Tour du Mont Blanc
Tour du Mont Blanc 10 days
Technical lev. : 2.5 / 5
Difficult trekking, there are several vertiginous, physical and technical passages, the path is sometimes equipped with cables and ladders to help the progression, it is not a Via Ferrata but we are obliged to use them. You must master the activity, you are independent in the mountains in easy passages, the guide will help you in difficult passages.
Weather forecast learning and learning of walking progression techniques with a mountain rope.
Physical lev. : 3 / 5
Intermediate stage, between 3 and 4 stars. Effort corresponding to approximately 1000 to 1400 meters of elevation gain in trekking.
France, Italy and Switzerland: three Alpine countries, separated by borders but linked by the same mountain culture.
We have chosen the most beautiful alternative paths of the Tour, to walk in the footsteps of the Ibex and Chamois, and to find the most beautiful viewpoints and peaks.
The Tour du Mont Blanc Sauvage is designed for those who want to do the Tour du Mont Blanc but otherwise: we leave the classic route to discover the most beautiful and off-trail variants that our team knows.
Dates & Prices
Dates are available on demand. Contact us : info@espritmontagne.com.
Trip
The Tour du Mont Blanc, or TMB, is the most famous Hiking in the Alps: a tour to discover the highest Massif in Europe.
The Alpine people make the charm of this famous Tour: between France, Italy and Switzerland, separated by borders but linked by the same mountain culture, traditions and gastronomy will alternate.
The Wild Side of Mont Blanc Tour is designed for those who want to do the Tour du Mont Blanc but otherwise: we leave the classic route to discover the most beautiful and off-trail variants that only our team knows.
We will walk in the footsteps of smugglers, guides and shepherds.
A breathtaking route, for very good walkers only: we may cross chamois and ibex and it will be necessary to have a little of their agility to be comfortable on their paths. A wild Trekking Tour, around the giant of Europe, Mont Blanc and its Massif.
Program
Vertical drop: + 1000 mt and - 800 mt
Walking time: 7 to 8 hours
In front of the Saint Gervais Le Fayet SNCF Train station at 8:00 am, to get to know each other and have a coffee together near the start of the Mont Blanc Tramway. You can park your car in the Parking de la Gare, which is free; for those who take the train, you will arrive directly at the meeting point.
For those arriving the day before, several hotels are located around the station: Hôtel du Terminus - Hôtel des 2 Gares - Hôtel de la Chaumière
We ask you to prepare your backpacks very well before leaving (do not hesitate to call us for an advice), your Guide will do a quick checklist before leaving, but we trust you: 10-day Trek participants are used to it!
We will start on the path to the Thermes de Saint Gervais and then take the Mont d'Arbois cable car and then take the ridge that leads to Mont Joly and then the Aiguilles Croches, the view on Mont Blanc, we leave immediately on a Variant of the Tour du Mont Blanc is great all along, as we will be walking in the upper valley instead then staying in the valley floor where the regular route goes.
Vertical Drop: Approximately + 1000 m and - 1000 m.
Walking time : About 7 hours of walking.
We start from the refuge to access the Col du Bonhomme and Col des Fours, which is the classic Tour du Mont Blanc route. We will have a beautiful view of Mont Blanc and the Vallée des Glaciers, a beautiful valley at the southern end of Mont Blanc. We descend on an off-piste route to Lac Mya where we will have a swim if the weather is good and then the descent through the beautiful alpine meadows back to the valley. We'll pass by a mountain pasture in the Ville des Glaciers to see how Beaufort cheese is made. Night in a refuge.
Vertical drop: +1000 mt and -1000 mt
Walking time: 7 to 8 hours of walking with breaks - 30 min by bus
if we will be staying at altitude and sleep at Refuge Robert Blanc, this is one of the possible variants to reach the Col de la Seigne; if we will be descending into the valley, we will take the regular path to the Col de la Seigne, to then head direction Col des Chavannes (2603m) and Mont Fortin (2750m): the Mythical South Face of Mont-Blanc is in front of us, with the Miage Glacier and its Lake, all we will have to do will be making a nice descent to reach them! In the village of La Vizaille, we will take a shuttle that will drive us to Courmayeur, where we will sleep in a nice Hotel.
We will enjoy the Italian gastronomy, its fabulous ice creams and all other Italian wonders ... Free evening, you dine wherever you wish.DAY 3 - TUESDAY
Vertical Drop: + 850 mt - 1100 mt
Walking time: 6 to 7 h
We will start from Courmayeur to reach the Rifugio Bertone, then the Mont de la Saxe where we will have a magnificent view on the famous Grandes Jorasses and the Dent du Géant. We will eat our picnic on top of Testa Bernarda: after this steep walk, a little break on the grass will be well deserved.
We will then go to Col Sapin and Combe d´Arminaz, to find the bottom of Val Ferret and reach the Rifugio Bonatti.
Vertical Drop: +1500 mt and - 1150 mt
Walking time: 7 to 8 hours with breaks
In the beginning we will be following a balcony path to reach the Elena Hut, where we can have a short coffee break.
