Tour de Mont Blanc – The most beautiful long distance trail in Europe

Are you familiar with the Tour de Mont Blanc? To me, this premium circular hiking trail around Mont Blanc was completely unknown, until Chizuru told about it quite enthusiastically.

For my 40th in the summer of 2021, I was looking for a special long-distance hiking trail. And so slowly it becomes a tradition in my family to discover something on foot on big birthdays.

Although the Tour du Mont-Blanc is less well known in German-speaking countries, it enjoys great popularity among hikers from all over the world and, along with the Haute Route and the Tour du Monte Rosa, is one of the three best-known long-distance hiking trails in the European Alps.

The route is about 170 km long, offers a total elevation gain of about 10,000 m and spans three countries: France, Italy and Switzerland.　　

The trail itself is technically easy enough for anyone who has some hiking experience in the mountains. Apart from individual variants. In addition, you can stay in excellently equipped huts or normal hotels, which is downright perfect for leisurely hiker like us.

Hiking during the day with spectacular views of the glaciers and enjoying French Italian gastronomy in the evening is a great way to say goodbye to my 30s, don’t you think?

Due to all the Corona restrictions, we planned the trip on fairly short notice, but it all went off without a hitch and was a really great experience.

We would like to share our experience on the Tour de Mont-Blanc here and help with planning. Because the long-distance hike is absolutely recommendable!

Tour de Mont-Blanc – Summary

• The Tour de Mont-Blanc passes through 3 countries: France, Italy, Switzerland.
• The entire route is about 170 km long.
• The total difference in altitude: about 10,000 m
• The number of mountain passes to overcome: 9 to 14
• The hike lasts between 7 and 12 days
• The highest points are the Col des Fours and the Fenêtre d’Arpette (2,655 m)
• In addition to the basic route, there is a wide range of variation routes to increase the difficulty of the tour
• Inversely, it is possible to take a shortcut with the numerous lifts and public transport.
• Best season: mid-June to September
• Apart from French and Italians, it is dominated by Americans. Before Corona, it was also popular with East Asians (Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan and Korea)
• The official start and finish line is in Les Houches, near Chamonix.
• Traditionally, it is recommended to hike counterclockwise.
• In almost all mountain huts it is possible to book a private room. (Including hot shower and half board)
• It is possible to camp and there are campsites along the route. （Wild camping is generally not allowed in Italy and Switzerland.）
• A hiking tour that pleases not only the eyes, but also the palate.
• Every year in August, an ultramarathon takes place on this route. The winner of 2021 completed the route in just under 21 hours!

Arrival and departure Tour du Mont Blanc

The Tour de Mont-Blanc is a circular tour, so you can basically start anywhere. However, most hikers start at the official starting point, Les Houches in France.

Les Houches is a small village located about 8 km west of the world-famous Chamonix-Mont-Blanc ski resort.
From Germany there are mainly three ways to get to Les Houches:

We took the train from Munich via Zurich to Geneva. Since we have never been to Geneva, we stayed there directly one night to visit the city a bit. The next morning we continued with the Flixbus to Chamonix and from there by train to Les Houches.

TMB Stage 1 Les Houches – Le Brévent – Les Houches

Distance 9.3 km – Altitude difference 1,470 m ascent, 20 m descent

Normally, Brévent (2,525 m) is the last mountain to climb when following the TMB counterclockwise. The descent from Brévent to Les Houches is a crisp 1500 m and is one of the most famous “knee killers” on the TMB.

We had planned to stay two nights in Les Houches to prepare for the tour, but on the second day the weather was so wonderfully sunny that we decided to walk this last stage “clockwise”, i.e. from Les Houches to Chamonix. So we opted for an ascent instead of a descent.

From Les Houches to the Parc de Merlet, a wildlife park at 1500 m, a hiking trail leads through the forest. On the way there you can see the Statue du Christ-Roi, the second largest statue of Christ in France, and you can admire its size up close.

