hiking tour mont blanc

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discovering the Alps on foot

TOUR DU MONT BLANC HIKE

Discover the alps by hiking the most iconic trail in europe.

The Tour du Mont Blanc is a 170 km trekking trail through France, Italy and Switzerland. Circumnavigating Western Europe’s highest mountain, Mont Blanc, it is one of the world’s classic multi day treks and is on every serious hiker’s bucket list.

Tour du Mont Blanc Hike is a blog dedicated to all aspects of the famous Tour du Mont Blanc trail. Our aim is to make your TMB less stressful in the planning stages, more enjoyable on the trail, and unforgettable for all the right reasons!

We’ve trekked the trail. Struggled with the planning. Agonised over the stages.

The tour du mont blanc in numbers.

.ugb-4e73f3a .ugb-blockquote__quote{fill:#f4f4f4 !important;opacity:1;width:49px !important;height:49px !important;left:24px !important;top:88px !important}.ugb-4e73f3a .ugb-blockquote__text{font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif,"Apple Color Emoji","Segoe UI Emoji","Segoe UI Symbol" !important;font-size:17px !important;font-weight:600 !important;letter-spacing:4px !important;line-height:1.3em !important;color:#ffffff}.ugb-4e73f3a .ugb-blockquote__item{text-align:left !important} Hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc is no easy feat involving more elevation gain than the height of Everest ….. however, planning this trek is much more difficult to conquer than climbing the 10 mountain passes circumnavigating Mont Blanc

We’ve trekked the trail. Struggled with the planning. Agonised over the stages. How far would we be to able to walk each day. How much water to carry? Which were the best stages? Could we pick up public transport if we were lagging? What to do in an emergency? How fit would we have to be? Can we take the kids?

We get it. SO many questions. Our aim is to give you as much practical information all in one place before you embark on your Tour du Mont Blanc adventure. With plenty of useful advice such as how to get fit for the TMB, how to plan your route wisely according to your fitness level, top tips for the trail and more – this blog should answer all your Tour du Mont Blanc questions. Go straight to our FAQ section for direct answers or browse our posts for more detailed advice. If you can’t find the answer to your question – get in touch.

FIRST STEPS IN PLANNING YOUR TMB

The hardest part of the Tour du Mont Blanc is the planning. Start early and take your time … your trek experience will depend on it.

The Tour du Mont Blanc trail, starting in Chamonix in the French Alps, is broken up into 11 stages that folks can tackle any which way they want. Whilst the entire circuit takes 10-11 days, the flexibility of having numerous start points on the trail enables hikers to enjoy the trail for any number of days from just a one day hike, a long weekend or a week.

booking early

Since Covid the Tour du Mont Blanc has become incredibly popular and you now need to book very early to secure accommodation in huts along the trail – generally between October and December before the summer you want to trek. Booking the huts independently can be tough – it’s like a giant jigsaw puzzle. For those who don’t have the patience or the organisational skills I recommend using a self guided tour operator to book your TMB accommodation for you. It makes the process much easier. I recommend Adventure Base, a local company in Chamonix who are excellent. You can use them to book most of my Tour du Mont Blanc itineraries self guided – simply click on the itinerary and then on the book button

Learn everything you need to know about the TMB refuges …

The first of it’s kind, our TMB Refuges ebook contains 83 pages of insider tips & knowledge to help you plan your self-guided TMB adventure with confidence & peace of mind.

Packed full of specific advice this ebook includes everything you need to know about the TMB refuges including a comprehensive guide to 23 refuges.

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Zoom consultations for independent tmb trekkers – 2024.

I offer 60 and 90 minute zoom consultations to help you with your TMB route planning & to give you tips and tricks to help you prepare for your trek. To run through an itinerary or just to chat about the trek you can book a 60 minute zoom, however most clients feel the benefit of a longer 90 minute session where we go through your itinerary day by day sharing an interactive map and walking through the trail in detail discussing lunch stops, water stops, difficult sections etc. The zoom session is recorded so there is no need to take copious notes. All my zoom clients also receive unlimited email support up until the date of their trek.

I will be available most days throughout February and March for zoom sessions. You can book by clicking the button below, selecting which length of zoom session, making payment and then emailing me to arrange a convenient time to chat. At this moment in time, PLEASE do not just pay for a zoom consultation if YOU DO NOT HAVE ACCOMMODATION BOOKED as I may have to refund you. The trail is currently full for summer 2024 but cancellations do start to happen near the summer so if you have not booked any huts for 2024, please send me an email first.

If you are considering trekking in 2025 and want advice on the best bespoke itinerary for you, book a zoom call with me anytime from now until September. Remember there are refuges every 5km along the trail all offering different accommodation or specific highlights. A bespoke itinerary allows you to get the very best TMB right for your group. By being organised and being prepared by September you will be ready to book the appropriate refuges as soon as they open for 2025 reservations.

TOUR DU MONT BLANC LUGGAGE TRANSFERS

Get your luggage sent on ahead to each refuge so you’re only carrying a small backpack each day on the trail

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Tour du mont blanc hike, privacy overview.

Why the Tour du Mont Blanc is the ultimate mountain hike

Nov 9, 2023 • 6 min read

Few multiday mountain hikes rival the Tour du Mont Blanc © Quentin Boehm

If you’ve got one European long-distance hike on your bucket list, it’s probably the Tour du Mont Blanc. It was on mine, too.

Views over sparkling glaciers, Alpine prairies and lots (and lots!) of cheese await anyone who embarks on this border-crossing trek. Circling the largest peak in the Alps , Mont Blanc, the trail covers 170km (105 miles), climbs more than 10,000m (32,800ft) in cumulative altitude, and weaves through three Alpine countries: France , Italy and Switzerland . Typically, the route begins and ends in Les Houches, France, and follows a counterclockwise loop around the mountain range.

Every dream feels far away – until we start to break down what we need to do to achieve it. Here’s what it takes to hike or run the Tour du Mont Blanc.

How I prepared for the Tour du Mont Blanc

Don’t laugh at the folks who’ve sawed off the handle of their toothbrush to save on weight. Many of the climbs along the Tour du Mont Blanc are arduous, and every gram really does count. 

My first question as I prepared my bag was, Where would I sleep? Opting for camping would make the trek feel really wild, let me spend more time in nature and give a bit more flexibility about where and when I’d arrive each night. On the flip side, this would mean my home would be on my back (like a turtle), and heavy enough to reduce my walking speed significantly.

The other option was to sleep in refuges , or mountain huts. Refuges can range from rows of bunk beds to rooms that are almost luxurious – yet what they all offer in common is a dry place, sheltered from the elements. Plus (with rare exceptions), the dinners are delicious. Staying in refuges means no need to pack any camping or cooking gear, freeing up a lot of room in your backpack. 

Each refuge has its own culture and way of working, says Céline Mila, the gardienne (caretaker) of Refuge des Prés in the Contamines Valley. “Usually that means taking off your shoes before entering, and taking your trash away with you. The best way to get oriented at the refuge is by coming to see us when you arrive – it’s our job to share the mountain culture with you.”

For my 2023 Tour du Mont Blanc, I decided to stay in refuges the whole way. 

What is the best time to do the Tour du Mont Blanc?

To beat the crowds, I decided to run the tour in mid-June. Even at the onset of summer, there was still quite a bit of snow above 1800m (5900ft), and many hikers brought along small snow chains to keep from slipping. I loved the extra challenge of the snow and the cooler daytime temperatures. July and August are the busiest months for the route, when the trail can sometimes feel like a highway. By September, things slow down again – but the huts also start to close up for the winter. While weather in the mountains can vary each year, usually July and August have the highest number of stable, rain-free days.

How long does the Tour du Mont Blanc take? And what do you eat along the route?

Hikers typically complete the loop in between seven and 10 days, and the fastest trail runners complete the journey in a staggering 20 hours. Regular trail runners tend to take things a bit slower, between three and four days. 

Since I was running the loop in four days, I packed only the barest essentials so as not to weigh myself down: a pair of leggings and a long-sleeve shirt to sleep in, a thin fleece for the mornings, a light raincoat, a pair of light gloves, a change of socks, my toothbrush, sunscreen, sunglasses and a headlamp. Plus, I wanted to eat as much local food as possible: crozets (cheesy pasta) in France, pizza in Italy and croûtes (a cheesy bread melt) in Switzerland.

Dinners were included in my demi-pension , or half-board. For lunch, I usually ordered the refuge ’s picnic to eat along the way. While they’re nothing fancy, the sandwiches or even just bread, smoked meat and cheese always hit the spot.

Alix Noblat , an ultra-trail runner and specialist in nutrition in endurance sports, once told me to eat every half hour – before my stomach starts rumbling. So I always keep a snack on me, like protein bars or Snickers. Anything that can give me an energy boost is always in my pack. 

The highs and lows of the Tour du Mont Blanc

After a few days on the trail, your sense of time and distance changes. Hikers will no longer measure their day by kilometers or hours traveled – but rather by the cols , or mountain passes, that they’ve reached. The most famous ones are:

• The Col du Bonhomme, which connects the lush Contamines Nature Reserve with the Alpine pastures of the Beaufortaine.
• The Col de la Seigne, at the border between France and Italy, with a spectacular view of Mont Blanc, Aiguille du Peuteurey, Dent du Géan  and the treacherous Grandes Jorasses.
• The Col Grand Ferret, at the end of the remote Val Ferret, which brings a long, steep climb – and a descent on the other (Swiss) side that’s rolling and blissful.
• The Col de la Balme, overlooking Chamonix valley, which brings hikers back into France for the final few legs before the finish.

And don’t forget the valleys. The TBM passes through winter-sports hubs like Chamonix and Courmayeur , as well as through smaller Alpine valleys. A standout valley is the Val Ferret: the trail runs high above the lush green pastures on the valley floor, giving a splendid view of the mineral rock faces of the range on the other side. Plus, the Rifugio Walter Bonatti ’s cappuccinos are the best you’ll find anywhere above 2000m (6500ft).

Do you need to be in great shape to hike the Tour du Mont Blanc?

You should physically prepare for the hike, yes. Getting in shape for the TMB is a question of cardio training and foot preparation. Hikers should be fit enough to cover their desired distance each day, of course. But don’t forget to prepare your feet to avoid blisters: break in hiking shoes before the first day of the hike, and bring along anti-chafing cream if you’re worried you might have rubs. 

Ready to make it happen?

This is a trek you should book early – at least two months out – to find secure space at the refuges . Yet it can be planned at the last minute for those who prefer camping. Autour du Mont Blanc is an easy-to-use website that helps plan daily stages. You can also reserve huts here. 

The views…the food…the marmots! The Tour du Mont Blanc delivers at every step.

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Tour du mont blanc hiking - routes, maps and itineraries.

The Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) is a 170 km trek that encompasses the whole of the Mont Blanc Massif; with nearly 10 000m of cumulative descent and ascent it is usually completed in a number of days.

The TMB has a variety of accommodation facilities along the route (hotels and mountain huts with possibility for vehicle support) that allow you to really enjoy the scenery, take lots of photos and walk each day with just a light pack.

Alternatively, the TMB can be done completely self-sufficiently: you carry all your own food and camping gear. This gives you a better sense of freedom and the ability to go where you please whenever you want.

Tour of Mont Blanc General Information

Mont Blanc Tour mountain huts are open, in general, from mid-June until the first or second week in September. It is advisable to reserve a bed, particularly in the high season of mid July to mid August.

Early in the season is the quietest and most beautiful, but beware of old snow on the higher paths which could be icy and dangerous and would make an ice axe essential.

For additional safety or to just show you the way you could hire an Independent Trek Leader .

Wildlife on the Tour du Mont Blanc

Have a look at the Chamonix.net nature, fauna and flora page  for more information on wildlife you might encounter on the Tour of Mont Blanc. Chamois, deer, eagles and a range of beautiful alpine flowers can all be seen and photographed.

Tour du Mont Blanc Maps, Kit List and Equipment

Lightweight boots and shorts are sufficient as long as there are warm clothes in your backpack. Waterproofs are essential and trekking poles useful. Here are some of the best mountain equipment shops in Chamonix .

Do not forget sunglasses, skin and lip protection. Always carry drinking water and check the Chamonix weather forecast before starting your journey.

Maps for the Tour of Mont Blanc:

Tour of Mont Blanc - Route Descriptions

You have plenty of options: from 4 day sportive hikes to leisurely 12 day cultural experiences; there is not only one way to do the Tour of Mont Blanc. Here are a couple of different suggestions which may help you make up your mind on your particular style.

• You can go on your own with your own GPS track, or benefit from a mountain leader's experience
• You can carry your own gear or hike with a light pack with vehicle support
• You can sleep and eat in the refuges or carry a tent

Here is a list of contact information for the various mountain huts .

4 day trip: Not quite racing - but fast enough: For the hardcore hiker

This itinerary follows pretty much in the footsteps of the Ultra Trail race (which varies slightly from year to year). This is for very fit hikers and is done with only a light day pack, eating and sleeping in huts and is basically the run/walking version of the Tour du Mont Blanc. The times noted are for fit spandex-wearing (not obligatory!) hikers.

7 day trip: Hiking the Tour of Mont Blanc - hiker

Start with the previously mentioned itinerary and break up the days a bit depending on where you would like to spend the night.

For people who carry their own gear, plan on a 7 day trip.

9 to 11 day trip: Taking the time to look at the scenery

Of course if you really do have time, you can expand the experience. Here's an example of a slower pace, with time to veer a little off the path. This is described as an 11 day trip, but it would be really easy to knock off the first and last days as those days are dedicated to trekking in the Chamonix Valley.

Each year, in the last days of August, the trails around the Mont Blanc get really busy. This is because of one of the most amazing human competitions ever organized on this planet - The Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc - so keep this in mind when planning your hike of the Tour du Mont Blanc.

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Tour du Mont Blanc Hiking Tours

Tour du mont blanc.

• Hike Europe's incredible, world-famous long-distance Alpine route
• Awe-inspiring panoramic mountain views at every bend of the trail
• Three countries in one hike; France, Italy & Switzerland
• Savor delicious classic cuisine, from tasty cheeses to local wines
• Stay in traditional alpine mountain huts or cozy historic hotels
• Hassle-free hiking: all our trips include bag transfer & 24/7 phone support

Circling Western Europe's highest mountain, Mont Blanc (15,780 ft), this 100-mile alpine trail crosses through three beautiful European countries- France, Italy and Switzerland. With far-reaching landscapes, wildflower meadows, high mountain passes, and snow-covered peaks, this glorious route is the epitome of an alpine adventure. The unmatched sunsets and alpenglow are the perfect complement to the unique mountain culture of the Tour du Mont Blanc.

Not only do we have unrivaled knowledge and expertize in the area, we’ve also sent thousands of Macs customers on the TMB and refined our tours to provide the most fulfilling self-guided hiking experience. Self-guided hiking means having the freedom to explore independently at your own pace, along well-waymarked routes, with our 24/7 first-class support. The hiking days are consistently long and remote, making it a suitable accomplishment for the experienced long-distance hiker.

The option to choose between the Complete Tour du Mont Blanc in Comfort , staying in cozy hotels, and the Tour du Mont Blanc in Huts , staying in traditional mountain huts, allows hikers to choose their experience based on their preferences. Staying in the huts not only immerses you in the mountain culture but also fosters comradery with fellow hikers, adding to the overall sense of adventure and community.

Featured Tours - Tour du Mont Blanc

Complete Tour du Mont Blanc in Comfort

Highlights of the Tour du Mont Blanc in Comfort

Complete Tour du Mont Blanc in Comfort (extended)

Complete Tour du Mont Blanc in Huts

Highlights of the Tour du Mont Blanc in Huts

Classic Walks of Mont Blanc

Discover tour du mont blanc.

It's an awesome, long distance circular hike around the mountain of Mont Blanc, crossing three countries – France, Switzerland and Italy.

We've constructed various routes to choose from. Complete the full route , which is around 100 miles or if you're short of vacation time, just the best stages .

The highest elevation you'll reach is 8,823 ft, which is at the mountain pass ‘Grand Col Ferret’. This is on the Italy / Swiss border – so you can have your feet in both countries!

July to mid-September is the time to travel. Outside this period snow can be problematic.

There's a lot of ascent– in total a staggering 34,776 ft but the incredible views and experience you're rewarded with, make the journey worth it!

HUTS - Tours In Huts

Traditional mountain huts (refuges/rifugios) create a sense of comradery, mountain culture, and good spirits. Dining is a communal event where one pot meals served by the local hut owners are enjoyed round a long table with other travelers. This is often a highlight where memories are made. Chat with fellow trekkers, exchange stories from the previous days, and get excited about future hikes.

The beds are set up dormitory style and are either bunk beds or raised mattresses next to each other. The dorm rooms range from sleeping 4 to 20 people and are mixed gender. The huts have shared and mixed gender restroom facilities.

COMFORT - Tours In Comfort

The 'In Comfort' tours offer overnight stays in historic alpine hotels nestled in iconic TMB mountain towns. We hand-pick the hotels for their location, welcoming staff members, and local cuisine.

On some nights there are no alternatives to mountain huts. In these instances, we try to book you in a private room. These will most likely have shared restroom facilities and may not have a double bed option.

The best place to view all the tours together is in the ‘featured tours' on this page. From here you can select your tour depending on the below questions.

• The majority of days are 12 miles longs with ascent and descent.
• How many days am I able to walk back to back this distance
• How fit do I need to be for the TMB
• We offer 14 days / 12 days / 8 days or 5 day tours.
• Hotels with the odd night in a private room in a refuge
• Huts in dormitories rooms

We have several excellent blogs with further information, our favorites are: 25 Frequently Asked Questions and Top tips for hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc

Raclette - A type of cheese that's melted and eaten with potatoes, gherkins, pickled onions and cured A type of melted cheese that is enjoyed with potatoes, cucumbers, pickled onions and cured meats. Raclette is just as delicious as it is filling. Depending on the hut, the cheese will either be melted over a personal table-top grill or a massive hot iron and will coat your plate and toppings.

Tartiflette - Reblochon cheese melted over a mixture of potatoes, onions, bacon and chives. It's the epitome of alpine comfort food—providing the perfect balance of warmth and satisfaction, especially after a long day on the trail.

Rosti - A Swiss version of Tartiflette that includes grated fried potatoes covered in Gruyére cheese and topped with ham and often a fried egg. Mushrooms are also often added, traditionally foraged from the surrounding hills.

Beers - If you enjoy a drink, be sure to look out for Bierre Leman and Veyrat - two local beers that are often served in the area.

Wine - There's a French belief that wine expresses the characteristics of the area it's grown in. If you enjoy wine, we absolutely recommend you taste the local varieties along the way!

Génépi - A local liqueur often enjoyed after dinner, Génépi tends to be an acquired taste with a sweet herbal chamomile and absinthe flavor. We encourage anyone with adventurous palates to try this!

Great news - Luggage transfer is included as standard. This means you are able to enjoy the hiking with just your essentials in your daypack.

Our responsible and friendly baggage handlers will take you main suitcase/luggage to your next overnight destination. As they move hundreds of bags each day, they can only accommodate one 33lbs bag, per person.

The Bonatti Refuge and Lac Blanc Refuge are incredible alpine mountain huts that you may stay in during your trip. Due to their remote location, they are inaccessible by road. Therefore, you will need to carry your overnight items on these days if you are booked in Bonatti or Lac Blanc, but no stress, you will be reunited with your main bag the following day!

Availability dependent, the 'complete' TMB tours will have an overnight at Refugio Bonatti, and the 'complete in huts' will have nights in both Bonatti and Lac Blanc.

Macs Adventure has been running self-guided hiking adventures on the Tour du Mont Blanc since 2010.

Follow Bill and Malin on their TMB journey! 

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Tour du Mont Blanc (Expert Guide)

Europe , France , Hikes , Italy , Mountains , Switzerland

The Tour du Mont Blanc is one of the most popular treks in Europe. It covers a distance of roughly 170 kilometres and gains more than 10,000 meters of altitude over 11 stages.

In this guide we cover: what weather to expect and the best time to hike the Tour du Mont Blanc, which huts to book, what gear you might need, and much more...

Join a Tour du Mont Blanc Highlights Hike

Book with our recommended local guide

Tour du Mont Blanc

Route overview.

The Tour du Mont Blanc covers a distance of roughly 170 kilometres and gains more than 10,000 meters of altitude over 11 stages. Most people start their hike in Les Houches, France going in an anti-clockwise direction.

During this trek you will hike in the French, Italian and Swiss Alps and spend the night in mountain huts. This is one of Europe's best hikes and is a classic alpine trek. On the hike you will get splendid views of some of the highest mountains in Western Europe, as well as glaciers and alpine meadows.

The highest point reached is 2,665 meters.

The hike passes seven valleys along the way, which means there is a lot of altitude to be gained, making the Tour du Mont Blanc a physical challenge.

Fortunately, walkers are rewarded with some of the best views you can get of Mont Blanc . The route is not only one of the most beautiful long-distance treks in Europe (up there with the Walker's Haute Route ), but one of the most popular ones as well.

Nights can be spent in either mountain huts along the route or back in the valley, where you can have the luxury of a warm bed in a hotel.

What we like and dislike about the hike

• Incredible views of the Mont Blanc massif
• Hike in three countries
• Visit the beautiful villages of Chamonix and Courmayeur along the way
• Spend the night in some of Europe's most iconic mountain huts
• More expensive than other treks in Europe due to the cost of mountain huts
• Physically challenging
• Can be crowded during the summer months

Join the full Tour du Mont Blanc Hike (10-Days)

Tour du mont blanc circuit.

Source: chamonix.net

This map illustrates the Tour du Mont Blanc route. It starts off at Les Houches, France close to the Swiss and Italian border before heading west towards the Italian side of Mont Blanc.

There are 11 stages depending on your physical level. The route is circular around the Mont Blanc Massif, crossing the borders of France, Switzerland and Italy.

In terms of a trekking map we recommend:

• Chamonix, Mont-Blanc ~ IGN Top25 3630OT 2012 (English and French Edition)

And in terms of a trekking guide we highly recommend: 

• Cicerone's The Tour du Mont Blanc: Complete two-way trekking guide

Altitude Profile

In the chart below you see the altitude profile of the full hike. It is quite clear there is a lot of altitude to be gained over the 11 stages, with the highest point reached just above 2500 meters. You can see that there are a few strenuous stages reaching high mountain passes that will require great effort.

Mont Blanc Route Itinerary

Below we have laid out the most popular version of the Tour du Mont Blanc Route – 11 days, starting and finishing in Les Houches. The itinerary includes approx. distances, hiking times and elevation changes.

Day 1:  Les Houches – Les Contamines

Distance: 16 km Ascent: 646m Descent: 633m Hiking time: 5hrs

Easy first stage along, this is the most roadway you will see during the trek. The best views are to be seen at Col de Voza, where you get a look at Dome du Gouter and Aiguille de Bionnasay, with the glacier splitting it in half.

