The Haute Route, (or the High Route or Mountaineers’ Route) is the name given to a route (with several variations) undertaken on foot or by ski touring between Chamonix in France and Zermatt in Switzerland, enjoying the views of the classic Alps, as Mont Blanc, Matterhorn, Pigne de Arolla, Grand Combin, Dente Blance and others.

First charted as a summer mountaineering route by members of the English Alpine Club in the mid-19th century. The route takes 5 nights/ 6 days for the 180 km from the Chamonix valley, home of Mont Blanc, to Zermatt, home of the Matterhorn.  Originally dubbed “The High Level Route” in English by members of the hiking club, the term was translated into French when first successfully undertaken on skis in 1911. Since then the French term has prevailed. While the term haute route has become somewhat generalized for any of the many multi-day, hut-to-hut alpine tours. (wikipedia info)