The trail from Parc de Merlet to Refuge de Bellachat is very steep and exposed in places. But it was difficult to concentrate on our feet, because in front of us stretched the mighty Mont Blanc massif and you just have to keep looking in amazement.

We enjoyed the view and a cold drink at the Refuge de Bellachat and then it was another 2 hours uphill to the summit of Brévent. From here on, the climb gets a little gentler, but given the spectacular views, it’s hard to just keep going without constant photo stops.

From the summit of Brévent, the original TMB route goes over the Col du Brévent towards Planpraz, but we took the cable car from the summit down to Chamonix, as this was only a stopover for us.

We took the train from Chamonix back to Les Houches. By the way, the train ride through the Chamonix valley is free with a ticket issued by the hotel and is an experience in itself!

TMB Stage 2 Les Houches – Col de Tricot – Refuge de Miage

Distance 7 km – Altitude difference 430 m ascent, 650 m descent

This stage normally goes from Les Houches over the Col de Voza(1,653m) to Les Contamines. We decided to try a variant over the Col du Tricot (2,120m). In order not to expend too much energy on the first day, we took the Bellevue cable car to Bellevue-Plaeau at 1,800m and, like some other hikers, skipped the rather monotonous forest area at the start.

A flat but narrow trail leads to the suspension bridge of Bionnassay. The trekking overlooking the Bionnassay Glacier was very impressive. After crossing the bridge, the climb to Col du Tricot begins. The climb to Col du Tricot is gentle and the area is full of blueberries to snack on. The descent from Col du Tricot to Refuge de Miage, on the other hand, is very steep and drags. (2km, 550m ↘)

Here we also experienced the first shock moment of this tour, when an elderly hiker wanted to make way for an impatient trail runner couple. She swerved to the outside, lost her balance and fell backwards down the slope. Fortunately, she landed well-padded on her backpack and didn’t suffer any major injuries.

TMB Stage 3 Refuge de Miage – Les Contamines – Chalet Refuge La Balme

Distance 13 km – difference in altitude 760 m ascent, 610 m descent

Today’s route begins with a descent to the village of Les Contamines and followed by climbing to Refuge la Balme, where we spend the night.

Les Contamines is very long and many hikers take advantage of the free bus service that runs about 4 km from the town center to the Chapel of Notre Dame de la Gorge, where the actual trail begins again.

We walked and had an extended coffee break in Les Contamines, also visited the supermarket to buy snacks for two days (The next town is Courmayeur, two days later) and enjoyed a leisurely walk along the river bank to the chapel.

The trail from the chapel to Refuge La Balme is a normal forest trail that is basically very easy to hike. As the name “Gorge” implies, the area is a canyon with several small, mostly hidden waterfalls along the way.

TMB Stage 4 Chalet Refuge La Balme – Col du Bonhomme – Col des Fours – Refuge des Mottets

Distance 12.9 km – Altitude difference 1,090 m ascent, 900 m descent

During the night until early morning it had rained quite heavily, but in the morning it stopped just in time for breakfast and we set off in thick fog. Today we hike a variant of the route over the Col des Fours (2,665m), one of the highest points of the TMB. We therefore hoped for good weather, as this is a minimum requirement for the variant.

Fortunately, when we reached the Col du Bonhomme, the fog had lifted and we could admire the breathtaking view.

From Col du Bonhomme to Refuge Col de la Croix du Bonhomme, the trail becomes a bit more challenging and rocky. On the way we even saw a herd of Ibex. Refuge Col de la Croix du Bonhomme is a little off the trail from Col des Fours, but since it was very cold and windy, we stopped at the hut for a warm drink and a little snack with a bathroom break. The huts on the trail are excellent rest stops as well, not to be missed.

The climb to Col des Fours is rocky, but optimally maintained and the path at 2,665 m is surprisingly easy to manage. From here it’s all downhill to the intermediate destination of Ville des Glaciers. The descent dragged on endlessly, and although the views were spectacular, it was very tedious and exhausting.