Day 2:  Les Contamines – Les Chapieux

Distance: 18 km Change in elevation:  1316m+, 929m- Hiking time: 7.5hrs

A bit tougher than the first stage. Especially, since there is quite some altitude to be gained and distance covered.

Day 3:  Les Chapieux – Rifugio Elisabetta

Distance: 15 km Change in elevation: 1004m+, 258m- Hiking time: 4.5hrs

This is the day you will leave France and enter Italy via Col de la Seigne. Despite being a short day, there still is some elevation to be gained as you will pass Col de la Seigne. At the highest point, you will gain some great views of both France and Italy and gaze into Val Veni. This is the first night you will spend in a mountain hut.

Day 4:  Rifugio Elisabetta – Courmayeur

Distance: 18 km Change in elevation: 460m+, 1560m- Hiking time: 5hrs

Another short day, since you will mainly be descending. Still, some great views will be shared before reaching Courmayeur, the Italian equivalent of Chamonix.

Day 5:  Courmayeur– Rifugio Bonatti

Distance: 12 km Change in elevation: 860m+, 101m- Hiking time: 4.5hrs

Often described as the most scenic stage of the Tour du Mont Blanc. With views on the glaciers of Planpincieux and Frebouze it’s not hard to see why. The high route along the Mont de la Saxe Crest is thought of as one of the best viewpoints of the southside of the Mont Blanc.

Day 6:  Rifugio Bonatti – La Fouly

Distance: 20 km Change in elevation: 895+, 1410m- Hiking time: 6.5hrs

Today will cross another border and enter Switzerland. Cowbells and tiny villages that have been stuck in time are your scenery for the next few days.

Day 7:  La Fouly - Champex

Distance: 15 km Change in elevation: 420m+, 565m- Hiking time: 4hrs

This probably is the easiest stage of the Tour du Mont Blanc since there are no cols to be conquered. This stage mainly is a valley trek with some great charming villages along the way. However impressive views of the mountains remain.

Day 8:  Champex – Col de la Forclaz

Distance: 16 km Change in elevation: 742m+, 682m- Hiking time: 4.5hrs

There are two ways to reach Col de la Forclaz. A lower route via Alp Bovine, or the more scenic and higher route along the Trient Glacier. This latter passes the Fenetre d’Arpette, the highest point on the Tour du Mont Blanc, and should only be considered in good weather.

Day 9:  Col de la Forclaz – Tre le Champ

Distance: 13 km Change in elevation: 1069m+, 1168m- Hiking time: 5.5hrs

From this point you re-enter France via Col de Balme. A lot of elevation is to be gained and lost, which makes the stage a strenuous one.

Day 10:  Tre le Champ – Refuge Flegere

Distance: 8 km Change in elevation: 733m+, 257m- Hiking time: 3.5hrs

Short stage, but with some ascent. You will spend another night in a mountain hut. Refuge Flegere offers great views and is a perfect last night in the mountains before arriving in Les Houches the next day. There are some ladders to be climbed before reaching the refuge however.

Day 11:  Refuge Flegere – Les Houches

Distance: 17 km Change in elevation: 772m+, 1546m- Hiking time: 6.5hrs

This last stage of the Tour du Mont Blanc goes along Le Brevent in the Aiguille Rouge. There are some splendid views of the Chamonix Valley before finally descending and arriving back in Les Houches.

Video Overview

A beautiful video overview, filmed with a GoPro, of the Tour du Mont Blanc by Eugenio psnt .

Join a Tour du Mont Blanc Hike

Frequently asked questions, how much does the tour du mont blanc trek cost.

The cost of the Tour du Mont Blanc trek is dependent on whether you plan to do a self-guided hike or join a planned tour. Self guided hikes cost in the region of $1500 (estimate of $50-$75 dollars a day). Most mountain huts / gites are around $50 (incl. breakfast). 

Guided trekking tours can be quite expensive since not only do you pay for the guiding service, but you eat and spend most nights in hotels or mountain huts. This mostly includes a luggage transfer to your next accommodation as well, so you can hike with a small backpack. Guided tours range from $2000-$3500, depending on the company / season / size of the group.

Self guided is the cheaper option, however, it does mean you carry more weight in your backpack and some planning of logistics in the weeks / months before.  

Are permits required for the Tour du Mont Blanc trek?

No permits are required for the Tour du Mont Blanc trek.

When is the best time to trek the Tour du Mont Blanc Route?

The best time to trek the Tour du Mont Blanc is between July-September, but exact start and end dates depend on the amount and timing of the previous winter’s snowfall and the onset of cold weather in the Autumn. 

Since the Tour du Mont Blanc crosses high passes, snow could create problems / dangerous conditions. Therefore in a normal year it is not advisable to set out before July. In the summer months, mid-July through to end of August, are the busiest, and temperatures during the day can rise to 25 degrees. Nonetheless, thunderstorms or a dump of snow is possible as well. 

By the end of September, huts will close and it might get a lot harder to complete the trek.

Is altitude sickness a risk?

No, you will cross passes slightly higher than 2500 meter and since you’re hiking slowly to this altitude, you have more than sufficient time to acclimatize. Most people don’t feel any symptoms of altitude sickness before reaching 3000-3500 meter.

How difficult is the Tour du Mont Blanc trek?

Hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc comes with great rewards. Rewards that will be more easily gathered when physically fit and mentally attuned. There are many steep and uphill sections to conquer, so exercising regularly at home before the trek is necessary to get in shape for the physical demands of this route. Mental fitness is as important and often go hand in hand. 

The Tour du Mont Blanc is doable for any fit mountain walkers who are able to hike between 5h and 7h30 min per day for several days in a row.

If you are finding the trek tough there are a few sections where you can use public transport to shorten your hike.

What gear do I need?

To do a serious trek like the Tour du Mont Blanc, appropriate clothing and equipment is a must.

Some comfortable lightweight trekking boots are a must to enjoy this trek, while good waterproofs might be essential, not only to protect you against rain or snowfall but to double as wind-proofs. Since you’ll be crossing passes of more than 2500 meters, gloves and several layers will prove useful. Trekking poles are a good way to not overload your knees and ankles

To help you plan and prepare for your trek we recommend our Tour du Mont Blanc packing list .

What travel insurance do I need?

Trekking insurance is important when going into the mountains. See our  article on insurance for more information.

Do I have to carry my own gear all the way?

It’s up to you. There are many organisations offering guided trips for this hike, meaning they do all the logistics for you. This often includes a luggage transfer to your next accommodation in the valley, so you only need to carry a small backpack with some lunch, snacks and clothes.

Browse more hikes in Europe

See our top European hikes picks, or check out these popular hikes.

• Tour de Monte Rosa
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• Camino de Santiago Routes
• Cinque Terre Hiking
• West Highland Way Hike
• El Caminito del Rey
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• Kungsleden Trail
• Rota Vicentina
• Slovenian Mountain Trail

About the author 

Mark Whitman

Mark has trekked extensively in Asia, Europe, South America and Africa. He founded Mountain IQ in 2014 with the sole aim to be the best online information portal to some of the most popular mountain destinations around the world. When not writing for Mountain IQ, Mark is out exploring the outdoors with his wife!

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Hi Dempsey,

I’ve been thinking about doing that hiking for a long time and I think, after this pandemic crisis, it’s the time to see my dream coming true. I hope to do it as soon as possible, and to see it how beautiful the nature around is. Stay safe,

João Leite.

Wife and I are interested in doing this in last half of August. I know it is (too) late to reserve now. We plan to show up and hope for the best, perhaps taking advantage of late cancellations on a guided/luggage transfer arrangement. Any advice?

Hi Mike, there are a few dates available on this TMB highlights tour, which is amazing if you’re looking for a short circuit: https://www.skyhookadventure.com/trips/tour-du-mont-blanc-highlights

We work with local guides to offer great value adventures at unbeatable prices

Happily Ever Hiker

Tour du mont blanc: our epic guide to all you need to know.

The Tour du Mont Blanc is among Europe’s greatest and most widely known hikes covering an extremely long distance, and completing this hike should be at the top of your travel list.

There’s no denying that doing the Mont Blanc tour can be the most remarkable thing you can plan to do while visiting Europe, which is why we have an epic guide with everything you ought to know about this tour!

Table of Contents

What Is The Tour Du Mont Blanc?

The Tour du Mont Blanc is one of the most famous Mont Blanc trekking trails, and it also happens to belong to the list of world’s oldest trekking trails.

The loop is frequently featured in articles and lists titles as the ’10 Best Hiking Trails In The World,’ which is only fair given how spectacular the trail and its views are.

We’ll talk about the details of the trail later in this article, but expect breathtaking views, delectable food, and authentic mountainous adventures.

On just the first day, you’ll see massive snowy mountains, massive ice caps, majestic streams, and lush greenery.

Who Formed The Tour De Mont Blanc?

The trekking routes that comprise the tour du Mont Blanc loop, similar to the greatest treks in the world, were initially walked by shepherds who used to move their cows from one valley to the other.

However, it was a geologist from Switzerland who popularized this tour in the 18 th century.

The funny thing is that this “discovery” of his happened by accident as what he was trying to do was to figure out how to ascend Mont Blanc.

However, he ended up completing a circular trip around the entire mountain searching for the most suitable pathway, and thus was the first one (at least to our knowledge) to walk this trail.

The exact route the geologist followed is unconfirmed, but he went back to the mountain many times, desperately trying to reach the top.

Following several unsuccessful tries and circles around Mont Blanc, promised remuneration to whoever would reach the peak of the mountain.

It was in the late 1780s that two people from Chamonix were given the reward and managed to make the first climb.

He then was the third one to take the same path and reach the top of this famous European mountain.

Historically, Celtic tribal groups and the Roman army had used Col du Bonhomme, a spot located on the tour du Mont Blanc, as a route from which they moved their supplies through the Alpine areas.

Even today, you can discover the tattered remains of the Roman people and armies, with an old bridge built by their army remaining in good condition there, to many people’s surprise.

Where Is The Tour Du Mont Blanc?

TMB circumnavigates the mountain range, passing through Switzerland, Italy, as well as France.

Despite the fact that the trail does not reach the summit, everybody is familiar with Mont Blanc, and its name draws thousands of backpackers, hikers, and mountaineers each year.

How Long Is Tour Du Mont Blanc?

The Tour du Mont Blanc loop is a circuit that is 170 kilometers long and circles the Mont Blanc Mountain range.

Tour Du Mont Blanc Hike

Tour Du Mont Blanc Starting And Finishing Point

The Tour du Mont Blanc starts and finishes in Chamonix, an alpine town and adventure sports mecca on the French side of the Alps.

Despite its small size, Chamonix has always been overflowed with tourists and people looking for adventure thrills.

It is also a highly regarded ski retreat at the bottom of Mont Blanc, which means that there are many skiers and outdoor enthusiasts of all levels, as well as a booming mountaineering community and an abundance of trekking and mountain-bike paths to explore once the snow melts in the warmer months.

Chamonix is only 90 kilometers from the Geneva Airport and has numerous transportation choices available, rendering it a very accessible Alpine town.

The drive takes slightly more than an hour, bus services approximately 2 hours, and trains take closer to 3 hours, contingent on connections.

This town is also known as the World’s Capital of Adventure thanks to its busy rhythms, a plethora of fun activities, and simply stunning mountain ranges right next to it.

Tour Du Mont Blanc Route/Trail

The route follows a long loop of secluded pathways that circumnavigate the Mont Blanc massif in an anti-clockwise direction.

Of course, you have the option to follow the path in a clockwise direction, but the majority of people tend to go the other way around, and this is one of those cases where it’s preferable to go with the flow.

The trail is not challenging if you have prepared and trained right for it, but there are a lot of steep ascents.

Nevertheless, there are also many variants and easier routes to take, so you can take paths that are slightly more demanding and then continue an easy downhill.

Moreover, the Tour du Mont Blanc trekking trail includes forest areas, desolate rugged terrain, and extensive green hillsides.

You’ll also be surrounded by the ultimate combination of majestic scenery and snow-covered highs above, with each day being unique.

However, if there’s one thing the majority of your tour days have in common, it is the fact that you will be following the same pattern of hiking across hilly areas, or mountain passes, before going down to a Refugio or hotel to rest.

Similarly, your days will begin with an enjoyable uphill walk to a picturesque point where you can enjoy your snack or meal while gazing at the scenery, and then continue with your final hike downhill for a hearty evening meal and some fresh beer.

Tour Du Mont Blanc Altitude

Mont Blanc, Western Europe’s highest mountain, is 4.808 meters above sea level, making its altitude one of the greatest and most challenging ones.

However, as we have previously mentioned the Tour De Mont Black does not involve ascending to its top.

In fact, the highest peak along the standard route is 2.537 meters above sea level, which is considerably lower than the top of the mountain.

This peak is at the Grand Col Ferret, which also serves as a frontier between Italy and Switzerland. Nevertheless, a few alternative routes can take you to the greatest heights.

So, for example, you also have the option of going higher up to enjoy the beautiful scenery from 2.665 meters above sea level. on the Col des Fours or Fenetre d’ Arpette,

Tour Du Mont Blanc Itinerary

Because of the long distance of the trail, most people complete the Tour du Mont Blanc route in 7 to 10 days. 

Below you can find the itinerary for a 10-day hiking trip, and which is typically the one most people follow when doing the Tour du Mont Blanc for the first time!

10-Days Itinerary

Day 1: chamonix – les contamines.

On the first day, you’ll take the minibus to Les Houches and start your tour.

This first stage from Les Houches to Les Contamines is filled with lovely pine forest pathways, steep uphills and downhills, and areas of low trees and bushes carpeted with wild blueberry shrubs.

Nevertheless, you won’t be able to avoid the steep hills for the first hour, and if you choose to go from the variant, you can expect approximately 1500 meters of elevation, compared to the 650 meters of the standard route.

If you choose the challenging path, stop for lunch at the Refuge de Miage for some delicious and nourishing salad, and then continue your hike to Les Contamines for a night’s rest and more food.

Elevation Profile (Gain): 1500 meters of elevation gain for the variant, 650 meters of elevation gain for the standard route

Day 2: Les Contamines – Les Chapieux

After spending the night in a chalet, you’ll start the second day of the tour with an uphill trek up to the renowned Col du Bonhomme.

A few hours later towards the late afternoon, you’ll hike across the Croix de la Bonhomme and head straight to Les Chapieux.

This stage of the tour offers much better scenery and is less challenging, so you will certainly enjoy it more.

Les Chapieux is so small that it hardly qualifies as a town, but it’s quite lovely. There are a few guesthouses nearby. There also is a local products shop, where you must absolutely try their goat cheese!

Elevation Profile (Gain): 1300 meters of elevation gain

 Day 3: Les Chapieux To Rifugio Monte Bianco

The third day will get you to Italy as you will be on the Col, which is approximately 1000 meters higher than the starting point.

The hike begins with a mild uphill through the valley, followed by several steep hills to the col’s summit. Although there is some altitude gain, this col is among the easiest ones to reach.

After you cross the col and until you reach Refugio Elisabetta it’s an enjoyable downhill. There you can spend some time enjoying some comfort food, and if you choose to stay the night, you’ll get a large dinner and an incredible view of the sunset.

Elevation Profile (Gain): 1000 meters of elevation gain

 Day 4: Rifugio Monte Bianco – Courmayeur

This is undoubtedly the simplest hiking day.

An easy walk down the route to Courmayeur (that is nonetheless more than 4 hours long), a little town with many tourists, and you can have a nice break there, dine, enjoy a drink, and walk around the town.

 Day 5: Courmayeur – Val Ferret

The fifth day begins with 800 meters of walking up a steep hill for approximately 2 hours, which is not that challenging.

The hike from Courmayeur, at 1224 meters, to Refugio Bertone which is at 1996 meters, is mostly through a lovely forest area full of pine trees and it takes you along the Val Ferret, in between Italy and Switzerland.

When you get to the Refugio at the top, you can decide whether or not to complete the variant, which goes up 500 meters more and is 100% worth it.

Elevation Profile (Gain): 800 meters of elevation gain

 Day 6: Val Ferret – La Fouly

On your sixth day, you’ll walk an easy 4-hour trail from Col Ferret to the little town of La Fouly, where you can try the delicious local cheese and other delicacies they offer.

An easier uphill walk all the way to a col will have you literally standing between France and Switzerland! As you descend, you’ll realize that the meal prices in the different Refugios skyrocket but spending some money on food there is worth it.

Day 7: La Fouly – Champex-Lac

This is a pleasant day with a hike through beautiful alpine grasslands and Swiss rural areas. You’ll finish your day in Champex-Lac, an idyllic Swiss settlement with a lovely lake where you can swim on a hot summer day!

There are also many towns to stop in between, so despite the relatively short hike (in comparison to the 8-hour ones on other days), you need to take into account the hours you’ll spend exploring the towns.

Elevation Profile (Gain): 637 meters of elevation gain

 Day 8: Champex-Lac – Trient

After a wonderful night in Champex, you can move on with your journey and begin the long but easy ascent to Bovine. From that point, you can descend to Trient via the Col de la Forclaz.

This day begins fairly flat before climbing approximately 1200 meters. The 1200-meter climb isn’t too difficult, and when you get to the top, there is also a cute spot to eat lunch and take in the views.

There are no grocery stores in Trient or La Peuty, so restock in Champex or enjoy your meals in any of the Refugios along the way.

Elevation Profile (Gain): 1200 meters of elevation gain

 Day 9: Trient – Argentiere

The penultimate day starts early in the morning with an uphill trek up to Col de Balme, which offers Mont Blanc on a plate.

There’s also a variant that takes you up to Col des Possettes and the Aiguillette des Possettes peak that you can take, while the downhill to La Tour will mark the end of the hiking part of the day, leaving you time to relax and unwind.

Elevation Profile (Gain): 1180 meters of elevation gain

 Day 10: Argentiere – Chamonix

The last day of your tour offers either the chance to ascend over Lac Blanc on some daring stairways or choose the standard and easier route.

Some of the most breathtaking views are being enjoyed in this last stage of the trip, which will finish with a downhill walk with Chamonix as the final destination.

Elevation Profile (Gain): 1260 meters of elevation gain

Tour Du Mont Blanc Tour Options

There are both guided and self-guided tours you can join to complete the Tour du Mont Blanc, and depending on what you choose to do, the costs will be different.

Here are some examples of guided and self-guided tours offered:

• Macs Adventure Tour
• Tour Du Mont Blanc Holiday
• Alpine Treks
• Wildland Trekking Tour

Tour Du Mont Blanc Map

Mont Blanc Treks offer several maps such as those of the easterly and westerly circuits as well as one of the full circuits around Mont Blanc, and a chart of the elevation profile of the tour.

Tour Du Mont Blanc Packing List

If you are planning on camping throughout the tour, you need to make sure you are packing as light as possible as you will be carrying the extra camping equipment with you which includes a tent and a sleeping bag , as well as a sleeping pad.

The rest of the things you need to carry are:

• Water bottle
• Clothes: fleece or sweater (depending on the weather), extra socks and underwear, shirts and shorts, and long trousers.
• Accessories: bandanas, caps, headlamp
• Microfiber towel
• Power adapter
• First-aid kit
• Passport and/or ID

When To Hike the Tour Du Mont Blanc?

The best time of the year to walk the tour du Mont Blanc is in the summertime when the climate is softer, the sun is up, and all ice has melted.

Given its high altitude and Alpine winters, going there in the summer can guarantee you a good night’s sleep when you choose to camp for the night as well as warmer weather for your hike.

Training For Tour Du Mont Blanc

Depending on which path you take, you should train and get ready for a little more or a little less strain on your legs and work accordingly on your cardio fitness level.

Read next – Is hiking good cardio?

No matter how many variants you choose to hike and how fast or slow you choose to go, you need a great fitness level, so you either have to train consistently for months, even years, before embarking on your journey, or be very athletic and fit.

Previous experience with long-distance hikes will also make this trip easier, but this does not mean you won’t need to prepare for it just because you hiked coast to coast in the UK years ago!

Tour Du Mont Blanc Accommodation

A common question and topic of discussion among hikers to-be of the Tour du Mont Blanc is that concerning the lodging options.

To begin with, there are numerous places to spend the night. If you have a lot of money, you have a plethora of choices.

However, if you’d like to complete your journey without breaking the bank, you can either choose camping or stay in one of the many refugios or guesthouses.

• Find the most affordable places to stay at booking.com

Tour Du Mont Blanc Refuges

A Refugio is a refuge, also called a mountain hut. It is basically a mountain hostel with simple interior decoration and amazing food!

Many Refugios offer private rooms, however, some of them only provide shared hostel-style lodging.

Tour Du Mont Blanc Camping

You also have the option of setting up camp every night. Clearly, it will be the most cost-effective option, but it is also one that allows you to experience this adventure in the best way possible, as it kind of completes the overall experience.

Furthermore, you won’t have to worry about making any reservations, as you can simply arrive at the campground and find a spot to set up your tent.

There are numerous ways to organize your trip, in addition to the several accommodation alternatives.

Many people prefer to schedule and plan things on their own, including booking their own accommodation and transporting all their belongings, but sometimes it is better to have some assistance.

During the peak tourist season, which is in July and August, it is preferable to let somebody else book your accommodation and luggage transfers.

Even so, keep in mind that if you choose to stay in accommodations rather than go camping, that means you’ll have to pay in advance and do your best to stay committed to the planned itinerary.

Any delay or injury incident might mean you can lose a night’s stay and, hence, money spent on a room you won’t stay in after all.

On the other hand, if you do the hike off-peak season, you can always make a same-day booking as it is always available in most hotels and guesthouses.

Either way, this website of the Tour De Mont Blanc is very useful for planning your stay throughout the tour.

You can select your intended destination and a precise date, and it will display a list of accommodation options you can stay in, which would include the walking distance from one to the other.

The Bottom Line

The Tour du Mont Blanc is without a doubt an epic multi-day hike on this planet and experiencing this journey is something you will remember forever.

The good thing is that you can always visit this destination again and if you go there on a guided tour the first time, challenge yourself by going on a self-guided tour the next one!

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Mont Blanc Region

Hiking mont blanc is a bucket list item. whether you hike the full tour or just visit the region, this is a land of extremes..

As you probably know, Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in the Alps. At 15,782 ft (4810 meters), and elegantly draped with long, white glaciers, Mont Blanc soars above the nearby towns of Chamonix and Courmayeur, providing a focal point to an already stunning region. But it’s not just about Mont Blanc. Straddling the borders of France, Italy and Switzerland, the region is filled with huge peaks, long glaciers, and great rocky spires.  The Aiguille du Tour, Aiguille Verte, Aiguille du Bionassay and the Grand Jorasses are all highlight-worthy themselves.  And with trails that wind through forests, along lakes, over passes, into little-known side valleys, and through 3 countries , the Mont Region is filled with variety.

