Vallée Blanche, Alpine glacier in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France

Vallée Blanche is a glacier in the Mont Blanc massif that begins at the Col du Midi (3,500 m) between the Aiguille du Midi and Mont Blanc du Tacul. It flows east in a slight arc about 1.5 km wide and 3 km long, with dark rock outcrops breaking through the snow and crevasse lines cutting the surface. At around 2,700 m it merges with the Glacier du Géant to form the Glacier du Tacul.

The Vallée Blanche glacier was long avoided by valley dwellers, who called the high massif the "montagnes maudites" (cursed mountains). Systematic exploration began in 1741, when Englishmen William Windham and Richard Pococke reached the Mer de Glace with local guides. In 1786, Jacques Balmat and Michel-Gabriel Paccard made the first ascent of Mont Blanc, and the Vallée Blanche later became a classic route to the summit via the Mont Blanc du Tacul and Mont Maudit.

The name means "White Valley". The classic ski route, unmarked and uncontrolled, is considered the best-known freeride descent in the Alps and draws thousands of skiers each year. Guiding on it is a major income source for Chamonix's mountain guide offices.

Visitors should book a licensed mountain guide due to the presence of crevasses and changing conditions on the terrain. The best season runs from December through April when snow coverage is most stable.

The Refuge du Requin (2,516 m) stands near the Salle à Manger, a small glacial plateau below the Séracs du Géant, where the Vallée Blanche merges with the Glacier du Géant. Skiers on the classic route pass this spot between the steepest icefall section and the flat crossing of the Mer de Glace toward Montenvers.