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Trek Alps, France, Italy, Switzerland

Tour du Mont Blanc

A circular alpine classic looping 170 km around the Mont Blanc massif through France, Italy and Switzerland.

Tour du Mont Blanc
Photo: Hseugut · CC BY-SA 4.0
Duration
7 days
Distance
170 km
Ascent
10000 m
Difficulty
Hard
Best season
Mid-June to mid-September

The Tour du Mont Blanc is one of the most celebrated long-distance walks in the world, tracing a complete circle around the Mont Blanc massif and crossing three countries along the way. Over roughly 170 kilometres it climbs and drops the equivalent of ascending Everest twice, linking high passes, glacial valleys and a chain of mountain refuges.

Most walkers take between 7 and 11 days, sleeping in refuges and village guesthouses rather than carrying camping gear. The route is well waymarked and needs no technical climbing, but the daily ascents are long and the weather at altitude can turn quickly. This itinerary follows the popular anti-clockwise direction, starting and finishing in the Chamonix valley.

You can join or leave the loop at several points thanks to valley towns and cable cars, which makes it easy to shorten hard stages or wait out a storm. Book refuges well ahead in July and August, when the trail is at its busiest.

Day 1

Les Houches to Les Contamines

Les Houches → Les Contamines-Montjoie 18 km ↑ 1300 m

The tour begins gently by valley standards, climbing away from Les Houches to the Col de Voza before dropping through pasture and forest toward Les Contamines. Those with energy can take the higher, more scenic variant over the Col de Tricot and its swaying suspension bridge below the Bionnassay glacier.

Segments

  1. Les Houches to Col de Voza 6 km ↑ 650 m

    Les Houches → Col de Voza

    Forest track and ski-slope path

    A steady wooded climb gains the broad Col de Voza, where the Mont Blanc tramway crosses the trail. It is a good place to settle into a rhythm before the day's real descent.

  2. Col de Voza to Bionnassay 5 km ↑ 150 m

    Col de Voza → Bionnassay

    Open alpine meadow

    The path contours beneath the Bionnassay glacier, giving the first close views of ice and moraine. Take the Col de Tricot variant here if the weather is clear.

  3. Bionnassay to Les Contamines 7 km ↑ 500 m

    Bionnassay → Les Contamines-Montjoie

    Meadow and village lanes

    A rolling descent through hamlets leads into Les Contamines, a relaxed base with plenty of accommodation. Stock up here before the higher, more remote stages ahead.

Day 2

Les Contamines to Les Chapieux

Les Contamines-Montjoie → Les Chapieux 18 km ↑ 1400 m

This is the first genuinely big mountain day, following an old Roman road up the Montjoie valley before a sustained climb to two linked passes above 2,400 metres. The high traverse can hold snow into early summer, so check conditions before setting out.

Segments

  1. Les Contamines to Notre-Dame de la Gorge 5 km ↑ 150 m

    Les Contamines-Montjoie → Notre-Dame de la Gorge

    Valley path beside the river

    An easy warm-up along the Bon Nant river brings you to a baroque chapel where the serious climbing begins. The paved Roman track above it is steep but unmistakable.

  2. Notre-Dame to Col du Bonhomme 7 km ↑ 900 m

    Notre-Dame de la Gorge → Col du Bonhomme

    Stony mountain path

    The trail climbs relentlessly past the Refuge de la Balme to the exposed Col du Bonhomme. Wind can be fierce here even on fine days, so keep a layer handy.

  3. Col du Bonhomme to Les Chapieux 6 km ↑ 200 m

    Col du Bonhomme → Les Chapieux

    High traverse then steep descent

    A short traverse reaches the Col de la Croix du Bonhomme before a knee-testing drop to the tiny hamlet of Les Chapieux. Refuge beds here are limited, so reserve early.

Day 3

Les Chapieux to Courmayeur

Les Chapieux → Courmayeur 25 km ↑ 1000 m

Today you leave France for Italy over the Col de la Seigne, one of the emotional high points of the whole tour as the Italian side of Mont Blanc suddenly fills the horizon. The long descent through the Val Veny ends in the lively town of Courmayeur.

Segments

  1. Les Chapieux to Col de la Seigne 9 km ↑ 900 m

    Les Chapieux → Col de la Seigne

    Valley track then open climb

    A gradual valley approach steepens to the border pass at 2,516 metres. The view of the Aiguille des Glaciers and the Italian peaks beyond is one of the trek's finest.

  2. Col de la Seigne to Rifugio Elisabetta 4 km ↑ 50 m

    Col de la Seigne → Rifugio Elisabetta

    Alpine descent

    Drop into the Val Veny past the old Casermetta hut, now an information point on the alpine environment. Rifugio Elisabetta makes a scenic lunch stop beneath the Glacier de la Lée Blanche.

  3. Rifugio Elisabetta to Courmayeur
    Rifugio Elisabetta to Courmayeur 12 km ↑ 50 m

    Rifugio Elisabetta → Courmayeur

    Valley path and lake shore

    A long, mostly downhill walk past Lac Combal and Lac Checrouit leads to the cable car or trail down into Courmayeur. Treat yourself to a proper Italian meal after the effort.