Stylish Chamonix

Let’s start with Chamonix, France, in the heart of it all. At about 3400’ above sea level, Chamonix is a sunny, warm, plaza-filled village with Mont Blanc visible from most parts of town. At the center of Chamonix a statue of Jacques Balmat and Michel Paccard points up to the mountain that they first conquered in 1786, kicking off mountaineering as a sport. Chamonix is alive with shops and restaurants, and hosts a number of special events each year.  It is an alpinists dream.  You’re never bored here, and enjoyable days can be spent taking in the sights in town and soaking up the sun from a nice outdoor cafe.

The Chamonix valley is surrounded by fantastic trails, and you could literally spend a week hiking something new each day.  Lac Blanc, the Posettes ridge, Bionnassay valley, the Grand Balcon from Mer de Glace to the Aiguille du Midi lift, la Floria, la Jonction… the list goes on and on.  Even if you’ve come to hike the Tour du Mont Blanc, you should leave some time rest, relaxation and day hikes around Chamonix.  They are worth the time.

On the other side of Mont Blanc, and connected by a tunnel beneath the mountain (or by trail over numerous passes), is Courmayeur – Chamonix’s Italian counterpart. In contrast to the open plazas of Chamonix, Courmayeur is buttoned down, almost medieval-feeling, with narrow cobblestoned alleyways leading through ancient stone hamlets. The atmosphere is both fascinating and refreshing, and is a true Italian village, filled with gelaterias , cafes, shops, pizzerias and stylish Italian tourists. The mountains from the Italian side mirror this character, vertical and rocky, with a wildness that is less apparent on the French side. It’s a true Italian experience, and just plain fun.

Tour du Mont Blanc

Of course the Tour of Mont Blanc, the TMB, is the queen of alpine hikes. The most popular inn-to-inn route in the Alps, the TMB links a series of trails taking you all the way around the mountain group, from Chamonix to the quiet southern stretches of the mountains, into Italy and Courmayeur and then across the border to Switzerland. Finally, about 7 passes and 100 miles later (numerous variations make it hard to pinpoint exactly) you cross back in to France to Chamonix, making the full circuit in normally 8-11 days.

We offer many different tours in the Mont Blanc region… Deluxe Mont Blanc tours that pamper you with 4 and 5-star hotels, the Classic TMB with nights in remote hiker’s inns and others in small alpine villages, a shorter “Best of” tour leading from Courmayeur through Switzerland to Chamonix, Haute Route tours, or our Chamonix village-based tour that enjoys all the stunning hikes below Mont Blanc from the Chamonix valley.  There are many ways to hike this region.

TMB as a journey

The Classic TMB a great hike, and being so popular, it is not one you should expect to be making alone. In fact, one of the joys of the TMB is that you are likely to meet others from around the world who are doing more or less the same route as you on about the same schedule. On top of that, you’ll normally spend at least a couple nights in rustic gites… small mountain inns, sometimes with private rooms, sometimes not, but always with big communal meals where it is especially fun to meet other hikers and swap stories and plans. Hiking the TMB becomes part of a greater journey, something shared with many people along the way as you forge your path to alpine villages and over mountain passes, through three countries, and around a mountain.

As great as it is, the TMB might not be the most stunning inn-to-inn hike in the Alps (we’re partial to the Bernese Oberland), it’s not the most rugged or remote (the Haute Route is much more so), it’s not the easiest or the hardest.  There are good alternatives if you would like to get away and experience a great hike in a different region.  But the TMB will always be a special trip that never disappoints.

• Alpine Culture ,
• Travel Tips ,

Tour du Mont Blanc: 100 miles, 3 countries and non-stop postcard worthy views

• Guided Group ,

Guided Great Hikes of Mont Blanc

• Sustainability ,

CREA Mont Blanc: Climate research in the heart of the Alps

Explore the mont blanc region.

• Support Level SUPPORT Self-Guided Private Guided Guided Group
• Tour Style STYLE Inn-To-Inn Base Camp Adventures Scenic Journeys
• Comfort Level COMFORT Classic Deluxe
• Tour Length Length 1-6 Nights 7-9 Nights 10+ Nights
• Activity Level ACTIVITY LEVEL Relaxed to Moderate Moderate to Challenging Challenging

Guided Best of the Tour du Mont Blanc

For a quick trip to the Mont Blanc region, our Best of TMB tour is a fantastic week hiking from Courmayeur to Chamonix

• Guided Group
• Inn-To-Inn ,
• 7 days, 6 nights ,
• $4795 Per Person ,
• $1150 Single Room ,
• Jun 28 – Jul 4, 2024 Sold Out!
• Jul 5 – Jul 11, 2024 Sold Out!
• Jul 26 – Aug 1, 2024 Sold Out!
• Aug 2 – Aug 8, 2024 Sold Out!
• Aug 9 – Aug 15, 2024 Sold Out!
• Sep 6 – Sep 12, 2024 Sold Out!
• Sep 13 – Sep 19, 2024 Sold Out!

Guided Deluxe Tour du Mont Blanc

The most luxurious version of the TMB around - upscale hotels, private transfers, and world-class guided daily hikes of unequaled variety.

• 11 days, 10 nights ,
• $7995 Per Person ,
• $1550 Single Room ,
• Jul 7 – 17, 2024 Sold Out!
• Aug 18 – 28, 2024, 2 rooms left
• Jun 29 – July 9, 2025
• Aug 10 – 20, 2025

Guided Classic Tour du Mont Blanc

Trekking from France into Italy and Switzerland, the Tour du Mont Blanc is one of the great hiking tours of the world

• $5995 Per Person ,
• $1450 Single Room ,
• Jun 24 – Jul 4, 2024 Sold Out!
• Jul 1 – Jul 11, 2024 Sold Out!
• Jul 22 – Aug 1, 2024, 1 db left
• Jul 29 – Aug 8, 2024 Sold Out!
• Aug 5 – Aug 15, 2024 Sold Out!
• Sep 2 – Sep 12, 2024 Sold Out!
• Sep 9 – Sep 19, 2024 Sold Out!

Spend 6 luxurious days hiking varied Mont Blanc trails on this guided tour based in Chamonix and Courmayeur

• Base Camp Adventures
• $4195 Per Person ,
• $900 Single Room ,
• not offered

Guided Deluxe Haute Route Highlights

Our Deluxe Haute Route Highlights is luxurious adventure, crossing numerous high passes from Chamonix to Zermatt.

• Multiple Regions
• 10 days, 9 nights ,
• $6995 Per Person ,
• Aug 25 – Sep 3, 2024 Sold Out!
• Jul 21 – 30, 2025

Guided Classic Hikers Haute Route

Remote and rugged, the Haute Route is a gorgeous high mountain hike between Chamonix and Zermatt.

• 12 days, 11 nights ,
• $5395 Per Person ,
• $1050 Single Room ,
• Aug 10 – 21, 2024 Sold Out!
• Aug 19 – 30, 2025

Self-guided Classic Tour du Mont Blanc

Hike the self-guided TMB through France, Italy, and Switzerland - stopping at beautiful inns and enjoying unequaled variety.

• Self-Guided
• $4290 Per Person ,
• Jun 20 – Sep 30, 2024

Self-guided Classic Tour du Mont Blanc Express

• 9 days, 8 nights ,
• $3790 Per Person ,

Self-guided Deluxe Tour du Mont Blanc

Our deluxe, luxury version of the TMB features 5-star hotels, private transfers, and world-class hiking.

• $5990 Per Person ,
• $1950 Single Room ,

Self-guided Best of the Tour du Mont Blanc

For a quick trip to the Mont Blanc region, this half-TMB tour is a fantastic hike from Courmayeur through Switzerland to Chamonix.

• $3290 Per Person ,
• Jun 20 – Sep 1, 2024

Self-guided Great Hikes of Mont Blanc

Spend 6 days hiking quiet trails near Mont Blanc and exploring the wonders of Chamonix, France and Courmayeur, Italy

• $2690 Per Person ,
• Jun 10 – Sep 20, 2024

Self-guided Classic Hikers Haute Route

The self-guided Hiker's Haute Route tour links Chamonix to Zermatt via a spectacular series of trails with high passes, quiet trails, and stunning views.

• $3990 Per Person ,
• Jul 1 – Sep 25, 2024

Self-guided Great Hikes of the Haute Route

• Base Camp Adventures ,
• $4090 Per Person ,
• $1250 Single Room ,
• Jun 15 – Sep 30, 2024

Self-guided Deluxe Haute Route Highlights

• $5290 Per Person ,
• $1650 Single Room ,
• Jul 1 – Sep 30, 2024

Private Guided Deluxe Tour du Mont Blanc

Our private deluxe Mont Blanc tours will pamper you with 5-star hotels, private transfers, and world-class private guided daily hikes..

• Private Guided
• $7590 8+ People ,
• $7990 6-7 People ,
• $8890 4-5 People ,
• $11,990 2-3 People ,
• Jun 15 – Sep 20, 2024

Private Guided Classic Tour du Mont Blanc

A private trek from France into Italy and Switzerland. The Tour du Mont Blanc is one of the great hiking tours of the world.

• $5990 8+ People ,
• $6390 6-7 People ,
• $7290 4-5 People ,
• $10,390 2-3 People ,

Private Guided Best of the Tour du Mont Blanc

For a quick trip to Mont Blanc, the northern half of our TMB is a fantastic hike from Courmayeur to Switzerland to Chamonix, with your...

• $4590 8+ People ,
• $4990 6-7 People ,
• $5590 4-5 people ,
• $7690 2-3 people ,

Private Guided Classic Hikers Haute Route

The private guided Hiker's Haute Route consists of a spectacular series of trails linking Chamonix to Zermatt.

• $6490 6-7 People ,
• $7590 4-5 People ,
• $10790 2-3 People ,
• $750 Single Room ,
• Jun 30 – Sep 20, 2024

Private Guided Classic Swiss Haute Route

The private guided Swiss Haute Route crosses high passes through remote valleys from Verbier to Zermatt.

• $5290 8+ People ,
• $5890 6-7 People ,
• $6790 4-5 People ,
• $9490 2-3 People ,
• $650 Single Room ,

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Planning for the Tour du Mont Blanc

After reading this Trek article almost two years ago, I put the Tour du Mont Blanc on my bucket list and mostly forgot about it. Until this past November, when I started longing for warmer weather and snowless hiking. As I tend to do when I’m nostalgic for my hiking fix, I started researching potential trips. Since I had finished my section hike of the Appalachian Trail in August 2017, I needed new trips to obsessively plan while I was in the throes of winter depression. I decided that for this summer, I wanted a hike that was something I could do in one shot and not have to break into sections. And I really liked the idea of getting out into the larger world, and backpacking around the Alps sounded like a blast. So I started planning. All I can say is, thank goodness for Google Translate.

How to Hike Tour du Mont Blanc

1: overview.

The Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) is a loop hike of ~110 miles with ~30,000 feet of elevation gain (and subsequent loss) that circumnavigates Mont Blanc massif, a 16,000-footer in the Alps. The trail’s highest point is 8,700 feet, which is not high enough to cause altitude sickness in most people. It’s easiest to fly into Geneva (though there are many other options for transportation if you want to get creative and fly into other parts of Europe), and then take a bus or shuttle the 1.5-hour drive to Chamonix (pronounced sha-mo-nee), France, where most people start and end their hike. The trail goes through France, Italy, and Switzerland. It’s typically hiked counterclockwise, to make the elevation more gentle and put better views at the end. The trail has a classic route, with many variants as options to make it more challenging or, in one case, to avoid a section with metal ladders.

Courtesy of Flickr

It’s a popular trail for Europeans going on vacation during their summer break – July and August. Some Brits go adventuring on the Tour du Mont Blanc as well, but it’s pretty uncommon for Americans. Of the people who hike the Tour du Mont Blanc, something like 95 percent of them are either on a guided or self-guided tour. Unsurprisingly, it costs a lot to pay someone else to plan this for you; I saw anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000 beyond the actual costs of the reservations. Many places offer the option of having your bag carried from hut to hut by donkey. If you’d like to pay REI $5,400 (doesn’t include transportation costs), you can do the Alps in style.

It’s worth noting that none of the guided trips and very few of the self-guided trips I found offer the option to hike the entire Tour du Mont Blanc . Almost every single one cuts out portions of it, and uses chairlifts to avoid longer ascents or descents. This didn’t sit well with me; I wanted to hike the entire Tour du Mont Blanc end to end, and I wanted to know where we were going and why. And I’m very frugal and the idea of paying someone else to plan my trip was physically painful to me, so I dug into it on my own.

The most popularly recommended guide book by far is The Tour of Mont Blanc: a complete two-way trekking guide by Kev Reynolds . It’s a comprehensive guide to hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc, offering a lot of description about the trail’s surrounding landscape, with information about lodging, services, and towns. As a whole, they mainly offer phone numbers for each place of lodging, though sometimes websites are noted as well. I would recommend purchasing the book ($18) if you’re thinking about doing the Tour du Mont Blanc – it is worth the money. However, as a number-crunching hiker, it didn’t offer me quite what I wanted. The distance was only provided as totals for each section and the elevation profiles were so small, they were relatively worthless. I wanted something like The AT Guide or the Thru-Hiker’s Companion . As I couldn’t find this information anywhere, I ended up making my own mileage and elevation tables in Excel. I also ended up purchasing this map ($20); it took me a bit to find the Tour du Mont Blanc on the map, but once I did, it helped me with my planning process. There is also a really helpful interactive map here on the Autour du Mont-Blanc website.

For those who might want to tent camp the Tour du Mont Blanc, know that it’s more complicated than it might first appear. Not only can it be challenging to bring camping gear on an airplane, it’s illegal to wild camp along the entire TMB, except in emergency situations above 2,500 meters, including outside a hut. While there are often campgrounds in or near towns, it can make your mileage more complicated. Or you could do dispersed camping and risk the consequences of being caught – $650 fine per tent. Besides, who wants to carry a heavy pack when you really don’t have to? And showers every day can be so nice! There are a number of online resources available discussing the Tour du Mont Blanc as a tenting vacation, if desired. If I like the TMB, I may return in the future with a tent, but for now, I’d just as soon reduce the number of things that I need to worry about.

2: Transportation and Travel Dates

So first things first – what time of year to hike the Tour du Mont Blanc? Most hostels don’t open until mid-June, because there can still be substantial snow in the mountains up until the beginning of June. If you’re hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc in June, it’s recommended that you check that huts and hostels will be open and bring traction devices like Microspikes. Yearly snowfall makes a difference, and if it hasn’t melted yet, some sections of the Tour du Mont Blanc can be completely impassable in June. July through mid-August are busier times of year, with Europeans on break, and July gets more rain than August or September, though all services are open and you’ll have warmer weather. Mid-August through the mid-September are generally nicer, with less people, less rain, and cooler weather. However, many hostels close in mid-September, so it can cut down on your lodging and refueling options if you go any later than that. And oh, there’s also an ultramarathon of the TMB each year in mid- to late August, so you may want to avoid those dates; it will be an absolute zoo. I had wanted to hike in mid-June but due to work and other summer hiking plans, I was locked into hiking this trip in mid- to late-July.

I used Google Flights , Scott’s Cheap Flights , and FareCompare to track the cost of various flights. Google Flights is a good tool to compare different departure locations; for my location, Boston was by far the cheapest. I kept an eye on the deals and jumped at round trip tickets for $633 per percon back in January. Most flights to Europe during the summer quickly work their way towards $1,000+ for a round-trip ticket. Buy earlier, and keep your eye out for flash sales.

Our economy tickets include one free checked bag. For the flight there and back, I’ll be putting my backpack inside a duffel bag that can be packed down once we arrive. The first hostel we’re staying at in Les Houches will hold a small bag for a euro per day, so we may leave the packed duffel bags and some town clothes in a small bag with them and retrieve them when we stay there again on our next-to-last night.

Something that came up for me as I began preparing my supplies was realizing that international travel can make it challenging to take medication. As someone who needs to inject medication, it was that much more complicated. So, the bottom line is this: for traveling to Europe, all prescription medication should be in its original container with the prescription label noting it’s yours. For traveling with syringes, you will also need to have a letter from your physician noting the medical necessity or they could be confiscated.

Shuttles Between the Airport and Chamonix

Most round-trip shuttles between the airport and Chamonix cost between $140 and 175. I found this prohibitively expensive, so I explored my options for bus and train travel. As best as I can tell, there isn’t a train station at the airport, so you would need to travel from the airport to a local train station. There are more public buses leaving from the Geneva bus station, but that’s a few miles away from the airport. I ended up settling on the Ouibus , as it’s $47 for a round-trip ticket and they leave from the airport every two hours and drop off in Les Houches and Chamonix. They also offer free rescheduling of your ticket if you reschedule 30 minutes or more in advance of the bus’s departure, and have a handy app to help you navigate that process. It does mean that we’ll end up returning to the airport for our flight home maybe an hour earlier than required, but it’s worth the price differential.

Reservations

I flailed around for a while, trying to figure out the best way to put in reservations for lodging on the trail. I was overjoyed when I found the Autour du Mont-Blanc . This is a wonderful site, and it’s almost everything you need to plan lodging for trekking the Tour du Mont Blanc. They help you plan an itinerary , based on where you’ll be starting and which direction you’ll be going. Once your starting point and direction are established, it will show you the nearest hostels and huts by walking distance, and also provides a lot of information about the services at the huts and hostels. Once you create an itinerary, it will assist you in reserving space at all of those places that offer online reservations. It will also tell you which places you must contact directly. Between this website, Google, and Kev Reynolds book, I was able to locate email addresses for all lodging that didn’t take online reservations, and placed all my reservations without making any phone calls. Before leaving on the trip, be sure to print out your reservation emails as proof. I read stories of people’s private room reservations not being respected because they hadn’t followed the directions to print out their reservation email as proof.

For Chamonix and Courmayeur, I found hotels through online searches. I found the hotels search within Google Maps to be the cheapest and most thorough option. For Courmayeur, we’ll be staying at Hotel Berthod ; in Chamonix, we’ll be staying at Le Vert Hotel . They were among the least expensive options, and both have excellent ratings on Google and TripAdvisor.   

When I placed my reservations, I paid 335 euros and 20 CHF to reserve or pay in full for lodging; six of the 13 locations did not require any payment to make a reservation. Only two places required full payment up-front, and those were the two hotels (Courmayeur and Chamonix). All said and done, it was $800 each for me and my partner to get lodging, dinner, and breakfast for 13 nights; for three of those nights, we paid a bit extra for a private room. Other locations offered private rooms, but they were substantially more expensive than the basic hostel option, and we were unwilling to pay the difference.

Travel Sheets

Travel sheets are mandatory and very much desired for staying in huts and hostels in Europe. They provide pillows and blankets but do not provide sheets. Since there will be lots of people before and after you, it’s really the best idea to bring travel sheets with you. I purchased these synthetic ones for $20 and my partner purchased these silk ones for $33.

Most hostels have a place to handwash clothes and let them dry. We expect that we’ll be able to use a washer/dryer at the two hotels we’re staying at, and other than that, we’ll be handwashing everything. In looking for unscented laundry soap to bring with us, I found these dry laundry soap sheets. They don’t count against your liquids and can’t spill in your luggage. They can be cut or torn into smaller pieces for handwashing in a sink, and one sheet will take care of a small to medium load of laundry.

4: Safety and Communication

Mountain insurance.

When hiking in more mountainous places like the Alps, mountain insurance is recommended, which will cover things like the costs of a rescue team or a helicopter rescue, should you or anyone in your party get hurt badly enough they can’t self-rescue. It can also cover the cost of repatriation, which is the cost to return you to your country in case of serious injury.

After considering my options, I went with a yearly membership to the Austrian Alpine Club’s UK branch . They openly accept applicants from the US, and mailed me my membership cards. Membership includes mountain insurance, discounts at many huts and hostels, as well as a quarterly magazine. An adult membership starts at $60. They offer a variety of discounts for seniors, young adults, teens, and children. I ended up paying ~$110 for my partner and me, as they offer a discount for people who live together. With the discounts we receive at huts and hostels, it will pay for itself on our trip.

Health Insurance

You don’t want to be left holding the bill if something goes wrong overseas. Both me and my travel partner checked with our health insurance companies, to be sure that they cover medical care outside of the US. I was able to confirm it through their website, while my partner had to call the insurance company directly.

Plug Converters

For this trip in Europe, a Type C (‘Europlug’) converter will meet your needs, as it can be used with plug types E, F, J, K and L . I purchased this one for $12. You should check on your device or charger to be sure it offers both 110 and 220 volts (generally noted as 110-220 on the plug or device). Most items will have no problem with using a basic plug converter and don’t need a voltage converter (unless they’re high-powered appliances like hair dryers), but it’s worth double checking before you leave.  

Phone Connection

While most hostels offer Wi-Fi, most huts do not. Given the complexity of this trip, I decided that I’d prefer to have full use of my phone during my trip and opted for a 30-day international phone pass. AT&T offers both a $10 per day and a $60 for 30 days international phone usage passport add-on, though it does need to be arranged prior to your departure.

I did research into currency exchange and found that ATMs and banks are your best bet for withdrawing money in the local currency. Airports do offer it, but will charge a huge percentage on top of the actual exchange rate. I will be getting a few hundred euros from AAA before we leave, just to tide us over and make sure we have something in case of emergency. There are ATMs available in: (France) Chamonix, Les Houches, Les Contamines, (Italy) Courmayeur, and (Switzerland) La Fouly. You’ll need to call your bank to make sure your ATM card will work. Check if your credit card company needs to be notified about you leaving the country or traveling. Most hostels require cash; maybe three to four  hostels (all in Switzerland) take credit cards.

On the Tour du Mont Blanc, the predominant language is French; Italian, German, and English seem to be the next most-common. Since neither of us speak French, we worked on our basics using Duolingo. It won’t be enough to carry on full conversations, but we’ll be able to have some basic exchanges. From what I read, making an effort to speak at least some French is much appreciated by the locals.

5. Trip Cost

Our round-trip flights cost $633 each, and included one free checked bag; the Ouibus cost $47 each for a round-trip ticket. Total cost for 13 nights and 14 days in Europe came out to $1,535 per person, excluding incidentals and lunch, including RT flight, RT bus between airport and Chamonix, mountain insurance, and lodging with dinner and breakfast included.

*Featured image thanks to Flickr

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To learn more, please visit the About This Site page.

