Tour du Mont Blanc in Comfort
Trek through France, Italy, and Switzerland on a legendary alpine trail
Enjoy the comfort of charming hotels, mountain chalets, and refuges
Cross suspension bridges, alpine meadows, and majestic mountain passes
Relax in charming villages with Mont Blanc always in view
Itinerary
Welcome to your Mont Blanc adventure! After your arrival to Les Houches, a charming alpine village, settle into your comfortable hotel and take the rest of the day to relax. You can head out and explore your surroundings, grab a delicious dinner and prepare for the adventure ahead.
Chalet Hôtel du Bois
On your first day on the trail, you have the option to take a cable car to the top of Bellevue or hike up the mountain. From here, a short walk will lead you toward Col du Voza, a mountain pass offering views of the towering Bionnassay Glacier. As you continue, you’ll experience the thrill of crossing a Himalayan-style suspension bridge, a highlight of the day. From Col du Voza, the route descends into the serene Val Montjoie and on to the charming resort village of Les Contamines.
15.3 km and 1050 m of elevation gain / 1680 m of elevation loss
Chalet-hôtel Gai Soleil
From Les Contamines, you have the option to stroll along the peaceful river in the valley or catch a shuttle to Notre Dame de la Gorge, where you can admire the charming chapel. Afterwards, today’s hike takes you past Refuge Nant Borrant, an ideal spot for a lunch break, as you make your way towards the Col du Bonhomme. From there, you’ll descend into the valley towards Les Chapieux, where a steady climb resumes. After crossing the valley, a final descent will lead you to the picturesque Refuge de Mottets.
20.40 km and 1630 m of elevation gain / 930 m of elevation loss
Refuge de Mottets
Today, you’ll depart from the refuge and head towards the Italian town of Courmayeur, beautifully situated at the base of Mont Blanc. The journey to Courmayeur will take you through a picturesque mix of alpine meadows and shaded forest trails, showcasing a new landscape compared to the French portion of the trek. Crossing the border into Italy, you’ll immediately notice a change in the architecture and cultural atmosphere, bringing a fresh and invigorating twist to your adventure. Your day will end with checking into your hotel and enjoying a delicious Italian dinner.
19.5 km and 1155 m of elevation gain / 1310 of elevation loss
Hotel Centrale
After indulging in a breakfast cappuccino, you will leave Courmayeur behind and head up into the mountains. Upon reaching Rifugio Bertone, you’ll face two exciting options. The classic Tour du Mont Blanc route guides you along the northern flank of the mountains, offering stunning views of the valley below and the Mont Blanc massif to your left. For a more challenging yet serene experience, you can opt to climb higher, reaching the mountain ridge for a hike across Mont de la Saxe. Either way, you’ll end up at the simple yet stunning Rifugio Bonatti where you’ll spend the night.
12.1 km and 1070 m of elevation gain / 260 m of elevation loss
Rifugio Bonatti
Having explored Italy and France, today marks the beginning of your journey into Switzerland. The day’s hike takes you up the Grand Col Ferret, where the scenery starts to transform, revealing Switzerland’s alpine charm. As you’ll follow the trail along the right flank of La Dotse, the path will gradually descend into the Ferret Valley, leading you towards the village of La Fouly. Here, you’ll settle into the Hotel Edelweiss, a cozy and authentic mountain retreat.
19 km and 980 m of elevation gain / 1400 m of elevation loss
Hotel Edelweiss
Today is the gentlest stage of your hiking holiday. The trail meanders through the valley, leading you past lush green meadows and charming Alpine villages. Your journey culminates at Champex-Lac, a picturesque lake town reminiscent of the serene beauty of the Canadian Rockies. You’ll get a chance to relax at your comfortable hotel, take a walk around the lake and recharge your batteries.
15 km and 520 m of elevation gain / 660 m of elevation loss
Hôtel du Glacier
It’s time to leave the peaceful valley behind and head back to the mountains. You’ll begin your ascent up the Col de la Forclaz, where sweeping views of the Rhone Valley await. For those seeking a greater challenge, an alternative route crosses the Fenêtre d’Arpette, widely considered the most technically demanding section of the Tour du Mont Blanc. Whichever route you choose, you will end up in the quaint Swiss village of Trient.
13.5 km and 820 m of elevation gain / 760 m of elevation loss
Auberge du Mont Blanc
Today begins with an ascent to the Col du Balme. From the refuge at the pass, you’ll be treated to breathtaking panoramas of the entire Chamonix Valley, a rewarding glimpse as the Tour du Mont Blanc nears its finish. You will cross back into France and continue toward the Col des Posettes. Along this section, you’ll enjoy some of the most iconic views of the massif on your left before descending steeply into the northern end of the valley at Argentiere.
15.5 km and 960 m of elevation gain / 1220 m of elevation loss
Hôtel de la Couronne
Today’s trek takes you toward the famous ladders, one of the more thrilling and adventurous sections of your hike. As you progress, you’ll enter the Aiguille Rouge National Park, home to an abundance of wildlife. Soon, you’ll arrive at a junction offering an optional ascent to the stunning Lac Blanc, passing by the serene Lacs des Chéserys along the way. From La Flégère, you can take the cable car down to Chamonix, where your accommodation for the night awaits.
