170 km, 3 Countries, 11 Stages: the complete guide to completing the legendary Tour du Mont Blanc

3 borders, 10 passes, and that moment when Mont Blanc appears from an angle you have never seen before. The Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) is the most famous trek in the Alps: 170 km around the roof of Europe, 10,302 m of elevation gain, between suspended glaciers on the French side, Himalayan-scale walls of Val Veni on the Italian side, and alpine pastures of the Swiss Val Ferret.

More than 50,000 hikers set out on it every summer, making it the most frequented trek in Europe (spoiler: we have a few tricks to avoid trail congestion). Some complete the loop in 7 days, others take their time over 10 days or more. This guide accompanies you stage by stage, with on-the-ground data, variants, practical tips and the perspective of the Altimood Nature and Mountain guides who have more than one Tour du Mont Blanc under their belts.

Tour du Mont Blanc Map

The TMB traces a loop around the Mont Blanc massif, successively crossing the Col de Voza, the Col du Bonhomme, the Col de la Seigne (France-Italy border), the Grand Col Ferret (Italy-Switzerland border) and the Col de Balme (Switzerland-France border). The start and finish are traditionally at Les Houches or Chamonix, in the counter-clockwise direction.

The route passes through radically different landscapes: larch forests and glacial torrents in Haute-Savoie, vertiginous rocky faces in the Italian Val d'Aoste, flowering meadows and timber villages in the Swiss Valais. It is this diversity — geographic, cultural, culinary — that makes the TMB a trek apart.

TMB Maps and GPX Tracks

Two IGN TOP 25 maps (1:25,000) cover the entire route:

• 3531 ET - Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, Mont Blanc Massif (amazon/IGN, 19 $ CA): western section of the TMB (Les Houches, Les Contamines, Les Chapieux, Col de la Seigne)
• 3630 OT - Chamonix, Mont Blanc Massif (amazon/IGN, 19 $ CA): eastern section (Italian and Swiss Val Ferret, Champex, Trient, Col de Balme, Chamonix)

For those who prefer a single sheet, the Rando Éditions "Tour du Mont Blanc" map at 1:50,000 covers the entire circuit on one page (amazon, 11 $ CA). It's the one we always carry in our pack when guiding the TMB: a great format for tracking progress day by day.

GPX tracks for each stage are also available for download in the sections below.

The 11 Stages of the Tour du Mont Blanc

The classic itinerary breaks down into 11 stages in the counter-clockwise direction, departing from Les Houches. Each stage is detailed in a dedicated guide. You will find here a summary with the essential data for planning your trek.

Stage 1: Les Houches → Les Contamines-Montjoie

• Distance :↔ 16.8 km
• Dénivelé positif :↗ 1148 m
• Dénivelé négatif :↘ 989 m

The true start of the TMB. From Les Houches (1,010 m), the climb to the Col de Voza (1,653 m) offers the first views of the Dôme du Goûter and the Bionnassay glacier. The route crosses the alpine pastures of Val Montjoie before descending to Les Contamines, an authentic Savoyard village. It was on this stage that the Saint-Gervais disaster occurred in 1892: a sub-glacial water pocket beneath the Tête Rousse glacier released 200,000 m³ of mud, sweeping away the thermal baths and killing nearly 200 people.

Essential variant: the Col du Tricot (2,120 m), more demanding but spectacular, with its Himalayan-style suspension bridge above the Bionnassay torrent and direct views of the glacier.

Where to sleep: Gîte Le Pontet or Chalet du Club alpin at Les Contamines (1,167 m). En route: Refuge du Fioux at Col de Voza (1,653 m), Auberge de Bionnassay (1,320 m), Refuge de Miage (1,559 m, Tricot variant).

Stage 2: Les Contamines-Montjoie → Les Chapieux

• Distance :↔ 19.1 km
• Dénivelé positif :↗ 1439 m
• Dénivelé négatif :↘ 1018 m

One of the most demanding stages of the TMB, with two passes to cross: the Col du Bonhomme (2,329 m) and the Col de la Croix du Bonhomme (2,479 m). The departure passes by the baroque chapel of Notre-Dame-de-la-Gorge, rebuilt in 1699 on the ruins of a building burned in 1518, and along the ancient Roman road that has marked the boundary between the Ceutrons and Allobroges since 74 AD. The descent leads to the isolated hamlet of Les Chapieux, gateway to the Beaufortain.