Hi y'all, I'm Aubri ('Data'). I'm a queer, nonbinary hiker, backpacker, and trail runner (they/them pronouns, please). I've thru-hiked the AT ('13-'17), the Tour du Mont Blanc ('18), the Vermont Long Trail ('18), the John Muir Trail ('19, '21), the Tahoe Rim Trail ('19), and the New England Trail ('12-'17, '21), and summited all of the Winter New England 67, and completed the New England Hundred Highest and the Northeast 115 peaks. I've also run multiple 50ks, three 50-milers, and one 75-miler. I'm about 50% done with the PCT. This summer, I'm hiking the JMT with my partner, and section hiking more of the CA PCT. This winter, I'll be working on hiking the New England Hundred Highest. I'm hoping to thru-hike the Walkers Haute Route in Switzerland and section hike the rest of the PCT next year.At my day job, I'm a data-crunching research nerd, researching everything from medical outcomes for hospitalized patients to social determinants of health. During the week, I'm trail running, reading, and doing trapeze, and on the weekends, I'm generally out hiking some mountain somewhere. You can find trip reports and ramblings at https://transcendingmountains.blog/

This is a really informative post. Thanks for pulling all this together and sharing it.

Thanks for all the effort you have put into this; it will be a big help to many. Will look forward to reading about the trip after you return home…

You did a great job researching your trip and finding a way to keep the costs down. It’s hard to do all of this sight unseen.

I hiked part of the Tour du Mont Blanc when I did the GR5 (Holland to Nice, France). The Alps are amazing! Be prepared to be blown away by the beauty of it all. And I loved staying in the hostels on the trail. Les Houches (“lays hoosch”) sounds very familiar to me, so I assume I stayed there.

Please post a follow up report after your adventure. We’re all living vicariously through you.

Great post! Hope your trip was a blast.

Very informative, comprehensive and meticulous. Looking forward to your post on experience after the adventure !

Fantastic post! I’m planning my solo TMB for first week of july and I had very useful information from you. Thank you very much.

Very informative blog. We are doing the hike in August 2019 and done with most of our reservations. I wish I had come across your blog earlier. It would have saved us so much time 🙂

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A Complete Guide To Hiking Tour du Mont Blanc

Drew Robinson | December 13, 2018 | France , Italy , Switzerland , Tour du Mont Blanc

Tour du Mont Blanc is one of the most popular long distance hiking trails in the world. The incredible thing about Tour du Mont Blanc is that you’ll hike through France, Italy, and Switzerland as you loop your way around the Mont Blanc Massif. The entire journey covers 170km (106m) and gains roughly 10,000m (33,000ft) of elevation. Tour du Mont Blanc is the bucket list adventure of a lifetime, and I’ll be covering all of the details in this comprehensive guide.

• Best Time To Go
• Guided vs Independent Trekking

Camping vs Lodging

• Getting to Chamonix and Les Houches
• Directions, Maps, and Terrain
• Gear, Food, and Water
• Daily Trip Reports

Best Time To Go:

The optimal time to hike Tour du Mont Blanc is from late June to early October , but can vary based on weather and snowfall for the year. There are times when the trail is closed into July due to hazardous conditions. I hiked during the first week of July and had snow and rain with cold weather every day. You could also hike in July and have warm sunny days. The Alps can surprise you with a little bit of everything, so come prepared for it all.

Guided vs Independent Trekking:

I hiked Tour du Mont Blanc independently, but there are also options for guided and pre-booked treks. Guided treks are substantially more expensive than independent treks, but are usually a good idea for those short on experience. REI offers a guided trek with multiple summer departures.

Guided Pros:

• Knowledgeable guides with information on the regions flora and fauna
• Meals and snacks are usually provided
• Gear can be provided and/or transported from accommodation to accommodation
• Support of the outdoor recreation economy by giving guides jobs
• Lower levels of planning and pre-trip involvement

Guided Cons:

• You’re on a guided itinerary without much room for autonomy or changes
• Limited freedom to move at your own pace and explore what interests you
• Very expensive for those on a tighter budget
• Hiking in a group with people of varying fitness levels and personality types

For your nightly accommodations, you’ll have to chose to sleep in huts/hotels or bring along equipment for camping. Julia and I opted for lighter packs on this trek and chose the huts and hotels option. Huts and hotels will average around $100 per night for a room or $40 per person in the shared rooms. Camping is usually less than $20 per site for the night. Wild camping is discouraged, so you will have to stick to campsites and/or ask to sleep outside of huts.

The type of accommodation varies by location. The bigger towns will have many options including some nice hotels. The smaller towns and hamlets can sometimes be limited to mountain huts or dortoirs. Julia and I opted to stay in the cheapest accommodations possible, but there were a few towns where only expensive options remained.

If you plan on hiking Tour du Mont Blanc in the busy months of late July and August, you’ll probably want to book all of your accommodations ahead of time. 

Food and Water:

Most of the towns and villages on Tour du Mont Blanc have cafe/restaurants and mini marts. The restaurants are pretty expensive, so plan on a minimum of $15 per person each meal. Many of the accommodations we stayed at included breakfast, so we only had to pack a lunch and snacks each day. From the mini marts, we bought lots of bread, meats, cheeses, and candy to get us through the days of hiking. For water, we just used the available tap water.

The gear you bring will be decided by your choice of accommodations, since camping will require a sleep system. I’m not going to get too much into specific gear choices for a self supported camping trip, because if you don’t already know what you should be bringing, you should stick to hotels and huts. If you’re not going to be camping, you can just bring a 3-season day hiking kit. You can see my exact list here .

Getting to Chamonix/Les Houches

To start, we flew in to Geneva and took an Alpybus shuttle to Chamonix and Les Houches. The shuttle cost 20 euro per person, and was in a relatively new and comfortable van.

As a word of caution, make sure you don’t fly in too late without a reservation! Julia and I arrived at the Geneva airport at 21:00 with a reservation in Chamonix. We had a reservation with Alpybus for that night, but our flight was delayed from London by about an hour. Because of this, we missed our shuttle and were not able to get to Chamonix for our hotel. It was expensive, but we found a hotel in Geneva and returned to the airport the following morning for our transfer.

From Chamonix, we made our way to the nearby Les Houches and stayed the night at Gite Michel Fagot. Chamonix is a pretty crowded mountain town, but Les Houches was much more relaxed. Les Houches has restaurants and gear shops, and is filled with fellow hikers and backpackers.

Directions, Map, And Terrain:

From Chamonix and Les Houches, we began our trek and got a chance to see the incredible trail marking for Tour du Mont Blanc. This continued for the entirety of the loop. Most junctions are marked with green “TMB” signs, and many give time estimates to the next town or trail.

Key Points:

• Distance: 106 miles
• Elevation Gain:  33,000 ft
• Time:  6-12 days
• Permits: Not required at the moment
• Trail Condition:  Lots of singletrack mountain trails with rocks and roots in abundance. This area can get a lot of rain, so be prepared for it and the mud that comes with it. This is especially important along the Bovine Trail!
• Cell Phone and Wi-Fi:  Spotty on trail, but decent in towns

Safety Precautions:

The Tour du Mont Blanc is a very developed trail that passes through France, Italy, and Switzerland. You’ll almost never be alone, and if you are, you won’t be too far from the nearest town. Still, you’ll want to make sure to come prepared with the proper gear, and most importantly, proper fitness. If you’ve never hiked at altitude before, plan to start slow. You’ll want to give yourself 48 hours to acclimatize in Chamonix to get started. Here are a few other things to consider:

• If you’re not going with a guided group, make sure to leave a detailed itinerary with someone you’re close with.
• Make sure to stay hydrated. Once you are dehydrated it is often too late to fully recover for the day. Mixing dehydration with elevation sickness can be a nasty combination
• Familiarize yourself with the early signs of altitude sickness , and be proactive in your approach to combating these symptoms.Altitude sickness usually manifests itself with an early headache followed by dizziness and a loss of appetite.  Don’t be afraid or too stubborn to stop.
• Be hyper-vigilant of weather. The conditions can change by the hour at high elevation in the Alps. Always have your warm layers and waterproof layers readily accessible. This is especially important when heading up and over the high passes.
• Have a first aid kit, gear repair kit, and blister treatment kit ready to go in your day pack.
• Check your health care plan to see what kind of international coverage you have. Consider international travel insurance for the off chance of a catastrophic event.
• Try to only drink tap and/or bottled water. If you must get water on trail, make sure it is properly treated.

Daily Trip Reports:

Day 1:  les houches to les contamines.

Les Houches is a quaint little village to the east of Chamonix and the perfect starting point to begin our anti-clockwise tour of Mont Blanc. We stayed at Gite Michel Fagot for the night, which offers a a nice set of dorm rooms…

Continue Reading

Day 2: Les Contamines to Les Chapieux

The first point of interest is the pilgrimage chapel of Notre Dame de la Gorge. I’ve taken a great interest in chapels, churches, and cathedrals ever since I walked Camino de Santiago two years ago. My later reading of…

Day 3: Les Chapieux to Courmayeur

There is a war memorial just outside of Les Chapieux, and the thought of soldiers holed up in this narrow valley gave the morning an entirely different feel. Once we put a few miles behind us, the face of Aiguille des Glaciers…

Day 4: Courmayeur to Chalet Val Ferret

Just above Bertone, the path swept back into a valley and meandered downhill a bit before straightening out. From this point on the climbing was at a minimum, but it wasn’t long before the skies opened up. The mud…

Day 5: Chalet Val Ferret to La Fouly

Today’s hike would take us over Grand Col Ferret, from Italy into Switzerland. Walking in rain is bad, walking in mud is even worse, but for some reason I’ve never minded the snow and ice. This turned out to be a good thing…

Day 6: La Fouly to Champex Lac

The trail continued to grow muddier, the skies stayed dark, and the air remained cold. For as much as people talk about the incredible views on this walk, there have been none to be taken in since crossing Col de Seigne. Our original…

Day 7:  Champex to Trient

Getting to the Bovine trail is fairly straight-forward. For a few miles we walked on or along the asphalt roads on our way out of town, until we reached the steep dirt paths marked by the TMB signs. Up to this point, we had walked…

Day 8: Trient to Argentiere

The uphill was a swirling mist of misery, but paled in comparison to the downhill portion. From Col de Balme, we decided to take the safer alternative route to Le Tour instead of the higher altitude route to Aig des Posettes. The trail was a…

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Great and very informative post! You are doing a great job with your blog.

Thank you! We’re planning our summer travels now, and Greece is on the short list!

Sounds great about Greece!

If you will need any info, please, feel free to let me know.

Merry Christmas and enjoy your family

This is on my bucket list. Looks incredible. Thanks for all the great info. Have you done the Haute Route? Just curious about a comparison.

It’s a great hike! We were actually planning to hike the Haute Route after this one, but cancelled due to a 15-day forecast that was all rain. We changed plans and spent a week exploring eastern Europe instead. We’re hoping to return to enjoy the Haute Route soon though.

Did you use a paper map (or have a recommendation for one)?

Hi, Inger! I didn’t use a paper map. I downloaded digital ones for my phone and used a guidebook for the color commentary.

Hi Drew, as always, awesome post!!!! Thanks for all the details. A group of us are scheduled to do this trek in the second week of July’19. So your post is great reading for everyone in the group. One question : what shoes did you use for this? I assume a solid trail shoe like Akasha will work instead of boots. Would love to hear your perspective. Once again, Thanks for all your posts. I love reading them and use them as guides.

Thanks! I wore the XA Pro 3D and Julia wore the Brooks Cascadia. Both shoes did very well. The trail is in great shape and not technical at all. It’s steep in sections though, and can get really muddy when it rains (we had a lot).

Thanks, Drew!!

No problem!

Thanks for such an informative post! Your pictures are beautiful and now I’m even more excited to make this trip!

Great to hear!

just curious, is it possible to start at any point in the route? we are thinking of going just from italy to switzerland and then spending a couple days in switzerland instead of doing the whole hike

Yes, you can start at any point.

Love your post. The photos are gorgeous. One thing though: We’ve done the TMB twice, and I question your saying the best time to go is until early October. We started one year on Sept 6th and the refugios were closing before we got around to them. (This year, we carried a tent, just to be sure.) We also got snow, starting both years at the beginning of September. I would put the latest start date at September 3rd, unless you are tenting (Which has its own issues. It was cold some nights in the mountains; we definitely needed a zero degree bag.)

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• Trip Styles
• Destinations

• Trip Destinations
• Alps Guided Treks

Tour Du Mont Blanc

Geneva, switzerland, trip highlights.

• World Famous Trek
• Wonderful Lodging
• Stunning Mountain Views
• Deep, Dramatic Valleys
• Unique Wildlife
• Delicious Regional Cuisine
• Guides Choice Trip

Description

This trip is a must-do for all mountain hiking enthusiasts! Faithful to the myth, Mont Blanc is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and impressive mountains in the world. This hiking tour will lead you from France to Italy to Switzerland in order to experience the towering Mont Blanc massif from a variety of perspectives. Our route takes us over high passes, through deep valleys, and in and out of quaint European mountain villages. The views are breath-taking with innumerable alpine peaks and stunning glaciers surrounding the impressive Mont Blanc massif constantly in the background. This hike is quite demanding, however guests only carry a light daypack each day. In the evenings, you will enjoy French and Italian cooking, paired with a hearty serving of Swiss hospitality in the traditional alpine villages we stay in!

Looking to stay longer in the Chamonix Valley and explore? We have you covered with a 2-night, Chamonix Add-on Package that includes admission to some the most iconic sights and attractions Chamonix has to offer. All activities can be done on your own schedule to allow you the freedom to relax and enjoy this portion of your trip however you desire. We also include a day pass to a luxurious spa for those looking to maximize their relaxation and recovery after their trek.

$4640 Per Person

From $837 single supplement.

The single supplement on this trip provides for single rooms at all hotels on this trip, except for Day 6 where there is a possibility of only shared rooms. Per hotel rules, there is a limit to the number of singles supplements we can accommodate on a trip.

If you’re travelling on your own and would prefer double occupancy, please let us know and we will do our best to pair you with a roommate. If we’re unable to, then the single supplement fee will apply.

DIFFICULTY LEVEL 4

Scale of 1-5. 1 is least difficult; 5 is most difficult

Hiking Distances:

Up to 10 mi

Backpack Weight:

Moderately Rugged

Max Daily Elev. ↑↓:

Heights Exposure:

Extreme Exposure

Please Note: Terrain, Elevation Gain and Heights Exposure ratings reflect the section or day of the trip with the maximum difficulty of each. Much of the trip is at easier levels. See the trip itinerary for more detailed information.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THIS TRIP

• Hiking uphill or downhill with a 10-20 lb backpack for 7-9 hours
• Maintaining balance and footing on steep, variable and uneven terrain
• River and creek crossings
• Hiking with occasional extreme heights exposure

SOLITUDE LEVEL 2

1 least solitude, 5 most solitude

We rate this Alps hike a solitude 2. You can expect to have as much as an hour of solitude at a time while hiking. June and September will feature more solitude than July and August.

•   Minimum Guests

We require a minimum of 2 guests to confirm this trip. If a trip date is not confirmed yet, you can register and will be notified when the trip is officially confirmed. We recommend not making final travel arrangements until your trip meets the minimum number of guests and is confirmed.

In most cases, if a trip does not reach the minimum number of guests, you may choose to transfer to another trip date or another trip, be refunded your payments in full, or you may have the choice to pay a supplemental fee to run the trip with fewer guests. We make the final determination for these trips 60-65 days before the departure date.

Private Trips

Travel in perfect company by booking a private trip exclusively for your group or family!

In many areas we can run trips with group sizes larger than our normal capacity of 12 guests. There’s no minimum number of guests on a private tour, and in many cases, we have flexibility around minimum age as well.

For all international trips outside the United States, we quote private trip requests on a case by case basis. Please complete the form below to inquiry about a private tour.

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Learn About Our Private Trips

• Accommodation: Lodge in Les Houches, France

On this  Alps hiking tour , we meet at our first accommodation of the trip in the charming village of Les Houches. You may check into the hotel anytime after 4pm and get settled in to your room surrounded by a wonderful nature preserve and the village’s traditional architecture from the Savoie region. We’ll meet at 6pm in the main lobby for a trip orientation meeting and full introduction of our group. Then we’ll have dinner at our hotel and get a good night’s rest in preparation for the next day’s hike.

• Hiking Distance: 8.4 mi (13.5 km)
• Elevation Gain: 2100 ft (640 m)
• Elevation Loss: 4200 ft (1275 m)
• Trekking Duration: 4-5 hours
• Accommodation: Lodge in Les Contamines, France

Departing from Les Houches, we will begin our adventurous trek through the Alps! After a small walk through town, we’ll board a classic Alps cable car and ride it high into the mountains to start our hike. We’ll traverse through deep conifer forests high above the Bionnassay Valley and hike through stunning alpine hamlets with amazing views of Mont Blanc and across the foothills of the Alps. The Dôme du Gouter, Aiguille de Bionnassay, and an impressive glacier beneath the two peaks dominate our views. After reaching our high point we’ll descend through a series of switchbacks to Chalet de Miage. A riverside path leads us into Les Contamines, where we’ll get settled in a cozy, very comfortable hotel and enjoy some delicious French cuisine.

• Hiking Distance: 9 mi (14.5 km)
• Elevation Gain: 3937 ft (1200 m)
• Elevation Loss: 2952 ft (900 m)
• Trekking Duration: 6-7 hours
• Accommodation: Lodge in Bourg Saint Maurice, France

After a European breakfast buffet at our hotel we will begin with a short shuttle to Notre Dame de la Gorge. Today we’ll climb over two high mountain passes (Col du Bonhomme and the Col de la Croix du Bonhomme) with beautiful views into the surrounding summits and deep valleys, and eventually make our way down into the Chapieux Valley. Today’s biggest highlights are the outstanding views of Aiguille des Glaciers, a sheer, ice-draped peak of the Mont Blanc massif. Tonight’s accommodations are in Bourg Saint Maurice at a charming inn situated in a classic mountain hamlet.

• Hiking Distance: 9.3 mi (15 km)
• Elevation Gain: 2297 ft (700 m)
• Elevation Loss: 3280 ft (1000 m)
• Trekking Duration: 5-7 hours
• Accommodation: Lodge in Courmayeur, Italy

This morning we shuttle briefly from Bourg Saint Maurice to ville des Glaciers, where we begin our hike into Italy. We’ll hike up and over the Col de la Seigne to the Italian side of the border. On today’s trek, you can expect spectacular views and a fun descent into Val Ferret, a lush alpine valley with rustic homesteads, farms and rich history. We’ll take a bus from La Cantine de la Visaille to Courmayeur, where we check in to our accommodations, which feature incredible panoramic views of the Grandes Jorasses.

• Hiking Distance: 8 mi (13 km)
• Elevation Gain: 2788 ft (850 m)
• Accommodation: Lodge in Champex, Switzerland

Today starts with breakfast in Italy and ends with dinner in Switzerland! We cross the breathtaking mountain pass Grand Col Ferret and arrive in the quaint, beautiful village of La Fouly in Switzerland. We’ll absorb exceptional views over the massif of Combins in the East and on the Italian side of Mont Blanc. A short shuttle takes us to Champex, a picturesque Swiss village near a beautiful mountain lake.

• Hiking Distance: 10 mi (16 km)
• Elevation Gain: 2434 ft (742 m)
• Elevation Loss: 2238 ft (682 m)
• Trekking Duration: 7-9 hours
• Accommodation: Lodge in Trient, Switzerland

We start today’s hike right from our lodging around the lake and start to climb over Bovine Pass (2,040 m, 6,693 ft.), where we’ll savor the awe-inspiring views across the Rhône Valley into the famous Bernese Alps of Switzerland. Today’s lunch is near a quaint mountain hut and local farm, before we head down though lush alpine forests and landscapes to our lodging at a mountain hut, where we’ll celebrate with a delicious dinner!

• Elevation Gain: 3280 ft (1000 m)
• Elevation Loss: 3444 ft (1050 m)
• Accommodation: Lodge in Argentières, France

Today takes us up over the Col de la Balme and back into France with fantastic views of Mont Blanc and Aiguille Verte, and ends in the iconic French Alps village of Argentières. We’ll get settled in our rooms and then enjoy a walk around town to soak up views of the alpine country we just descended from. We’ll cap the day off with a return to French cuisine.

• Hiking Distance: 7 mi (11.2 km)
• Elevation Gain: 4290 ft (1308 m)
• Elevation Loss: 2420 ft (738 m)
• Trekking Duration: 5-6 hours
• Accommodation: Lodge in Chamonix, France

Our final day of trekking! Today’s hike takes us up and over Balcon des Aiguilles Rouges (“Balcony over the Red Peaks”) before a climb to Lac Blanc. Lac Blanc is one of Chamonix’s most famous hikes, and features a high mountain panorama reflected on the turquoise waters of a beautiful alpine lake. This is also an excellent area to see ibex and marmots. We’ll soak up all the beautiful surrounding scenery: Aiguille Verte, Les Drus, La Mer de glace, Aiguilles de Chamonix, Mont Blanc du Tacul, Aiguille du Goûter, and last but not least, Mont Blanc! We’ll finish with a descent towards Chamonix and a short gondola ride to the hamlet of Le Praz. Tonight’s accommodations are in a wonderful 4-star hotel with a sauna and spa, where we can surely relax after our hike. Tonight, we’ll have a celebratory dinner out on the town in Chamonix.

Today marks the end of our journey. We’ll enjoy one last breakfast together, where we’ll say our very fond good-byes, and start dreaming of our next adventure!

Chamonix Add-on Package

Looking to stay longer in the Chamonix Valley and explore? We got you covered with a 2-night, 4-star lodging package that includes admission to some the most iconic sights and attractions Chamonix has to offer. All activities can be done on your own schedule to allow you the freedom to relax and enjoy this portion of your trip however you desire. We also include day passes to a luxurious spa for those looking to maximize their relaxation and recovery after their hike. Click here to read more about our Chamonix Add-On Package!

Please Note : We always do everything in our power to follow the set itinerary, however occasionally trips are subject to itinerary changes based on a variety of circumstances, including but not limited to: lodging/campground availability, extreme weather, political or bureaucratic obstacles, earthquakes, fires, flooding and more. Normal  terms and conditions  apply to trips with itinerary changes.

Trip Dates & Booking

Trip dates & booking.

Click on a date to register. You can also click here to request new dates or book through customer service.

AVAILABLE TO BOOK

This trip is available and bookable online! Click on the date to register now or contact us online to book through our award-winning customer service team!

This trip has 1 or 2 spots remaining and is bookable online! Click on the date to book now or contact us online to book through customer service.

REQUEST A RESERVATION

This trip is exclusively booked through customer service due to logistics with lodging, permits, staffing, availability, or something else. Please contact us online or call us at 800-715-HIKE (4453) to request a reservation.

Don't see your dates? Call us! We may be able to add new trip dates.

Trip details, what's included.

