Getting there
- Flights to Annecy (NCY) 55 km from the start
- Flights to Geneva (GVA) 65 km from the start
Treks / France · Italy · Switzerland
Tour du Mont Blanc
France · Italy · Switzerland · Nearest city: Geneva (also Chamonix)
TypeMulti-day trek
Days9–14
Distance≈ 165 km
Climbing≈ 10,600 m
Highest point2,665 m
A hut-to-hut loop around Europe's highest massif. The trails are rarely technical, but you climb and descend around 1,000 m almost every day for over a week.
Fitness
Hard
Best seasonMid-June to mid-September
High pointCol des Fours / Fenêtre d'Arpette
Watch out: Refuges book out months ahead. From 2027 the French side plans to require a booking for every night.
Why people choose it
It's the most famous hut-to-hut trek in the world: three countries, three languages and Mont Blanc in view almost every day, with a comfortable bed and a hot dinner every night.
What makes it different
- Circles a single mountain massif, so the views change angle every day
- Crosses France, Italy and Switzerland on foot
- Excellent hut and village infrastructure, so you carry a light pack
Day by day
The classic anticlockwise route in 11 stages, starting and ending in Les Houches near Chamonix. Many people shorten it with a bus or lift; the numbers below are for the standard route.
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Day1
Les Houches → Les Contamines
The Bionnassay glacier from Col de Voza. An easy warm-up day.
Sleep: Hotels and gîtes in Les Contamines, campsite
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Day2
Les Contamines → Les Chapieux
The first big climb, on an old Roman road past Notre-Dame de la Gorge.
Sleep: Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme or auberges in Les Chapieux
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Day3
Les Chapieux → Rifugio ElisabettaBest views
You cross into Italy at Col de la Seigne and see Mont Blanc's wild south side for the first time.
Sleep: Rifugio Elisabetta
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Day4
Rifugio Elisabetta → Courmayeur
Lac Combal and the Miage glacier, then a long balcony path facing the Mont Blanc massif.
Sleep: Hotels in Courmayeur, Rifugio Maison Vieille
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Day5
Courmayeur → Rifugio BonattiBest views
The Grandes Jorasses right across the Val Ferret. Many hikers say it's the best hut view on the TMB.
Sleep: Rifugio Bonatti (books out first on the whole route)
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Day6
Rifugio Bonatti → La Fouly
The highest pass of the classic route and your entry into Switzerland.
Sleep: Gîtes and campsite in La Fouly
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Day7
La Fouly → Champex-Lac
An easier day through Swiss villages to a lake. A good day to recover.
Sleep: Hotels and campsite in Champex-Lac
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Day8
Champex-Lac → Trient
Views over the Rhône valley. Strong hikers can take the Fenêtre d'Arpette variant at 2,665 m instead.
Sleep: Gîtes in Trient
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Day9
Trient → Tré-le-Champ
Back into France with a view all the way down the Chamonix valley to Mont Blanc.
Sleep: Auberge in Tré-le-Champ, Argentière
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Day10
Tré-le-Champ → La FlégèreBest views
Ladders and steps up to Lac Blanc, the most famous reflection of Mont Blanc.
Sleep: Refuge de la Flégère, Refuge du Lac Blanc
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Day11
La Flégère → Les Houches
Le Brévent faces Mont Blanc head-on. Then a long, steep descent to the finish.
Sleep: Home, or a celebration in Chamonix
Where the best view is
Two moments stand out. On stage 5 the Bonatti balcony faces the Grandes Jorasses across the Val Ferret all afternoon. On stage 10, Lac Blanc at 2,352 m reflects the whole Mont Blanc range on a calm morning.
Where to take a rest day
Courmayeur, after stage 4, is the natural rest day: halfway round, with shops, cafés and a cable car up to Punta Helbronner if you still have energy.
Before you go
Some of these are affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. We only list services that fit this trek.
Phone and data
EU 'roam like at home' doesn't apply in Switzerland, and many plans charge extra there. A Europe data eSIM covers Switzerland too.
Expect long stretches with no signal on the trail. Download offline maps and our GPX before you start.
Insurance that covers this trek
This trek reaches 2,665 m, and many policies stop covering hiking at 2,000 to 3,000 m unless you add an activity upgrade. World Nomads needs its Level 3 activities above 2,000 m, Heymondo its Adventure add-on above 3,000 m, and SafetyWing's Nomad Insurance covers trekking up to 4,500 m.