9 km and 1150 m of elevation gain / 520 m of elevation loss
Hotel de Charme
The final day of your adventure has arrived! You’ll follow the Balcon Sud, making your way to Le Brévent, the last major summit of the trek. Here, you have two choices: take a leisurely cable car ride to the peak or challenge yourself by hiking up via the more technical ladder sections. From the top, the rocky trail continues to the Refuge du Bellachat before a long descent brings you back to the Chamonix Valley. You’ll finish where you began, in Les Houches.
17.5 km and 820 m of elevation gain / 1740 m of elevation loss
Chalet Hôtel du Bois
As your unforgettable journey draws to a close, you’ll depart from Les Houches. After days of breathtaking mountain vistas, challenging climbs, and serene alpine valleys, it’s time to say goodbye to the iconic Tour du Mont Blanc.
Self guided
Included in price
Description
Experience the magic of the Tour du Mont Blanc without having to sacrifice your comfort!
From the charming French village of Les Houches to the picturesque Swiss valleys and scenic Italian meadows, every night you’ll retire to cozy accommodations. Blending simplicity with elegance, these hotels, alpine chalets and mountain refuges will be the perfect place to recharge your batteries.
Each day, you’ll traverse stunning landscapes, cross borders and take in awe-inspiring views. Your journey will take you around Western Europe’s highest peak, through valleys, across suspension bridges, and up thrilling passes like the Col du Bonhomme, with the grandeur of Mont Blanc ever-present.
Designed for adventurers who seek the thrill of the outdoors but also appreciate life’s comforts, this bespoke hiking tour is the perfect choice.
To make your hiking experience even more enjoyable, we take care of all logistics. From booking top-notch accommodations to providing detailed digital guidebooks and GPS tracks, we make it our mission to ensure you can focus on the beauty around you.
Join us for an unforgettable journey through Europe’s most iconic hiking trails – where breathtaking nature meets indulgent comfort!
Map
Things to know
The weather in the mountains is very changeable. Even if it is +25°C in the valley, it much colder on the mountain passes, especially if cloudy and windy. That’s why you should take clothing in layers, along with with a windproof and waterproof jacket (could be two), and waterproof trousers (in case of rain). You should also have a separate set of clothes for chilling in the refuges.
Check out our full packing list here.
Even though the views on the Tour du Mont Blanc are scenic and wild, the trail itself never goes more than a day of hiking away from the nearest road or civilization. In case you decide to stop hiking, you can always get to the nearest village or town, and use public transportation to get to your desired destination. If that happens during the hike, we are also here to help you plan this.
Should there be an emergency situation on the trail, you will always have access to the local rescue services on the number 112. We provide more information on that in our self-guided handouts.
Although it’s not the only one hikers decide to take, it is the best. The main advantage of that is that you’ll always have the view of the Mont Blanc massif in front, and not behind your back. There will also be fewer steep downhills (saving your knees) than otherwise.
Yes, but it is not recommended if they are too young (younger than 10). Either way, they need to have some previous experience with mountain hiking and know what it takes to complete a full day on the trail.
You should do it as early as possible because the spots at the accommodations along the trail usually run out fast. That means the longer you wait, the fewer options there are.
Yes, public transportation is available in most of the valleys, which can shorten some flat sections of the hike. Additionally, there are some cable cars that can take you up the mountains, reducing the amount of ascending you do on some stages.
Yes, but only through the valley. That means that it will be waiting for you at your next accommodation on the valley floor, be it a hotel or a chalet. If you are staying a night in between in a mountain hut, you have to take enough with you in the backpack to make it an extra day.
Some parts of the trail are exposed to thunder, so hiking them in that kind of weather is heavily unadvised. Still, you can make up for that lost time by taking public transportation when possible.
Most of them do not, which is why you should always have enough cash to pay for anything extra than what is included in our tours. Only one hut needs to be paid on the spot, of which we inform you in advance. Do not worry about the hotels and other private accommodations though — they mostly accept them. Still, it is recommended you always have some extra cash with you in case something goes wrong.
You’re going to be traveling through three countries — Italy and France use Euros (EUR) while Switzerland has Swiss Francs (CHF).
Some of them offer showers, but there might not be any hot water. In most, you need to buy a token to get a minute of hot water (if it didn’t run out already).
No. All of the huts have blankets, bedding, and pillows, but it’s nice to bring your own silk or cotton sleeping liner.
We can arrange it in the hotels and other accommodations in villages and towns along the way. As for the mountain huts, a rare few have that option, but it is usually the first one that is sold out, so you need to be really early if you want us to get it.
There isn’t in most of them. Enjoy the opportunity of disconnecting from technology and reconnecting with nature. But if you really need it, you can try to get some signal outside or wait until coming back to the valley. There, you should have no problem getting to the internet.
Vegetarian meals are readily available in most accommodations. On the other hand, vegan options are harder to be found, especially in the huts. But if you tell us enough in advance, we’ll contact the huts for you and try to accommodate you to the best of our abilities.