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Tour du Mont Blanc
Sample Itinerary

The Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) is one of the great hiking tours in the world. On this guided TMB tour, we'll cross numerous passes and trek through 3 countries—France, Italy, and Switzerland—as we circumnavigate Mont Blanc, at 15,781 ft, the highest mountain in the Alps. We'll hike through spectacular valleys and stay in a combination of 3-star village hotels and remote inns. The Tour du Mont Blanc is truly an epic trek—a great opportunity to meet hikers from around the world and enjoy an rich variety of cultures, cuisines and views. In keeping with the adventurous nature of the tour, we've designed a fairly rustic itinerary, and five of our nights will be spent in traditional gites with shared sleeping rooms, lively atmospheres, and a healthy sense of accomplishment. Showers are available every night, and as always, our village hotels feature private rooms and bathrooms. Luggage is transported separately and you will have it with you for five of the nine nights. Note, the single room supplement is for a single room on 4 nights only, nights 1,5,8 and 9. Our typical day on the Tour du Mont Blanc starts with a continental buffet breakfast at our inn, and soon we'll be out on the trail for 6-8 hours of inn-to-inn hiking. With many passes to cross, the hiking is often strenuous, but there will also be opportunities for easier days. Unlike most of our tours, lunches are not included on the Tour du Mont Blanc. You'll have a chance to either buy picnic lunches from our inns, stock up on fresh-baked bread and picnic supplies in the towns we pass through, or buy a hot lunch at an inn or restaurant along our route.

We should finish our hike around 4-5 pm, giving you time to wash up, relax, and enjoy views of Mont Blanc and the surrounding scenery. After that, we'll enjoy dinner together at our inn. These are multi-course feasts, featuring delicious local French and Italian specialties. A hearty meal and good conversation provide a satisfying end to our day.

With 3 countries filled with soaring mountains, lofty passes, and gorgeous trails, the Tour du Mont Blanc is an exhilarating trek that lives up to its world-class reputation.

Actual hikes vary from trip to trip, but our itinerary will go something like this:

Day 1
Arrive in Geneva, and transfer to les Houches, a small, typically Savoyarde town 6 kilometers south of Chamonix in the shadow of Mont Blanc. Here our group will meet, enjoy our first impressive views of Mont Blanc, and talk about the tour to come. Stay in a small village hotel. (Hotel du Bois)

Day 2
We'll begin our Mont Blanc tour with a cablecar ride high above les Houches, hiking through the Bionnassay valley and over the Tricot pass on one of the prettiest corners of the TMB. Descend to a tiny hamlet of stone houses where cows and horses graze peacefully surrounded by hanging glaciers. We'll stay in the Miage refuge, a small, family-run inn with dormitory accomodation, showers, and great food. (Chalet de Miage)

Day 3
Passing through the village of les Contamines, we'll hike through pine and larch forest beneath the Tre-la-Tete mountain, on a relatively moderate day that brings us to the delightful Nant Borrant refuge. Our luggage will meet us at the inn. Nant Borrant has small dorms, and showers, and promises a quiet and relaxing evening. (refuge Nant Borrant)

Day 4
We continue the TMB tour with a long, steady ascent across two lofty passes, Col du Bonhomme and Col de la Croix du Bonhomme. After lunch at an alpine club hut near the pass, we'll descend to the hamlet of les Chapieux, to a small inn with private rooms (no singles). Quiet farms dot the valley, and rugged mountain scenery greets us in every direction. (auberge de la Nova)

Day 5
Today, the Tour du Mont Blanc leads us from France into Italy, with a crossing of the Col de la Seigne pass, where we're greeted by a jaw-dropping view down into the Veny valley and up along the length of the Mont Blanc range. The Aiguille Noire de Peuterey is particularly impressive from this vantage point, as is Mont Blanc itself. We'll continue on through stunning landscapes to the medieval village of Courmayeur, with narrow, cobblestoned alleyways and a lively, pedestrian-only core. Our luggage will be waiting for us at our 3-star village hotel. (Hotel Walser)

Day 6
One of the highlights of the TMB is stunning walk along the crest of the Mont de la Saxe ridge, with the vertical cliffs of Mont Blanc and the Grande Jorasses towering above us to the west. While the ridge itself is a strenuous hike, a more moderate option follows a mid-level traverse of the ridge accompanied by incredible views throughout the day. Overnight at the comfortable rifugio Bonatti, a beautiful inn perched high in the mountains with small dorm rooms. (rifugio Bonatti)

Day 7
Continuing through the Italian Val Ferret, we'll cross the Grand Col Ferret and into Switzerland. We'll descend through tidy green fields with high cliffs and glaciers draped along the route. After crossing the pass, we'll finish at a small inn and working dairy farm at la Peule, where you can see the labor-intensive process of cheesemaking up close. Our inn has dorm rooms and hot showers. (Gite d'alpage de la Peule)

Day 8
An undulating trail leads through alpine pastures and pine forests, on one of the easier hikes on our Mont Blanc tour. We'll stay in the pretty lakeside village of Champex, one of Switzerland's hidden gems, and a beautiful place to spend an afternoon. Our luggage be waiting at our 3-star village hotel. (Hotel Glacier)

Day 9
Our final hike on the TMB takes us through woods and farms, with sweeping views of the Rhone valley. Weather permitting, a more rigorous possibility leads to the Fenetre d'Arpette with view to the Trient glacier, a popular variant on the traditional TMB route. We'll finish the hike at a lively hiker's inn at Forclaz, with a taxi waiting to take us back to Chamonix. We'll stay in les Praz du Chamonix, just outside the main village and will finish the tour with a delicious farewell dinner. (Hotel Eden) 


Day 10
Today we say au revoir, and depart for our post-Mont Blanc destinations. 


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