, though. The trail has several smaller climbs and descents, so you’ll still be putting in some effort as you walk.

Continue following the signs towards Planpraz, eventually reaching the Charlanon area, where the trail crosses open alpine pastures.

Charlanon towards the Planpraz plateau

From Charlanon, the trail continues southwest towards Planpraz, following the mountainside above Chamonix.

You’ll pass through a short section of woodland before emerging above the Combe de la Parsa, a broad valley used as part of the Brévent ski area during winter.

The scenery is particularly beautiful along this stretch, with views across the Chamonix valley towards Mont Blanc and the Aiguille du Midi. Much of the trail follows open mountainside, so there’s very little obstructing the view.

As you approach Planpraz, the trail begins climbing towards the plateau. Follow the signs towards the gondola station, which you’ll eventually see ahead.

Final stretch to Planpraz

The last section of the hike climbs towards the Planpraz plateau, at approximately 2,000 metres.

Although the Grand Balcon Sud is often described as a relatively easy balcony walk, there is a fair amount of undulation along the route, and the final approach to Planpraz involves a bit of uphill walking.

I found this section quite tiring — it was a hot day, and I’d also already done a 4-hour hike around Lac Blanc that morning. However, the views remained fantastic, and I was glad I’d continued all the way to Planpraz.

Once you reach the plateau, follow the signs towards the Planpraz gondola station.

There are facilities and a restaurant around Planpraz, so you can stop for refreshments before heading back down to Chamonix.

From here, take the Planpraz gondola down to the Brévent lift station in Chamonix, completing the hike. From Brévent, it was a short walk back into the town centre.

If you parked at La Flégère in Les Praz, you can take a bus or train back to Les Praz to collect your car.

Hiking the Grand Balcon Sud WITHOUT gondolas

To be quite honest, gondolas give me a bit of claustrophobia. It’s manageable for me, but I completely understand why some people want to avoid them. Or perhaps you simply don’t want to pay for them, which is also understandable.

Either way, it’s absolutely possible to hike the Grand Balcon Sud without using the lifts, but it involves quite a hard day out. Skipping the lifts means climbing all the way up from the valley floor.

Start at the lower La Flégère gondola station in Les Praz, which you can reach by bus, train, or car from Chamonix.

Instead of taking the gondola, follow the marked footpath uphill towards La Flégère. The trail climbs through forest beneath the lift, gaining approximately 800 metres of elevation before reaching the upper station.

From here, follow the Grand Balcon Sud towards Planpraz. Once you reach Planpraz, take the marked hiking trail downhill towards Chamonix, eventually finishing near the Brévent lift station.

Without the gondolas, you’re looking at approximately 1,300 metres of cumulative ascent, plus a substantial descent back to the valley. I’d allow 6 – 8 hours for the entire hike.

Best time to hike the Grand Balcon Sud

The best time to hike the Grand Balcon Sud is from July to September, when the trails are generally free of snow.

However, because the trail reaches elevations above 2,000 metres, snow can remain on some sections into early summer. The rocky passage near the Lanchers couloir is particularly worth avoiding when snow or ice is present.

Much of the route is also exposed, with very little shelter from the sun, wind, or rain. For that reason, I’d avoid hiking during thunderstorms, strong winds, or poor visibility.

How difficult is the Grand Balcon Sud?

I’d rate the Grand Balcon Sud as moderate, although it’s not quite as flat as you might expect from a balcony trail.

The route follows the mountainside at around 2,000 metres, with several climbs and descents along the way. Although the overall elevation difference between La Flégère and Planpraz is relatively small, the cumulative elevation gain is considerably higher because of the undulating terrain.

I found the final uphill push to Planpraz quite hard work, in particular.

There are also some rocky sections, particularly near the Lanchers couloir, where you’ll encounter metal steps and handrails. I wouldn’t describe the route as particularly technical, but you’ll want to be comfortable walking on uneven mountain paths.

For regular hikers with a reasonable level of fitness, it’s a very achievable hike. However, I wouldn’t recommend it to someone looking for a flat, easy walk.

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