Tour du Mont Blanc Self-Guided Tours
Tour du Mont Blanc Self Guided 7 Days
The Tour du Mont Blanc is a 170 km trekking trail through France, Italy and Switzerland. Circumnavigating Western Europe’s highest mountain, Mont Blanc, it is one of the world’s most famous classic multi day treks and is on every serious hiker’s bucket list. This Tour du Mont Blanc 7 day itinerary follows the TMB trail from Chamonix to Chamonix using occasional public transport. This itinerary cuts out stage 7, 10 and 11.
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Duration
6 Nights, 7 Days
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Start Location
Les Houches, Chamonix
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Date(s)
July - September
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Price
From €1235
Adventure Snapshot
ITALY, SWITZERLAND & FRANCE / 6 NIGHTS / 7 DAYS
This 6 night / 7 day version of the Tour du Mont Blanc trek is an incredible opportunity to completely immerse yourself in the mountains and enjoy the natural beauty of the valleys that surround western Europe’s highest mountain. The trek offers an unusual variety of spectacular scenery and varied walks and you are sure to come away from this trek refreshed and invigorated, if a little creaky at the joints.
The route crosses three borders (France, Italy and Switzerland) over 7 days, traversing beneath huge glaciers, and meandering through beautiful alpine meadows and picture-book villages. That's right, this is a truly memorable journey and one of worlds classic long-distance hiking routes.
This Tour du Mont Blanc 7 day itinerary follows the TMB trail from Chamonix to Chamonix using occasional public transport. This itinerary cuts out stage 7, 10 and 11.
Originally this 7 day itinerary completed the entire TMB trek in a week however we were finding that people were booking it only because they had one week of holiday spare and ended up on the route, unable to complete the daily mileage. We’ve now changed this 7 day itinerary to NOT include the whole of the TMB but rather to take transport on some days.
Not sure whether you're ready? No problem. Take our Tour du Mont Blanc Trek 'Readiness' test or join us on our Tour du Mont Blanc guided trips:
Take our Tour du Mont Blanc Trek 'Readiness' test
Learn more. Download our guide here.
DOWNLOAD PDFEnter your details to download the Tour du Mont Blanc Self Guided 7 Days brochure
YOUR ADVENTURE STARTS HERE
WHO IS THIS FOR?
The Tour du Mont Blanc Trek is well suited to fit hillwalkers, capable of trekking for multiple days carrying a reasonably heavy rucksack. You follow footpaths each day and the terrain is very hilly. You can expect to do up to and over 1000m ascent and descent per day. You stay in a mixture of mountain refuges, gites and auberges during the trek, which all provide basic but comfortable lodging and good food. This helps keep your packs fairly light carrying only snacks, clothing and essentials.
It might seem like a lot to take in so if you're not sure if you're ready.. No problem. Take our Tour du Mont Blanc Trek 'Readiness' test or join us on one of our Tour du Mont Blanc guided trips: Take our Tour du Mont Blanc Trek 'Readiness' test
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Duration
6 Nights, 7 Days
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Start Location
Les Houches, Chamonix
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Date(s)
July - September
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Guide Ratio
Self Guided
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Ability
Level BLevel B
You have some previous experience in the outdoors, whether that’s hiking, skiing or climbing. You will either be starting to venture into more technical terrain or slightly more 'aggressive' environments. Let's dial it up!
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Price
From €1235
Adventure Overview
See real footage of previous expeditions
The Tour du Mont Blanc Trek
02:21Stunning views and great memories. This is the Tour du Mont Blanc Trek.
What is Self Guided Trekking?
01:27Olly and Charlie discuss what a self guided trip looks like.
Beginner Hikes Tour Du Mont Blanc
25:55Check out Dave’s experience on the Tour du Mont Blanc with us.
Omar's Trip
03:39A snapshot at Omar’s experience on the trails with us.
Meet The Team
01:48Introducing our crack squad of mountain lovers and adventure junkies. We spend most of our days plotting, planning and building some of the very best trips out there for you all to enjoy.