Ville des Glaciers is not much more than a hamlet with a single farm, but has clean public toilets and is a good place to take a short break before starting the climb again to Mottets. From here to Refuge des Mottets is 1.6 km, with only 110 meters of elevation gain, but it feels much longer.

TMB Stage 5 Refuge des Mottets – Col de la Seigne – Col Chécrout – Courmayeur

Distance 17.7 km – Altitude difference 1,050 m ascent, 980 m descent

The stage on this day was quite challenging and long with two decent climbs, but it was also one of the most beautiful of the TMB.

From the Refuge des Mottets we first climb up to the Col de la Seigne, which also forms the border with Italy. With the Aiguille des Glaciers in sight, the climb was strenuous but a great experience. We heard that the view from the Col de la Seigne is sensational, but unfortunately when we got to the top we couldn’t really see much because of the fog. We waited a few minutes, but in the long run it was too cold and windy and we moved on.

A bit further down the mountain the fog cleared and we were rewarded with a wonderful panorama and discovered countless Marmots, which were also happy about the sun.

Amazed by the location of Rifugio Elisabetta (just in front of Glacier de la Lex Blanche), we hiked on a straight path through the wetlands Combal. Just before Cabane du Combal, the second climb of the day begins. The hike from here to the Maison Vieille overlooking the Mont Blanc massifs continues to be spectacular.

The overwhelming view of the Miage glacier, the third largest glacier in Italy, is one of the highlights of the TMB, where you can quickly forget the fatigue of the climb.

To avoid this second climb, there is a shortcut from Cabane du Combal directly across Val Veny to La Visaille, from where you can take a bus to Courmayeur. However, the route is not really recommended as you miss out on this spectacular view and a fabulous hiking trail away from the day tourists.

Just before arriving at Maison Vieille, we were surprised by the only rain of our TMB. But it was only a light rain, not even enough to get our rain jackets out. For the descent from Maison Vieille to Courmayeur we used the chairlift and cable car. This area is a huge ski resort, so hiking through the bare mountains in the summer is not really pretty and you can skip these few miles without missing a thing.

Since the UTMB (ultramarathon) was taking place during our stay, we were unable to find accommodation in Courmayeur. Fortunately, the buses in and around Courmayeur run regularly and we were able to reach our accommodation a little outside without any problems. Courmayeur itself is a wonderfully pretty mountain village with lots of restaurants and stores and is halfway along the TMB, so many hikers stop off here.

TMB Stage 6 Courmayeur – Refuge Walter-Bonatti – Chalet Val Ferret

Distance 14.9 km – Altitude difference 900 m ascent, 480 m descent

Today’s stage leads to Chalet Val Ferret via Rifugio Walter Bonatti, one of the most popular huts on the TMB with spectacular views.

The TMB route from Courmayeur goes to Rifugio Walter Bonatti via Rifugio Bertonne, but since there is a trail also directly from Entrèves, where we stayed, we decided to walk this way until we join the TMB.

At the beginning it was a normal forest trail, but once we crossed the forest line, we found ourselves on a panoramic trail with a magnificent view of the Grand Jorasses.

As the day before, the italian side of the TMB offers excellent trails. If we were to return to this area, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to stay in Courmayeur and do some hiking in the surrounding mountains.

The Rifugio Walter Bonatti was quite crowded with day-trippers, probably because it was a weekend. The view from the hut is so impressive, as you can read everywhere. From here to our destination, we followed a narrow trail built into the mountainside. An absolute feast for the eyes, from the first step to the last!

After a long descent, we reached the Chalet Val Ferret, a former farm that has been converted into a hotel – ice cold in the evening.

TMB Stage 7 Chalet Val Ferret – Col Ferret – La Fouly

Distance 13.4 km – Elevation gain 790 m ascent, 960 m descent

Today’s stage begins with a continuous climb via Rifugio Elena to Grand Col Ferret (2,536m), the border with Switzerland.