Variant: the Col des Fours (2,665 m), the highest point on the TMB, offers a 360° panorama over the massif.

Where to sleep: Auberge de la Nova at Les Chapieux (1,549 m). En route: Refuge de Nant-Borrant (1,460 m), Refuge de la Balme (1,706 m), Refuge de la Croix-du-Bonhomme (2,433 m, the highest refuge on the TMB).

Stage 3: Les Chapieux → Rifugio Elisabetta

• Distance :↔ 13.9 km
• Dénivelé positif :↗ 1091 m
• Dénivelé négatif :↘ 501 m

First border: at the Col de la Seigne (2,516 m), the landscape shifts dramatically. The French alpine pastures give way to the south face of Mont Blanc, which the alpinist Samivel compared to "a Wagner opera." You enter Italy, in the Val Veni. Below the pass, the ruins of a carabinieri post recall World War II, and the debris from an American B-17 that crashed in 1946 on the Aiguille des Glaciers still haunt the neighbouring moraines. Among the debris, a rag doll, entrusted by a little girl to her father.

Where to sleep: Refuge Élisabetta Soldini, at the foot of the pass on the Italian side. Upstream: Refuge des Mottets (1,870 m) at Les Chapieux.

Stage 4: Rifugio Elisabetta → Courmayeur

• Distance :↔ 15.1 km
• Dénivelé positif :↗ 521 m
• Dénivelé négatif :↘ 1427 m

The "Himalayan side" of Mont Blanc is fully revealed. The trail follows the Miage glacier, the longest glacier on the Italian face, and descends through Val Veni toward Courmayeur, an elegant alpine resort. It was here that Horace-Bénédict de Saussure explored the Italian face in 1774 with the guide Jordaney, coining the word "moraine" along the way. Possible option: the Skyway Monte Bianco cable car toward Pointe Helbronner (3,466 m).

Variant: Mont Favre (2,433 m), a panoramic balcony overlooking the Brenva face.

Where to sleep: hotels and guesthouses in Courmayeur (1,226 m). En route: Refuge de Maison-Vieille at Col Chécrouit (1,956 m), Gîte Le Randonneur du Mont Blanc in Val Veni.

Stage 5: Courmayeur → Rifugio Bonatti

• Distance :↔ 11.6 km
• Dénivelé positif :↗ 1073 m
• Dénivelé négatif :↘ 274 m

This stage leads to the most spectacular refuge on the TMB. The Rifugio Bonatti (2,026 m), built in 1998, offers from its terrace an unobstructed view of the Dent du Géant and the Aiguille Noire de Peuterey. It bears the name of Walter Bonatti (1930–2011), a legendary alpinist: solo ascent of the SW pillar of the Dru at age 25, first winter solo of the north face of the Matterhorn in 1965, before abandoning extreme alpinism for photojournalism.

Variant: the Mont de la Saxe ridge, facing the Grandes Jorasses, one of the finest viewpoints in the Alps.

Where to sleep: Refuge Walter Bonatti (2,026 m). En route: Refuge Giorgio Bertone (1,977 m).

Stage 6: Rifugio Bonatti → La Fouly

• Distance :↔ 19.6 km
• Dénivelé positif :↗ 908 m
• Dénivelé négatif :↘ 1341 m

Second border: the Grand Col Ferret (2,537 m), the highest point of the classic TMB (excluding variants). The panorama opens onto the Grand Combin (4,317 m) and the Pré-de-Bar glacier, a striking testament to glacial retreat. You cross from Italy to Switzerland, from Himalayan grandeur to Swiss tranquillity. The descent into the Swiss Val Ferret passes through alpine pastures dotted with raccards, these grain stores raised on stilts and protected from rodents by stone slabs.

Where to sleep: Auberge des Glaciers at La Fouly (1,593 m). En route: Refuge Elena (2,062 m), Gîte d'alpage de la Peule (2,090 m).

Stage 7: La Fouly → Champex-Lac

• Distance :↔ 15.1 km
• Dénivelé positif :↗ 613 m
• Dénivelé négatif :↘ 739 m

The rest stage of the TMB. No major pass, a gentler pace through the Swiss villages of Praz-de-Fort and Les Arlaches. The arrival at Champex-Lac, nicknamed "little Swiss Canada," surprises with its alpine lake bordered by rowboats, its flower-decked hotels and its botanical garden. A welcome pause before the efforts to come. This stage can be merged with stage 6 in 10-day itineraries.