EQUIPMENT REQUIRED FOR THIS TRIP
Please note this is a guide and you may be required to rent or purchase last minute equipment on arrival dependent on the weather and changes in itinerary.
For the full downloadable Tour Du Mont Blanc Trek kit list please click here.
Hiking shoes / Trail Shoes
Good grip and ankle support is recommended
Softshell Jacket
Light technical jacket, ideally with a hood.
Lightweight fleece
Something light and thin.
Thermal Tops
Keep them light and thin.
FULL KIT LIST
More info
Click the link in the text above to find the full kit list
We had a spectacular trip - and Adventure Base was a big reason why. The staff was proactive before the trip, providing advice on packing and IMPORTANTLY on weather and proper equipment (ie micro-spikes and poles) to make us safe and comfortable. All the staff were knowledgeable and responsive to all our many questions during the Tour. It was like having a personal guide OFF the mountain - a prefect solution as we wanted to hike on our own but wanted expert advice. thank you!
The direct, face to face meetings with both Beth Gavoille and Charlie Krarup left me feeling that they each genuinely wanted to understand my needs, wants and concerns and would do whatever they could to assist me as much as possible. I never felt that I was simply a customer in a financial transaction with them but rather that they authentically cared about me. You truly felt that you were being listened to.
We had an amazing experience planning the TMB with Adventure Base. Everything went well before and during our trip. Great support from their side.
7 Day Self-guided TBM was an amazing trip. AB planned everything exceptionally well. No issues. I will use them again for my next trip.
Booked our 11 day self guided tour du mont blanc trek with adventure base who were great from the outset. From prior to booking in answering all of our questions, keeping us informed throughout the booking process all the way through to being readily available to answer any questions and provide alternative gpx and information on varient routes we wanted to take. Incredible team. Thank you
5 stars for the Adventure Base team! We are so pleased with our self-guided 9-day Tour du Mont Blanc trek through Adventure Base. The company had clear communication with us the whole way- from making our itinerary, checking in before with left the US, checking in once we got to Chamonix, and then while we were on the trail as well. They helped us chose a different route mid hike, making us feel safe and supported. They also did a lot of small things that went a long way- holding our luggage + dropping it off at our hotel to be ready for us once we were done hiking, providing us with digital + paper maps, a mini trail first aid kit and buffs. We are so thankful to have used them!
The Adventure Base team was a complete pleasure to work with - friendly and knowledgeable. The team was super responsive from start to finish (from planning phase and throughout our trek) providing great advice, logistics and support. We will use AB again - 5 stars!!
We did the TMB with adventure base- family with 2 teenagers. We honestly could not have asked for a better organised self guided tour- the accommodation, bag transfers, food and the communication by Adventure base were amazing. Only trumped by Mother Nature- what a beautiful and bucket list walk. Olly, Beth and Virginia were superb and we highly recommend this tour company.
FINER DETAILS
YOUR ADVENTURE PACKAGE
The trek begins in Les Houches at the Bellevue cable car in the Chamonix valley. Typically people will arrive the night before and overnight either in Les Houches or overnight in Chamonix and take the bus from Chamonix to Les Houches in the morning to start the hike. If you would like us to book your accommodation for the first night please ask.
What's Included?
- 6 Nights accommodation
- 6 Breakfasts
- 6 Dinners
- Planning and reservations
- Detailed itinerary and GPX tracks
- 24/7 Support communication with our Chamonix based team
What's not Included?
- Flights
- Airport transfers
- In-resort travel (bus / lifts / trains)
- Lunches, snacks and drinks
- Luggage transfers
- Additional nights before, during and after trip (can be added on request)
- Travel insurance (required)
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE ACCOMMODATION
We know the importance of having comfortable accommodation on this trip. After a long day of trekking it's vital to have a comfortable bed and good food to enjoy in a scenic location. We've handpicked refuges and other mountain accommodation along the way that we're sure you're going to love.
VIEW GALLERY
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+ 3
ON THE TREK
The majority of the accommodation on the trip will be in dormitories and / or small shared rooms. The accommodation is a mixture of refuges / gites and 1 hotel night in Courmayeur.