• A detailed trip packet that takes the guesswork out of your travel, training, packing, and preparing for the trip
• Trained hiking guide(s) with years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. See  Guide Bios .
• Transportation during the trekking portion of the tour starting on Day 2 and ending on Day 8
• Lodging for the duration of the tour.
• Vehicle transport of luggage between inns (strict 33 lb./15 kg. weight limit applies)
• All meals from dinner on Day 1 through breakfast on Day 9
• Use of a backpack and trekking poles
• Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and communication device

What's Not Included

• Transportation to Geneva, Switzerland
• Airport transportation to Les Houches, France (Day 1) and from Chamonix, France (Day 9)
• Beverages and personal expenses
• Trip insurance that includes medical coverage and at least $200,000 in evacuation and repatriation coverage (required)
• All expenses due to unavoidable events e.g. flight cancellation, personal illness, strikes, etc. (we recommend trip insurance coverage for these variables)
• Bar bills, drink bills, telephone bills, Wi-Fi bills and other personal expenses (shopping/laundry)
• Clothes, rain gear, and footwear ( see recommendations )
• Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
• Water bottles and a headlamp or flashlight
• Guide gratuities are optional and at the discretion of each customer. A suggested guideline is to reward outstanding service with a tip of 5-10% of the total trip cost. Local currency is preferred, or USD is also appreciated.

Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about what to pack.

Meals: What to Expect

This Alps hiking tour features a combination of in-town meals and meals prepared by your guide. Most lunches are prepared on the trail by your guides. In addition, we provide you with an assortment of trail mix, snacks, and dried fruits to eat at your own discretion.

It is common in the Alps that restaurants do not allow groups to order from an a la carte menu; a set menu is created, and guests do not have the option of ordering differently from the set menu.

We can often accommodate vegan, vegetarian, kosher and non-gluten diets and make adjustments for food allergies. These and other special dietary requests may require an additional fee, and in some destinations may be more difficult to accommodate than others. Please inquire with us for more information about the specific trip you’re interested in.

Lodging: What to Expect

Our trips in the Alps offer the opportunity to enjoy the wonderful lodges, inns, and chalets that European mountain villages are famous for. The historic, cultural lodging (and dining) experience of the Alps is a major highlight of these trips for many guests!

There are some unique elements to the accommodations that are important for guests to understand:

• Most beds are twin; no queen- or king-sized beds are available. Sometimes the twins are pushed together to form a double, but sometimes they must remain separated. If you would like to share a bed, it may not always be available.
• Occasionally, we have rooms that accommodate 3-5 people. Please understand you may be asked to share one of these rooms for 1-2 nights of your trip with other members of the group, and in some cases the arrangement will be mixed gender.
• Some hotels do not offer ensuite rooms so bathrooms may be either shared with other guests in the hallway, or you have a private bathroom down the hallway.

Please see the  Accommodations  section for more information.

Gear We Provide

We provide all group gear which includes the following:

• Trekking poles
• Company-issued first-aid kit
• Emergency Communication Device

Guest Packing List

When you register for this tour you’ll receive access to a printable, downloadable trip information packet with a detailed packing list specific to this trip ( click here to see it now.) All trips require a sturdy pair of hiking shoes or hiking boots, rain gear, a recommended clothing system, a headlamp or flashlight, a hydration system (water bottles and/or bladder) and other items specific to each trip.

Trip Logistics

How do i register.

Reserve your spot today! In the Trip Dates & Booking section of this page, the green and red dates are bookable online by simply clicking on the date, and blue dates must be booked through our customer service team for a variety of possible reasons. To email our customer service team, you can  click here  to get the ball rolling. Our adventure consultants will confirm availability, and if you’re ready to register we’ll email you a link to a registration profile. You’ll have 72 hours to complete your profile (and that of any dependents) and pay the deposit.

Feel free to call us for more info – we’re here 7 days a week!

Where Do We Meet?

We will meet you at our first night’s hotel, Hotel Chalet Du Bois , in Les Houches, France (check-in available after 4 pm), where we’ll conduct our orientation meeting at 6 pm.

Airport transportation is not included in the tour, but easily planned from the Geneva Airport with multiple convenient options. Please be sure to arrive no later than 5 pm into Les Houches in order to make our orientation meeting. If flying into Geneva (GVA) on Day 1, your flight should arrive no later than 3 pm.

Our pre-trip support team will be in contact  approximately  45 days before your trip to coordinate your rendezvous and answer any last-minute questions you have.

Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about flights, airport transportation, shuttles, recommended lodging and more.

Trip Start and End

Trip Start: Les Houches, France.

Trip End: Chamonix, France

The closest airport to fly into for this trip is Geneva, Switzerland (GVA). Flights to and from Geneva are the guest’s responsibility.

Airport transportation is not included in the tour, but easily planned to/from the Geneva Airport with multiple economical and convenient options. The airport is approximately 1-1.5 hours from both Les Houches and Chamonix (these two villages are only about a 10 min drive apart).

Pre and Post-trip Lodging

We secure limited amounts of pre and post trip lodging in Chamonix as an optional add-on for guests of this trip. This lodging is on request, and is available on a first come, first serve basis. If interested, please reach out directly  to our team to check availability.

Check out our Chamonix-Add On Package for a pre or post option to you Tour du Mont Blanc.

Safety Precautions

Your safety is our top priority. Our hiking tours are led by professional hiking guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders or EMT’s, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. Guides adhere to standardized risk management protocols in case of any potential or actual incident, and all tours carry an emergency communication device and comprehensive first-aid kit. Additionally we have a “24/7” system through which guides or guests can reach Wildland support personnel at any time.

In the interest of your safety, it’s important to refer to the  Center for Disease Control website  for up-to-date recommendations on immunizations before your trip.

Essential Eligibility Criteria

Essential Eligibility Criteria (“EEC”)  have been specifically identified to help you understand the skills and abilities necessary to participate on each Wildland trip, and they apply uniformly to all potential trip participants, irrespective of the presence or absence of any disability.

Once you identify a trip in which you may be interested, please carefully review the  EEC  and itinerary details. If after reviewing the EEC that apply to your desired trip, you determine you need an accommodation in order to meet the EEC, please  contact us  prior to registering to discuss your requested accommodation.

The EEC exist for your own safety and the safety and enjoyment of all participants. If you are unable to meet the EEC for the trip, with or without an accommodation, you are not eligible for that trip. If you register and arrive for a trip for which you do not meet the EEC, you will be disqualified from participation on the trip and will be dismissed or evacuated from the trip without a refund.

Our approach to international travel is to combine the best of two worlds: the dialed-in details, professionalism and consistency Wildland trips are known for; and the cultural immersion and intimate regional knowledge that only locals can provide. To excel with this approach, we vet and hire the best local guides, welcome them into the Wildland family and train them to meet our standard of excellence with every aspect of a trip. But along with managing logistics and safety, your guides will teach you about the area’s history and culture, and provide a level of familiarity and intimate detail only locals can.

Check out our  Meet Our Team  page for staff bios.

Age Restrictions

Age restrictions on this trip are as follows:

• 12 and older to join scheduled tours (mixed groups)
• 5 and older to join private tours, with final approval and specific logistical requirements (such as porter or stock assist) determined on a case by case basis

Trip Insurance Requirements

Field evacuation, repatriation, and medical insurance is REQUIRED on all Alps trips as a condition of partnership terms with our European vendors (field evacuation and repatriation minimum coverage is a combined $200,000 USD).

We recommend IMG/iTravelinsured. They are one of the world’s leading providers of travel insurance and policies meet all Alps requirements.

For information on the recommended IMG/iTravelinsured policies please  click here .

If you already have the required insurance or wish to purchase from anyone other than IMG/iTravelinsured, we recommend careful consultation with the provider to ensure appropriate coverage. This is because many providers have a number of policy exclusions.

Weather in the Alps

The location of the Alps and their tremendous elevation variations lead to significant and sometimes unpredictable temperatures and weather patterns, both in different ranges and in a particular range itself. Due to the Alps’ location in central Europe, they are influenced by moist air off the Atlantic, cold polar air from northern Europe, fluctuating air masses, and warm Mediterranean air flows northward.

Due to these extraordinary forces acting on the Alps’ weather, we recommend following our clothing list closely (in your trip packet when you register), as guests are best served by being prepared for a broad range of possible temperatures and weather conditions.

The average temperatures and precipitation in Alps are:

• Accommodations

HÔTEL CHALET DU BOIS

This quaint lodge is almost as picturesque as its surroundings. It is just minutes from the famous Chamonix Valley. (heated pool, sauna)

HÔTEL LE CHRISTIANIA | HÔTEL La chemenaz

These are both traditional, family-run chalets in one of the most charming Alps villages with amazing home-cooked meals. (pool, sauna)

HÔTEL L’AUTANTIC | HÔTEL Arolla

Surrounded by major ski resorts and summer mountain destinations, these comfortable hotels offer cozy lodging that put us right in the action for Night 3 of our trek. Both offer wonderful breakfasts, comfortable beds and amazing views!

HÔTEL BOUTON D’OR | HÔTEL Crampon | HÔTEL Triolet | HÔTEL Croux

At the foot of Mont Blanc in the town of Courmayeur, these lodges are perfectly located for mountain views and relaxation on their amazing gardened terraces and balconies. Enjoy their lovely breakfast buffet or an evening drink with views of the surrounding peaks!

HÔTEL ALPINA IN CHAMPEX | HÔTEL Splendide | HÔTEL Du Glacier | HÔTEL Belvédère

These hotels are quintessential lodges perched high in the Swiss mountain town of Champex, on the shores of a gorgeous alpine lake (Lac de Champex). With Michelin star quality food, expansive views and lovely hosts, our night in Champex is sure to please.

**Groups are often split between two lodges in Champex, but dine together.

HÔTEL LA FORCLAZ | HÔTEL Auberge Mont Blanc | HÔTEL La Grande Ourse

Nestled below the Col de la Forclaz mountain pass, these relaxed and simple, family-operated hotels have private bedrooms with shared bathrooms. The highlight is the outstanding views from the hotel decks.

**Please note that guests may need to share a room with others from the group (max of 4 to a room). Sometimes single rooms are unavailable for this night.

HÔTEL LES GRANDS MONETS | Hôtel LE DAHU | Hôtel de La Couronne

These hotels are situated at the base of Mont Blanc in an idyllic alpine village called Argentière with stunning views of the surrounding mountainous landscape. Soak up the views, the cozy lodging, and the amazing breakfasts!

PARK HÔTEL SUISSE | heliopic HÔTEL and Spa

One our final night we enjoy one of two lodges in the amazing town of Chamonix-Mont Blanc, the site of the first Winter Olympics in 1924 and a vibrant town known for its ski resort. Both 4-star accommodations offer breathtaking views of the Mont Blanc Massif and luxuries like spas, saunas, heated pools and wonderful breakfasts.

If you’d like to extend your stay in Chamonix, we offer an add-on package that also features these hotels: Chamonix Add-on Package .

* These exact accommodations are not guaranteed. In some instances alternative accommodations of similar quality and location may be used

Trip Reviews

Average customer ratings:.

• 4.9 (50 reviews)
• Most recent

Great guides

Amazing trip and experience!

Our family had an incredible time with the Tour du Mont Blanc. It is indeed challenging and I would definitely encourage folks to condition and prepare. That said, the tour guides (Raymond and Sarah) were incredible. They were always there to encourage us along the way, prepped amazing lunches, and super knowledgeable of the trails and the best spots and views. And the places that you stay at--the accommodations and meals--are excellent. Finally, the views and experience is like nothing else we have ever experienced. We had a blast and if we had the opportunity we would go back and do it again--we would do so in a heartbeat. Amazing, amazing trip--incredible guides--awesome accommodations and meals--and the trip of a lifetime!

My experience was most unusual. On Day 3 it became clear that I would be unable to continue with the trek. I was contacted by Wildland's European office to see what I wanted to do. I made it clear that I wanted to continue with this group that included my daughter, five friends who climbed Kilimanjaro with me in 2022 and 4 new friends. Wildland enabled me to travel by road to all of the hotels so that I could meet the group when they arrived after their trek, have dinner with them in the evening and breakfast with them before they headed out in the morning. The guides Matthieu and Johannes took the time and effort to not only secure transportation for me, but to make sure that my experiences, as best as possible, mirrored that of the group. I appreciate their kindness and concern. It did not go as planned, but I am grateful that I was able to experience the Tour du Mount Blanc.

See All Guest Reviews!

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A Complete Guide to Preparing for the Tour du Mont Blanc

The Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) is a stunning trek that offers breathtaking views, cultural experiences, and a challenging adventure through the French, Swiss, and Italian Alps. Whether you’re a seasoned hiker or a beginner, this guide will help you prepare for this iconic journey, covering everything from the best times to hike, essential packing tips, accommodation options, and training advice. With the right preparation, you’ll be well-equipped to tackle this magnificent circuit.

With the TMB Guide to assist you, you’ll be well-equipped to tackle this magnificent circuit.

Table of Contents

• 1 What is the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB)?
• 2 Why Should You Do the Tour du Mont Blanc?
• 3 How to Plan for the Tour du Mont Blanc?
• 4 What Should You Pack for the Tour du Mont Blanc?
• 5 What Are the Different Routes for the Tour du Mont Blanc?
• 6 What Are the Accommodation Options on the Tour du Mont Blanc?
• 7 How to Train and Prepare for the Tour du Mont Blanc?
• 8 Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB)?

The Tour du Mont Blanc is one of the world’s most iconic trekking routes, encircling the Mont Blanc massif and crossing three countries: France, Italy, and Switzerland. The trek offers hikers the chance to experience the stunning alpine landscapes, including picturesque villages, lush meadows, and towering glaciers. The TMB attracts both seasoned trekkers and beginners, making it a must-do adventure for anyone who loves the outdoors.

Why Should You Do the Tour du Mont Blanc?

Embarking on the TMB is more than just a hike; it’s an unforgettable adventure that combines breathtaking scenery, cultural experiences, and personal challenges. The trek offers the opportunity to explore the majestic beauty of the Mont Blanc massif, encounter charming mountain villages, savor local cuisine, and witness diverse wildlife.

How to Plan for the Tour du Mont Blanc?

Choosing the Right Season to Hike

The best time to hike the TMB is during the summer months, from June to September, when the weather is most favorable, and the trails are clear of snow. This period offers stunning views of blooming alpine meadows and the opportunity to encounter diverse wildlife. However, summer is also the peak season, so be prepared for crowded trails. Hiking in the shoulder seasons (late spring or early autumn) can offer a quieter experience, but be aware that weather conditions may be less predictable.

Deciding on a Direction to Hike

You can hike the TMB in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. The choice depends on your preferences and fitness level. Hiking clockwise offers a more gradual build-up of difficulty, while hiking counterclockwise allows you to tackle the most challenging sections early on. Both directions offer stunning views and unique experiences, so consider what will work best for you.

Creating a Budget

Budgeting for the TMB involves considering costs for accommodation, food, transportation, and any trekking agency fees if you choose to use one. Accommodation can range from camping (the cheapest option) to staying in mountain huts (refuges) or hotels. Meals at refuges are typically more expensive than self-catering, so plan accordingly. Trekking agencies often offer packages that include accommodation, meals, and guiding services, which can help with budgeting and logistics.

Obtaining Necessary Permits and Passes

Depending on the specific areas you plan to hike, you may need to obtain permits or passes. This is especially true for high-altitude routes or protected areas within the TMB. Research the specific requirements for France, Italy, and Switzerland to ensure you comply with local regulations and enhance your hiking safety.

What Should You Pack for the Tour du Mont Blanc?

Clothing and Gear

Packing the right clothing and gear is crucial for comfort and safety on the TMB. Essential items include:

• Hiking Boots: Sturdy, waterproof, and well-broken-in.
• Weather-Appropriate Clothing: Layering is key—include moisture-wicking base layers, insulating mid-layers, and waterproof outer layers.
• Backpack: Comfortable and of appropriate size to carry your gear.
• Trekking Poles: Helpful for stability on uneven terrain.
• Navigation Tools: Map, compass, or GPS device.

Food and Water

Proper nutrition is essential for maintaining energy levels on the TMB. Pack high-energy snacks like trail mix, energy bars, and dried fruits. Hydration is equally important—bring a hydration system or water bottles and consider a portable water filter for refilling from streams. Refuges along the route offer meals, so plan your food supplies accordingly.

Navigation Tools

Having reliable navigation tools is crucial for successfully trekking the TMB. Bring a detailed map of the route, a compass, and a GPS device. Even if you’re using digital tools, it’s always wise to have a physical map as a backup.

First Aid Kit

A well-stocked first aid kit is essential for handling any injuries or illnesses that may occur on the trail. Include adhesive bandages, antiseptic wipes, pain relievers, blister treatment, and any personal medications you may need.

What Are the Different Routes for the Tour du Mont Blanc?

Classic Route

The Classic Route is the most popular and well-traveled path on the TMB, spanning approximately 170 kilometers (105 miles). It offers a balanced mix of challenging ascents, stunning views, and cultural experiences. Key landmarks along this route include the Col de la Seigne, Val Veny, and the Mer de Glace.

Alternate Routes

For those seeking a different experience, the TMB offers several alternate routes. These routes may include less crowded paths, more challenging terrain, or unique viewpoints. Some popular alternates include:

• Val Ferret: A quieter, more secluded option on the Italian side.
• Tour des Glaciers de la Vanoise: A more technical route for experienced hikers.

What Are the Accommodation Options on the Tour du Mont Blanc?

Mountain refuges are the most common form of accommodation on the TMB. These mountain huts offer basic amenities, including meals and shared sleeping quarters. Staying in refuges allows you to experience the alpine atmosphere and connect with fellow trekkers.

For those who prefer a more rustic experience, camping is an option along the TMB. There are designated campsites as well as areas where bivouacking (camping without a tent) is allowed. Be sure to familiarize yourself with local regulations and practice Leave No Trace principles.

Hotels and B&Bs

In towns like Chamonix, you’ll find a range of hotels and B&Bs that offer more comfort and amenities. These accommodations are perfect for resting before or after your trek.

How to Train and Prepare for the Tour du Mont Blanc?

Physical Training

Training for the TMB should focus on building cardiovascular fitness, strength, and endurance. Include activities like trail running , cycling, and long-distance hiking in your training regimen. Strength training exercises like squats, lunges, and core workouts will help prepare your muscles for the demands of the trek.

Mental Preparation

Mental preparation is just as important as physical training. Develop a positive mindset, set realistic goals, and familiarize yourself with the route and potential challenges. Visualization techniques, mindfulness practices, and positive affirmations can help build mental resilience.

Familiarizing Yourself with the Route

Study maps, guidebooks, and online resources to familiarize yourself with the TMB route. Understanding the terrain, trail conditions, and key landmarks will help you navigate more confidently and enjoy your trek to the fullest.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Tour du Mont Blanc and why should I prepare for it?

The TMB is a popular long-distance trek around Mont Blanc, crossing France, Italy, and Switzerland. Proper preparation ensures a safe and enjoyable adventure.

How can I use this guide to help plan my trip?

This guide provides comprehensive information on the TMB, including route details, accommodation options, packing tips, and training advice. Use it to plan your trek and make the most of your experience .

What should I pack for the Tour du Mont Blanc?

Pack light but be prepared for various weather conditions. Essential items include hiking boots, weather-appropriate clothing, a backpack, navigation tools, and a first aid kit.

Do I need to be an experienced hiker to complete the Tour du Mont Blanc?

The TMB is challenging but suitable for hikers of all levels with proper preparation and fitness.

Are there any safety precautions I should take while on the Tour du Mont Blanc?

Always prioritize safety by carrying proper gear, staying on marked trails, checking weather forecasts, and bringing a first aid kit.

What are some other helpful resources for preparing for the Tour du Mont Blanc?

In addition to this guide, consider using online forums, guidebooks, and maps. Contacting local tour operators can also provide valuable information and assistance.

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The Nant Borrant refuge (mountain hut) is situated just over 5km south from the centre of Les Contamines village. It is located directly on the… ...

Located half-way around the Tour du Mont Blanc, hikers often stay in Courmayeur, or one of the surrounding villages, for two days. Normally this is… ...

Located within the commune of Courmayeur, La Palud is a village which serves as a good place to stop for one or two nights when… ...

La Fouly (1600m) is a small village on the Swiss sector of the Tour du Mont Blanc and is at the road-head of the great… ...

Champex Lac is located in the North East sector of the Tour du Mont Blanc. If trekking in a clockwise direction from Chamonix you arrive… ...

Located at the northern end of the Chamonix Valley, Argentiere (1230m) is a large village offering a more peaceful alternative to Chamonix town. There are… ...

News Articles & Blogs

Tour du Mont Blanc Q&As from clients

What time is the airport transfer and planned briefing dinner schedule? Don’t worry about the timing – the driver will be there to pick you up at whatever time is convenient to you. We just need the flight number and arrival time. We don’t do one group transfer on arrival. The same goes for when …

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Tour du Mont Blanc – Q & A – Part 1

How much should I budget for dinner when it’s not included? Do you have any recommendations of where to eat? Dinner for the other nights: approx. 25 euros per dinner. The Guide will recommend where to eat. Is there hot water every day to shower? Yes there is. What is the age range on your …

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Tour du Mont Blanc: Facts 

Tour du Mont Blanc distance The Tour du Mont Blanc is approximately 170km /106 miles long although has some variantes that add to this distance. Most people choose to do the TMB in 8 – 10 days and stay at hotels or refuges en-route. Each daily stage varies in length, but are generally 16-22km / …

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Holidaying in the Tour du Mont Blanc

Tour du Mont Blanc Holiday Highlights The Tour du Mont Blanc is justifiably one of World’s most famous  hiking trails. Popular with people from all over the world, notably Europe, USA, Canada and Australasia. Hiking through the Alpine landscapes with spectacular mountain views. Hotels and other accommodation are generally very good for a point to point …

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What is the Tour du Mont Blanc?

The Tour du Mont Blanc is one of the greatest walks in the world. It is just over 165 kilometres long, crosses at least six big mountain passes and the route makes its way through France, Italy and Switzerland. The scenery, villages, food and culture is interesting and varied. Above all, is the massive feeling of achievement once you have hiked the full circuit of the Mont Blanc massif.

How fit do you have to be to do the tour?

The Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) is a long-distance hiking route that often forms part of an enthusiastic trekker’s tick-list. Together with other well-known trails such as Everest Base Camp, Machu Picchu and summiting Kilimanjaro, the TMB is a memorable world-class trek. However, unlike the other treks there are no issues with high altitude and so it can be comfortably completed by anyone who is fit.It is easily accessible and takes only one hour from Geneva Airport to the Chamonix Valley where most people begin the trek.

How long is the trek?

Walking, trekking, hiking the Tour Du Mont Blanc can be a challenge. The trek can take anywhere between 5 and 12 days to complete: most people will complete 8 to 10 daily walking sections and cover 12-20km per day. Each day will involve a significant ascent – most often up to 1000 metres – and then a similar descent to your night-stop. And while you trek you will see constant changes in scenery, meet lots of fellow trekkers and feel changes to the temperature. As you climb higher, the air becomes cooler and it is not uncommon to change from shorts and T-shirts into long trousers and a fleece jacket in a matter of minutes. Weather on Mont Blanc can be varied: you can expect warm, sunny days, but it is not unusual to have frontal weather systems bringing cold and wet weather. Thankfully, these are not too common.

