The Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB), spanning France, Italy, and Switzerland, is a 170-kilometer trek around Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Western Europe. Our journey began in Chamonix, France, with the anticipation of experiencing the famed trail known for its stunning alpine scenery.
Our experience
Day 1 – Les Houches – Gite Le Pontet (19,3 km / 6 hours)
Our journey on the Tour du Mont Blanc began with a night at the La Folie Douce hotel in Chamonix. We parked our car at Parking Saint-Michel for the entire hike, as most of the parking spots were full and some parking spots claim you can’t park overnight. Also, free parking is limited in Chamonix. We would definitely recommend to spend 1-2 days in Chamonix to visit Aiguille du Midi – a cable car up to a viewpoint at 3842m. This is the closest you can get to the summit of Mont-Blanc without hiking or climbing. It’s best to buy the tickets one day before, as it gets very crowded at the cable car station. Another tip would be to go paragliding, you’ll see the paragliders circling above you in Chamonix frequently.
We took the bus near the train station to Les Houches at 6AM to start our hike. It was a chilly morning, but the sun was rising which made the views look stunning as we gradually walked up the hill. The start was a steep climb, so some hikers prefer to take the Bellevue cable car up, which cuts two hours off the trail time. However, note that much of the Tour du Mont Blanc transport options are only available during peak periods, which are July and August. After we reached the top of the Col du Tricot, there was a very steep descent down to Refuge Miage. It takes about 1 hour to descend this steep zig zag trail. This part is demanding for your legs, so take your time and treat yourselves on a nice lunch at Refuge Miage. Thereafter, we walked up again and even crossed a snowfield! The next part was slowely decreasing height to Camping Gîte le Pontet. It’s a nice camping that served a three course dinner at 7PM. The dorms were a bit noisy, so bring earplugs.
Day 2 – Gite Le Pontet – Croix du Bonhomme (11,6 km / 5 hours)
As we continued the ascent, the trail gradually changed its character. The surroundings transitioned into alpine meadows, and the air grew crisper. Croix du Bonhomme, a remote mountain pass, marked the day’s achievement. Unfortunately, due to a lack of rainfall, there wasn’t enough water to use the showers, so there was a little water basin to freshen-up. We made friends along the hike, played some card games as the evening fell.
Day 3 – Croix du Bonhomme – Rifugio Elisabetta (19,7 km / 7,5 hours)
This day, we would cross the border from France to Italy. We woke up early and made our descent along a small river. We had lunch at a viewpoint at Col de la Seigne and had another stop for a snack and beverage at Refuge des Mottets. Almost at the end of this part, you’ll visit a small remote museum. It won’t take long to see the first glimpse of the modern Refugio Elisabetta, near a stunning glacier on top of a hill. On the terrace of Refugio Elisabetta, you’ll have great coffee with a beautiful view on the valley and the glacier. We slept in a 7 by 3 bunkbed, definitely a youthful experience!
Day 4 – Rifugio Elisabetta – (additional part Alta Via 2) – Rifugio Maison Vieille (20 km / 8 hours)
If you’d walk the TMB route, it would be 10 km (about 4 hours) to Rifugio Maison Vieille. However, as that would be through the valley we came up with a plan to walk up the mountain and walk a part of the Alta Via 2 and loop back to the basic track.
Day 5 – Rifugio Maison Vieille – Courmayeur – Chamonix (6 km / 2,5 hours)
Our final day on the Tour du Mont Blanc was a leisurely 2 to 2.5-hour hike, subtly signaling our return to civilization. The proximity of Rifugio Maison Vieille to a ski park marked a noticeable shift from the remote wilderness we had traversed earlier on the trail. The descent to Courmayeur, characterized by steep zigzags, offered a contrasting perspective as the rugged beauty of the mountains gradually gave way to a more developed landscape.
Reaching Courmayeur marked the end of our trek, and from there, we efficiently hopped onto a FlixBus (tip: book in advance) that transported us back to Chamonix within one hour. We’ve enjoyed breathtaking panoramas! In conclusion, the Tour du Mont Blanc is a truly beautiful and enriching experience, definitely worth to try it out yourselves.
