Whether you have a different mindset about cheating or not, you will get a realistic picture of what kind of situations you can expect on the trek. They had put up a sign indicating that there would be a campsite about 10 minutes further ahead. The Tour du Mont Blanc is one of the most popular long distance treks in Europe. Unfortunately, not much had changed. The refuge was located at the mountain pass Col de Balme, which also marked the border between Switzerland and France. Finishing the TMB hike in 12 days will require a good level of fitness, steadfast determination, and strong willpower. We just had to turn away from the TMB and follow a proper tarmac road. This was how our itinerary (unintentionally) ended up, Day 1: Arriving in ChamonixDay 2: Les Houches to Refuge de la Balme (via Les Contamines)Day 3: Refuge de la Balme to Les Chapieux (via Col du Bonhomme)Day 4: Les Chapieux to Courmayeur (including a bus ride! When we try to compare the TMB with some of the other long(ish) hikes we’ve been one, what really seems to separate it is the long days. We had almost forgotten that the day wasn’t over, and now well past midday, we were behind schedule. But, as usual, we eventually made it to the top. That would hopefully also mean we could put our small injuries behind us, and complete the rest of the trail. The scenery is not so interesting on that stretch anyway. We had hoped that it would be all downhill from here, as was typically the case when you have conquered a mountain pass, but we were in for a surprise. Tour du Mont Blanc biegnie przez trzy kraje – Francję, Włochy oraz Szwajcarię, a widoki z poszczególnych etapów są po prostu nieziemskie! We just had to stop around here for lunch. The second highest is Col de la Seigne (2516m) (8255 ‘). We had actually expected it, because, believe it or not, we obsessed about the forecast. The idea was to double back with the bus we took the day before, and reconnect to the official TMB trail back at Cabane du Combal. Subscribe to our newsletter below. We took comfort from the fact that all we had planned for the next two weeks was mountain vistas. We also met some people we had chatted with earlier and shared a beer with them. The downhill section of the afternoon was tough on our knees, but nowhere near as tough as the ascent. In addition to the physical demands of the trip, the TMB also doubles as a living, breathing history lesson. Eventually, we arrived in the lazy Swiss town of Orsières. As soon as we were back on the trail, the ascent started. The Tour du Mont Blanc is one of the great treks of the European Alps, guiding hikers on a 170.0km circuit through three spectacular countries around the Mont Blanc massif. That’s the good thing about taking such a long trek, after all, you are almost guaranteed to have some awesome days at one point or another. In fact, you should probably get the guidebook in any case. We might even have glimpsed a thin slice of blue skies. Time: 8 hoursDistance: 20 km / 12.5 milesLowest point: 1.540 m / 5,052 feetHighest point: 2.487 m / 8,159 feetAscent: 1.041 m / 3,415 feetDescent: 899 m / 2,949 feet. It was a majestic beast of an animal with horns over a meter long. When the time came to hike down to Col de la Forclaz, it became apparent that the descent was even tougher than the way up. But there’s a lot more to consider than purely the busiest and quietest times. Filled with superlatives from start to finish, the route circles the Mont Blanc Massif, covering a distance of about 170km and including awe-inspiring ascents and descents. Now, much later, we are still not regretting that decision. It completely destroyed us, and to make matters worse, we ran out of water. Our trip would just have been that much better, had we had the extra physical energy. Before getting to that, though, it was time for lunch. At this point, what we had seen and achieved was enough for us. This was definitely not why we had wanted to hike the TMB! Up went our tent in the large grass field right next to the tourist office. No problem, we knew this was likely to happen, and we were just eager to get out on the trail then. On the way, you’ll cross various mountain passes, and in total, you will need to conquer over 10,000 meters of elevation gain. However, if you are reading this a little too late to make those preparations, you can definitely go anyway and work around your shortcomings! The first bus went from our campsite in Val Ferret back to Courmayeur. We weren’t exactly sure about where we were going to sleep that night. The Danish Nomads | Travel & Adventure Blog. The Tour du Mont Blanc trail is open from June to September. The TMB trek is not going to be easy, and there are probably going to be plenty of days without any mountain views whatsoever. We had conquered Rysy in the High Tatras (the highest peak in Poland) as well as traversed the Icelandic Highlands carrying heavy backpacks filled to the brim with food and equipment. As you trek the Tour du Mont Blanc, you’ll experience the culture, the rich history of the Alps along with the stories of how this massive mountain has beckoned hikers and mountaineers for over 250 years. As mentioned in the notes for day 8, we should have slept in La Peuty instead. This realization, sparked by the awesome trail runners of the Tor des Geant, would help us tremendously over the coming days. That we had it good. Instead, you hop in the Bellevue Cable Car, carrying you straight to 1.800 meters (5,900 feet). We had tried to carry this kind of weight before, on the Icelandic Laugavegur trek, but the days there were much shorter, and the elevation change much less. Anytime during this season is ideal for