Like yesterday, the weather was fantastic and the climb was not as difficult as expected. The view was again spectacular wherever you looked, and so we did not even notice the first meters of altitude. Having the massive glaciers of the Mont Blanc massif constantly in view is the best motivation!

At the same time, up close you can see the remains of the glaciers that once covered the area, and realize that global warming is also taking its toll on the Mont Blanc massif.

Once on the Swiss side, the mountains were suddenly lush green as far as the eye could see. To top it off, we were met by rugged-looking shepherds with their flock of sheep!

After a long and gentle descent, we reached the Alpages de la Peule. There we took a rest and then we should get on a simple forest road to our destination, La Fouly. Actually. But somehow we missed the right turn and followed another trail built along a very narrow mountain face.

When we noticed the mistake, however, we had already walked too far and decided after a look at our GPS map to just keep going. A partly, quite nerve-wracking path. Later we learned that it was a section of the long-distance hiking trail TOUR DU SAINT-BERNARD.

It seems that one summer is not enough to explore all the wonderful hiking routes in this area.

La Fouly is a small village at the foot of the Mont Dolent, which has not much to offer except a few restaurants and an overpriced supermarket. The scenery is excellent as usual and you certainly won’t get bored here. The village seems to be more crowded in the winter ski season.

TMB Stage 8 La Fouly – Champex Lac

Distance 14.3 km – Elevation gain 470 m ascent, 620 m descent

Today’s tour starts with a nice hike through the valley on the Swiss side of Val Ferret. It was a nice change after all the previous alpine mountain trails we had last days.

This section is so easy to hike that many people prefer to skip it, but we really enjoyed it. It’s fun to hike through the small villages of Switzerland. But beware, there’s a 400 m steep climb to Champex at the end that’s a bit too athletic to call it an easy hike.

Incidentally, the UTMB runners passed by while we were staying overnight in Champex, so we didn’t have a disruptive encounter with them while hiking. This was not planned, but ultimately very good and recommended. It’s not so easy to run on a narrow trail with hundreds of other trail runners at the same time.

Hiking break at Champex Lac
Champex-Lac is a small village on the shores of the beautiful lake of the same name. We stayed here for 2 nights to rest. Lac de Champex is a small but very beautiful lake with a nice loop trail. Maybe it was because of the altitude (1,466 m), although it was sunny, the temperature was not really suitable for swimming.

Instead of swimming in the cold lake, we decided to do a day hike from the top station in Breya. La Breya can be easily reached by chairlift and the ride is an experience in itself.

TMB Stage 9 Champex Lac – Fenetre d’Arpette – Refuge Le Peuty

Distance 14.5 km – Elevation gain 1,200 m ascent, 1,302 m descent

From Champex, the TMB is divided into two routes: a normal TMB route to Trient via Bovine (1,987 m) and a variation route via the Fenetre d’Arpette (2,665 m) to Trient, which we chose. This route is considered one of the most demanding on the TMB.

And we can only agree!

From Champex Lac, a normal hiking trail first leads to a popular hut called Realais d’Arpette, which is about 2 km away. However, as you pass this hut and approach Fenêtre d’Arpette, the trail becomes steadily steeper.

We literally climbed up a path that could not be called a trail and was lined with huge rocks. As the name suggests, the Fenêtre d’Arpette is a narrow pass that looks like a window. At its highest point, a few exhausted hikers rested among narrow boulders before attempting the descent.

On the other side of Fenêtre d’Arpette, the Trient Glacier stretches out right in front of us, and the view from here is indescribable! The climb up to this point was already quite strenuous, but the descent from here to our destination was also tedious and (too) long.

At the Buvette du Glacier du Trient, the only hut on the trail, we cooled our smoking feet in a stream and headed for Refuge Le Peuty, our lodging for the day. We left Champex Lac at 8:30 am and reached our accommodation in Trient at 4:30 pm, undoubtedly the longest day of the TMB.