Is age a barrier to the Tour Du Mont Blanc?

So long as you are confident of your fitness, enjoy being outdoors for most of the day and love a good trek, the trek is accessible to anyone. Our previous clients have ranged in age from 14 to 82.

What are the best hotels and refuges?

There are a variety of places to stay from simple mountain huts (refuges) with dormitory-style sleeping arrangements to three-star hotels offering rooms with attached bathrooms. Most people are pleasantly surprised at the quality of hotels on the TMB – and it is one of the unique features of this hike. Many other long-distance hikes, such as the GR10 that runs length of the Pyrenees or the GR20 that traverses the spine of Corsica, are fabulous treks, but only offer mountain huts on many of the nights. The Tour du Mont Blanc offers good accommodation on all nights – and it is possible to have twin rooms on all nights. This makes it more attractive to those who want a bit more comfort.

What kind of scenery, flora and fauna will you see?

The high and snow-covered Alpine peaks are spectacular. Many of them are over 4000 metres high and have glaciers tumbling down their precipitous sides. Aside from Mont Blanc itself, you will see famous mountains such as Les Drus, Les Grandes Jorasses, Le Vert and the ominous Aiguille du Midi. All of these have been a magnet to climbers and adventurers for over two centuries: Mont Blanc was first climbed in 1786. For hikers, you find yourself constantly stopping and gazing at the jaw-dropping views.

The wild flowers are beautiful: the best time to come is late June and early July, just as the winter snows have melted, when you are sure to see orchids, gentians and primulas. There are the forests full of rhododendrons and massive conifer trees and you will perhaps eat the blueberries and wild strawberries found by the trail.

Wild and domesticated animals are common place. There are herds of sheep, goats and cows, looked after by farmers and shepherds. But the real fun is when you spot a wild Alpine ibex (bouquetin), mountain goat-antelope (chamois) or perhaps a stoat. The birds are varied and sightings of lammergeyers and eagles are not uncommon.

Should you take a guided or self-guided tour of Mont Blanc?

This is purely a matter of individual choice. Some people prefer to go alone or enjoy the trek with a friend. Others prefer the security and professionalism of trekking with a Guide who will have a good knowledge of the route, take care of the hotels, meals and transport and be able to quickly react if there is an emergency. All trekking guides on the Tour du Mont Blanc have to be fully qualified and part of the governing body called UIMLA: it is a legal requirement in the Alps.

How to Hike The Tour Du Mont Blanc In 7 Days: Fastpacking Guide

By: Author Robyn Robledo

Posted on Last updated: April 7, 2024

The Tour du Mont Blanc is honestly one of the most incredible hikes we’ve ever experienced.  

That’s saying something since we’ve done some incredible hikes in Alaska, the Rockies, the Cascades, Glacier National Park, Yosemite, New Zealand, and Hawaii, just to name a few.

What makes this experience so unique and incredible in comparison to other hikes around the world is the combination of easy access to refugees, going in and out of towns and cities, and the stunning beauty of all the snow-capped mountains and glaciers.

When I first started planning the Tour du Mont Blanc, it was overwhelming, to say the least, and it was hard to find the right information to help me plan my itinerary, especially when it came to camping. In our blog, Planning a Tour du Mont Blanc, I’ve included everything you need to know about getting to Mont Blanc, how long it is, how many stages, safety, and so much more.

If you don’t know much about the Tour du Mont Blanc, it might help to read the Planning Guide first (blog coming soon) to orient yourself and then use this to help you plan .

But, if you are just looking for some inspiration, want to find out how you can hike this incredible trail in only 7 days, or want to hear our story of how epic the Tour du Mont Blanc was then please, read on. And for pure inspiration, you’ll want to check out Our 35 Favorite Photos From The TMB.

Hiking the TMB was certainly a life changing experience for me.

For starters, it was way more strenuous than I expected, and like always, I tend to bite off more than I can chew. This meant that we ended up combining stages, which made it even more exhausting.  That’s not to say I’d do it differently.  I just want you to make sure you plan accordingly.

I’ve broken up my account of our hiking experience with tips and recommendations for those planning on trying to fast-track this wonderful trek.

If I skipped something or left any stone unturned or questions unanswered, please, ask us in the comments section below.  I want to ensure you can have the best possible experience hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc.

I found it interesting that while hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc, so few people knew what a travel blog was. While I guess originally blogging was a means of journaling your experience along your travels, in the past few years it has turned into a highly detailed description of travel and thus I want you to know that this blog here that you’re reading is meant to help you have the best possible travel experience possible.

I’m not here to talk about my story, I’m using my story to help you have an epic Tour du Mont Blanc trip. Let’s get started!

Just a heads up , I will be using the abbreviation TMB on this blog occasionally. It’s kinda self-explanatory but TMB stands for Tour du Mont Blanc.

Also, if you don’t have time to read this whole blog (or even if you just want to save this blog for later), you can save any one of the photos on this blog to your Pinterest boards . All you got to do is click the Pin it button in the corner of each image (if you’re on a mobile device, click on the photo first then the Pin it button will appear.)

Day 1 on the Tour du Mont Blanc:   Le Brévent to Refuge de la Balme

Trail stats.

• Total miles/kilometers hiked: 10 mi/6 km
• Total elevation gain: 800m/2600ft
• Total elevation loss: 1500m/4900ft
• Stages covered: Half of Stage 11, bypass Stage 1, partial Stage 2

Hiking Times + Distances

• Brévent to Refuge de Bellachat: 1 hour
• Refuge de Bellachat to Les Houches train station: 2 hours and 45 minutes
• Public Transport from Les Houches to Notre Dame de la Gorge
• Notre Dame de la Gorge to Refuge Nant Borrant: 40 minutes
• Refuge Nant Borrant to Refuge de la Balme: 50 minutes

Chamonix Mont Blanc

We chose to begin our TMB journey at the summit of Le Brévent.

Traditionally you would start and finish the TMB in Les Houches so that you get the most dramatic views of Mont Blanc for the grand finale, stage 11.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Adventure Travel Family (@nomadswithapurpose) on Oct 3, 2019 at 5:41pm PDT

The weather forecast was predicting overcast with a chance of rain for the day we’d be finishing the TMB projected and the day we woke up to start the Tour, the weather was clear and too gorgeous to pass up. We decided to take the good weather when we could get it so we could guarantee amazing views on the iconic 11th stage.

In addition, we happened to be in Chamonix at the same time as the UTMB (the Ultra Tour Du Mont Blanc race). The race follows the very same TMB route hikers follow so it can get crowded on the trail. We were beginning our trek two days before the big race started and we wanted to get out ahead of the runners if that makes sense.

After grabbing pastries and a cafe in town, plus some snacks for the way, we walked north out of the town center to the cable car.

The price to ride the cable car to Brévent one way was €25 for adults and €20 for kids under 15.

I was a bit reluctant to pay so much and contemplated just hiking up to Brévent but was so very happy that I spent the money as it is an extremely steep ascent and would have trashed our legs for the descent from Brévent to Les Houches that we were about to do.  

Taking the cable car up provides you with amazing views and it’s super easy to find the gondola from the center of Chamonix. Just follow the signs.

Taking the cable car up is a two-part ordeal. The first part is a gondola ride to Plan Praz, which is at 2000 meters. From here you get off the gondola and follow the signs with the picture of the cable car that in the winter, takes you to the black diamond runs in the resort. It’s very simple.

There is a cafe here if you want to grab a coffee while taking in the views or you can wait to get panoramic views from the smaller cafe at the summit of Le Brévent after the second cable car ride.

The cable car ride from Plan Praz to Brévent was interesting as it is a larger car that fits 30 + people standing in it and takes you all up together to Brévent at 2525 meters. It was exhilarating!

After you take in the views, which do tend to be clouded in from this high of altitude, it’s time to start the hike down to Les Houches. Remember, if you choose to do this the traditional way, this will be your final push of the tour and it is steep, so leave a little in the legs for this part.

Le Brévent to Refuge de Bellachat – Stage 11

The first section of the trail was rocky but a gradual decline. You’re above the treeline here and get incredible views of not only Mont Blanc but also the mountain ranges far in the distance.

The views at Refuge de Bellachat are some of the best on the entire tour. If it fits into your itinerary, I highly recommend staying here. It was a little too early in our day to stop and eat here, but like all the refuges along the way, it did serve coffee, drinks, and food. There are toilets here but only for paying customers.  

Refuge de Bellachat to Les Houches – Stage 11

Just a bit after leaving the refuge the trail gets steep. Very steep.

There isn’t a lot of exposure so fear of heights isn’t a huge worry but the amount of single-leg squats you feel like you are doing is hard. Our legs were shaking most of the way down, which is rare for us.

Hiking sticks would probably be a good idea if you have any past knee issues. Keep in mind, that the trail remains steep pretty much the entire way down to Les Houches.

20 minutes after leaving the refuge, the trail winds into the forest and provides a nice respite from the intense sun rays.   Eventually, you arrive at a fence and follow along the outskirts of it until you reach the entrance to the Zoo, Merlet.

After Merlet, we followed the yellow TMB signs left, winding down the Zoo’s access road until eventually turning left on the TMB trail about 30 min down the road again.

According to the book, when you get to the zoo, there is a road to the right that puts you on the TMB trail right away, however, we didn’t see it, and walking the road for a while was a nice break for our feet. There were also picnic tables on the road where we walked that provided a nice place to rest and eat.  

The trail puts you out right at the train station and if this is the end of your trek as a traditional Stage 11, it’s super easy to hop on the train back to Chamonix. If you choose to fast back as we did, you may want to hop on the train here to skip Stage 1.

Les Houches to Les Contamines – Skipping Stage 1

Since stage 1 of the TMB, which goes from Les Houches to Les Contamines, isn’t as gorgeous as the other stages, we decided to skip it, but mostly because we wanted to get ahead of the UTMB runners who would be starting their race the next night, which meant we needed to get to Les Contamines so we could enjoy beautiful stage 3 without crazy crowds.

I don’t necessarily recommend skipping stage 1 but we did because we weren’t going to be able to take the alternate/high route.

The traditional path of Stage 1 involves a lot of road walking and didn’t seem worth it for us since doing Stage 1 would set us back a day.

Plus, there is a variant to Stage 1 that takes you up higher and closer to the glaciers but isn’t recommended early in the season or with inclement weather. There was a chance of thunderstorms that afternoon so we chose to take it easy and ride the train/bus to Contamines.

Train and Bus Passes

The Carte d’Hôte pass allows you to ride any bus or train between Servoz and Vallorcine.

We received one of these passes for free from staying at Camping Des Arroles. I’m pretty sure all of the campgrounds in Chamonix provide these, some hotels also offer them free of charge, or you can get one for 2 euros from the tourist office in Chamonix.

The train runs about every hour, click here for the full schedule. We took the train west to Saint Gervais where we then hopped on Bus 84 to Les Contamines. This bus is not included in the Carte d’Hôte pass and tickets were €5.50 per person. It was a very nice bus ride in an air-conditioned tour bus and the incredible views along the way made what little guilt I had for skipping a section of the TMB quickly disappear as I stared out the oversized windows at the rolling green French countryside.  

Les Contamines

The tourist office in Les Contamines has outlets to charge your phone and free WiFi which was nice.

We also picked up food for our dinner (we weren’t eating dinner at the refuges since we were camping) at the small grocery store across from the tourist office in Les Contimines: a baguette, arugula, salami, and butter to make sandwiches for dinner as well as a yogurt and a pastries each for dessert, plus a chocolate croissant for breakfast the next morning.

There is a bigger grocery store in town and plenty of restaurants to eat at. I highly recommend the ice cream (glacée) at the bakery directly across the street from the tourist office.

Les Contamines to Notre Dame de la Gorge – Free Shuttle

We chose to skip the first 45 minutes of hiking stage 2 since it’s mostly near the road and while the scenery is pleasant, it was nice to just cut out this section of town. There is a free shuttle bus that takes you from the tourist office in Les Contamines to Notre Dame de la Gorge, a beautiful church in the middle of rolling green countryside. There is food here and the church is worth taking a peak inside of.

Notre Dame de la Gorge to Refuge de la Balme – Begin Stage 2

Leaving Notre Dame de la Gorge the trail immediately begins to climb and doesn’t let up to Refuge de la Balme, where we chose to camp that night.

It doesn’t let up until the next refuge, Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme and if I had started earlier, not combined stages, or wasn’t camping, I would recommend staying at Refuge du Bonhomme mainly so that you don’t have to start with such an intense climb the next morning when you leave Refuge de la Balme.

We were camping though and not only was the camping free at Refuge de la Balme, but the views were some of the best and reminded me a lot of being in the Dolomites.

Eating at the Refuges

Since we were not guests at the refuges (we were tent camping, remember) we were able to order drinks at Chalet Refuge de la Balme but not dinner.

If we had needed dinner, Refuge Nant Borrant looked like you could just walk in and order but for Refuge de la Balme, we would’ve had to call ahead to request dinner since they only make enough food for the people paying half board.

According to people I asked on the trail, they said the food wasn’t very good at Refuge de la Balme anyway. Refuge Nant Borrant supposedly has incredible food but while it’s location is quaint and lovely, the views at the refuge and 2 nearby camping areas aren’t the best.

Having camped at the stunning camping area at Refuge de la Balme, we got coffee at Refuge du Balme the next morning but I do not recommend it. The coffee was horrible, and overpriced, and we had to wait until the guests were served before getting a cup of coffee which put us on the trail much later than I had hoped.

Overall Tips for Day 1

To fastback-like we did, take the cable car from Chamonix to Brévent, hike down to Les Houches, hop on the train from Les Houches to Saint Gervais, and then a bus from Saint Gervais to Les Contamines.

Total public transport costs per person are about 33 euros per person

Use the free shuttle (picks up right in front of the Tourism Office) to go from Les Contamines to Notre Dame de la Gorge.

If you time the trains and buses perfectly, it is possible to get to Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme within a day but you’d have to hustle and if you aren’t camping, I’ve heard that Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme is pretty bad.

Day 2: Refuge de la Balme to Refuge Elisabetta via Variante Route

• Total miles/kilometers hiked: 19.5 km/12 mi
• Total elevation gain: 1400 m/4600 ft
• Total elevation loss: 1000 m/3300 ft
• Stages covered: Stage 2 w/ Col de Fours Variant + Stage 3
• Refuge de la Balme to Col du Bonhomme: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Col du Bonhomme to Col de la Croix: 40 minutes
• Col de la Croix to Col des Fours: 1 hour and 15 minutes,
• Col des Fours to Refuge des Mottets: 3 hours,
• Refuge des Mottets to Col de la Seigne: 1 hour and 15 minutes,
• Col de la Seigne to Refugio Elisabetta: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Refuge de la Balme to Col de la Croix – Stage 2 Ascent

We left Refuge de la Balme at 8 a.m. on the dot with a dozen or so fellow hikers on our tail which pushed our pace quite a bit. It’s a fairly steep and consistent climb from Refuge de la Balme to Col du Bonhomme and quite a shock to start your morning with such hard exertion. Little did we know that that was just going to be a warm-up for us.

From here the signs point you left and it’s another 40 minutes of easier climbing to get to the Col de la Croix. The views are nice in this section and a good warm-up for the spectacular views that are coming ahead.

Col de la Croix to Refuge des Mottets – Col de Fours Stage 2/3 Variant

When you reach Col de la Croix you are also at the Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme. If you are contemplating staying here these are the things I’d consider.

• Sometimes it’s not safe to take the Col de Fours variante which is what I’m going to explain in a minute.
• This alternate route does provide a nice view of Mont Blanc and Aiguille des Glaciers, but there are way better views ahead in my opinion and you get to see the Aiguille des Glaciers for a long time from Mottets to Col de la Seigne.
• The descent down from Col de Fours to Refuge des Mottets is steep. Doing such a steep descent on back-to-back days destroyed Gabi’s knees and so if you go this way, don’t forget hiking sticks.
• Your odds of having clearer weather are much better earlier in the day so if you want to do this variant, then starting from Refuge de la Croix might be a smarter option.

Another thing to keep in mind is that you can skip the Col de Fours variant and hike downhill to Les Chapieux and then catch a bus from Le Chapieux to Ville des Glaciers (which is only a 30-minute hike from Mottets) or directly to Mottets parking lot. It’s cheap and runs often throughout the day in July and August.

Since the weather was so clear, we chose to skip Chapieux and took the variant which was another 30 minutes of steep climbing, but the views of Aguilles de Glaciers and Mont Blanc made it quite worth the over 2.5 hours of climbing we had just done.

The TMB guidebook and signs mention that it’s a 20-minute detour to get to the Tete Fours, a summit to the left, but it didn’t look worth it to me. We had already climbed so much and had great views from the Col de Fours.

If you were only walking to Mottets from here and it’s a clear day, then it may be worth the extra push to Tete Fours.

Now, the rough part. The descent down from Col de Fours is brutal. It’s a very steep descent that takes 2 and a half hours. You do get nice views of the glaciers which is wonderful but you spend most of the time watching where your next footstep will be.  

The bottom of the descent puts you at a car park with toilets. Use them if you aren’t planning on stopping at Mottets (which would be almost a sin since the food at Mottets is so delicious) since the toilets there are only for paying customers.

Getting to Mottets requires a 30-minute climb that is fairly gradual but still quite hard, especially after the five-and-a-half hours we’d already walked that day.  

Refuge des Mottets

I had in my mind that Mottets was going to be a mediocre pit stop for us and was completely wrong. It’s in a gorgeous location sitting below glaciers and waterfalls and looks down into the valley heading toward Chapieux. We stopped and had lunch here and the food was amazing.

We were under the impression from other blogs we read that you could camp at Mottets however it’s not a suitable place to make camp before sunset. The people that run the refuge probably don’t mind if you set up camp late in the day up just past the refuge out of sight from the guests BUT there is a sign that says no camping on the refuge property.

Since it was early in the day we decided to push on but doing so was definitely biting off more than we should’ve chewed as the next 4 hours of hiking is grueling.

Refuge des Mottets to Col de la Seigne – Stage 3 Ascent

Hiking from Mottets to Col de la Seigne is steep even with fresh legs, but we had already climbed up 1500 feet and down the same so this climb of over 2000 feet hurt.

When we started the weather was clear, but as it got closer to the top the storm clouds began condensing over the mountain peaks and the occasional boom of thunder kept up our tempo so that we’d get over the Col before the storm.

Luckily the clouds seemed happy to stay attached to the highest peaks and as we summited Col de la Seigne an hour and a half after leaving Mottets, we were greeted with great views of Val Veni in the distance.  

Col de la Seigne to Rifugio Elisabetta – Stage 3 Descent

After capturing pictures of the views, we began another demanding descent that was not quite as steep as the one earlier that day but still significantly challenging, especially because our legs were beat up from an already long day of hiking.  

Each step sent waves of pain to our knees, calves, and very tender feet and so it took us almost an hour and a half to get to Refugio Elisabetta.

I knew ahead of time that Elisabetta was located in a beautiful location but when we rounded the last corner and saw the three-story rocky exterior of the hut surrounded by two enormous glaciers with braided waterfalls running off of them, we were so awestruck I thought we were dreaming.  

Italy in general doesn’t allow wild camping unless you are above 3,000 meters and you’re making camp at sunset. Of course, if you are camping on private land and have consent from the owner it is allowed.

For the entire descent from Col de la Seigne, all I had been thinking about was I hoped Elisabetta would let us camp outside their Refugio . But when I saw how beautiful the views were here at the refuge, all I could think of on the five minutes of steep climbing up the road to get to the refuge was “ Please have 3 beds for us .”

Of course, manifestation works and sure enough within 30 minutes we were showered and sitting down at a large table with wine, bruschetta, risotto, meat, veggies, potatoes, and a creamy tiramisu dessert.  

What started as a gorgeous day with views under Dolomite-like spires of rock and a bad cup of coffee, turned into an athletic feat the two girls and I will forever be proud of, crossing two 2500 meter (8200 ft) cols, gaining a total of 1800 meters (5900 ft), and losing 1100 meters (3600 ft), all while experiencing culinary treats and epic views of glaciers, waterfalls, and the most textured and jagged peaks you can imagine.

As the day quickly came to an end I remember thinking, Did all that just happen? But the pain in our lower legs reminded us of our accomplishments as we hobbled to the bathroom to brush our teeth and go to bed.  

Overall Tips for Day 2

Going from Refuge de la Balme to Refugio Elisabetta is hard but doable. It ended up taking us from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. with a 30-minute rest at Col de Fours and an hour lunch at Mottets, but the rest of the time was pretty steady hiking.

If you choose to go the Chapieux side, you may want to double-check if the bus is running to cut off some time, especially since you really won’t miss much by skipping that section from Chapieux to Mottets.

Staying at either Mottets or Elisabetta is a great choice and while the food at both was incredible, if you are tight on time or Elisabetta is full, Lac Combal is 30 minutes further and is also stunning. It’s supposedly a more iconic refuge experience and some prefer it over Elisabetta since it can be really crowded at Elisabetta in peak season. Staying at Lac Combal would also put you closer to starting tomorrow’s climb.

Day 3: Refuge Elisabetta to Courmayeur/Val Ferret

• Total miles/kilometers hiked: 18km/11mi (13km/8mi if you get on the gondola at Plan Checrouit)
• Total elevation gain: 450m/1500ft
• Total elevation loss: 1600m/5200ft
• Stages covered: Stage 4

Hiking Times

• Refugio Elisabetta to Mount Favre Spur: 3 hours and 30 minutes
• Mount Favre Spur to Courmayeur: 2 hours and 50 minutes

Rifugio Elisabetta to Mount Favre Spur – Stage 4 Ascent

Day 3 started out as a glorious morning and from the refuge, you could see a line of UTMB runners coming down the hillside looking like a trail of ants. It was exciting to see and motivated us to get back on the trail (after 3 shots of espresso of course).

Staying at Elisabetta was comfortable with fluffy down comforters, good strong coffee, and a light breakfast of bread, cookies, and jams.

We left the Refugio feeling rested and ready for an easy day of hiking, or so we thought.  

As you leave Elisabetta, prepare yourself for the most stunning section of the Tour du Mont Blanc

While the entire Tour du Mont Blanc is stunning, especially on stages 10 and 11, I find the Italian side from Rifugio Elisabetta to Rifugio Elena to be the most unique and spectacular section of hiking I’ve ever experienced.

The road from Elisabetta winds down for 25 minutes or so to a valley where our path then merges with the UTMB. It stayed flat for another 25 minutes before arriving at a fork. (Also, this is where Lac Combal Refugio is if you need a place to stay).

