Hike to La Jonction, Mont Blanc Glacier Hike, Chamonix, France

The Hike to La Jonction in Chamonix is probably one of the best Glacier hikes in the Mont Blanc Massif, as well as one of the best hikes in the Chamonix area. Spectacular, scenic views of the landscape and some of the best up-close views of the massive Mont Blanc Glaciers. With Mont Blanc’s summit in full view, too!

View from La Jonction viewpoint. The Mont Blanc’s summit is the white, rounded peak in the middle.

La Jonction means “The Junction” in English, and it’s called so because it is in fact a Junction between two different Glacier tongues: Glacier des Bossons and Glacier de Taconnaz.

From La Jonction, they split and continue down different sides of the same ridge in the Mont Blanc Massif. As you hike up the winding trail, the views keep switching from one glacier to another, up until they meet at the same point, La Jonction. There, you are basically facing the glacier and its crevasses on either side.

However, t’s tough going to reach la Jonction from the village of Les Bossons, where the trail starts. The Hike from Les Bossons trail station is more than 18 km long ( 11+ miles), with more than 1,700 meters (5,550+ feet) in elevation gain.

So If you like glaciers and/or enjoy a physically challenging hike, the hike to La Jonction should be high on your list. And, between the jagged peaks and the massive Glacier’s structure around them, you can experience some of the most spectacular views in the Alps.

La Jonction Viewpoint.

Table of Contents

Overview of the Hike to La Jonction & Map

The hike to La Jonction is hard, mostly in terms of elevation gain and in terms of scree/rocky sections. There are some minor scrambling sections here and there, but nothing exposed or too sketchy. Needless to say, don’t venture out on the glacier by yourself!

If you want to see La Jonction, there is no option but to hike up there. You could also potentially shorten the hike by taking the “Glacier des Bosson” chair lift from Les Bossons and starting the hike from there.

Also, the trail is well-marked at all times and easy to follow. It will likely be quite crowded in the peak summer months. I did it on a sunny August day and, while it was crowded, it did not feel overwhelmingly so.

How to get to La Jonction trailhead and Parking

To get to the trailhead, you will need to get to Les Bossons first, which is a short 10-15-minute train ride South of Chamonix. I’d argue it’s better to look for parking in Chamonix anyway, as Les Bossons is a rather small town with few parking spaces. Unless you are staying in the area, there are a few small parking areas in Les Bossons too – details below.

If you want to start early in the morning, which I’d recommend, it’s probably best to stay in Chamonix and take one of the frequent, short train rides to Les Bossons. That’s what I did too for this hike.

• Driving Directions: If you are coming from the North, you’d have to head either to Geneva or Martigny. From Geneva, you will need to cross the border into France. Then, take highway A40 toward Chamonix and the route N205, until Las Bossons. From Martigny, you’d have to drive through mountain passes toward Forclaz/Col des Grands Montets, and then drive past Chamonix to reach Les. Bossons. From Italy, you’d have to drive through the rather expensive Mont Blanc tunnel, or you can drive through the San Bernardo tunnel and then go to Martigny, and follow the road to Forclaz/Col des Grands Montets from there.
• Parking: If you want to try your luck and park in Les Bossons, you could try this spot on the road or this larger area. Alternatively, you can overnight at the campsite or park at the gondola station if you are planning on camping in the area. Otherwise, there are plenty of parking spaces in Chamonix where you could leave the car and take the train. That’s basically what I did. However, best to be in Chamonix earlier in the morning rather than later.
• Public Transport: if you are already staying in Chamonix or the surrounding area, arguably the best way is to take the train to Les Bossons. Trains run quite frequently and would avoid having to look for a parking spot in the Village of Les Bossons, where options are limited. Timetables on https://www.sncf-connect.com/en-en.

The views from Les Bosson Train Station are already very promising.

La Jonction Hiking Trail

If you are starting the hike at the train station, you can walk toward the general direction of the mountain. The glaciers will be very much “in your face” from the station. As you exit town, you should start seeing the first trail signs to the “Glaciers de Bossons” or “La Jonction”. You can follow any of them until you reach the “Chalet du Glacier des Bossons” and the Glacier des Bossons Viewpoint.

Walking through the small Village of Les Bossons toward the main trail to La Jonction.

Getting to this first viewpoint on the Les Bosson Glacier requires a short detour from the main trail. It takes about 10-15 minutes in total. While I think it’s worth it, the views are nowhere near what you’ll have at La Jonction, so you could skip it if you want to save some time. Still, the view of the glacier from below is already impressive.

Glacier des Bosson lower viewpoint.