Where to sleep: guesthouses and hotels at Champex-Lac (1,466 m), including the Auberge du Bon Abri. En route: Relais d'Arpette (1,627 m).

Stage 8: Champex-Lac → Trient

• Distance :↔ 15.8 km
• Dénivelé positif :↗ 838 m
• Dénivelé négatif :↘ 1008 m

The defining choice of the TMB. Two radically different routes lead to Trient:

• The Bovine alpine pasture (2,049 m): a bucolic trail through the Valais highlands, panorama over the Rhône valley toward Martigny and the terraced vineyards. The most accessible itinerary.
• La Fenêtre d'Arpette (2,665 m): the most committing variant of the TMB. Scree, possible snow even in summer, but an extraordinary view of the Trient glacier. This glacier once descended to the level of the trail and you could walk on it. Before the invention of refrigerators, the inhabitants would cut the ice and bring it down by risses (wooden chutes) to Martigny, from where it went by train to Geneva, Lyon, Marseille and Paris.

Where to sleep: Auberge du Mont-Blanc at Trient (1,279 m), Refuge Le Peuty (approx. 1,300 m). En route: Hôtel du Col de la Forclaz (1,526 m, classic route via Bovine).

Stage 9: Trient → Trè-le-Champ

• Distance :↔ 13.4 km
• Dénivelé positif :↗ 1140 m
• Dénivelé négatif :↘ 1015 m

The third and final border. At the Col de Balme (2,204 m), Mont Blanc reappears ahead, on the other side of the Chamonix valley. An emotional moment after days spent on the Italian and Swiss sides. The Aiguillettes des Posettes ridge offers a 360° viewpoint.

This stage passes through the country of Michel Croz (1830–1865), born in the village of Le Tour, just below. A Chamonix guide, he accumulated the finest victories of the golden age of alpinism (Écrins, Grandes Jorasses, Viso) in five years before dying at 35 during the descent of the first ascent of the Matterhorn with Edward Whymper.

Where to sleep: Auberge La Boërne at Tré-le-Champ (1,400 m). En route: Refuge du Col de Balme (2,191 m).

Stage 10: Trè-le-Champ → Refuge de la Flégère

• Distance :↔ 6.8 km
• Dénivelé positif :↗ 874 m
• Dénivelé négatif :↘ 414 m

The shortest stage, but perhaps the most beautiful. The Grand Balcon Sud unfolds a panoramic trail facing the Aiguille Verte (4,122 m), the Drus and the Mer de Glace. The metal ladder section adds a touch of adventure. Lac Blanc (2,352 m), whose milky colour comes from rock particles ground by the glaciers, offers the most celebrated reflection of Mont Blanc.

The Réserve naturelle des Aiguilles Rouges, created in 1971, protects 3,270 hectares of remarkable biodiversity.

Where to sleep: Refuge de la Flégère (1,877 m). Possible excursion: Refuge du Lac Blanc (2,352 m, 45 min one way from the trail).

Stage 11: Refuge de la Flégère → Les Houches

• Distance :↔ 16.2 km
• Dénivelé positif :↗ 930 m
• Dénivelé négatif :↘ 1828 m

The grand finale. Le Brévent (2,525 m) offers a 360° panorama often considered the finest viewpoint on the entire TMB. It was from this belvedere that Dr. Paccard, in the 18th century, prepared his attempts to summit Mont Blanc. The descent, the steepest of the trek with ~1,500 m of negative elevation, passes by the Refuge de Bellachat and crosses the Réserve naturelle de Carlaveyron before completing the loop at Les Houches.

It was William Windham and Richard Pococke who, in 1741, "discovered" the Chamonix valley for European aristocracy, launching alpine tourism. Chamonix was then just a dead end at the foot of an appalling road.

Where to sleep: guesthouses and hotels at Les Houches (980 m). En route: Refuge de Bellachat (2,136 m), last possible overnight stay before completing the loop.

How Many Days for the Tour du Mont Blanc?

The TMB can be completed in 5, 7 or 10 days depending on your pace, your fitness and your preferences:

• In 5 days: express version with transfers to skip the less spectacular sections. Long stages (25–30 km/day), significant daily elevation. For very fit hikers who are short on time. You'll miss the Swiss Val Ferret and the Flégère balcony — a shame.
• In 7 days: the best compromise. Enough to see the essentials (the three countries, the major passes, the unmissable panoramas) without exhausting yourself. That's the format we offer at Altimood, in a comfort version with hotel accommodation. Discover our 7-day TMB →
• In 10 days: the TMB as it deserves to be done. Each stage at its own pace, time to stop and photograph a chamois, to take every variant, to linger on a refuge terrace. The full experience, without transfers.