Now, normally the alternate route is the high route however, in this case, the classic TMB route takes the high road whereas the “alternate” stays left in the river valley.

If you go left/straight and opt for the bad weather route, you have the option to hop on a bus in La Visaille an hour of hiking later. This bus can pick you up and take you to Courmayeur.

The traditional route, however, goes right up a narrow trail and here you will get some of the best views of your life.

We chose to go right and I highly recommend you do too unless the weather is bad and in that case, take the low road.

Today was the day that the UTMB runners had finally caught up to us (they started about 12 hours ago in Chamonix) and as we followed the continuous line of runners up the hill for an hour-and-a-half climb, we were greeted with picture-perfect views of the glaciers across the valley for almost our entire day.

While this is not a difficult climb up to Mont Favre Spur, the downhill section from Mont Favre Spur to Col Chécrouit took us a long time (slower than the Cicerone guide pace) with our weary legs and aching joints.

If your legs are well-trained or well-rested, you will find this section quite pleasant.

Seeing the glaciers from so many angles might also have slowed our pace as we spent a lot of time stopping to try and capture the textures and gorgeous shades of colors of rock and ice.  

Mount Favre Spur to Courmayeur – Stage 4 Descent

When you reach Col Chécrouit there’s a refuge here where you could eat and then continue another hour and a half down a steep trail through mostly forest to arrive at Courmayeur.

If the cable cars are running, I highly recommend skipping this section and taking the ride into town. It will cost €15 but is worth what it will save your knees and shins from not having to go down such a steep grade.

Optional: At Col Chécrouit you also have the option of going left around the north face of Mont Chétif.

When you reach the bottom and get off the gondola, walk down all the steps to get to street level, then cross the street that you see on your right and head north (to the left) across the bridge where you will see the TMB sign and continue under the highway and up one flight of stairs.

It’s a 10-minute walk that will bring you to the tourism office and main bus stop. It’s also where I started messing up our itinerary.

Fatigue had set in and we were beginning to feel the effects of pushing so hard multiple days in a row. By the time we arrived in Courmayeur, it was siesta time and all I could think of was how badly I needed a siesta. Not much was open for us to refuel our bodies with and grocery stores were closed so we couldn’t restock. Luckily the campground we were headed to was supposed to have a restaurant so we left Courmayeur in hopes of some rest…turned out the restaurant was no longer open 🙁

Overall Tips for Day 3

I’d cut off the downhill section from Col Chécrouit but note that the cable car only runs until 5:30 p.m.

If you are camping, see our Camping the TMB blog for details on your camping options nearby since there are no campgrounds in the town of Courmayeur.

If you are trying to fastpack the TMB you have a big dilemma.

Your dilemma is whether to skip Courmayeur to experience Bonatti or try to get to Bonatti and skip Courmayeur. As you’ll see in the next section, Bonatti is amazing and I wouldn’t skip it.

From Courmayeur, you can get to Refugio Bonatti in about 3 hours by getting a bus ticket to the Ferret Valley and getting off close to Camping Grandes Jorasses. Then you walk the road a few more minutes and will see the familiar yellow trail signs that will point you toward La Leche and then onto Bonatti.

Going this way still gives you impressive views of Mont Blanc and the Jorasses but in less time than hiking straight from Courmayeur.

You can even cut more time off by riding the bus further to Lavachey and then taking the trail straight up to Bonatti, but I’d only do this as a last resort in bad weather since the views from the upper trail on the way to Bonatti are fantastic. Although, the views from Bonatti too are some of the best you’ll ever see.

Day 4: Val Ferret to Refugio Bonatti

• Total miles/kilometers hiked: 8km/5mi
• Total elevation gain: 300m/1000ft
• Total elevation loss: 100m/300ft
• Stages covered: Stage 5 (with a modified start)
• Campground to Main TMB Trail: 1 hour
• Main TMB Trail Junction to Rifugio Bonatti: 1 hour

Val Ferret to Main TMB Trail Junction – Alternate Route

Back to how we fastpacked the TMB…We left the campground at 7 a.m. and within 5 minutes arrived at a river with the familiar yellow trail signs pointing us to La Leche.

Several roads are branching left and right but when in doubt, just stay on the main center road. In less than 20 minutes you’ll see a much smaller trail on the left side of the road. That’s the one you want . There’s a small sign on a rock pillar that says 30 min to La Leche. It took us closer to 45 minutes but that’s because we had clear views of Mont Blanc the entire way up and were constantly stopping to take pictures and admire the scenery.

La Leche is just an on old abandoned building, not too exciting, but marks the way and confirms that you are on the right trail.

Main TMB Trail Junction to Rifugio Bonatti – Stage 5

About 15 minutes later our trail merged with the main TMB trail and from here it’s an hour and fifteen to Rifugio Bonatti.

It was wonderful being on a mostly flat trail that weaves in and out of the forest along the hillside while staring at the walls of rock and ice across the Ferret Valley.

The only hard part that day was the 5-minute steep climb to Bonatti, but the views and food were worth the tiny effort.  

Rifugio Bonatti

We had heard great things about Refugio Bonatti both in terms of location and food. It was all true. The location trumps all the others we’ve been to, even Elisabetta because it faces a huge glacial cirque.

There is a large grassy area in front with picnic tables but we used the space to spread out and do some Yoga for Hikers . This was our halfway point and we were hoping to do some major recovering in the next 22 hours before we hiked again.  

Since we did spend the entire day here it was fun to watch all the other hikers come and go. This is the busiest hut I’d seen and since it’s only a four-hour hike from Courmayeur, it gets a lot of day hikers in addition to the hikers doing the TMB.  

Eating at Rifugio Bonatti

Let’s start with the coffee. One of the best parts about Italian rifugios is the espresso. Oh my! The espresso foam on the top is just amazing and I can’t get enough of it.

Then there’s the pastries. We arrived at the Refugio at 10 a.m. on an empty stomach and started by snacking on their homemade biscuits, which were just shortbread cookies– but some of the best I’ve ever had–along with a few shots of amazing espresso.

For lunch, we split the homemade chocolate cake topped with walnuts and a blueberry shortbread cake because even though the antipasto salad was better than any I’ve ever seen—prosciutto, apples, and cheese on a bed of spring mix lettuces—the cakes looked like something we couldn’t get again and so we gobbled that up and washed it down with a glass of house red wine, all making for a perfect way to chill out while staring at the glaciers.

Then came dinnertime which started with a nice salad and bread followed by a vegetable and bean soup. Next, the main course was a spinach frittata with mashed potatoes and a side of sautéed eggplant, and a slice of brie cheese.

This was all washed down with a simple, yet delicious, dessert of yogurt, apples, and granola. It was a nice finish to a big meal and while many people were grabbing their stomachs and throwing in the towel from being overly full, I was finally just full . It felt like a perfect amount of food for me.

Reservations at Bonatti

We had reserved Rifugio Bonatti a week in advance when we saw rain in the forecast (even though it ended up never raining on us the entire time we hiked), and while it was a great place to stay, it ended up throwing off our timing a little bit and made us lose a day on the trail.

That being said, if you had to pick only one refuge to stay at on the whole Tour du Mont Blanc, Bonatti is the one to stay at.

Bonatti is family run and quaint but also delivers a high-end experience with 5 star service, beds, amenities, and a great mountain community.

As far as reservations, Refugio Bonatti is a large refuge and we probably could’ve found a bed there even without reservations since it was later in the season. Even though we only booked our beds a week in advance, we had to modify our reservation twice and they were able to change our dates easily.

If you don’t want to miss this Refugio, then I’d say to reserve it ahead of time especially if you hike in July or August.

Other Tips on Rifugio Bonatti

The dorm-style room that we slept in here was different than the semi-private room we had at Elisabetta but like Elisabetta, it was a fairly comfy bed with actual sheets and a warm down comforter (and I happened to get lucky and get the bed by the window that looked out at Mont Blanc).

I had the best night’s sleep that I had had since arriving in Europe and woke up the next morning ready to charge.

• The cost for half board was 55 euros and included dinner, a bed in the dormitory for the night, breakfast, a hot shower, and tea to take with you.
• You can pay 75 euros for half board if you’d like a private or semi-private room.
• They don’t take credit cards so make sure to have cash.
• You don’t pay until after dinner, since alcohol isn’t included in the cost, and then you pay for everything when you are done “relaxing” for the evening.
• They say in the confirmation email that you are required to have a sleeping sheet bag or rent one for 3 euros but that didn’t seem the case as I didn’t have one nor did anyone else in my dorm room.
• When you enter the refuge they ask you to take off your hiking shoes and either wear your flip flops/sandals or they have Crocs available for you to wear.
• You can make your reservation online here and they are usually very quick to respond.

Overall Tips for Day 4

If you are trying to fastpack the TMB and you want to experience Bonatti, then skip Courmayeur and either start your stage 4 early in the morning so you have time to get to Bonatti on the main trail, which is about 4 hours after Courmayeur or hop on a bus to cut off some of this time. Or…

If you are trying to fastpack the TMB and you want to experience a night in Courmayeur, then combine stage 5 with stage 6 either by getting an early start since it will be about a 10-hour day of hiking, or shortening it quite a bit by busing to the end of Val Ferret and then rejoining the trail. You can also cut almost an hour off by getting a bus from Ferret to La Fouly in Switzerland.

Day 5: Refugio Bonatti to Champex

• Total miles/kilometers hiked: 29km/18mi
• Total elevation gain: 900m/3000ft
• Total elevation loss: 1900m/6200ft
• Stages covered: Stage 6 and partial Stage 7
• Rifugio Bonatti to Rifugio Elena: 2 hours and 15 minutes
• Rifugio Elena to Ferret: 3 hours
• Ferret to La Fouly: 30 minutes
• La Fouly to Praz-de-Fort: 3 hours and 30 minutes

Rifugio Bonatti to Rifugio Elena – Stage 6

We really had no intention of “fastpacking” the TMB when we were leaving Bonatti.

We wanted to take the alt stage 8 AKA high route to cross Fenettre d’Arpette on a sunny day since it is so high and steep. The best weather in the forecast was for the following day (day 6) so that meant we would need to squeeze two stages together on day 5.

The first part of stage 6 started with great weather and a good pace but by the time we got to Rifugio Elena, the fog was so thick and the wind so strong that we had to take a quick break inside the refuge.

Be warned that stage 6 may not seem like it has much elevation gain based on the elevation profile in the Cicerone guidebook, but it’s still a solid amount of climbing.

You have to descend a small hillside to the base of the valley before you start your climb up to the Grand Col Ferret.

We stepped into Refugio Elena and were so glad we did. We warm up with coffee, a slice of blueberry pie, and the best hot chocolate we’ve ever tasted before attacking the only pass on the day, Grand Col Ferret.

Rifugio Elena

Refugio Elena seemed like a nice alternative to Refugio Bonatti. The pie wasn’t quite as amazing as the pastries we had at Bonatti but the atmosphere was nice and if we could have seen the entire mountain and glaciers across from the Refugio, I’m sure we would’ve been impressed however, the clouds were obstructing the view.

Rifugio Elena to La Fouly – Grand Col Ferret

Getting over Grand Col Ferret was harder than I expected. The climb was steep leaving Elena and the trail was busy.

We cleared the col in the fog so no views but we were thankful for a mellow descent into Switzerland. Really! The trail from Grand Col Ferret to Alpage de la Peule is so heavenly after the crazy steep trails we had hiked down on day two that I remember just being so happy and feeling like we were hiking through Scotland or Ireland since the vegetation changes significantly when you cross the col into Switzerland.

Alpage de la Peule is small but if you decide to stay a night in Courmayeur and want to get a full day of hiking in the next day, then stopping at Refugio Bonatti or Elena might make for too short of days. There’s not a lot to Alpage de la Peule but it would be a good place to rest and eat for the night.

When we left Alpage de la Peule we chose to stay on the road to hike down to Ferret. We were tired and it was easier on our sore feet.   You could opt for the trail but the views aren’t much different.

Upon arriving in Ferret, the plan was to hop on the bus to Champex so we’d be rested for the next day since it was going to be a tough one.

But when we got to Ferret, I didn’t understand the bus schedule at first so we decided to walk another 45 min to La Fouly. The buses were also way pricier than I expected so I thought if we hopped not the bus from La Fouly it’d be cheaper.

I have this tendency to make rash decisions and wing things. Sometimes it works out great and other times it doesn’t. In retrospect, we should’ve waited for the bus because this stretch from Ferret to La Fouly was underwhelming, as will be the stretch from La Fouly to Praz de Fort I’ll soon discover.

We thought we’d get food in La Fouly and then get on the bus but when we got to town the grocery store was closed for siesta. In fact, everything seemed closed for the siesta. I was kind of shocked at how dead asleep the entire town felt.

We had just seen the bus pass on the road heading toward Ferret and figured we’d wait because it should be turning around at Ferret and heading back our way. But after waiting for a half hour I finally took the time to decipher the bus schedule and realized the bus too takes a siesta and wouldn’t be coming back for two more hours😩

We should’ve walked over to the campground and either set up our tents and called it a day or at least lay on the grass and stretched but no, our overzealous egos got all excited about hiking more and so we took off into the forest starting stage 7.  

La Fouly to Champex – Begin Stage 7

Stage 7 is basically “The Flat Part of the TMB Through Switzerland “

Stage 7 is in theory an easy day. The thing is, an easy day on the TMB is still a pretty challenging day. It looks like it’s mostly flat and downhill. But there were a few short uphill sections that were calf burners and if you do the entire stage 7, the climb from Praz de Fort to Champex looked steep.

Easy if you do just stage 7 but not easy if you combine it with another stage.

Two hours after leaving La Fouly, we couldn’t go any further. We hobbled into Praz de Fort and we’re overcome with joy and gratitude when the one restaurant in town was open.

If you are planning on camping the TMB, make sure to read that blog because we would’ve ended up in a huge bind if this one restaurant hadn’t been open.

We ordered two pizzas to eat right then and six sandwiches to go which ended up saving us big time in the day to come.

From Praz de Fort it was easy to grab the bus since it was back to running once per hour in the evening.

We made it up to Champex right before nightfall with just enough time to snap a couple of pics by the lake and get our tent set up.

Champex is a pleasant Swiss town and somewhere I would’ve liked to spend a day. If you choose not to fastpack the TMB, you should consider spending a day here. We met a wonderful couple who spend half their year living here and the other half in Phoenix, Arizona– talk about 2 extremes!!!

Overall Tips for Day 5

If you are fast packing, skip all of stage 7 but make sure you know the bus schedule ahead time so you can make it to Champex before the grocery stores close.

Champex is a much nicer area to rest in than Ferret or La Fouly in my opinion and having some time to rest your legs here before Stage 8 is highly recommended.

Day 6: Champex to Col de Balme

• Total miles/kilometers hiked: 20km/13mi
• Total elevation gain: 1800m/5900ft
• Total elevation loss: 1300m/4200ft
• Stages covered: Alternate Stage 8 and alternate Stage 9

Hiking Times:

• Champex to Fenêtre d’Arpette: 3 hours
• Fenêtre d’Arpette to Chalet du Glacier: 2 hours and 30 minutes
• Chalet du Glacier to Refuge Les Grandes: 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Refuge Les Grandes to Col de Balme: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Champex is a small town and it was only a 5-minute walk from the campground to a delicious bakery that, in addition to having wonderful pastries and bread, offers a breakfast buffet that may be the best deal in Switzerland. For 12 SF you get all-you-can-eat bread with butter and jam, an assortment of cheeses, and deli-style meats. (I’m not sure if coffee is included in that.)

We are not big breakfast eaters so we just grabbed our coffee and pastries and a loaf of bread for later and began the variant (or alternative) to stage 8.

Champex to Fenêtre d’Arpette – Alt Stage 8 Ascent

The alternative stage 8 takes you up and over Fenêtre d’Arpette, the highest point on the TMB (along with Col des Fours). You gain and then lose on this route over 3500 feet, but the descent brings you quite close to the Trient Glacier.

The first 2 hours of this climb aren’t too bad, but then the last hour you are doing so many high steps. In some ways, this was a nice break for our calves but it was hard on the glutes and quads and all the big steps keep pushing your heart rate to 90% max exertion.

We chose this alternative thinking that the views were going to be outrageous but in my opinion, compared to the Val Veni and Val Ferret views, they were just mediocre.

You can see far off into the distance and you do get pretty good views of the Trient glacier, however, if you do alternate stage 9, which I highly recommend, you get just as good views without the torture that comes next for us.

Fenêtre d’Arpette to Chalet du Glacier – Alt Stage 8 Descent

The ascent is hard but feels good plus, there was a bit of scrambling over boulders which I loved. The descent however, was torture.

It’s super steep and there was a lot of scree (loose rock) that made your footing less stable. Luckily, there wasn’t much exposure so the worry was just in slipping, not falling to your death.

The other negative was that this is also a main stage of the Haute Route and so, while we were descending, the trail was very crowded with people climbing up and many places where you’d have to stop and wait for people to pass because the trail just isn’t wide enough for two.  

This section beat up our knees quite a bit and I’d recommend just sticking with the regular stage 8 if you have any knee issues or if the weather isn’t great.   However, if you love bragging rights, then this is your type of hike.

At the bottom of the climb, you get to Chalet du Glacier, which is a small restaurant and a great place to sit and eat some food before either finishing your day in Trient, Col de la Forclaz or Le Peuty or doing the insane like we did and tackle the alternate to stage 9 on the same day.  

Water at Chalet du Glacier

This was our first time on the entire TMB to have to filter water. If we had just been going on to Trient we probably could’ve got by for the one-hour hike with just beer and soda from the Chalet. But since we were going to be climbing again, we busted out our GoFlow Gravity Bag and filtered some water from the river.

Chalet du Glacier to Col de Balme – Alt Stage 9

The next stage was nice. We might have bit off a little more than we can chew, but it wasn’t too big of a bite.

The times in the Cicerone guidebook book were pretty spot on and so it was an hour-and-a-half climb up to Refuge Les Grandes from Chalet du Glacier where we sat and had a wonderful convo with a local who was manning the refuge for the weekend.

The views and ambiance here were so rad because you felt like you had discovered a hidden gem and had it all to yourself pretty much. I highly recommend this route .

The goal for the evening of day 6 was to get to Col de Balme and while it didn’t require crossing any more passes, because from here you just skirt the side of the mountains for a few kilometers, after already doing the oh-so challenging appetite, this was a bit long and required more effort than we hoped (but what else is new on the TMB).  

Thankfully we were rewarded with one of the best nights on the trail.

We walked into Refuge Col de Balme and the owner instantly made us feel welcome. Because it was such a calm and clear night, we wild camped near the refuge and had the most incredible views of Mont Blanc and the surrounding mountains.

Normally the owner recommends trekkers go down a bit from the refuge just because of the weather.

The best part of the day was the delicious dinner we had at the refuge. This was our first time eating croute and it was better than anything I’d eaten so far on the TMB.  

After finishing off our amazing dinner with the best cheesecake I’ve ever had, we retreated to the peace and solitude of our lone tent perched high on the col overlooking Mont Blanc and Chamonix Valley to the west and Trient to the east.

This was one of the most memorable nights of my life. The night sky was so clear and there were so few lights from here that I have never seen the Milky Way so creamy in my life (and I’ve camped in a lot of places). The density of stars just blew me away and my girls may never forgive me for not waking them up at 2 a.m. to soak it in.

But this peace and gratitude I felt that night is probably the reason I ended up kinda screwing up our next day by making a few bad decisions, which meant that instead of ending our TMB on a high note, we end up limping into Chamonix on the seventh day at 9 p.m. with feelings of frustration.

Overall Tips for Day 6

The most direct way to fastback these two stages is by doing the alternate route for both stages.

Go over the Fenêtre d’ Arpette and at Chalet du Glacier, cross the bridge to climb to Refuge Les Grandes. OR you can choose to save the knees and take the traditional route from Champex to Col de la Forclaz and then come around to Chalet du Glacier from the opposite direction before heading up to Refuge Les Grandes.

Time wise the latter (the classic stage 8 route) may be faster even though the distance is a few kilometers longer. Doing the Fenêtre d’ Arpette can be slow and tedious while the regular stage 8 has way less elevation gain or loss so you can keep a faster pace.

Day 7: Col de Balme to Chamonix

• Total miles/kilometers hiked: 20km/12.5mi
• Total elevation gain: 1000m/3300ft
• Total elevation loss: 2100m/6900ft
• Stages covered: Stage 10 with a detour to Lac Blanc
• Col de Balme to L’Aiguillette des Posettes: 2 hours
• L’Aiguillette des Posettes to Tre-le-Champ: 1 hour and 45 minutes
• Tre-le-Champ to Lac Blanc: 2 hours and 45 minutes

Col de Balme to L’Aiguillette des Posettes – Begin Stage 10

We woke to a clear sky and the sunrise was simply incredible. The utter silence and complete stillness of the valley below was an experience we will never forget.

We took our time packing up and drinking our coffee that morning, probably more because we loved the vibe and views up at the Refugio than because we were exhausted from two days of intense hiking, but let’s be honest, we had to be pretty worn out at this point.

I’m sure the cortisol pumping through my body from the stroke factor made me not notice how tired I was, but, just like the previous days, we threw our packs on our backs, excited to be on the trail again.

I think we might’ve started on the wrong trail though.

Somehow we ended up summiting L’Aiguillette des Posettes from the wrong side and got a bit confused. It wasn’t a big deal, but probably set us back in time by 20 minutes or so. We thought we’d be camping at Lac Blanc that night so we didn’t worry about it.

It’s funny how much your expectation plays a role in your experience and I expected the day to be somewhat easy so I didn’t think much about how fast we were hiking or feel like there was a need to rush. In retrospect, we should’ve been on the trail earlier and paid more attention to the signs.

L’Aiguillette des Posettes to Tré-Le-Champ – Climbing and Ladders

The descent down to Tré-Le-Champ from Aiguilette was, you guessed it, harder than expected but not as bad as coming off the Arpette the previous day.

When you hit the road you see the trail that starts stage 10 and will take you to Flégère and Lac Blanc if you wish so I was tempted to just push on and get to Lac Blanc as quickly as possible but we only had a loaf of bread with us and I knew I should play it safe and stop for lunch just in case Lac Blanc doesn’t have food.

It was a good call because for one, the food at the restaurant we went to was really good and two, we ended up getting to Lac Blanc after they stopped serving lunch so we didn’t get to eat again that day.

We played it safe and walked down the road for about 5 minutes to this restaurant that serves many many hikers along the TMB.

The food really is incredible and it’s worth the detour if you have time.

After sitting to enjoy our meal for an hour, we put on our packs and I distinctly remember looking at my girls and saying, “I need a nap.” Which is a huge rarity for me. I never nap.

But we pushed on anyway because that’s just what we do.