TMB Stage 10 Refuge Le Peuty – Col de Balme – Tre le Champ

Distance 11.1 km – Elevation gain 870 m ascent, 840 m descent

Today we leave Switzerland and return to France. Unlike yesterday, today’s climb was continuous but gentle. As the Col de Balme (2,203 m) approaches, the landscape becomes rockier again and Mont Blanc can now be seen once more.

After a stop at the Refuge du Col de Balme, wonderful hot cocoa and cake, we descended via Le Tour to Tre le Champ, our destination for the day.

From the Col de Balme, the TMB splits into two directions. One towards L’ Aiguillettes des Possettes and the other towards Le Tour. We decided to go via Le Tour towards Tre le Champ, which is closer to our accommodation today.　

It was another beautiful and quite relaxing day. The air was also so clear that we could even see surrounding mountains in the distance.

TMB Stage 11 Tre le Champ – La Flégère – Lac Blanc – Chamonix

Distance 5.92 km – Altitude difference 110 m ascent, 630 m descent

Today’s stage takes us over the oft-discussed Ladder section, often considered the most challenging part of the TMB’s regular route.

We had already decided before the start not to do this section because Chizuru is afraid of heights. There is also an alternative route from Tre le Champ to La Flégère via Lac Blanc without the ladder, but this route is also very narrow and exposed in places, there are often reports of falling rocks, so it was not an option for us.

So we decided to take the bus from Tre le Champ to La Flégère, take the cable car to L’Index and just walk from there to Lac Blanc, which we really wanted to see.

We were “forewarned” that this route is very popular with day tourists and also suitable for families. But staying on the given path, especially in the fog we had again that morning, was not at all as easy as expected, also due to the lack of signposts.

A casually dressed couple from Cologne – we Germans also stumble around everywhere – asked us for directions on the way because they could no longer find it. We looked, according to them, like we knew what we were doing, and they followed us from then on in their fancy sneakers and jeans all the way to the lake.

Unfortunately, the fog had not yet lifted when we arrived at Lac Blanc, and we were thus unable to see the famous reflection in the lake. Instead, we treated ourselves to a hot soup at the hut by the lake and enjoyed the play of clouds.

From La Flégère we actually wanted to continue hiking to Planpraz, but it started raining and there was a wind warning, so we decided to go straight down by cable car after all. Getting caught in a thunderstorm at over 2,000 meters on our last day didn’t sound as enticing as exploring the quaint old town of Chamonix Mont Blanc.

TMB Stage 12 Chamonix – Parc de Merlet – Les Houches

Distance 12 km – Altitude difference 510 m ascent, 540 m descent

It is the last day of the TMB, but we would love to do another round!

Since we had already walked the route from Chamonix to Les Houches via Brevent on the first day, we now wanted to walk directly along the river to Les Houches. However, the weather was so good that we decided to gain a little altitude to enjoy a last panoramic view of the Mont Blanc massif.

Just before Les Houches is the Parc de Merlet, a wildlife park at 1,500 meters above sea level. This park, which we only passed on the first day of our hike, is famous for its mountain panorama, as it is located directly in front of the Mont Blanc massif.

If you reach the zoo on foot, you will find a secret password on the trail along the way, which you can give at the entrance and receive a discount of 2 euros. A small but nice reward for the extra effort, because the park could also be reached by car and bus from Les Houches.

We arrived at the park at the hottest time of day, so we didn’t get to see many animals, but we were very happy to see so many peaks of the Mont Blanc massif on our last day.

We hiked back to Les Houches with great satisfaction and celebrated the success of the last few days at Restaurant Le Basilic, a delicious and quaint French restaurant.

The Tour de Mont Blanc is a hike for connoisseurs, and we now understand why young and old from both Asia and the U.S. come all this way to do it once in a lifetime.