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Duration
6 Nights
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Internet
Not included
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Beds
Shared arrangements
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Food
6 Breakfasts + 6 Dinners
Immerse yourself in Nature
Adventure Itinerary
Here you'll find the full itinerary including distances (KM) ascents and descents each day and a rough estimate of how long it will take.
Start point: Top of Bellevue Gondola Les Houches
End point: Montroc Train Station
Length: 7 days
Whilst we aim to stick to the itinerary below, accommodation in some of the locations may not always be available. In this instance you will be booked into a suitable alternative accommodation.
Keep in mind: The moving times shown don’t account for breaks. Add 1–2 hours each day for a more accurate total trail time.
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Day 1:
Les Houches - Val Montjoie
This itinerary takes the Bellevue cable car from Les Houches to the Bellevue Plateau & picks up the path for the Col du Tricot. After the Himalayan suspension bridge the route begins to gently climb until the spectacular Bionnassay glacier comes into full view. From here you can see the top of the Col du Tricot and it’s a steady climb up to the grassy saddle. Spend some time here to admire the views over the Miage Valley and far off the Col du Bonhomme. Spot Refuge Miage in the distant cluster of farm buildings way down in the valley below (a great stop refreshment stop if you have time). If you look carefully to your left, you’ll see a stone archway on the ‘smugglers route’ to Refuge Plan Glacier (see our adventure itinerary). The descent down is STEEP! Take it easy and use your poles. Reaching the valley floor follow the signs to reach Refuge Miage in just 5 minutes. This cluster of farm buildings in set in an idyllic rural setting and is charmingly French. The view of the Dômes de Miage (3600m) from the refuge is outstanding.
After an initial short climb from the Miage Valley up and over to Auberge du Truc. From here it’s a long steady descent through the forest into Les Contamines.
Approximate time and distances:
13.6kms / 683m up / 1,307m down / 3-4 hours trekking
8.4miles / 2240ft up / 4286ft down / 3-4 hours trekking -
Day 2:
Val Montjoie - Les Chapieux
Today you’ll make the climb over two mountain passes, Col du Bonhomme (2329m) and Col de la Croix du Bonhomme (2483m) where early in the season (late June – end of July) you can expect to cross patches of snow.
Departing from this small French town you can either choose to walk along the river to Notre Dame de la Gorge or pick up the free shuttle bus (navette) outside the Tourist Office to Notre Dame de la Gorge where the trail heads out into the wild once more. Taking the free shuttle bus saves around an hour of walking (July & Aug only).
Take a moment to visit the beautiful Notre Dame de la Gorge chapel next to the gushing water before setting out on the well marked path. Warning – the trail is VERY steep here along an ancient slabbed Roman road to Refuge Nant Borrant but pleasantly flanks the bubbling racing gorge for much of the ascent. Be sure to look out for the pont naturel sign leading to a natural arch on the river, just a minute from the trail. Cross the roman bridge to take in the rushing gorge below. After reaching Refuge Nant Borrant press for almost a further 3kms before reaching Refuge Le Balme. Be sure to stop here for a refreshment as after this you’ll begin the ascent of the Col de la Croix du Bonhomme.
It’s straight up the Col de la Croix du Bonhomme. Throw a stone onto the cairn at Plan de Dame as you pass by to remember a British lady that perished here back in the 1800s. Even if you hit snow here during early season you shouldn’t need to put on microspikes as there’s no exposure however its crucial in early season to put them on at the top of the Col du Bonhomme – you’ll see the section between the two cols is just a traverse with a steep mountain gradient falling away on the right hand side. In early season it’s imperative you put on hiking crampons here. In later summer then this is a glorious undulating path with an easy water crossing just before the Col de la Croix du Bonhomme.