We hiked back up the road and began the steep climb to Aiguillette d’Argentière. It was fun walking past all the rock climbers and by the time we reached the ladders, I felt invigorated again.

The ladders aren’t as scary as they sound but if you have any fear of heights, you should just take the alternative via Col de Montets.

If you are concerned about the ladders, my friend Mags at Family Freestylers has a great article about the difficulty of the ladders that you can read here .

With the fun behind us, we looked up the mountain and saw Refuge Lac Blanc which we were planning on finishing our day. But we looked up?! For some reason, I thought that when we finished the climb to Tête aux Vents it would be a flat trail to Lac Blanc. I never really considered that it might be another grueling hour of climbing to get there.

I had nothing left.

I remember trying to appreciate the pain in every step, knowing how much I was going to miss this journey soon.

In addition, we had so much good luck along the way that I made the error of assuming what was will always be. But our luck had run out.

A half-hour before you arrive at Lac Blanc, you reach Lacs de Chésery. It was more crowded here than I expected and we ran into fellow hikers that we had met at Bonatti who said we should stop here and enjoy these lakes because they are prettier than Lac Blanc.

I thought about listening to their advice and even thought that it might be good to just set up camp here and then hike up to check out Lac Blanc but FOMO and hunger got the best of me.

We had read on other people’s blogs on camping the TMB and I thought we’d be able to camp at Lac Blanc. The view was supposed to be incredible there and I wanted to get to the refuge as fast as possible to make sure we’d be able to get food because we only had that loaf of bread left from two days ago (yummy!).

After 30 minutes of painful climbing, we arrive at the refuge only for the owner to tell me she’s done serving lunch, has no beds available for the night, and can’t camp there.

She does offer to include us for dinner but at 25 euros per person, I was reluctant and the thought of sitting down to dinner with a bunch of strangers who would be nice and clean from their hot shower made me uncomfortable seeing as we hadn’t showered since Bonatti, three nights ago.

It’s almost 6 pm and I’m beaten. I just want to be done. I needed food, rest, and a hot shower. In retrospect, I should’ve paid for dinner and not cared how smelly I was.

It’s going to replay in my mind for so long.

Why didn’t I just pay for the dinner, get over myself for being stinky, and then hike back down to the Chésery lakes, and enjoy one more night on the trail ?

Forgiveness is hard, especially forgiving yourself.

Instead, I looked at Google Maps and it says 2 hours walking time to get to the closest town of Les Bois, which is right next to Chamonix. I look at the girls and say Can we just be done? They reluctantly “agree” but moreover they just succumbed to my pleas to finish right now because they just want to make me happy. And so, we set off to complete the TMB in 7 days.

Lac Blanc to Chamonix – Partial Stage 10 and Le Flegere Alternative Descent

The first mistake was taking the most direct route to Flégère via a trail that was marked closed. It was being repaired and while we saw others take this route and the path wasn’t that bad, I did step on a loose wooden board that caused me to fall, almost cartwheeling off the side of the mountain. Luckily, I wasn’t hurt, but it was a bad start to an even worse finish.

When you get to Flégère you can go left more towards Les Tines or slightly to the right toward Chamonix and Les Bois. Normally the cable car is running and this would be the easiest option if you were fastpacking the TMB.

But this year the cable car was being repaired and so we had to hike off the mountain. To our surprise, the entire trail network near Flégère was closed and since night was falling we thought we should play it safe and stay on the road.

I have never seen a road this steep in my life.

I’m not sure how vehicles make their way up and down this road because even with 4wd and a low gear, I’d be afraid of losing control and ending up in the trees.

We practically scooted down on our butts for the 20 switchbacks in the first 2 kilometers. Google Maps was finally wrong.

It took us 3 painful hours to get down the mountains and another hour to hike to the campground.

The only positive to this horrendous evening of hiking was the absolutely beautiful sunset that graced Chamonix Valley. The whole mountains were glowing and even in our frustrated stupor, we couldn’t help but stand there awestricken.

By 10 p.m. nothing was open and while the kind man at the campground reception offered us a can of ravioli, I was way too tired to eat cold noodles. We went to bed hungry and feeling defeated.

I know we missed out that night on what would’ve been the second most memorable night of my life.

We woke up though in good spirits and laughed it off. We may have messed up on our last day, but the sum total of the experience was perfect.

In fact, after showering and packing everything back into our packs, we walked to the train station to go get coffee and chocolate croissants in Chamonix planning out next year’s backpacking trip.

Will it be the Alta Via or the Haute route?

Stay tuned…

Overall Tips for Day 7

Basically don’t do what we did.

First of all, you should absolutely just ride the gondola down from Charamillon and Le Tour then walk the last bit to Tré-Le-Champ.

The views from L’Aiguillette des Posettes aren’t much different than the trail Col de Balme and our legs would’ve felt so much better on stage 11 if we had skipped that section.

Second, reserve Lac Blanc if you are planning on doing a long day of hiking and want to stay there for the night because there are not any other food options along stage 11 until you get to Brévent or Refuge de Bellachat, and if you get there late they might not be open or they will be only serving food for their guests staying the night.

Lac Blanc was very beautiful and is rightfully known as one of the most scenic spots on the Tour du Mont Blanc. On a clear day, you get views of the jagged mountains towering above the crystal-clear lake. So with that, I will say that it is worth the detour to come here .

If you’re camping just know that you’ll actually have to make camp at Lacs de Chésery and then go up and explore Lac Blanc. I probably would recommend calling in advance and paying to be a part of dinner unless you somehow have your own supply of food for the night.

For non-campers or if even campers, I highly recommend staying at the refuge. This refuge just re-opened after being closed for 2 years and supposedly it’s a quaint but nice refuge with solid food.

Thanks for reading and I honestly hope this helped you with planning your TMB trip! I hesitated to even share this post because I know it’s a little rambly but all the mistakes I made on our trek were because there wasn’t enough information on the internet for me to know ahead of time. My goal is to help you learn from my mistakes 🙂

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out related Tour du Mont Blanc blogs below!

Tour du mont blanc resources.

• 35 Photos to Inspire You to Hike The Tour du Mont Blanc
• Where to Stay in Chamonix, France
• Ultimate Tour du Mont Blanc Pack List
• The Ultimate Planning Guide to the Tour du Mont Blanc (coming soon)
• Tour du Mont Blanc Camping Guide (Coming soon)
• The Best Stages on the Tour du Mont Blanc (Coming soon)

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Tuesday 31st of January 2023

Loving this blog, thank you for writing it. I am helping my twin sons research their TMB trip and had a few questions. They are both strong long distance runners (both compete in college and run 60+ miles a week) and their coach suggested running on average 10 miles a day then hiking the rest of that days miles to the next town. I am having a hard time finding a time frame to use that will help me book places to stay. Meaning, they are unsure how to break the trip up. They don't want to race it and want to enjoy the beauty but also would enjoy the run and for sure do not want to take a guided tour. Any advice would be welcome.

Friday 10th of February 2023

@Nan, Did you look at our other blog Tour Du Mont Self Guided? It has the days/times broken down. We did it in 7 days and didn't have to run at all and I wouldn't consider us fast hikers. It was pretty easy to just put in a long day of hiking and still enjoy the views. For example, we'd get up and hike from 9-1, stop to enjoy lunch, and then hike again from 2-6. There was that one day in Switzerland where we go to town during siesta so we hiked on and it ended up being a really long day and had to catch a bus to the campground and the last day we should've stopped to camp at the lake instead of hiking all the way back into town, but other than that, our other days weren't that hard.

Saturday 9th of July 2022

Thanks so much for the info, super helpful and cant wait to put it to use when tackling the Mont Blanc Trail !

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How to Do a Multi-Day Run on the Tour du Mont-Blanc Trail

High alpine meadows, soaring peaks, and farm-fresh cuisine served in mountain huts, a multi-day run around the tmb can be as dreamy as it sounds—with the right preparation.

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Three countries. Glacier-filled views. High alpine pastures, and all of it along the course of the world’s most famous trail race. If there is one place in the world to do a multi-day trail running trip, it’s the Tour du Mont-Blanc.

From mid-June through late September, a burgeoning number of trail runners are flocking to this route long beloved by hikers from around the world. The Tour du Mont-Blanc (TMB) has become trail running’s de facto pilgrimage. And for good reason.

Starting in the hyperactive mountain town of Chamonix, France at the base of 15,780-foot Mont Blanc, the 100-mile TMB loop is one of the oldest continuous foot paths in the world. The list of glowing adjectives and superlatives reads like hackneyed tourist office boilerplate: high alpine meadows ringing with cow bells, soaring peaks, French, Italian, and English mixing in the air at cozy mountain huts as bowls of polenta with fresh, local fontina cheese as dished out by the resident guardians, or caretakers.

Running the TMB over the course of four to eight days is as dreamy as it sounds—with the right preparation.

RELATED: Why Chamonix Is the Center of the Trail Running Universe

In the Footsteps of Ultrarunning Legends

The rise of trail running on one of the world’s most iconic multi day hikes parallels, logically, the ultra trail race that borrows its name, UTMB. (Now UTMB du Mont-Blanc so as to not be confused with the 44 other races in the UTMB World Series.) That race’s history goes back to the fall of 2002, when after a not-insignificant amount of prodding from René Bachelard, then the head of Chamonix’s running club, CMBM, a group of volunteers met at the Hotel Faucigny and created a daring, no-holes-barred, non-stop race around the range, which that first year was known as The North Face International Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc.

We all know the spectacle it’s transformed into in those ensuing 22 years. Fortunately, you don’t have to run the loop around “Le Mont Blanc” in 19:37:43, as American Jim Walmsley did en route to winning UTMB last year. In fact, running the Tour du Mont-Blanc can be downright leisurely. Villages are nicely spaced, roughly 10 to 20 miles apart, to make for a 6-day tour with 14-21 or so miles and 3,000- to  6,000 feet of climbing each day.

Chamonix is 90 minutes from the Geneva Airport, with a half dozen or more services happy to shuttle you there. And if you use the same hotel for the start and finish, you can usually leave a few bags in storage for no additional fee.

Choices, Choices

Before you dive into planning, you’ve got a few key choices to make. The TMB breaks logically into a six-day trip, because of the spacing of villages on the route. But if you’re feeling badass and have a headlamp at the ready, consider doubling up for big days out. If it’s your first time on the route, however, be forewarned: the scent of  warm croissants can be kryptonite for your Strava times. Consider the more leisurely itinerary, and you’ll get to take in the views and the calories en route. (See the chart below for a typical breakout.)

Next, decide your style. One of the real delights of the route is that thanks to luggage transport services around the mountain, you can run all day with just the essentials, show up at your hotel, and grab your duffel filled with town clothes, your iPad, foam roller, favorite treats and, well, you name it. Or you can save a few euros and fastpack the route. Just don’t be too mopey when Les Traileurs run past toting 12 liters instead of 25.

Next, pick your route. While the TMB is an obvious, heavily traveled loop, options—called variants—abound. For a full list of options, see this summary of common variants to make the route both longer and shorter.  Our favorite? The high, wild climb over Fenetre d’Arpette. It’s dramatic and rugged, with an exciting top-out at the col, with a scrambly descent in places. And, oh, it ends at Buvette du Glacier with plenty of regional treats. (I recommend the tarte aux pêches.)

RELATED: Read More of RUN’s Stories about UTMB and Chamonix 

How to Run the TMB

Planning a trip around the range used to be a simple matter of dashing off emails to village hotels and mountain cabins. But with growing numbers on the route, users are confronting a variety of new challenges, on and off the trail.

On the trail, as the saying goes, timing is everything. Default to the standard hours for breakfast, and you might find yourself in the midst of a pole-clanging TMB conga line of international hikers, walkers, and trail runners. Roll out from under the duvet early, however, and you’ll have quiet trails and can avoid a long mid-day wait for croute au fromage at the refuges. Consider TMB variants to keep numbers down. Only diehards who aspire to race UTMB du Mont-Blanc one day will stick to the course. Let me explain why.

Off the trail, mostly gone are the days of booking a hotel a few months before your trip. Hotels are jammed with requests, and many now take reservations much earlier—often a year or more in advance, with exact dates varying with each hotel. There are “pinch points,” too, locations like Trient, Switzerland, where you’re looking at some taxi times ranging from 15 to 45 minutes to reach a bigger town with more capacity. Rooms come and go, based on when tour operators come up against dates when reservations become non-refundable.

Baggage transport services only pickup and deliver to partner hotels. Both paying and cancellation terms are a hodge-podge, varying from one business to another. If you like Google Sheets and have time to play, you’ll like the puzzle. If you don’t, well, Google has another answer: search for “TMB Trail Running Vacation Tour Companies.”

Much of those trials and tribulations can be mitigated by eyeing the shoulder seasons of early June or mid-September. But you will be trading quieter trails and less-stressed hoteliers for potentially tricky trail and weather conditions. After a big spring of snow this year, some early bird trail runners found themselves on more snow than trail, with the consequent risks of unplanned slides down steep snowfields, crevasses, and snowbridges undermined with rushing water.

And the weather in the Alps deserves your attention, especially during June and September. While the trail elevation isn’t as lofty as other big mountain ranges—the year-round snow and glaciers are mostly above about 3,000 meters (9,850 feet)—wintry storms can land any month of the year, and unprepared travelers at the wrong place at the wrong time can quickly become a statistic. When I raced Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc in 2017, crossing that year’s high point at 8,323-foot high Grand Col Ferret felt more like Fairbanks, Alaska, than Ferret, Switzerland. On race safety detail, my friend Federico Gilardi greeted me in a one-piece down suit, bear-hugged me, and yelled for me to start running down right away. (Sleet turned to rain turned to clouds over the ensuing half hour.)

RELATED:  Book Review—”The Race That Changed Running: The Inside Story of UTMB”

Protecting This Place We Love to Play 

There is one big, juicy caveat to trail running the TMB. In Chamonix, this summer, the mot-du-jour is surtourisme , overtourism. During busy weekends mid-summer, the route is just plain packed. Busses up Italy’s Val Ferret will conjure up images of the professional packers who work Tokyo’s subways. You will never look ahead and see an empty singletrack, and a lunch hour with one of the world’s best views will snake out of the entrance to Refugio Bonatti.

Last year, a video filmed by a local hiking guide showed dozens of trekkers leaving the village of Les Contamines, France, for their day on the TMB. It went viral, spurring on discussion of how to manage burgeoning numbers. There are no easy solutions. Unlike, say, California’s 211-mile long John Muir Trail, the TMB has dozens if not hundreds of access points. In place of one country and a few federal agencies, there are three countries, 18 municipalities, and only-God-knows how many agencies are involved in managing the route.

“I like to think of the TMB as a pilgrimage, in part because it’s awe-inspiring and also because of how many people are doing it.  When you hike or run the TMB, you’re not alone. If you embrace it, that can be part of the fun,” says Troy Haines, the owner of US-based hiking tour company Alpinehikers. “The TMB is not the place to ‘get away from it all.’ Years ago, there were quiet corners, but not now.  Every year there are more and more people who want to come, but still just the few same inns in the more remote valleys.  You might not notice it when you’re on the TMB, but you do notice the difference if you go to other regions, where the energy is much more relaxed.”

Fortunately, there are things you can do to reduce your impact. Start by brushing up on the seven LNT principles, and then apply them to the TMB. Before you go, read up on local regulations, which vary between countries, and often within them as well, as the trail passes through several protected alpine areas. (For example: swimming is not allowed in alpine tarns, where sunscreen can alter the pH of the water.)

In terms of physical impact, a few examples include traveling in a small group (the smaller the better), staying on the trail, cleaning up “micro-litter” as you go, and using established facilities that can handle your impact instead of “wild” camping. Culturally, it’s thoughtful to learn a few key phrases in French and Italian, and learn the local etiquette on the trail and at mountain huts. There’s plenty more, of course. Two good places to start are the Chamoniard, an association devoted to disseminating mountain information, and Autour du Mont Blanc, the official web site for the trail. Feeling overwhelmed? Hiring a reputable tour company is one way to quickly address these concerns.

And before, during and after your trip, support the non-profit groups that are on the front lines working to protect both the resource and the experience. Hillary Gerardi, a Black Diamond-sponsored trail runner who lives in the Chamonix Valley, has worked for one of those groups: CREA-Mont Blanc, a science-focused nonprofit that studies the alpine ecosystem. She suggests donating to that organization, as well as Mountain Wilderness, whose goal is to protect wild mountain regions, or Inspire, which works to improve air quality in the region. In Switzerland, Gil Caillet-Bois, the Race Director for Trail Dents-du-Midi, the oldest trail race in the Alps, suggests supporting Summit Foundation , whose mission is to reduce environmental impacts in heavily trafficked alpine areas. Over in Italy, the Foundation Monagna Sicura carries out alpine research and supports sustainable development initiatives.

“The nonprofits that work here are tuned into the impacts of climate change, biodiversity loss, and overtourism,” Gerardi says. “There are a lot of different approaches, but personally I’m excited to see ones dedicated to helping people to understand what’s going on and how it is impacting them, whether through scientific research or informing them about ongoing challenges.”

Now, a late-in-the-game confession: I’m not a disinterested journalist on this topic. More than a decade ago, I started Run the Alps, a company that offers trail running tours. Serendipity and a career change brought me to Chamonix full-time six years ago. I can throw a baguette out my living room window and, if the wind is coming off the Le Tour glacier, it’ll land on the TMB.

RELATED: 8 Essential Tips for Trail-Running Travel

Run the Alps has adopted a statement of values that holds us to being a “net positive” company. So, the questions surrounding overuse on the TMB are something we think about nearly every day. Some answers are easy (hop on the rocks when you’re in a muddy paturage , please). Others, less so. (In an era of rapid climate change, is all tourist travel decadent? How much is too much?) We’ve created LNT guidelines for all our trips, and on the TMB our standard groups are no more than seven guests and one guide. As of this summer, we’ve developed a 30 page internal handbook for our guides which highlights interpretive tips they can share with our guests.

Overuse of wild lands is hardly unique to the TMB, of course. And slipping into a running pack and running to high mountain huts through three countries is still as dreamy as it sounds. Time your visit right (hint: the first three weeks of August) and the likes of Katie Schide or Jim Walmsley just might float past you on the trail.

Many years ago, I was atop Grand Col Ferret, one foot in Italy and the other in Switzerland, when a wild-eyed, sunburned trail runner powered by, toting a heavy-looking fast pack. It was Colorado’s Zach Miller, who that August was doing his best Tazmanian Devil impersonation, whipping around the Mont Blanc range, lap after lap, bivvying as he went. When it comes to trail running, the TMB is full of surprises.

And as for René Bachelard, the man who inspired it all? Happily, he’s still here in Chamonix, and he’s even on Strava , though his account has been quiet recently. If you’re lucky enough to take in trail running’s Super Bowl during the last week of August, keep your eyes open for a thin, sporty-looking nonagenarian meandering along Chamonix’s pedestrian-friendly Rue du Dr. Paccard. Should you spy him, I’d just ask that you nod politely in thanks for that one day in 2002 when he twisted arms and talked a small group of traileurs into diving headfirst into what seemed at the time a downright audacious idea.

RELATED: Hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc: A Beginner’s Guide

A Typical Daily Breakout of a Run Around the TMB

Day 1: Chamonix to Les Contamines via Col Tricot

22.5K (14 miles), 1380 meters (4,530 feet) ascent, 1,260 meters (4,130 Feet) descent

Day 2: Les Contamines to Les Mottets

26K (16 miles), 1,620 meters (5,315 feet) ascent, 910m (2,990 feet) descent

Day 3: Les Mottets to Courmayeur, Italy

24kK (15 miles), 1,135 meters (3,730 feet) ascent, 1,640 meters (5,390 feet) descent

Day 4: Courmayeur, Italy to La Fouly, Switzerland

34K (21 miles), 1,370 meters (4,480 feet) ascent, 1,540 meters (5,040 feet) descent

Day 5: La Fouly to Trient

29K (18 miles), 1,160 meters (3,810 feet) ascent, 1,005 meters (3,300 feet) descent

Day 6: Trient to Chamonix, France via Chamonix valley

9K (18 miles), 1,720 meters (5,640 feet) ascent, 2,210 meters (7,250 feet) descent

Best big days out, combining the days above:

Les Contamines, France, to Courmayeur, Italy, roughly 31 miles

Courmayeur, Italy, to Champex-Lac, Switzerland, roughly 32 miles

Champex-Lac, Switzerland, to Chamonix, France, roughly 18 miles

RELATED: How to Watch the 2024 UTMB World Series Finals—including UTMB

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The Tour of Mont Blanc: Complete two-way trekking guide (Cicerone Trekking Guides) Paperback – June 30, 2020

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• Print length 256 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Cicerone Press Limited
• Publication date June 30, 2020
• Dimensions 4.5 x 0.7 x 6.75 inches
• ISBN-10 1786310627
• ISBN-13 978-1786310620
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About the author, product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Cicerone Press Limited; Fifth edition (June 30, 2020)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1786310627
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1786310620
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.5 x 0.7 x 6.75 inches
• #89 in General France Travel Guides
• #206 in Hiking & Camping Excursion Guides (Books)

About the author

Kev reynolds.

A lifelong passion for the countryside in general, and mountains in particular, drives Kev Reynolds' desire to share his sense of wonder and delight in the natural world through his writing, photography and lectures. Claiming to be The Man with the World's Best Job, he has enjoyed a fruitful partnership with Cicerone since the 1970s, producing more than 50 books, including guides to major trekking regions of Nepal, and to numerous routes in the Alps and Pyrenees, as well as walking guides for Kent, Sussex and the Cotswolds. His collection of autobiographical short stories, A Walk in the Clouds, is a record of 50 years of mountain travel and adventures, while Abode of the Gods tells of eight of his many trekking expeditions in the Himalaya. The Mountain Hut Book, on the other hand, is a celebration of those alpine refuges perched in remote places, brought to life through joyful tales and exciting photographs.

Kev is an honorary life member of the Outdoor Writers' and Photographers' Guild (OWPG), and an honorary member of both SELVA (the Société d'Etudes de la Littérature de Voyage Anglophone) and the British Association of International Mountain Leaders (BAIML). When not in the mountains, he lives with his wife in view of what he calls 'the Kentish Alps' with unrestricted walking country on his doorstep. But he also travels throughout Britain and abroad during the winter months to share his love of wild places through a series of lectures.

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Customers find the guidebook provides detailed information and a wonderful storyline. They also say it's the only guidebook that gives detailed information about hiking the trails.

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Customers find the book's content detailed, and appreciate that it provides information for hikers.

"...And it may be the only guidebook that gives detailed information whether you hike the trail anti-clockwise (as is typical) or clockwise..." Read more

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Customers find the storyline wonderful and perfect for a hiking guide book.

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"...This trip just looks so relaxing! Perfect adventure in the middle of a pandemic!!! Can't wait to find me in the great wilderness!!!..." Read more

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