ItalySwitzerlandFrance

Tour du Mont Blanc - Courmayeur to Les Houches

The second half, and the best half. Seven days across Italy, Switzerland and France.

Duration: 7 days
Distance: 105.5 km
Total ascent: 6,111 m
Countries: 3

About

If you only have a week, this is the stretch to walk. It picks up the circuit in Courmayeur and follows it anticlockwise through the Italian Val Ferret, over the Grand Col Ferret into Switzerland, and back into France for the finish above Chamonix.

Seven days, three countries, and the highest concentration of famous viewpoints on the whole tour: the Mont de la Saxe ridge, the Grand Col Ferret border crossing, the ladders at Tré-le-Champ and the Grand Balcon Sud.

It is a serious week of walking - day two is the longest on the entire circuit at 20.7 kilometres - but the trail is well graded and the refuges are comfortable. Most people who train for it finish it.

Difficulty

Daily difficultyHardEndurance demandHigh

No day on any of our TMB trips is easy. Most days climb 700 to 1,300 metres. Choose based on how many hard days in a row you are ready for.

Itinerary

7 stages

Day 1
CourmayeurVal Ferret
Italy
A steady climb to Rifugio Bertone, then the celebrated Mont de la Saxe ridge with the Grandes Jorasses filling the sky.
Distance:
17.6 km
Total ascent:
1,096 m
Total descent:
735 m
Walking time:
6 h 18 min
Day 2
Val FerretLa Fouly
Switzerland
The longest day. Grand Col Ferret at 2,537 m marks the border into Switzerland and a complete change of landscape.
Distance:
20.7 km
Total ascent:
1,340 m
Total descent:
1,277 m
Walking time:
8 h 6 min
Day 3
La FoulyChampex
Switzerland
A gentle valley day through Swiss hamlets and hay meadows, ending at the lake in Champex. The legs get a rest.
Distance:
18.3 km
Total ascent:
497 m
Total descent:
756 m
Walking time:
5 h 21 min
Day 4
ChampexTrient
Switzerland
Over the Bovine route through cow pasture and forest, with a long view down the Rhône valley before dropping to Trient.
Distance:
14 km
Total ascent:
729 m
Total descent:
847 m
Walking time:
5 h 3 min
Day 5
TrientTré-le-Champ
France
Back into France over Col de Balme, where the whole massif lines up ahead of you in one view.
Distance:
10.6 km
Total ascent:
918 m
Total descent:
850 m
Walking time:
4 h 15 min
Day 6
Tré-le-ChampChamonix
France
The short, spectacular day: ladders bolted to the rock, then the Grand Balcon Sud traverse above Chamonix.
Distance:
7 km
Total ascent:
778 m
Total descent:
298 m
Walking time:
3 h 18 min
Day 7
ChamonixLes Houches
France
The closing loop over Le Brévent, with the biggest descent of the tour and a last full-frontal view of Mont Blanc.
Distance:
17.3 km
Total ascent:
753 m
Total descent:
1,624 m
Walking time:
7 h

Trip info

What's included

5 nights in mountain refuges and guesthouses (dormitory rooms) plus 1 night in a 2-3 star hotel
Breakfast and dinner for 6 days
Public transport guidance and lunch-stop recommendations for every stage
Full training programme: three online sessions plus one in-person meet-up for participants in Denmark
GPS route files and offline maps for the whole trail
24/7 phone support from Denmark for the duration of your trip
Certificate and completion recognition at the finish

What's not included

Lunch, snacks and drinks
Travel to the start point and home from the finish
Cable cars, ski lifts and local transport tickets
Travel insurance - mandatory, and you must show it before departure
Personal hiking equipment and clothing
Tourist tax at accommodations (roughly €2-3 per night)
Flights and any visas you may need

Optional extras

Luggage transfer between accommodations
Airport transfers at either end
A local guide joining your group
Extra nights in Chamonix before or after the trip

Quoted on request - tell us what you need in your enquiry.

Cost

From

7.999 kr.

per person

5 nights in mountain refuges and guesthouses (dormitory rooms) plus 1 night in a 2-3 star hotel. Breakfast and dinner for 6 days.

Enquire now