Full Description
Discover the legendary Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB), one of the world's most renowned long-distance hiking trails. Traverse a diverse tapestry of landscapes, alpine meadows, glacial valleys, rugged peaks, and picturesque mountain villages. This multi-day circular route covers 170 km (105 miles), beginning and ending in Les Houches, guiding you past welcoming refuges, sparkling streams, cascading waterfalls, and awe-inspiring mountain vistas.
Perfect for fit walkers who have some long-distance hiking experience, this comprehensive guidebook divides the Tour du Mont Blanc into 11 manageable daily stages. Follow the journey as it winds through the enchanting alpine villages of Les Houches and Les Contamines, as well as the picturesque Italian town of Courmayeur. Along the way, experience a harmonious blend of spectacular mountain views, genuine hospitality, and memorable cultural encounters.
The Tour du Mont Blanc is described in both anti-clockwise and clockwise directions, allowing you to tailor your journey from Les Houches through key locations such as Les Contamines and Courmayeur, to accommodate your transport, accommodation, or preferred mountain conditions.
Clear, step-by-step directions guide you around the full TMB circuit, with 1:100,000 IGN planning maps and downloadable GPX files to help you navigate between iconic villages and mountain passes, including Les Houches, Les Contamines, and Courmayeur.
Each stage includes detailed, stage-by-stage route descriptions and suggested itineraries for completing the Tour du Mont Blanc in 9, 7, or 5 days, with daily start and finish points in villages such as Les Houches, Les Contamines, and Courmayeur.
For every stage: start/finish points, distance, estimated walking time, elevation profiles, terrain summaries, refreshment stops, and accommodation options in villages including Les Houches, Les Contamines, and Courmayeur.
Stage facilities planner helps you estimate distances to the next refreshments, accommodations, and notable high points, with details for popular stopping points across the route such as Les Houches, Courmayeur, and Les Contamines.
Refreshment stops and accommodation options are highlighted for each stage, with special notes on trail-side facilities in Les Houches, Courmayeur, and Les Contamines, essential hubs for walkers along the circuit.
A pocket-sized map booklet (available separately) with detailed 1:25,000 IGN maps ensures confident navigation through every stage, from Les Houches to Courmayeur and beyond.
Plan your Tour du Mont Blanc adventure with confidence and experience one of the world's greatest long-distance walks with this definitive guidebook.
Contents
Contents
Overview map
Overview profile
Map key
Mountain safety
Route summary table
Introduction
The Tour of Mont Blanc
The route
Clockwise or anti-clockwise?
Suggested itineraries
How to get there
When to go
Accommodation
Languages
Maps and waymarks
Preparation and equipment
Safety in the mountains
Using this guide
The Tour of Mont Blanc - anti-clockwise
Stage 1 Les Houches - Bionnassay - Les Contamines
Stage 1A Les Houches - Refuge de Miage - Les Contamines
Stage 2 Les Contamines - Croix du Bonhomme - Les Chapieux
Stage 3 Les Chapieux - Col de la Seigne - Rifugio Elisabetta
Stage 4 Rifugio Elisabetta - Courmayeur
Stage 5 Courmayeur - Rifugio Bonatti
Stage 6 Rifugio Bonatti - Grand Col Ferret - La Fouly
Stage 7 La Fouly - Champex
Stage 8 Champex - Alp Bovine - Trient
Stage 8A Champex - Fen&##xea;tre d'Arpette - Trient
Stage 9 Trient - Col de Balme - Tr&##xe9;-le-Champ
Stage 10 Tr&##xe9;-le-Champ - Refuge La Fl&##xe9;g&##xe8;re
Stage 11 Refuge La Fl&##xe9;g&##xe8;re - Le Br&##xe9;vent - Les Houches
Places and items of interest on the TMB
The story of Mont Blanc
The Tour of Mont Blanc - clockwise
Stage 1 Champex - Ferret
Stage 2 Ferret - Grand Col Ferret - Rifugio Bonatti
Stage 3 Rifugio Bonatti - Courmayeur
Stage 4 Courmayeur - Rifugio Elisabetta
Stage 5 Rifugio Elisabetta - Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme
Stage 6 Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme - Les Contamines
Stage 7 Les Contamines - Bionnassay - Les Houches
Stage 7A Les Contamines - Refuge de Miage - Les Houches
Stage 8 Les Houches - Le Br&##xe9;vent - La Fl&##xe9;g&##xe8;re
Stage 9 La Fl&##xe9;g&##xe8;re - Col de Balme - Trient
Stage 10 Trient - Alp Bovine - Champex
Stage 10A Trient - Fen&##xea;tre d'Arpette - Champex
Appendix A Route facilities table (anti-clockwise)
Appendix B Accommodation
Appendix C Campsites on the TMB
Appendix D Useful contacts
Appendix E Further reading
Appendix F French-English glossary