walking. The quietest times to hike are June and September. The latter of those is supposedly the easiest on the entire TMB, but we will never be able to comment on that. Hiking counterclockwise saves the best views of Mont Blanc for the end. Because the stages above are featured in the more or less official guidebooks, people have a tendency to think that the itinerary is conservative. The full circuit takes you on a 170 kilometre journey around the Mont Blanc … We sat there for hours, basking in the sun, and just letting that amazing view soak in. It is, however, possible to book accommodation in advance. We were ready to make an effort and, hopefully, finally, fall in love with the TMB. We contemplated eating dinner here and calling it a day, but because we still had an hour of daylight left, we continued on. About 30 minutes before getting there, we could see the Refuge de la Balme in the distance. As we got down from Fenetre d’Arpette, we had the choice of going down into the valley towards Trient, or continue straight towards Col de la Forclaz. Mont Blanc Tours & Trips. To make matters worse, all the lucky schmucks sitting on the right side of the plane didn’t even look out the window. Again, this is exactly why we have decided to share our personal trip report – to give you a true feel from real travelers. It’s only about 10 minutes away, but because of our shopping detour, the clock was already approaching midday. On the TMB, you pretty much need to hike 1,000 meters up, and 1,000 meters down each day, and it cannot be stressed enough how tough that is. You know Marmots, right? We did do a tiny bit of walking this day because once we got to Champex, we had to get to our campsite, Relais d’Arpette. Paragliding in Chamonix: Read the full travel story about our favorite experience in Chamonix. Here’s a little overview of what you might expect: This post is all about our personal day-by-day experiences on the trek. Of course, that never happened, but it really felt like it would. Before our self guided Tour du Mont Blanc hike in September 2019, we felt we were in relatively good shape. Hiking the TMB is a tough endeavor, so it’s important that you are motivated. Not a bad lunch spot, wouldn’t you agree? We went to sleep early, dreaming of better weather and a first real glimpse of the epic mountains we had traveled all the way to the Alps for. We were miserable. Of course, in the end, it was all worth it! We really, really wanted to make it to the bus in time, so we pretty much ran down. The Tour du Mont Blanc full circuit is a spectacular multi-day trekking experience. At the top of Bellueve, there were some beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. However, our own luck was about to turn, as well. It seemed the weather was actually just better in Italy. The day started as the previous day had ended. We want to help you travel more and better so we share all our best tips and tricks on a daily basis to those who want to listen. We all want to save money, right? In the previous year alone, we had been on several trips to Nepal, including reaching +5,500 meters on the Everest Base Camp trek. Others provide less demanding options, which are often quicker than the accepted route, but provide lesser viewpoints onto the mountain ranges. We were pretty sure the scenery up there would be epic. It suffices to say, it was incredible. 8 hours on the trail, covering more than 17 km (11 miles) and a combined elevation change of over 2.300 meters (7.700 feet), does not equal an easy day. Just as we had given up all hope of getting a sip, a small stream trickled across the path ahead. The trek continued along a high ridge, towards the famous Refugio Bonatti, and featured panoramic mountain views across from the Val Ferret valley below. After Les Contamines, there is a long flat section, passing by Les Pontets campground. Sweet! It was like someone dangled a carrot in front of us. At the same time, we were lucky to spot an Alpine Ibex walking on a nearby ridge. Right after Les Mottes, a series of switchbacks followed, and the ascent became incredibly steep. It was like drinking a magic potion, and we were back to our old selves in no time. That didn’t matter much to us though, because we would only get out for 10 minutes at the station changing into a Swiss bus. Typically, you would spend a leisurely rest day in Courmayeur in Italy between stages 4 and 5. This expectation helped fuel our legs, which were also fresh(er) after the rest day. Fenetre d’Arpette is described in all the guidebooks as a more strenuous variant compared to the original route and rightly so. Packing for the Tour du Mont Blanc. The only problem was that the last bus of the day would depart in exactly 45 minutes. At sunrise, we will cross Col de la Seigne into Italy and the magical Val Veni overlooked by Noire du Peuterey and the glaciers descending Mont Blanc. The higher we came, the more beautiful the surroundings became. Day 9: La Forclaz (or Trient) – Le Tour. We chose to camp our way through the TMB. We never got back on the trail. Usual start points are Les Houches in the Chamonix valley or Les Contamines in the Montjoie valley (in France), Courmayeur from the Italian side, and either Champex or a point near Martigny in Switzerland. There were so many switchbacks on this day, we couldn’t keep count. However, we managed without it, and there are significant holes in its content. We were supposed to try paragliding for the first time on this day, but the weather didn’t cooperate. However, we outright skipped that. As a token of appreciation, we will send you a free 25-page PDF guide on getting the best possible deals on flight tickets.