You will then descend down into the hamlet of Les Chapieux for the night (depending on availability you may stay in Refuge Mottets or Base Camp Lodge in Bourg St Maurice)
Approximate time and distances:
18.6kms / 1,363m up / 972m down / 5-6 hours trekking
11.5miles / 4470m up / 3188m down / 5-6 hours trekking -
Day 3:
Les Chapieux - Courmayeur
From the valley floor the trail climbs steadily up past Refuge Mottets and up the Col de la Seigne – the border crossing from France into Italy. Here at the top you’ll spot Mont Blanc to your left – pray for good weather! The view into the Val Veny is glorious – this beautiful U shaped valley is just outstanding. The descent is easy enough down to the valley floor – don’t miss stopping at the converted Casermetta hut which is now an environmental centre – its around 15-20 mins from the top of the Col de la Seigne on the Italian side.
After descending down onto the valley floor, you’ll pass Rifugio Elisabetta on a high spur to the left. Continue along the straight roman road passing the lake until you are opposite the gorgeous A frame cabin – Cabane Combal – take a photo – it’s beautiful!
Here you can either carry on straight to cross the bridge and turn right to exit the TMB – its around 50-60 minutes to descend on this road to the village of La Visaille where you can catch a free bus to Courmayeur. Or just after you’re opposite with Cabane Combal, you’ll turn right following the TMB signposts to start stage 4.
Climbing up to the highest point, a spur from Mont Favre, looking back you can see the monstrous moraine of Glacier Miage dwarfing Cabane Combal and on a clear day you can see all the way back to Col de la Seigne. From here you’ll trace the contours of the southern flank of the Val Veny following the rise and fall of the mountain side with jaw dropping views of sawtooth peaks and Monte Bianco opposite all the way along to Rifugio Maison Vielle. It’s here during peak season (July &Aug) that we would recommend you to take the chair lift and connecting cable car down to Dolonne (which is a 10 minute saunter into Courmayeur). The last chairlift descends just after 5pm. If you miss the last chairlift don’t worry it’s not a disaster – Rifugio Maison Vielle can call a taxi for you to pick you up just 30 minutes walk away to where the taxi can drive up – the top of the Val Veny cable car (this cable car won’t be running).
Note: if you were to walk down to Courmayeur from Rifugio Maison Vielle, it would be a further 2 hours descent which would make for a very long day indeed. We do advise taking public transport at the end of today to make this day manageable.
Approximate time and distances: (*there are options to make this day shorter via public transport)
25.2kms / 1,506m up / 1,343m down / 7-8 hours trekking
15.6miles / 4939ft up / 4405ft down / 7-8 hours trekking -
Day 4:
Courmayeur - Val Ferret
You’ll tackle all the elevation in the first 2 hours as you steadily leave Courmayeur in the distance striking out for Rifugio Bertone. Upon arrival enjoy a refreshment at this cosy rifugio before deciding whether you’ll follow the traditional balcony trail along to Rifugio Bonatti or whether, in good weather, you want to really push yourself taking the Mont de la Saxe high ridge route to Bonatti. This high route goes via Tête de la Tronche which offers insane views of the southern buttress of the Mont Blanc Massif. Both routes start at Rifugio Bertone and end at Rifugio Bonatti.
Approximate time and distances: (*Option to extend daily distances via variant route)
13.6kms / 996m up / 556m down / 4-5 hours trekking
8.4miles / 3266ft up / 1823ft down / 4-5 hours trekking -
Day 5:
Val Ferret – Champex
You’ll be walking along the gentle southern ridge of the Val Ferret valley today before passing the Rifugio Elena which is at the bottom of the climb over the Grand Col Ferret (2537m), the border between Italy and Switzerland. From the Col you then descend gently past the working dairy farm Alpage de la Peule where you can stop for a refreshment or a late lunch at Alpage de la Peule. The Swiss section of the TMB is altogether a more mellow landscape with rolling green pastures, pretty meadows and lush forest. You’ll continue down to La Fouly were you’ll catch the bus to Champex Lac missing out stage 7 of the TMB to arrive at the lovely lake side town of Champex Lac.