Rescue is not the same as evacuation. Travel insurance usually pays to fly you to hospital, but not always for the search and rescue itself. Read the policy's "search and rescue" section, or join an Alpine club: membership of the Austrian Alpenverein (it has an English-speaking UK section) includes rescue cover of up to €25,000.
True Traveller sells only to UK and EEA residents. Always check the altitude limit and your country of residence in the policy wording. Our trekking insurance guide explains what to look for.
Camping and where to sleep
Camping is only allowed at campsites and a few designated areas (Les Contamines, Les Chapieux, La Fouly, Champex). From 2027 the French side plans to require a booking for every night, including bivouac areas.
Rules change and differ between parks. Check with the local park or tourist office before you pitch a tent.
Route map
Map layers load on the live site. Use the overview below meanwhile.
Trail from OpenStreetMap (165.8 km) One colour per dayRoute variant Start / finish Stop on the way Nearest city
Switch between Topo, Satellite and Street layers with the layer button, and turn on the marked hiking trails overlay. The trail line is the OpenStreetMap hiking route and may differ from the variant you choose. Always carry a proper hiking map on the trail.
Stops: Les Houches → Les Contamines-Montjoie → Col de la Seigne → Courmayeur → Grand Col Ferret → Champex → Trient → Chamonix → back to Les Houches
Simple overview map
Step by step
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Months before
Plan and book
- Book huts or accommodation as soon as reservations open, starting with the busiest nights.
- Best time to go: Mid-June to mid-September.
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6–12 weeks before
Train and test your gear
- Take the readiness quiz to see how many weeks of training you need.
- Break in your boots and train with the pack you'll carry.
- Tick off the packing list to see what you still need.
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Getting there
Travel to the start
- Most people start from Geneva.
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On the trail
Walk it
- Start early each day, so you arrive before the afternoon weather and the rush for beds.
- In huts, boots stay in the boot room, dinner is served at a set time and lights go out around 10 pm.
- See the day-by-day plan below for distances, high points and where to sleep.
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The finish
Get home
- The route is a loop, so you finish where you started.
How the season changes things
Best time: Mid-June to mid-September
June to early July
Early season
Snow patches linger on north-facing slopes and high passes. Huts are just opening, meadows are full of flowers and paths are quieter.
Bring
- Microspikes or light crampons for snow patches
- Gaiters
- Warmer layers for cold mornings
Mid-July to August
Peak season
Most reliable weather, but also the busiest huts and frequent afternoon thunderstorms. Hot in the valleys.
Bring
- Sun hat and high-factor sunscreen
- Rain jacket for storms
- Hut bookings made months ahead
September
Late season
Clear, stable days and fewer people, but shorter daylight, cold nights and some huts closing mid to late September.
Bring
- Down jacket for cold evenings
- Headlamp for early starts
- Check hut closing dates
Be ready for
Snow patches
Early in the season, snow can cover the path on high ground. Microspikes or crampons and some experience make these sections safer.
Long descents
Long downhills are harder on your knees than the climbs. Poles, well-laced boots and slow steps make a big difference.
Afternoon storms
Thunderstorms often build after midday in summer. Start early, cross passes and summits before noon, and never shelter under lone trees or on ridges.
What you'll see
10 photos taken on and around the route by Wikimedia Commons photographers. Tap one to see it bigger.
Gear for the Tour du Mont Blanc
Photo credits: Les-Contamines-Montjoie - village by Jean-Pol GRANDMONT, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Les Houches by Florival fr, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Courmayeur by Hagai Agmon-Snir حچاي اچمون-سنير חגי אגמון-שניר, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; View near Les Houches by Guilhem Vellut from Annecy, France, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; View near Col de la Seigne by Guillaume Baviere from Uppsala, Sweden, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Courmayeur view by Tiia Monto, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; View near Grand Col Ferret by Guillaume Baviere from Uppsala, Sweden, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; View near Grand Col Ferret by Guillaume Baviere from Uppsala, Sweden, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; View near Les Houches by Guilhem Vellut from Annecy, France, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Aiguillette du Brévent @ Les Houches by Guilhem Vellut from Annecy, France, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Photos resized for the web. Figures are approximate and vary with the variant you choose.
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