The path then becomes steeper to reach the Grand Col Ferret, we will then cross over to the Petit Col Ferret to enjoy its wild valley which descends to the Ferret village.
Here we will sleep in Switzerland for the first time.
Depending on the reservations we will sleep either in Ferret, La Fouly or Praz de Fort.
Vertical Drop:+1450 mt and - 1200 mt
Walking time: 7 to 8 hours of walking with breaks
While walking up the Saleina Valley, we enjoy a breathtaking view on the East Face of the Aiguille d'Argentière and the Saleina Glacier.
The path leads us to the Clocher du Portalet, a vertiginous peak that has made a generation of climbers dream. If you are in good shape, we can go for a piece of cake at the Cabane d'Orny, a well known stop on the Chamonix - Zermatt Route.
We will then keep going towards the Col de la Breya to reach Champex Lac, walking along some magnificent granite cliffs.
We’ll come back to rock climb here for sure… In case of bad weather, we will reach Champex via a forest path.
Vertical Drop:- 1200 mt and + 1000 mt
Walking time: 7 to 8 hours of walking with breaks
It’s the last day in Switzerland and you may remember it: direction La Fenêtre d'Arpette facing the Glacier de Trient.
Global warming is here, but there is still a beautiful glacier. We will then take the path to get to the Col de Forclaz, where we will take a shuttle and a small train to reach Argentière.
Vertical Drop: + 1200 mt and - 150 mt
Walking time: 5 to 6 hours of walking with breaks
Today it will be a short day but in one of the most beautiful and fascinating corners facing Mont Blanc: we will climb the ladder path passing next to the famous Aiguillette d'Argentière and the lakes of Chéserys, where we can take a short swim. We will sleep at Lac Blanc, surely one of the most beautiful viewpoints in the Alps, in the Aiguilles Rouges Natural Reserve. In the evening we may go for a walk to the lake above the refuge, with a bit of luck we will be able to admire some ibex with the sunset over the Mont Blanc Massif in the background: the view of the Mer de Glace, the Aiguilles de Chamonix, the Aiguille Verte and the Drus is magnificent.
Vertical Drop: + 1200 mt and -150 mt
Walking time: 4 to 5 hours with breaks and 2 to 3 hours at the Aiguille du Midi
After spending the night above Chamonix, we will leave after sunrise to go towards the Index. We will then climb to the Col de la Glière which is a bit aerial with a cable passage. From the Col we will be able to observe the Chaine des Fiz, we will surely climb a little more off-trail, to have an even more superb view. After a nice break, we will resume our way to arrive at the Col du Lac Cornu. The descent is then quite fast with a sometimes vertiginous path and we quickly arrive at the Plampraz Gondola at the feet of the Brévent cable car. We will take the cable car to reach Chamonix. We will spend the evening and the night in the capital of Mountaineering, in a good hotel five minutes from the city center.
Vertical Drop: + 700 m and - 800 m
Walking time: 5 to 7 hours with breaks
We will take a free shuttle to Les Houches, where we will take the Bellevue cable car to approach Mont Blanc. We will then walk on a path that runs alongside the Bionnassay Glacier, to access the Eagle's Nest (Nid d'Aigle). From there, we will take the path along the Regular Route for Mont Blanc to reach the Rognes hut: the view of the Mont Blanc normal route is magnificent. On the descent we will surely meet Alpinists who are setting out for the ascent of Mont Blanc. We will take the Mont Blanc Tramway to the Nid d'Aigle, to come back down and finish the day early enough to allow you to plan your return trip in time. We will come back to our starting point in Saint Gervais: depending on your desires and transports plans, you can enjoy the thermal baths and sleep in the city.
END OF THE TRIP, everyone resumes its way… see you soon for new adventures!
Materiel
If possible take a light backpack with good carrying, the backpack itself should not exceed 1,5 kilos.
Your backpack must have 10 to 15 liters of space for the food that you will carry for lunch and sometimes for the day after.
Count 2 liters of water and 1 kilo of food for the day.
Your guide will have a more complete pharmacy in the event of a more serious accident.
A small book or card game (less than 150 grams) ... if you want !
The hiker's enemy is weight, but a frozen or wet hiker is a hiker without pleasure! So take the time to properly prepare your backpack.
IMPORTANT: if a person is not properly equipped and dressed, the mountain guide may decide not to allow him/her to take part in the climb. We ask you to read carefully the equipment list provided in the programme PDF and to call us if you have any doubts.
Level
Difficult trekking, there are several vertiginous, physical and technical passages, the path is sometimes equipped with cables and ladders to help the progression, it is not a Via Ferrata but we are obliged to use them. You must master the activity, you are independent in the mountains in easy passages, the guide will help you in difficult passages.
Weather forecast learning and learning of walking progression techniques with a mountain rope.
Intermediate stage, between 3 and 4 stars. Effort corresponding to approximately 1000 - 1400 m of elevation gain in trekking.