Approximate time and distances:
19.3kms / 992m up / 1,416m down / 5-6 hours trekking
11.9miles / 3253ft up / 4644ft down / 5-6 hours trekking -
Day 6:
Champex - Trient
Today you have a tough call to make as to which route you take – the traditional ‘bovine’ route or the most challenging variant of the entire TMB – the Col du Fenêtre. The first deciding factor is the weather. It must be excellent weather to consider taking the variant.
Then there’s also the draw of the traditional route – lunch at the L’Alpage du Bovine! This fantastic little buvette is certainly one of the best places to eat on the Tour du Mont Blanc. A local family bring their cows up each summer and cook for trekkers – its one of the most authentic places to experience on the TMB (as well as the cheese farm on stage 3). The traditional trail is still not ‘easy’ – there’s a couple of tough ascents in there totalling around 700m of up before the trail eases down with views over the Rhône Valley – the outline of ugly Martigny muted by glorious rows of grapevines.
Approximate time and distances:
16.7kms / 856m up / 1,052m down / 4-5 hours trekking
10.3miles / 2807ft up / 3450ft down / 4-5 hours trekking -
Day 7:
Trient - Montroc
Today you’ll ascend from Trient up the Col du Balme. It’s a gradual climb and not too taxing.
From Refuge Col de Balme perched on the Swiss side, you’ll have a splendid view of the entire Chamonix Valley – well done you’ve almost completed the circuit! You can now see where you set off from down the other end of the valley and Mont Blanc will be ever present with her snowy dome to the left of the valley.
Descend down into France to the saddle of Col des Posettes before ascending the rock spine ridge to L’Aiguillette des Posettes (2201m). L’Aiguillette des Posettes forms the beginning of the impressive northern flank of the Chamonix Valley. In good weather the 360 degree panorama here will take your breath away – the icy dome of Mont Blanc, the iconic spire of the Drus, the Aiguilles Verte as well as Glacier du Tour Lac Blanc and the Lac d’Emosson dam over your shoulder in Switzerland. Bear in mind this high route along the Posette ridge should never be taken in bad weather – the ridge is known for lightning strikes.The descent down to Montroc is brutal. Take your time.
Approximate time and distances:
14.2kms / 1,144m up / 1,046m down / 4-5 hours trekking
8.8miles / 3752ft up / 3430ft down / 4-5 hours trekking
Are you ready?
Our adventures are attributed a difficulty level from A to E. This Tour du Mont Blanc Self Guided 7 Days trip is rated Level B, for those with some prior experience We recommend you only book a trip that reflects your ability.
Level A
For beginners and newcomers
- You’re not quite sure where to start but you’re hungry for an adventure
- Little / no prior experience
- Shorter time duration
- No technical skills required but keen to learn
- Basic level of fitness
More your level?
Level B
For those with some prior experience
- You have some previous experience in the outdoors, whether that’s hiking, skiing or climbing, and are keen to build on that
- You will either be starting to venture into more technical terrain or slightly more challenging environments
- Some basic skills
- Moderate fitness
Think you've got this?
This trip is at this level
Level C
For accomplished adventurers
- You enjoy challenging yourself physically and mentally
- You’re comfortable on multi-day adventures and you call yourself an avid adventurer
- You're not quite George Mallory but you subscribe to his 'because it is there' attitude
- Strong level of fitness
More your level?
Level D
For the pros
- You're ready to test your skills on the next challenge
- You're comfortable in most types of alpine environments
- Some level of technical skills
- Strong level of fitness
More your level?
Level E
For the experts
- You’ve been on multiple adventures and have built up a solid skillset to tackle most challenges out there
- Good technical skills and knowledge
- Experienced in alpine/mountains environments
- Very high level of fitness
More your level?
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July - September
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Level A
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€950.00
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Level A
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May - October
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Level B
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February - March
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Level B
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Level C
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€3450.00
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March
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Level C
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€2030.00
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June - July
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Level C
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€2650.00
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July - August
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Level D
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€12900.00
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March
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Level D
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€2030.00
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July - August
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Level D
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€4350.00
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July - August
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Level E
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€4450.00
READY TO TREK THE TMB?
We hope you've found all the information you need above, but if not don't hesitate to get in touch. If you're ready to book, follow the link below.
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