Tour du Mont Blanc

The passes are reliably clear of snow only in high summer. July and August are the busiest weeks on the trail — if you can, walk in late June or the first half of September for the same weather with fewer people.

In July and August the refuges along the loop sell out well in advance. Reserve every night — Les Contamines, Les Chapieux, Courmayeur, Rifugio Bonatti, La Fouly, Trient — before committing to dates, not after.

The route runs refuge-to-refuge with village guesthouses in between, so a tent, stove and sleeping mat are dead weight. A light sleeping-bag liner and a small pack make the long ascents far more pleasant.

The classic anti-clockwise loop starts and finishes in the Chamonix valley at Les Houches, which is easy to reach from Geneva. Finishing back in Chamonix means no point-to-point transfer logistics at the end.

Mountain weather here changes fast, and the daily ascents are long. The loop touches valley towns and cable cars at several points — there’s no shame in shortening a hard stage or sitting out a storm in Courmayeur or La Fouly.

Even in August you can meet snow patches, cold wind and strong sun in the same day. Waterproofs, warm layers, sun protection and poles for the long descents cover most of what the TMB throws at you.

Day 3 ends in Courmayeur, the Italian town at the loop’s halfway feel — a good place for a rest day, a resupply and a proper meal before the quieter Swiss stages.

The TMB crosses France, Italy and Switzerland in a single circuit. Carry euros and some Swiss francs — and remember the equivalent of two Everests of ascent is spread over the week, so pace the early days.