From the Les Bossons hut, the trail keeps winding its way up the side of the mountain and through the forest. This first part does not provide much of a view of the glaciers. However, soon enough, as you hike higher up the mountain, you will pass the tree line, and gradually you will get more and more views of the Glacier des Bossons and Glacier de Taconnaz on either side of the mountain.

The view will gradually open up toward the glaciers on either side as you hike your way up.

There are plenty of spots to rest and enjoy the fantastic panoramic views along the way.

The trail winds its way up, switching views between the two glacier tongues. Here is Le Glacier de Taconnaz

Glacier Des Bossons

The views keep getting better and better the higher up you go, and you also get closer and closer to the glacier. Again, the elevation gain is relentless, and there are very few areas where the trail flattens out for a bit. However, there are plenty of spots to sit and soak in the view for a quick break.

As the trail winds its way up between the two glacier fronts, it becomes increasingly steep, with some sections requiring some minor scrambling.

Glacier de Taconnaz.

The last part involves some steep sections that require minor scrambling.

La Jonction Glacier Viewpoint – a great reward for a Tough Hike

The last stretch that leads to La Jonction viewpoint and the surrounding area is a bit of a land of transition. You are at the glacier’s foot, and the terrain is mostly made of scree and smaller rock, along with bigger boulders.

The area is still well marked with trail marks painted on the rocks here and there. You should also be able to see the silhouettes of other hikers higher up the mountain, where the viewpoint is.

The last stretch has some scree sections.

As you approach the viewpoint, the views alsp gradually reveal the vast glaciers farther ahead.

The endpoint of the hike, La Jonction, is a great place to spend some time resting and enjoying the landscape.

As you reach the last ridge next to the glacier, you will suddenly find yourself just a few meters away from the glacier’s front and its giant ice blocks. It is possible to get close to the ice, but the terrain is rather unstable. So you would need to use your better judgment to decide where it’s safe to go and where not.

The area is quite wide, and there are plenty of sports to sit down and watch the glacier or lie down in the sun, to rest a bit before heading back down. I probably spent more than an hour up there at the La Jonction viewpoint, but I could have easily stayed longer.

La Jonction offers incredible views of the many icefalls, crevasses, and glaciers perched atop the jagged peaks and around its many spires.

La Jonction Photos and Photography Tips

First of all, bring a telephoto lens, the longer the better. I used all the lenses between 14 and 200mm, and I wished I had more reach. The reason is all the small details, closer and farther away, that the glacier and the mountain have to offer. On this hike, I had my Nikkor Z 14-24mm f2.6, the 24-70 v f/4, and the 70-20 f/2.8.

While the 24-70 was the default lens on the camera, with a long lens, you could capture many more details. All the different, smaller, finer details of the glacier and jagged peaks in the distance. That is rather fun, but not only that. Also, just watching all the details in the glacier with the magnification a telephoto zoom provides, it’s well worth the extra weight you have to lug up the mountain.

I compulsively kept taking photos at the glacier, switching between telephoto, mid-range zoom, and wide-angle. The glacier in front of you is so vast, and you can get so close that all the focal ranges find a place here.

The downside is that with wider ranges, compositions are quite limited. You are on a relatively small rocky outcrop in between two glacier tongues after all. However, there are plenty of interesting foreground options along the glacier’s edge.

And that’s where the wider lenses are limited; the longer ranges come in handy. All of a sudden, a different world of compositions opens up in that vast expanse of ice ahead of you. Jagged peaks, Ice walls clinging onto the steep rock faces, Ice falls, crevasses, and so on. That’s not only fun to shoot, but also fun to look through the viewfinder at.

One last tip. On sunny days, the reflection of the sunlight from the glacier will be an issue to manage. The glaciers will act as giant diffusers, and in the middle of the day, light management is a challenge. A polarizing filter really helps here.

Video of the Hike

For more epic glacier views, here is also a video of the Hike. It mostly shows the glaciers on either side of the trail and details of the glaciers from La Jonction Viewpoint:

Where to Stay

Undoubtely Chamonix would be the best pick if you are planning to stay in the area. It’s one of Europe’s mountaineering and mountain hubs in general. It offers Great Restaurants as well as great food from local grocery shops. And the views from town are already epic.

Les Bossons and especially Argentiere are both quieter options, somewhat cheaper, and a short drive/train ride away from Chamonix, too.

If you are in an RV or a Van you have plenty of options to choose from. I spent a few days there in my van between Chamonix and Argentiere. It was an unplanned trip, but I had no issues finding a parking spot for the night, either free or paid.

Additional Resources

• For another nearby epic glacier hike, check the Argentiere Glacier hike.