Tour du Mont Blanc Hike – 6 Days, Self-Guided (France · Italy · Switzerland)

Your Tour du Mont Blanc begins. The cable car up from Les Houches (one-way included) rises above the treeline in minutes — and suddenly you’re sharing the platform with mountaineers heading for the summit of Mont Blanc.

From the top of the Bellevue cable car, the trail takes you across the high slopes beneath the Bionnassay glacier, one of the most impressive glaciers on the Mont Blanc massif. The path is wide and well-marked, with the white-and-red GR trail markers that will be your constant companions for the next six days.

The Col du Tricot (6,562 ft / 2,000 m) is today’s high point — and your first real reward. The view opens up over the entire Contamines-Montjoie valley below, and on a clear day you can already see the ridgeline you’ll be crossing tomorrow.

From the col, a good descent leads you through the Chalets de Miage — a cluster of traditional Alpine farms — and down into the village of Les Contamines-Montjoie, where you’ll spend your first night.

⏱️ 11 km (6.8 miles) • 📈 +640 m (+2,100 ft) / 📉 -1280 m (-4,200 ft)

Today is the biggest day on the route — and one of the most rewarding. From Les Contamines, the trail follows the valley floor before climbing steadily through forest and open pasture toward the high mountains.

You’ll pass through Notre-Dame-de-la-Gorge, a small chapel tucked at the end of the paved road, and continue up past the Refuge de Nant Borrant and the Refuge de Balme — both good spots for a coffee or a snack before the final climb.

The Col du Bonhomme (7,641 ft / 2,329 m) is the high point of the day and one of the best picnic spots on the entire TMB. Stop here, eat something, and take in the view — you’ve earned it. The pass marks the transition between the northern Alps and the wilder terrain ahead.

The afternoon descent into Les Chapieux is long but gradual, following a broad ridge before dropping into the quiet hamlet where you’ll spend the night.

⏱️ 19 km (11.8 miles) • 📈 +1360 m (+4,460 ft) / 📉 -970 m (-3,180 ft)

Today you cross into Italy — and the landscape shifts completely.

From Les Chapieux, the trail climbs steadily through the Vallée des Glaciers toward the Ville des Glaciers, a remote cluster of farm buildings at the base of some of the most dramatic glacier scenery on the route. The path then rises toward the Col de la Seigne (8,432 ft / 2,570 m), the border between France and Italy.

The view from the col is extraordinary: you’re standing on the edge of the western face of Mont Blanc — the wildest, most isolated side of the massif. No ski resorts, no cable cars. Just glaciers, rock faces, and silence. Turn around for one last look at France before descending into the Val Veny.

The descent takes you down to La Visaille, at the snout of the Miage glacier, where you’ll pick up a local bus to Courmayeur (free). Courmayeur is one of Italy’s most elegant mountain towns — take the evening to explore, have dinner on your own, and enjoy the change of scenery.

⏱️ 20 km (12.4 miles) • 📈 +1060 m (+3,480 ft) / 📉 -970 m (-3,180 ft)

This morning, a local bus takes you from Courmayeur up the Val Ferret to Arnouva — the trailhead for today’s biggest climb. Before you set off, stop at the Rifugio Elena for an espresso. It might be the last proper Italian coffee for a while.

The climb to the Grand Col Ferret (8,323 ft / 2,537 m) is steady and rewarding. This is the highest point of the entire Tour du Mont Blanc, and the views from the top are among the most spectacular of the trek. Before you cross into Switzerland, turn around: the entire Italian side of the massif — Val Ferret, the Grandes Jorasses, the Aiguille de Leschaux — stretches out behind you.

The descent into Switzerland is long (almost 5,000 ft / 1,500 m of total drop by the time you reach Champex), but the terrain is excellent and the Val Ferret suisse is beautiful. You’ll pass through the village of La Fouly, where you’ll catch a local bus to Champex-Lac — a peaceful Swiss village set around a small mountain lake, where you’ll spend the night.

⏱️ 15 km (9.3 miles) • 📈 +820 m (+2,690 ft) / 📉 -985 m (-3,230 ft)

A gentler day after the big efforts of Days 2 and 4. From Champex-Lac, the trail begins with an easy, almost flat stretch along the old “bovine route” — the ancient path that herders once used to move their cattle between valleys. It’s a pleasant start: green hillsides, cowbells, wide-open skies.

As the morning progresses, the terrain becomes more varied. The trail climbs through forest and then opens out onto a series of viewpoints overlooking the Rhône Valley and the town of Martigny far below — a reminder of how high you’ve climbed over the past four days.

The afternoon descent takes you down to the Col de la Forclaz and then into the village of Trient, a tiny hamlet tucked between steep wooded slopes. A quiet, restorative evening before your final day.

⏱️ 15 km (9.3 miles) • 📈 +830 m (+2,720 ft) / 📉 -1020 m (-3,350 ft)

Your last day on the Tour du Mont Blanc — and the mountain saves some of its best scenery for the finale.

From Trient, the trail climbs steadily through forest before breaking out into open alpine terrain on the way to the Col de Balme (7,218 ft / 2,200 m), the final pass of the trek and the border between Switzerland and France.

The panorama from the Col de Balme is extraordinary: the entire Mont Blanc massif laid out in front of you — from the Aiguilles Rouges in the foreground to the summit you’ve been circling for six days. Take your time here. This is the view that makes the whole trek worth it.

The descent into France is long but gentle, dropping through the ski area of Balme and down to the hamlet of Montroc in the Chamonix valley. From Montroc, a short local bus ride brings you back into Chamonix — and to the end of your Tour du Mont Blanc.

Six days. Three countries. One of the world’s great hikes. Well done.

⏱️ 14 km (8.7 miles) • 📈 +1130 m (+3,710 ft) / 📉 -1040 m (-3,410 ft)

Note: distances, elevations, and timings are approximate and may vary due to weather, terrain, or route adjustments beyond our control.

Self-guided trekking means you are responsible for your own route decisions on the trail. We provide a detailed roadbook, GPX tracks, and a topographic map — but you will be hiking independently each day. Nuyama cannot be held responsible for decisions made on the trail or events that occur during your hike.

In case of doubt or difficulty, always prioritize safety. Turn back if conditions change. Our team is available throughout your trip if you need guidance.