Hiking around Mont Blanc

Put your best foot forward in the spectacular landscape around Mont Blanc, the tallest peak in the Alps.

Why hike around Mont Blanc?

As one of the highest mountains in Europe, Mont Blanc makes an unforgettable walking destination, offering a range of long distance and day trails. The most famous route is the Tour du Mont Blanc, a multi-day 105-mile traverse of the whole massif, taking intrepid walkers through France, Italy and Switzerland. Whether you are an experienced hiker or more comfortable with easier day walking or family friendly routes, this part of the Alps has it all: breathtaking scenery, picturesque mountain villages, glaciers, Alpine meadows and forests, and all kinds of challenging terrain.  

What are the best hikes around Mont Blanc?

Fully guided walks are a popular way of doing the Tour du Mont Blanc

The Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB)

One of the world’s great walking trails, the Tour du Mont Blanc is a challenge most seasoned hikers have on their bucket list. It is a 105 mile (170 km) loop from Les Houches in France, through the French, Italian and Swiss Alps, with 10,600 metres of elevation gain – more than climbing Everest! It can be walked solo, in groups and with guides, and can take anything from 9-11 days, or longer. There are 11 official stages, with each stage reflecting what a person of reasonable fitness and hiking experience could walk in a day.

The Tour du Mont Blanc is a well supported route, with ‘refuges’ at regular intervals – mountain huts or chalets that offer a range of facilities, but most provide overnight accommodation, hot food and showers. The largest towns on the TMB are Courmayeur and Chamonix, offering a range of hotels, shops, restaurants and B&Bs. Every day on the TMB brings significant ascent and descent, and on some high level variants you may be climbing ladders bolted to the rockface – but generally the Tour du Mont Blanc is not a technical or dangerous trek. 

The views are astonishing, with the peaks of the Mont Blanc massif in sight most of the time. The highlights include the Col du Bonhomme, Mont Favre and Col de Seigne – the epic mountain pass between France and Italy. 

Shorter Mont Blanc hiking trails

Chamonix is a great base for a Mont Blanc walking holiday 

If you haven’t got the time (or the legs) for the Tour du Mont Blanc, there are many other shorter walks you can do around these magnificent peaks. You can also do individual stages of the TMB. 

Chamonix Valley

How about a couple of circular walks that include possibly the most iconic views of Mont Blanc? To get to the starting point of the first walk there’s the not inconsiderable bonus of riding the Aiguille du Midi cable car – the highest cable car in France! You’ll be walking the path of the Grand Balcon Nord, offering panoramic views of the Chamonix Valley, Mont Blanc and the Mer de Glace, the largest glacier in France. The second walk takes in Lac Blanc, the beautiful mountain lake. You can avoid the more challenging sections by taking the cable car to Flégère. There’s some ladders to negotiate, but generally it’s easy walking, and you’ll make your way back to the  Flégère station via another gorgeous lake, Lac de Cheserys.  

Courmayeur Area

On the Italian side of Mont Blanc there are numerous opportunities for day hikes from the popular ski resort of Courmayeur in the Aosta Valley. You could walk parts of the TMB, such as the section to the Bonatti refuge – a moderately challenging 4 hour trek, but with the reward of a meal at the refuge, one of the best places to eat in the Mont Blanc range. Alternatively, take the ski lift (open in summer) or shuttle bus from Courmayeur and walk along the Val Vény balcony, a high altitude path offering stunning views of the Mont Blanc chain, glaciers and mountain lakes. Allow around 5 hours for this walk.

Walks in the Aosta Valley in Italy give magnificent views of Mont Blanc

Swiss Side

The village of Champex in the Swiss cantons is a popular overnight stop on the TMB, boasting a lake with a sublime view of the mountains. Families love the peaceful walk around the lake, which only takes around an hour, or the ‘fern trail’ that skirts one side of the lake and rises gently through the forested hillside. If you’re looking for sterner tests, why not try the TMB stage from Champex-Lac to Trient via Alp Bovine – a strenuous walk, but very manageable within a day?

Alternative routes and variations

For those seeking even more demanding terrain, there are high level variations you can do on the Tour du Mont Blanc. 

On the Swiss section, between Champex-Lac and Trient, there is a variant called the ‘Fenêtre d'Arpette’ – a very steep and lengthy bouldered section, with some scrambling required, in which you ascend to 2,600 metres. It’s best to avoid in bad weather, and try to buddy up with others doing the same climb if you can. Towards the end of the TMB, on the stage from Tré-le-Champ, walkers have the option of diverting from the more level path, climbing rock ladders up to the beautiful Lac Blanc and the legendary refuge there. 

