Deluxe Tour du Mont Blanc: 10 Day Trek

lac blanc

IMG_3889

IMG_3288

lac blanc

1/6

Tour du Mont Blanc Highlights

Visit 3 countries - France, Italy and Switzerland
Challenging hiking
Day hike to Lac Blanc for stunning views of Mont Blanc

Why Choose Cloud 9 Adventure

7 Days of trekking
Rest day in Italy
Full luggage support
Good quality accommodation throughout

Deluxe Tour du Mont Blanc Trek: Overview

For this 10-day trip we have selected the best daily stages of the classic Tour du Mont Blanc Trek. Our trip starts and ends in the world class mountaineering town of Chamonix. After a scenic day hike to Lac Blanc, we will trek through France, Italy and Switzerland, tackling mountain passes such as the Col du Bonhomme (2329m) and the Col de la Seigne (2516m). Highlights include the stunning Mont de la Saxe ridge. Our trip takes us through beautiful mountain villages, remote farms and ancient Roman towns.

Deluxe Tour du Mont Blanc: What to expect

The Tour du Mont Blanc is one of the world's classic trekking journeys, covering 166km and with about 10,000m of ascent and descent. Standing on the border of France, Switzerland and Italy, Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in Western Europe at 4810m.

Our route takes us over varied terrain including rugged cols, high alpine meadows and conifer forests. We will see plenty of alpine flowers, and we are likely to see marmots, chamois, ibex and birds of prey.

As well as Mont Blanc, we should have fantastic views of many other famous peaks in the area: the Domes de Miage, the Aiguille Verte, the Aiguille du Chardonnet, the Grandes Jorasses, Mont Dolent and the Grand Combin amongst others.

It truly is a trip to remember, with every day bringing varied and spectacular scenery.

Our Deluxe TMB does the route in a very comfortable way, using the occasional cable car and transfer to keep the trip to 7 days of trekking plus a rest day, and to enable us to take some lesser-traveled variants on numerous days.

Which Tour du Mont Blanc trek shall I book?

We offer the Tour of Mont Blanc in a number of different options:

Classic Tour du Mont Blanc - The classic itinerary completes the circuit over 10 days' trekking and uses cable cars and occasional transfers to offer the most comfortable version of this trek. We take variants whenever possible in order to leave the crowds behind - and it is for this reason that we start on a weekday rather than at the weekend - it makes a huge difference.

Highlights of the Tour du Mont Blanc - we use vehicle transfers to link up the Highlights of the TMB, enabling you to complete the circuit over 7 days. Perfect for those who are short of time but who don't want to compromise the best bits - our Highlights version still does some of the exciting variants.

"Best of" the Tour du Mont Blanc - shorter and easier than our Highlights Trip, this version stays in hotels only, and takes 6 days. We use vehicle transfers to shorten some of the days.

Ultimate Tour du Mont Blanc - for fit, experienced trekkers only. This is the most challenging version of the Tour du Mont Blanc that we offer. We take little-known variants and climb optional summits on this truly exceptional 10 day itinerary.

Self-Guided Tour du Mont Blanc - we book all your accommodation and provide suggestions on the best places to eat, buy your lunches, and our favoured route options and recommendations. We can provide anything from Every Step of the Way over 10-12 days, our 10 day Classic trip with a couple of bus transfers, a 5-9 day Highlights trip, a Tour du Mont Blanc East, or West, or even a 3 or 4-day mini TMB from Chamonix to Courmayeur. We can add rest days to your itinerary wherever you like. And we can cater for all budgets - anything from luxury hotels, to a more budget trip staying in mountain huts, or a comfortable mix. You can choose whether or not to have luggage delivery, whether you'd like your meals included, and we can arrange airport transfers if need be.

Private Tour du Mont Blanc - If you would like an independent trip on dates to suit you, then just let us know. We can offer any number of itineraries for groups of all sizes and budgets from a luxury Tour du Mont Blanc to a budget trip staying entirely in huts, or a trek with a good mix of hotels and huts. You can travel clockwise or anti-clockwise, and take anything from 5 days to 2 weeks, with or without a rest day in Courmayeur, and be guided or self-guided.

AT A GLANCE

9 nights in mostly 4* or 5* hotels

7 days' trekking

1 rest day

Luggage delivery

Join: Chamonix

Nearest airport: Geneva

ACCOMMODATION

9 nights in hotels

DIFFICULTY GRADING

7

Challenging

BOOK NOW

TRIP NOTES

Deluxe Tour du Mont Blanc Trek: Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrive in the Chamonix Valley

The trip starts in the famous mountaineering town of Chamonix, at the foot of Mont Blanc.

Accommodation: 5* Hotel

Luggage access

Day 2 - Hike from Les Houches to St Nicolas-de-Véroce

The trekking day starts with a cable car journey on the Bellevue. You then cross the spectacular suspension bridge at the foot of the Bionnassay glacier, there are several route choices to take you to St Nicolas-de-Véroce. Usually you cross the Col de Tricot, with a coffee stop at the spectacularly-located Chalet de Miage (at the foot of the Dômes de Miage), but if the weather is bad then you may take a lower level route through the scenic villages of Bionnassay, Champex and La Gruvaz.