Useful Infos
Cancellation and repatriation insurance is mandatory, as is mountain search and rescue insurance (minimum cover of 10,000 Euros).
Esprit Montagne offers the following insurance: https://www.assurance-multi-sports.com.
In front of the Saint Gervais Le Fayet SNCF Train station at 8:00 am, to get to know each other and have a coffee together by the Mont Blanc Tramway.
For those arriving by car, there is a free parking where you can leave your car for the week right next to the train station.
For those arriving by train, you will find your Trekking Guide waiting for you in front of the SNCF Train Station.
For those who would like to arrive one day earlier or leave one day later in order to enjoy the Thermal baths, here below some links to some Hotels in Saint Gervais to organise your trip as you prefer:
For les Thermes de Saint Gervais
When you register online, you can choose whether or not you wish to take part in the car-sharing scheme to get to the starting point of your course. Once you have made your booking, you can log back into your Esprit Montagne account to access a section dedicated to carpooling. Here you will find the contacts of the other participants who are interested in car-sharing, so that you can contact them directly.
. Guiding of a certified UIMLA Trekking Guide of our Team;
. Half board accommodation as described in the program;
. Picnics, every day;
. Mandatory transports along the program.
. Cancellation / interruption of stay / luggage loss and accident insurance;
. Free evenings where you can choose the restaurant of your choice on DAY 3 (look at the program detail);
. Cable car tickets (optional on free time);
. Drinks and personal expenses;
. Additional nights outside the program;
. Tips
. All that is not indicated in the section "The price includes".
Photo gallery
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As you'd expect, there's no single best duration - it all depends on what you want to do and how much time you have.
It's important to note that the Tour du Mont Blanc is one of the most beautiful treks to do in Europe. The two routes are very different and offer a variety of experiences. One thing's for sure, the Tour du Mont Blanc is an unforgettable adventure.
Doing the Tour of Mont Blanc on foot without a guide requires good preparation and a great sense of direction. This 10-day itinerary through the Alps can be very difficult, and takes into account weather conditions and variations in altitude.
It's important to assess your abilities and make sure you're in top physical condition to take on this challenge. However, we can't stress this enough: it's best to set off with a mountain guide, who will be able to give you the exact list of equipment to take in your rucksack for a 10-day trek, the day-to-day weather conditions and ensure the safety of the group... For example, he can change the stages of the trek depending on the weather.
A guide is also familiar with the surrounding area and can therefore teach you a lot of information about the mountain range, the fauna and the flora...
Travelling with a guide and an agency will make it easier for you to find accommodation, as the agencies are in direct contact with the refuges, so you'll be sure to have plenty of room for maximum mental comfort !
The full 10-day TMB is around 170km long, with 10,500m of ascent and descent, starting from Saint Gervais, Les Houches or Chamonix. The stages average between 15 and 20km in length and between 1,000 and 1,200m of ascent, with the hardest stage having 1,500m of ascent.
Yes, it is possible to bivouac on the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB), but you need to respect local regulations, which vary from country to country. In France, bivouacs are permitted between 7pm and 9am outside protected areas such as nature reserves. In Italy, it is permitted above 2,500 m, while in Switzerland it is tolerated above the forest limit, except in nature parks. Good planning is essential to identify suitable sites while respecting restrictions. Bivouacs offer great freedom and complete immersion in nature, but require you to carry adequate equipment (light tent, warm sleeping bag) and manage logistics (water, food, waste). As a compromise, you can alternate bivouacs with the official campsites or refuges available along the route, or choose to set off with an agency like ours.
The Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) is considered a demanding hike, but accessible to those in good physical condition with adequate preparation. You need to be prepared to walk 6 to 8 hours a day, sometimes with steep ascents and descents. The terrain varies from well-marked trails to more technical sections, particularly on the alpine variants. Difficulty depends on your level, the length of the tour (7 to 12 days), and the weight of your pack if you're carrying your own equipment. Refuges and campsites allow you to modulate your effort by reducing the amount you have to carry. Although the TMB does not require mountaineering skills, good stamina, suitable footwear and preparation are essential. The weather can also make certain stages more arduous, particularly in the event of rain or snowfall, which can make the passage of certain passes complicated at the start of the season, for example.
The best time to do the Tour du Mont Blanc is from mid-June to mid-September, when the trails are clear of snow and the refuges and campsites are open. At the start of the season, between June and early July, nature is particularly beautiful, with meadows in bloom, but some high altitude passages may still be snow-covered. July and August offer the most stable conditions, but the trails are often very busy due to the influx of hikers. September is ideal for enjoying cooler temperatures, autumn colors and fewer people, although the days are shorter and some lodgings close from mid-September. Avoid periods of heavy rain or frequent thunderstorms, which can occur in summer, and check the weather regularly to plan your itinerary.
The Tour du Mont Blanc is of course one of the best-known 10-day GRs, but there are many other possibilities in France, such as the Chemin de Stevenson, the GR54 in the Ecrins, the GR20 in Corsica and many others in the Alps.
