Tour du Mont Blanc | ACCOMMODATION
Here you’ll find information about the accommodation options along the Tour du Mont Blanc, together with links to the places I stayed at.
You can find more details about the accommodation I chose before starting my hike in the post MY TRIP.
Accommodations on the TMB
The TMB offers a wide range of accommodation options, ranging from camping grounds, to refuges, to hotels. All these options allow hikers to shorten or lengthen each stage according to personal preferences.
If you are planning to stay at the refuges along the way, I highly suggest to book them in advance (ideally by January), as the trail gets very crowded in Summer. The best way to book refuges is on this online booking service, where you can find a list of all refuges on the TMB. When booking, a deposit via credit card is often required. Half-board prices range between 45-55 EUR in France and Italy, and 60-70 CHF in Switzerland.
For this trip, I decided to mix wildcamping with camping at official camping grounds and private rooms in refuges. I liked the flexibility of campings, as they don’t require advance booking, and I didn’t want to be completely bound to the bookings at the refuges. Here below you can find a list of the places I stayed at after every stage.
STAGE 1: Col de La Forclaz - Tré Le Champ - Lacs de Chéserys
Location: Lacs de Chéserys
Accommodation: wildcamping
STAGE 2: Lacs de Chéserys - La Flégère - Les Houches
Location: Les Houches
Accommodation: private room at an AirBnB (La Chavanne)
STAGE 3: Les Houches - Les Contamines
Location: Les Contamines
Accommodation: camp at Camping Le Pontet
STAGE 4: Les Contamines - Les Chapieux
Location: Les Chapieux
Accommodation: camp at Aire naturelle de camping
STAGE 5: Les Chapieux - Rifugio Elisabetta - Val Veny
Location: Val Veny
Accommodation: camp at HOBO Camping
STAGE 6: Val Veny - Courmayeur - Rifugio Bertone
Lication: Rifugio Bertone
Accommodation: private room at Rifugio Bertone
STAGE 7: Rifugio Bertone - Rifugio Bonatti - La Fouly
Location: La Fouly
Accommodation: camp at Camping des Glaciers
STAGE 8: La Fouly - Champex Lac - Relais d’Arpette
Location: close to Champex Lac
Accommodation: camp at Relais d’Arpette
STAGE 9: Relais d’Arpette - Fenêtre d’Arpette - Col de La Forclaz
Location: Col de La Forclaz
Acommodation: I went straight home, but Hotel de La Forclaz offers rooms and a camping ground.
Wildcamping
Wildcamping is officially not allowed in the French Vallée des Glaciers (official stage no. 4: between Les Chapieux and Refuge des Mottets), nor in any of the Swiss and Italian valleys along the TMB. However, many hikers manage to camp discreetely along the whole trail, without leaving any trace and without being caught.
Leave No Trace Principle
Please make sure to respect the nature you are visiting by picking up and carrying your own trash, including dirty toilet papers, until the next town or refuge… the trail will thank you!