Tour du Mont Blanc | GET INFORMED
Are you thrilled by the idea of challenging yourself with an epic thru hike, circling the famous Mont Blanc across the majestic Alps between Switzerland, France and Italy, while making special friendships along the way?
If your answer is a YES, the Tour du Mont Blanc might be the adventure you are looking for. Pick up pen and paper and start realizing this dream of yours!
At first, it can be difficult to gather all the information to plan a long hike.
This post will guide you through the most common questions that usually fill up my brain when I start dreaming about hiking a new trail.
… I know, it can be a bit overwhelming, but if I managed to organize this epic thru hike, so can you. One step at a time, one question at a time… happy trail planning!
What is the Tour du Mont Blanc?
The Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) is widely known as one of the most beautiful alpine thru hikes in Europe, circling the majestic Mont Blanc, in the Alps between Switzerland, France and Italy. This circular trail is characterized by an elevation gain of 10’000 m and is approximately 170 km long. Many mountain huts and official camping grounds are present along the way. On average, hikers usually take between 10 and 12 days to complete this trekking, depending on fitness level and pace.
What kind of experience does it offer?
The TMB leads hikers through one of the most beautiful alpine landscapes of Europe, providing breathtaking views on the Mont Blanc and its surrounding glaciers and valleys. Because of its elevation gain, it is a challenging trekking, testing adventurers both mentally and physically, but rewarding them with goosebumps at the top of every climb. More than simply a challenge, this trail is an experience worth living and enjoying.
The TMB became increasingly popular over the years, and is now a highly frequented trekking, especially during the peak summer months. However, the presence of many people allows hikers to bond unforgettable friendships along the way, by sharing this adventure and all the good moments and the struggles that come with it. Moreover, depending on wheter you want to sleep in huts or wildcamp, this trekking can easily transform from a social to a solitary experience.
I will always remember the goosebumps I had when reaching the top of each mountain pass, crossing into the next country, and how strong and invincilble I felt in front of the Mont Blanc and the valleys surrounding it.
That being said, it is important to note that a thru hike will always provide a different and unique experience to every hiker. In short, Hike Your Own Hike!
Where can I find useful information?
From my personal experience, I know that the planning phase of a long-distance hike can easily become tricky and overwhealming, especially if you don’t know which information source you should trust more. Here you can find the pages that I personally used to organize my trip on the TMB.
The website: this website helped me figuring out the approximate stages of the TMB and gives a good overview of the camping and wildcamping options along the way.
The online booking system: this website provides a list of all the refuges along the TMB and is the best platform to proceed at booking them.
The book: this book is helpful for the planning of the stages, but I have to admit that I did not read it before hitting the trail. My decision of hiking the TMB was indeed very spontaneous… I was desperate to look for adventure, and I left home without really knowing what was ahead of me. Was I brave, or totally irresponsible? Who knows, but I survived and I had the time of my life :)
The facebook group: this facebook group is a great place to ask questions and find useful insights, directly from people who already hiked the trail or that are in the same planning phase as you.
The Trail Chat: feel free to ask me anything about the trail, I am always happy to help and support you during the planning phase of your thru hike!
Which difficulties will I face?
The TMB is a challenging trekking, mainly because of its elevation gain of 10’000 m. However, the terrain consists of nice mountain paths at an altitude of approximately 2’000 m.a.s.l and is not technically difficult. Moreover, the trail crosses several villages and offers many different accommodation options, exit points and easier variants, which allow hikers to do shorter stages if needed.
I am convinced that any passionate hiker with trekking experience, some knlowledge about alpine terrain and weather, a good fitness level and proper equipment would be able to thru hike the TMB.
These are the most important challenges to consider for hiking the TMB:
HEAVY BACKPACK
Your backpack could become quite heavy if you don’t plan your equipment list well. More importantly, make sure you know how to use your equipment before heading out into the unknown! You can find a list of everything I brought with me in the posts EQUIPMENT and FOOD.
TERRAIN
The TMB is characterized by an elevation gain of ca. 10’000 m. This means that every day you’ll have a big climb and/or descent awaiting. You therefore need to be physically fit and mentally prepared for it. My advice is to listen to your body, tackle the ascents and descents one step at a time, while enjoying the stunning landscapes, taking breaks and shortening your stages if needed.
The trail is well marked and is not technically difficult. There is only one section, from Tré-Le-Champ to Le Brévent, where you will encounter metal ladders and handrails at times. Although these ladders could present a struggle for people who fear heights and exposure, they are perfectly safe and stunning views await on the top.
WEATHER
The weather is a potential issue that you must not underestimate on the TMB, as it can be unpredictable in the mountains, and I am sure nobody wants to be stuck in the middle of a thunderstorm at high altitudes. I therefore strongly advise to always check the weather forecast for the next day, and to plan accordingly.