    About this place

    Courmayeur is a town and comune in northern Italy, in the autonomous region of Aosta Valley, serving as one of the two bases on either side of Mont Blanc, Europe's highest mountain.

    Read more on Wikipedia ↗

    Photo: Hagai Agmon-Snir حچاي اچمون-سنير חגי אגמון-שניר · CC BY-SA 4.0

Day 4

Courmayeur to Rifugio Bonatti

Courmayeur → Rifugio Bonatti 12 km ↑ 800 m

After the comforts of town the trail climbs sharply to a celebrated balcony traverse with continuous views of the Grandes Jorasses and the glaciers of Mont Blanc’s south face. The night is spent at Rifugio Bonatti, one of the most panoramic huts on the circuit.

Segments

  1. Courmayeur to Rifugio Bertone 4 km ↑ 750 m

    Courmayeur → Rifugio Bertone

    Steep forest switchbacks

    A sharp forested ascent gains height quickly to Rifugio Bertone on its grassy shoulder. Pause here for the sudden, full reveal of the Grandes Jorasses across the valley.

  2. Rifugio Bertone to Rifugio Bonatti 8 km ↑ 50 m

    Rifugio Bertone → Rifugio Bonatti

    High balcony traverse

    The classic Val Ferret balcony contours gently with the massif in view the whole way. It is one of the easiest and most rewarding stretches of the entire tour.

Day 5

Rifugio Bonatti to La Fouly

Rifugio Bonatti → La Fouly 20 km ↑ 850 m

The trail drops to the valley floor before the final big climb to the Grand Col Ferret, the border with Switzerland at 2,537 metres. Beyond it the landscape softens into the green Swiss Val Ferret, ending at the village of La Fouly.

Segments

  1. Rifugio Bonatti to Arnuva 5 km ↑ 50 m

    Rifugio Bonatti → Arnuva

    Descent to valley floor

    A pleasant descent brings you to the valley floor at Arnuva, the last point to fill water before the pass. From here the climb to the border begins in earnest.

  2. Arnuva to Grand Col Ferret 5 km ↑ 800 m

    Arnuva → Grand Col Ferret

    Grassy zig-zag climb

    Long grassy switchbacks lead to the frontier at the Grand Col Ferret. Look back for a last view of the Italian side before crossing into Switzerland.

  3. Grand Col Ferret to La Fouly 10 km ↑ 0 m

    Grand Col Ferret → La Fouly

    Alpine pasture and forest track

    A gentle, scenic descent past the hamlet of Ferret reaches La Fouly, a quiet Swiss resort. The gradient is kind on tired legs after the pass.

Day 6

La Fouly to Trient

La Fouly → Trient 26 km ↑ 1100 m

This stage threads through the pastoral Swiss Val Ferret to the lake at Champex before crossing to the Trient valley. Strong walkers can take the demanding Fenêtre d’Arpette; most choose the gentler Bovine route with its own fine views.

Segments

  1. La Fouly to Champex-Lac 13 km ↑ 300 m

    La Fouly → Champex-Lac

    Riverside path and villages

    An easy walk through traditional villages such as Praz de Fort follows the river down and then up to the lakeside resort of Champex-Lac. The lake is a lovely spot for a break.

  2. Champex to Alp Bovine 7 km ↑ 700 m

    Champex-Lac → Alp Bovine

    Forest and mountain pasture

    The Bovine route climbs steadily through forest to a working alp with wide views over the Rhône valley. It is the safer choice in poor weather compared with the Fenêtre d'Arpette.

  3. Alp Bovine to Trient 6 km ↑ 100 m

    Alp Bovine → Trient

    Descent through forest

    A shaded descent leads down to the small village of Trient with its distinctive pink church. It is the last overnight before returning to France.

Day 7

Trient to Chamonix

Trient → Chamonix 15 km ↑ 900 m

The closing stage climbs to the Col de Balme on the Franco-Swiss border, where the whole Mont Blanc range spreads out ahead as a farewell. A long descent through Le Tour returns you to the Chamonix valley where the tour began.

Segments

  1. Trient to Col de Balme 6 km ↑ 850 m

    Trient → Col de Balme

    Sustained mountain climb

    A steady climb regains the frontier ridge at the Col de Balme, with Mont Blanc framed dead ahead. It is a fitting final high point to the circuit.

  2. Col de Balme to Le Tour 4 km ↑ 0 m

    Col de Balme → Le Tour

    Open ski-slope descent

    Descend the broad slopes toward the village of Le Tour, with the option of a chairlift to save the knees. The Chamonix valley opens up below you.

  3. Le Tour to Chamonix 5 km ↑ 50 m

    Le Tour → Chamonix

    Valley path and bus link

    A gentle valley walk (or a short local bus) completes the loop back to Chamonix. Raise a glass in town to closing the full circle of the massif.