trek complete guide
Tour du Mont Blanc Self-Guided: The Complete Guide
Tour du Mont Blanc · 45 min read
Read guide →
Loading…
Hiked by Lee· Self-guided
Tour du Mont Blanc
France
The classic ~170 km Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) around Mont Blanc through France, Italy and Switzerland — hut- and hotel-supported, typically ~11 days self-guided.
Hiked by Lee
Self-guided
- Distance
- 170 km
- Duration
- 11 days
- Ascent
- 10,000 m
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Best season
- Jun–Sep
- Style
- hut to hut
Overview
About this trek
Lee completed the Tour du Mont Blanc self-guided (~170 km, ~11 days, hut/hotel). The TMB is a waymarked loop around the Mont Blanc massif through France, Italy and Switzerland (~10,000 m ascent). Classic start/finish: Les Houches (France).
It is moderate in fitness terms — busy in summer, spectacular on high cols, heavier on booking and daily elevation than technical climbing.
Start here for the overview hub, then the complete guide, 11-day itinerary, refuges & booking, cost, food and navigation. Watch hut release timing on the 2027 booking calendar.
Compare alpine options in Trek Comparison, or model nights and budget in the Cost Calculator once you know pace and lodging style.
What we actually spent
Tour du Mont Blanc — September 2024 · 11-day self-guided · couple
Defensible asset — first-hand data, not a generic best-of list
On-the-ground total per person: €900–€1,100 (excludes flights to Geneva). Receipt-level night-by-night ledger below.
| Stage | Overnight | Type | Currency | Price (our booking) | Per person |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Chamonix | Hotel | EUR | €150 / room | €75 |
| 1 | Refuge Nant Borrant | Refuge HB | EUR | €57 | €57 |
| 2 | Refuge Robert Blanc | Refuge HB | EUR | €57 | €57 |
| 3 | Rifugio Elisabetta | Rifugio HB | EUR | €58 | €58 |
| 4–5 | Courmayeur (2 nights) | Hotel | EUR | €170 + €127 / room | €149 |
| 6 | Auberge des Glaciers, La Fouly | Refuge HB | CHF | 97 CHF | 97 CHF |
| 7 | Hotel du Glacier, Champex-Lac | Hotel B&B+D | CHF | 170 CHF / room | 85 CHF |
| 8 | Auberge du Mont Blanc, Trient | Refuge HB | CHF | 68 CHF | 68 CHF |
| 9 | Auberge la Boërne, Tré-le-Champ | Tent HB | EUR | €45 | €45 |
| 10 | Refuge de la Flégère | Refuge HB | EUR | €64 | €64 |
*Per person assumes two hikers sharing hotel rooms.
Planning guides
First-hand guides for this route — packing, itinerary, cost and more.
trek itinerary
Tour du Mont Blanc Itinerary: 11-Day Stage Guide
Tour du Mont Blanc · 8 min read
Read guide →
trek cost guide
Tour du Mont Blanc Cost Guide: What We Actually Spent
Tour du Mont Blanc · 8 min read
Read guide →
trek packing guide
Tour du Mont Blanc Packing List
Tour du Mont Blanc · 8 min read
Read guide →
trek transport guide
Getting to Les Houches & Chamonix for the Tour du Mont Blanc
Tour du Mont Blanc · 7 min read
Read guide →
trek accommodation guide
Tour du Mont Blanc Refuges & Accommodation Guide
Tour du Mont Blanc · 9 min read
Read guide →
trek food guide
Tour du Mont Blanc Food Guide: Meals, Half Board & Resupply
Tour du Mont Blanc · 7 min read
Read guide →
trek difficulty guide
How Hard Is the Tour du Mont Blanc? Difficulty & Fitness Guide
Tour du Mont Blanc · 8 min read
Read guide →
trek navigation guide
Tour du Mont Blanc Navigation Guide: Maps, GPS & Waymarks
Tour du Mont Blanc · 8 min read
Read guide →
trek comparison
Alta Via 1 vs Tour du Mont Blanc: Which Hut Trek Should You Hike?
Alta Via 1 · 8 min read
Read guide →
Watch the trek
Primary guide first — then supporting films and packing videos.
Film
Tour du Mont Blanc — 11-day full documentary
Tour du Mont Blanc · France
Guide
Tour du Mont Blanc — ultimate self-guided guide
Tour du Mont Blanc · France
Film
Tour du Mont Blanc — every step tells a story
Tour du Mont Blanc · France
Destination
A day in Chamonix — setting the stage for TMB
Tour du Mont Blanc · France
Gear for this trek
What Lee actually carried and what matters for this style of hiking — not a shopping list.
- Pack type
- Hut-to-hut / trail kit
- Known base weight
- 2.3 kg
- Confirmed products
- 6 trail-tested items
Gear I used on this trek
Only products with confirmed first-hand use on this route.
Trail tested
nutrition
Katadyn BeFree
Trail tested
Soft-bottle filter I carry when refills between huts or camps are limited on the trail.
Used on: Tour du Mont Blanc
Trail tested
electronics
Petzl Actik Core
Trail tested
Rechargeable headlamp I carried on Alta Via 1 and cover in the HikingWithLee headlamp guide.
Used on: Tour du Mont Blanc
More hiking guides
Related treks and destinations you might want to explore next.
You may also like
Similar treks by destination, style, and season.