Our view: 7 days is the right balance between the ambition of the route and the pleasure of walking. We keep the stages with real alpine character, skip over the sections where development is heavy, and take time to live each pass to the fullest.

Which Direction to Walk the Tour du Mont Blanc?

The great majority of hikers complete the TMB counter-clockwise (Les Houches → Les Contamines → Col de la Seigne → Courmayeur → Grand Col Ferret → Champex → Col de Balme → Les Houches). This is the direction of the GR TMB, of most guidebooks, and the one that offers the most favourable morning light on the snowy faces.

The clockwise direction has its supporters: fewer people on the trail (you meet the crowd rather than follow it), and the arrival via the Col de la Seigne with the south face of Mont Blanc full in frame is a powerful moment. However, the signage is designed for the counter-clockwise direction.

Whichever direction you choose, the spectacle is guaranteed.

When to Go? The Best Season for the TMB

The TMB season runs from late June to mid-September, with peak attendance in July and August.

• Late June – early July: the highest passes (Col des Fours, Fenêtre d'Arpette) may still have snow. Less crowded trails, alpine meadows at their best. Recommended for experienced hikers if snow persists.
• July – August: high season. All passes are open, all refuges too. More frequent good weather, but heavily crowded trails, especially around Chamonix and Lac Blanc.
• September: our favourite month. The crowds thin out, the larches start to turn gold, the air is clearer. Some refuges close in late September: check before you go.

Mountain weather remains unpredictable. Snowfall is possible on the passes from late September, and summer storms can strike at any time. Check local forecasts (Météo Chamonix, MeteoSwiss) and be ready to adapt your itinerary.

Difficulty and Fitness

The TMB is a moderate to strenuous level trek. No technical passages in normal conditions (except the Fenêtre d'Arpette variant), but the accumulated elevation over several days demands good fitness.

Key figures:

• Average daily elevation gain: 800 to 1,200 m
• Daily distance: 12 to 20 km
• Maximum altitude: 2,537 m (Grand Col Ferret) or 2,665 m (Col des Fours / Fenêtre d'Arpette variant)
• Walking time: 5 to 7 hours per day

Do not underestimate the cumulative effort. Even if each day remains manageable, stringing together 7 to 10 days of ascent and descent tires the legs, the knees and the mind. Our advice: prepare yourself at least 8 weeks before departure with hikes that include elevation gain.

Accommodation: Mountain Hut, Hotel or Bivouac?

Three ways to sleep on the TMB, each with its advantages:

• In a mountain hut (refuge): the most authentic experience. Dormitories (or rooms in some huts), mountain meals, convivial atmosphere. Booking essential: the most popular huts are fully booked by March for the summer. Budget 50 to 80 € for half board.
• In a hotel / gîte: comfort after the effort. Private room, guaranteed hot shower, better recovery. This is the option we chose for our 7-day TMB, because after 1,200 m of elevation gain, a real night's sleep makes all the difference.
• Bivouac: regulated and complex on the TMB. France allows bivouacking between 7 PM and 9 AM, Italy tolerates it above 2,500 m, Switzerland largely prohibits it. For lovers of sleeping under the stars, the open spaces of the Écrins or the Vercors are better suited.

What Budget Should You Plan for the TMB?

The Tour du Mont Blanc itself is free: the trails are open access. It is the organisation around it that makes the budget vary — accommodation, logistics, guiding. Here is what each option offers:

• Self-sufficient (bivouac/camping): 20–40 €/day (food, occasional campsites). Total freedom, but you carry all your gear (~12–15 kg pack) and accept uncertainty over pitching spots.
• Solo, all self-organised (huts): 60–100 €/day (half board at a refuge + packed lunch). Total for 10 days: 600 to 1,000 € (excluding transport and equipment). You gain the comfort of hut nights, but the downside is the booking logistics: the most sought-after huts (Bonatti, Croix du Bonhomme, Lac Blanc) are fully booked by March for the summer.
• Guided-style freedom (via an agency): 800–1,500 € for 7 to 10 days. You walk at your own pace, the agency handles what takes the most time: bookings, baggage transfer, transfers. You enjoy the trek without the mental load. The agency Grand Angle for example offers several self-guided options on the TMB.
• Guided comfort version (hotel): all-inclusive with guide, hotel accommodation, baggage transfer and packed lunches. Beyond the comfort, it's above all a different perspective on the route: the guide's eye on the wildlife, geology, and anecdotes of each valley. This is the format of our 7-day TMB, from 2,693 $ CA per person.