Climbing the actual Mont Blanc peak is a different matter entirely – for that you will need to be a highly experienced and skilled mountaineer.

Essential tips for hiking in Mont Blanc

Make sure you book your stay in the Mont Blanc mountain huts, or ‘refugios’

If you’re thinking of taking on the TMB, do plenty of planning. Here are some tips to get the most out of your Mont Blanc trek: 

•    If you are hoping for a bed at a refuge, make sure you book well in advance – at least 9-10 months before a summer trip  

•    Some stages of the TMB are more remote than others, like Stage 10, so make sure you have extra water and food for those sections

•    Bring some cash – not all refuges can accept card payments

•    Pack for all weathers

•    Carry enough hiking gear for what you need, but not too much 

•    Don’t wear brand new hiking boots! Wear them in first

•    Bring quick-drying clothes 

•    Do some training beforehand, with a fully weighted rucksack – the TMB is a test of physical endurance

FAQs: plan a hike around Mont Blanc

How to drive to Mont Blanc from the UK

Is there a more exciting destination from Calais than Mont Blanc? It’s around a 9-hour journey from the LeShuttle terminal to the Alps, via Reims, Troyes, Dijon and Geneva. You’ll pay tolls on this route, but once you’re in the Haute-Savoie region it’s a really exciting drive, with dramatic Alpine landscape opening up around you. Les Houches and Chamonix are ideal places to stay if you are on a walking holiday, and there is free outdoor parking at the Prarion car park in Les Houches for up to 15 days, if you are walking the Tour du Mont Blanc. 

How long is the Tour du Mont Blanc?

The Tour du Mont Blanc is 105 miles (170km), and takes on average around 11 days to walk. 

When is the best time to hike Mont Blanc?

The period from June to September is the best (and only) time to walk the Tour du Mont Blanc, or to do any hiking around the Mont Blanc range. In the earlier part of summer the Alpine meadows are at their prettiest, and the trails are less busy. You might still encounter snow at this time, however. Later in the season you can rely on warmer temperatures and more people being on the trail. 

You should not try and attempt the TMB in winter or outside of these months – the refuges are usually closed, and much of the route is impassable. 

The spectacular view from Lac Blanc 

Can beginners hike near Mont Blanc?

Yes, if you haven’t done much walking before there is no better place to start than the Alps! Try some shorter walks at first, perhaps using cable cars and public transport to get up to the higher panoramic paths. Plan for longer and steeper routes the more walks you do and the fitter you feel.  

How many days do I need for the Tour du Mont Blanc?

If you are walking as part of a guided tour, 11 days is what you will usually need. The official guide books break the trail up into 11 stages, although some experienced hikers may take fewer days. 

What gear do I need?

If you are doing day walks, you should pack a small rucksack with several layers of thin clothing, a waterproof jacket, a bottle of water (at least 500ml), some snacks, suncream and a hat. Make sure your mobile phone is fully charged. Weather can be very changeable at high altitudes, so you must be prepared for whatever the elements throws at you. 

If you are taking on a longer multi-day hike like the Tour du Mont Blanc, you’ll need to pack quite a lot more – but not so much that you are carrying too much weight. Assuming you are staying in bed and breakfast accommodation, and not camping, your kit list should contain at least: 

•    1 pair of shorts

•    1 pair of walking trousers

•    3 x t-shirts 

•    1 fleece top

•    3 x pairs of thick walking socks

•    Waterproof jacket

•    Waterproof trousers

•    Sunglasses

•    Basic first aid kit and toiletries

Some people find walking poles beneficial, as they reduce pressure on the body on steep climbs or descents. They can also be handy if you are crossing streams or as a balancing aid, and are even sometimes used as tent poles!

Waymarkers on the TMB are different in each country

How do I navigate self-guided routes?

The Tour du Mont Blanc is a waymarked route. Some of the markings may be quite rudimentary, consisting sometimes of just painted lines on a rock, and in other locations there will be signposts. As you’ll be passing through three countries the signs will be different in each nation. In France you need to look out for red and white lines; in Italy it’s a yellow sign or arrow with ‘TMB’ written in it, and in Switzerland the markings will either be white-red-white, or yellow. 

Guidebooks and apps will also help you find your way. The apps should function with a GPS tracker so you should know where you are even without a mobile signal. 

Plan your Mont Blanc adventure today

If you’re thinking of walking the Tour du Mont Blanc, it takes plenty of planning – but that’s half the fun! Start by booking your 35-minute LeShuttle crossing from Folkestone to Calais.