Worth taking almost 2 lb hiking boots for 2 days in Chaminox

Sneakers are fine for this hike.

Remember you will be in the mountains, think altitude. For myself, any hiking of any kind I wear the appropriate boots. You want to be comfortable and safe. Did the lift to the top got off at Augille du Medi and hiked down to the restaurant for lunch then back up to the lift, as I didn't have time for the long hike down. Glad I had my boots on even for that short jaunt. And it is cold up there! And beautiful!

I’ve done a lot of walks/hikes in Chamonix and surrounding area in Birkenstock sandals and had no problems at all. It was summertime, warm, and I didn’t want to bring even tennis shoes with me on our 2 mo trip for just three days of walking/hiking (two separate trips). So, as Mary said above, tennis shoes will work just fine. Aiguille du Midi and Mont Blanc are spectacular, enjoy!

I would suggest that you might look into collapsible hiking poles if you are concerned about stability. When I did this hike in 2015 I found the hike to be quite easy. But my knees have deteriorated since then. I recently purchased hiking poles on Amazon that collapse down to 12”. They fit into my luggage quite well and are not heavy.

I travel with fairly light weight low top hiking boots/shoes which double as great footwear for long days in Paris when it rains as well as. country hikes and mountain hikes. I would not take heavy high top boots with so little time hiking in the mountains but would consider something like a lightweight hiking shoe as an all purpose travel shoe. I want a better sole than a sneaker sole for hiking. I like having a pair of shoes that is water resistant and so my lightweight well cushioned hiking shoes are multipurpose.

Thanks, Jane. I am old school so I call walking shoes “sneakers”. Obviously, you want something with a good tread and arch support such as a New Balance walking shoe. I did not mean to imply anything like canvas type shoes such as Keds.

With weak ankles, I researched light hiking alternatives and found trail running shoes. They are very light, can be worn in town, but have the tread needed for the trail.

Thanks everyone. I also meant sneakers with tread - not Vans or other flat canvas types. Glad that is an option, since I will use sneakers elsewhere like the biking tour of Versailles. If the weather is warm and no rain expected, I will consider the Keens. These are meant to be waterproof for rafting or river walks, and I have worn them in the Grand Canyon and on rocky Maine beaches. I was more worried about cold in the altitude. I will plan on bringing Keens and my lightweight Nike or Sketcher sneakers.

I also love my Birkenstocks, but I only have the 2 band Arizona model.

I know shoes are always a discussion here, so I will mention this. I walked 65 miles in 9 days at the Orlando theme parks, two days were 12+ mile days according to my Apple Watch. Every step was taken in bright red Crocs and I had zero problems with heat. They are not fashionable but I am tempted to bring them for walking in Paris, but have not read one person who uses them. I think too ugly to bring!

I took Crocs as one of my two pairs of shoes on a six-week trip to Italy and Spain a few years ago (the other pair was oxfords). We often walk 9-10 miles a day while sightseeing. I had no problems with my feet and I don't even remember anyone staring!

I have yet to take a trail where any sturdy walking shoe wasn't plenty. I used to take more than one pair of shoes. Now I take one pair that is good for walking and can dress up to about business casual. I throw a pair of flip flops in my bag so I have something else if i need it.

I really think hiking boots are too much.
If you want something different than walking shoes, running shoes, trail runners or a light hiker are plenty. If there's snow on the trail, you won't be going there anyway.

Hiking up at “ the top”? Yikes. I was so dizzy from the high altitude, just walking around was a challenge. If you live at high altitude you probably won’t notice. I live at elevation 53 feet, and it really had a negative impact on me.

Whenever I've traveled to Europe with my hiking boots, I never pack them. I always wear them when I travel. I love how comfortable they are when walking on trails so it's worth it to me if I'm hiking in the countryside to have them with me and that means wearing them while traveling transcontinentally.