Don't forget the often-underestimated items: transfers at the start/end of the trek, drinks at the refuge (a Coke at 2,500 m is not the same price as in the valley), and trek insurance with repatriation cover.

Why Join a Guided Group on the TMB?

You can do the Tour du Mont Blanc alone, and many do it very well. So why go with a guide?

• Reading the terrain differently: a mountain guide doesn't just follow the waymarks. They spot a chamois on a ledge, explain why the Bossons glacier is retreating, or tell the story of the traders crossing the Col de la Seigne. The same trail, but an incomparable experience.
• Zero mental load: no more evenings hunting for hut availability, no stress over baggage transfers, no worry in the face of announced storms. You walk, that's all.
• Safety and adaptability: fog at the Grand Col Ferret? Storm forecast over the Aiguilles Rouges? The guide adapts the itinerary in real time, knows the shelter variants, and manages the unexpected so the trek stays a pleasure.
• The group: setting off with 6–8 people means sharing the passes, the laughter at the refuge and the silences in front of Mont Blanc. Many hikers we guide leave with a new address book as much as with memories.

No need to choose between freedom and guidance: on our 7-day comfort TMB, you sleep in a hotel, your bags travel by vehicle, and each day blends physical effort and natural discovery.

The Essential Variants

The TMB offers several variants that enrich the classic itinerary. Five deserve special attention:

• Col du Tricot (2,120 m, stage 1): Himalayan-style suspension bridge over the Bionnassay torrent, views of the glacier. More athletic than the Col de Voza but incomparably more spectacular.
• Col des Fours (2,665 m, stage 2): the highest accessible point on the TMB, 360° panorama over the massif. Adds ~2 hours to the stage.
• Fenêtre d'Arpette (2,665 m, stage 8): scree, alpine commitment, the Trient glacier as backdrop. The most demanding passage of the TMB, and one of the most rewarding.
• Mont de la Saxe (stage 5): panoramic ridge facing the Grandes Jorasses and the Dent du Géant. Probably the finest variant on the Italian side.
• Lac Blanc (2,352 m, stage 10): the reflection of Mont Blanc in a high-altitude lake. A must — it is one of the most famous hikes around Chamonix, even outside the TMB.

The choice of variants depends on the weather, your energy on the day and the time available. This is where a mountain guide makes the difference: they know the conditions in real time and adapt the itinerary to give you the best of each day.

Doing the TMB with a Guide

Hiring a mountain guide for the TMB means choosing to walk with a free mind. No logistics to manage (accommodations, transfers, baggage), no hesitation at junctions, and above all: an expert eye on the landscape, geology, wildlife and alpine history. A guide shows you what you would not see alone: the chamois motionless on the ridge, the trace of the vanished glacier, the baroque church hidden in Val Montjoie.

At Altimood, we are not a TMB factory. We run 1 to 2 departures per year maximum, in small groups of 6 to 10 people, in comfort version (hotel). Alice and Robin, your guides, know every variant, every refuge, every viewpoint. It is an artisanal, contemplative, anti-performance approach.

Discover our Tour du Mont Blanc in 7 Days →

Do you have a group of friends, a family, a corporate team? We also organise custom private stays: itinerary, duration and format adapted to your wishes. Contact us →

Our Other Treks in the Alps

The TMB is an exceptional trek, but the Alps offer many others. If you are looking for wilder, less crowded landscapes, or a different format:

• Trekking in the Écrins: our home massif, at the heart of the Écrins National Park. Wild itineraries, high-altitude lakes, glaciers still intact.
• Hiking in the Vercors: karst plateaus, deep forests and the Hauts-Plateaux nature reserve, the largest area of wilderness in mainland France.
• The Dolomites: rock towers and Italian refuges, another face of the Alps.
• The Haute Route Chamonix-Zermatt: 180 km, 12,000 m of elevation gain, from Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn. For those who want to go further.

Discover all our treks →

Further Reading