REMOTENESS
This trekking leads hikers across valleys surrounded by mountains, where cell phone signal can become scarse at times. I therefore advise to carry a GPS device that also has a SOS button, which can be pressed for alerting authorities in emergency situations. If you are curious to see which device I brought with me, head to the EQUIPMENT post.
When is the best time to hike it?
The TMB is mostly hiked from early July to mid September, when the trail is clear of snow and the refuges are open and staffed. However, it is important to always stay vigilant, as the weather in the mountains can be unpredictable anytime of the year. The trail becomes crowded during the peak summer months, especially in August.
I hiked the TMB beginning of September in 2020, during the infamous COVID year. I was super lucky with the weather, which was beautiful every single day on trail. Additionally, due to the exceptional circumstances and COVID restrictions, the trail was not over-crowded. I however met many European hikers and bonded special friendships along the way.
How do I reach the trail?
If you have read the above information about the TMB and decided that you want to embark on this special adventure, it is time to start thinking about how to actually reach the trail.
Depending on where you plan to start hiking the circular loop of the TMB, there are many different options for reaching the trail.
The official and most popular starting (and ending) point is Les Houches, close to Chamonix, in France. Les Houches can be reached by first flying to Geneva Airport (Switzerland), and then by catching a bus or train to Chamonix and/or Les Houches. I advise to check google on maps the possible connections, and then to book your tickets on the according transfer company website.
Since I live in Zürich (Switzerland) and I wanted to avoid any complications at the borders due to COVID regulations in 2020, I decided to start and finish my TMB hike at Col de La Forclaz, just above Trient, in Switzerland. I therefore catched two trains, from Zürich to Visp, and from Visp to Martigny, where I took a bus to Col de La Forclaz.
In the post MY TRIP you can find my travel schedule, which might give you some inspiration.
What should I pack?
For hiking (and enjoying) the TMB, I strongly advise to minimize your pack weight as much as possible. You will find a detailed list of all the equipment and food I took along with me in the posts EQUIPMENT and FOOD.
Here I will just try to answer the most frequently asked questions during the planning phase of this thru hike.
Where can I buy fuel for my camping stove?
Since I travelled by train to my chosen starting point of the TMB, I brought my gas canister (230 g) with me. However, Chamonix offers a good selection of sports stores, where camping fuel can be purchased. I therefore recommend to first resupply in Chamonix before catching a bus to Les Houches to start hiking the TMB.
How much food should I carry?
The TMB crosses many villages which offer resupply options and huts where hikers can enjoy a nice lunch break. Refuges also often provide a picknick lunch pack.
If you are camping and planning to cook your own meals only, I would therefore recommend to carry food for a maximum of 2-3 days and resupply on the way, at supermarkets and bakeries. If you are planning to stay at the refuges along the way, I would advise to only carry snacks and maybe some bread, cheese and cold cuts in case refuges don’t offer a picknick, as dinner and breakfast are provided at the huts.
I of course exaggerated and, fearing of running out of food for some unknown reasons, I always tried to carry enough food for 3 days, including lunch, dinner and snacks. I will never learn the lesson… If you are curious about my food strategy on the TMB, head to the FOOD post.
How much water should I carry?
I constantly filled up my water bottles along the way, either at the huts or at bars in town, and I always started hiking in the morning with 2L in my backpack. There are also some water fountains on the TMB, but be careful to check for the sign “potable water”, before drinking it! Moreover, if you want to collect and drink water from a river, I advise to filter it, as you’ll never know what happened in the stream up in the mountains.
Where can I leave my normal clothes?
You will definitely not need fancy clothes for this adventure. Therefore, make sure to only pack clothes that you REALLY need during the hike. The full list of the clothes I packed can be found in the post EQUIPMENT.
How much money will I spend?
For the entire trip, I spent approximately 800 CHF (including 200 CHF for the train rides in Switzerland, to and from the trail).
While on trail, I decided to camp at official campsites most of the times, but I also spent two nights in cozy private rooms. Moreover, I couldn’t resist the temptation of snacks, meals and sodas at the huts along the trail, and I also had a few dinners at restaurants. I can guarantee that prizes are much higher on the Swiss section of the TMB.
The budget for this trip could strongly vary depending on your travel itinerary to reach the trail and on your accommodation choice, wheter you choose to wildcamp, camp at official campsites, sleep in cozy private rooms or in the dormitories at the refuges.
I think that, with good planning and without additional touristic expenses, the budget for this trip could be easily reduced.
Long story short, don’t get discouraged and plan your own adventure!
CASH OR CARD?
Many huts along the TMB only accept cash for payments. ATMs can be found in Chamonix, Les Houches, Les Contamines, Courmayeur, La Fouly, Champex-Lac and Argentière. I would advise to always carry some cash in EUR for the French and Italian sections, and in CHF for the Swiss sections of the trail.