Accommodation: Hotel

Luggage access
Walking time: 7 hours

Distance: approx 15 km

Altitude gain / loss: +840 m / -1520 m

Day 3 - Transfer to Les Contamines. Hike to Les Chapieux

You will start early with a transfer to Notre Dame de La Gorge, above Contamines. You then trek up the old Roman road from the chapel at Notre Dame de la Gorge, which is thought to have been a route taken by Hannibal. It is a steep uphill to start with, but you soon get into your stride! We pass the Chalet de Balme, which is a perfect coffee stop if you are making good time. You then head up to the Col du Bonhomme (2329m) for a well-earned lunch break. After lunch you have a climbing traverse, often with snowy patches until mid-July, to the Col de la Croix du Bonhomme (2479m). From here you will enjoy great views towards the Vanoise National Park, before a 2 hour descent to Les Chapieux. You stay either in an auberge or a chambre d'hôte, depending on availability.

Accommodation : Auberge

Luggage access

Walking: Approx 7-8 hrs

Distance: 17km

Altitude gain / loss: +1348m / -960m

Day 4 - Trek from Les Chapieux to Courmayeur

You take a newly cut path up to Ville des Glaciers. If the farmer is on hand at Ville des Glaciers you might even be able to try the Beaufort cheese that is produced here. After passing the Refuge des Mottets you start to climb more steeply towards the Col de la Seigne (2516m), which is the 2nd highest pass on the Tour du Mont Blanc. You have now reached the Italian border! From here you descend past the Rifugio Elisabetta to La Visaille, where you take a transfer to the vibrant Italian mountain town of Courmayeur.

Accommodation: Hotel

Luggage access

Walking: Approx 6 hrs

Distance: 21km

Altitude gain / loss: +1004m / -850m

Day 5 - Rest Day in Courmayeur

Courmayeur is a great place for a rest day - you can visit the outdoor swimming pool above Dolonne (half way up the mountain), or take the famous revolving Skyway cable car for outstanding views of Mont Blanc and the Vallée Blanche from the Italian side. Or relax and visit the thermal baths at Pré St Didier (a 5 minute bus ride). Or simply enjoy the hotel, shops, gelato and atmosphere of Courmayeur.

Accommodation: Hotel

Luggage access

Day 6 - Trek from Courmayeur to Arnouva

You start the steep walk up to the Bertone hut and the Mont de la Saxe ridge. If the weather is good and there is not too much snow, you can take the lesser-travelled variant to the Mont de la Saxe ridge, up the Tête de la Tronche, and then down steeply to the Col Sapin. From here you descend into the Armina valley before climbing again to the Col Entre Deux Sauts. It's a fairly long, but really stunning day. – not many people, plus breathtaking scenery. You then take a short transfer back to Courmayeur for the night. Today could also be an optional rest day if you prefer.

Accommodation: Hotel

Luggage access

Walking: Approx 9 hrs

Altitude gain / loss: +1590m / -1140m

Day 7 - Trek from Arnouva to La Fouly. Transfer to Champex

You start our day with a transfer back to the head of the trail at Arnouva. From here the climb up the Grand Col Ferret begins. At 2543m, it is the highest col on the official TMB route. You can stop for one last Italian coffee at the Rifugio Elena, then climb steadily to the col. You will be rewarded with stunning views of the Grandes Jorasses, the Grand Combin and Mont Dolent (the summit of which is on the border of France, Italy and Switzerland). At the top of the col you cross the border into Switzerland, where the scenery changes yet again. If you are doing well for time you may stop for coffee at La Peule. You then leave the signposted TMB and head to La Fouly via a higher balcony path (if you are early in the season and the gullies are still full of snow you will stick to a more straightforward track). La Fouly is a lovely alpine village with traditional 'chocolate box' chalets. You then take a taxi transfer to the pretty Swiss lakeside town of Champex.

Accommodation: Hotel

Luggage access

Walking: approx 6 hrs

Distance: 20km

Altitude gain / loss: +910m / -1050m

Day 8 - Trek from Champex to Col de la Forclaz

There are 2 options today. If you are feeling fit and the weather is good you can take the Fenêtre d'Arpette; this would be the highest col of the trip, at 2665m. It's a fantastic route with stunning views of the Trient glacier. Alternatively you can take the normal route, via Bovine, to the Col de la Forclaz. If you've made good time, you can stop for ice cream before you take a transfer to Argentiere.

Accommodation: Hotel

Luggage access

Distance: depends on route

Walking: approx 6 hrs

Altitude gain / loss: +1484m / -1760m

Day 9 - Trek to Lac Blanc

You finish the trip with a wonderful hike up to the famous Lac Blanc via the Lacs des Chéserys, with simply the best views of Mont Blanc. This is one of the best walks in the Chamonix valley, and you use a series of ladders and chains to skirt the cliffs – this is nothing to worry about and is not difficult! You then traverse to the Flégère and descend by cable car to Les Praz, and transfer back to the hotel in the Chamonix valley. You are in the heart of the Aiguilles Rouges nature reserve, and are often lucky enough to see ibex, chamois and marmottes. After a hard-earned refreshment at the Lac Blanc refuge, you descend to the Flégère and take the cable car to Les Praz, then either walk back to the hotel along the river, take the bus or train.

Accommodation: Hotel

Luggage access

Walking: approx 6 hrs

Distance: depends on route

Altitude gain / loss: +100m / -550m