Tour du Mont Blanc: 10 Days of Glaciers, Peaks, Pasta & Crocs

Day 1

Our journey began in Geneva. Knowing we needed to be on our A game for the start of the hikes, our group of five all arrived in Europe at different times and spent at least two nights beforehand in order to acclimate to the time change. From Geneva, our tour company arranged a transfer for us to Chamonix. The TMB begins in Chamonix, the French ski town that sits at the base of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps. From pretty much anywhere you go in Chamonix, you will look up to see a wall of majestic towering peaks and, scattered among them, impressive long glaciers flowing down toward the valley floor. In fact, this was exactly the view from the balcony of our first (and last) hotel, the five-star Hameau Albert 1er. For the first afternoon, we were free to enjoy this lovely and very walkable town. Imagine adorable outdoor cafes and bakeries to tempt you at every turn, sprinkled with lots of athletic shops to supply all the hikers, skiers, and other active enthusiasts that flock to Chamonix.

A beautiful day on the TMB

Day 2

On the itinerary that was crafted for us was a day hike in and out of Chamonix. I had some thoughts that this would be an easy warm-up day—getting us ready for the rest of the tour. Ha! The Grand Balcon Sud to Lac Blanc is a steep uphill hike, which you will come to realize is a recurrent theme throughout the entirety of the TMB. The payoff is that there are always incredibly dramatic views. This particular hike happened to have a cable car at the end. We saw some great wildlife, including antelopes and marmots, experienced a drastic change in climate, and climbed precarious ladders on our ascent to the peak. That evening, we feasted at the hotel’s traditional restaurant, Maison Carrier, after a soothing soak in the hot tub.

Mat on top of the world

Day 3

We were on the move, saying goodbye (for now) to Chamonix. As instructed, we left our luggage in the lobby by 8 am, where it would be picked up and delivered to our next accommodation. The hotel’s shuttle brought us to the start of the hike in Les Houches. From there, we took a cable car to the ridge above Col de Voza, leading into the Bionnassay valley. A highlight for me was crossing a hanging Himalayan-style bridge below an impressive glacier. The 7.5-mile hike today ended with a long, long (another theme) wooded descent to Les Contamines, a small village in the Montjoie valley on the southern edge of the Mont Blanc region. Our home for the night was Hotel Chemenaz, which was more of a hostel than the four stars it claims.

Crossing a Himalayan-style bridge beneath a glacier

Day 4

A big day at 12 miles, crossing two passes and climbing 4,230 feet. The epic views we were told we would see at the summit were soon hidden by clouds this day. Goodbye Les Contamines and hello Les Chapieux, where we enjoyed beers with fellow TMBers in a little auberge while we waited for our taxi to take us to Landry to spend the night. Landry is a tiny, tiny town, but perfect for our needs: food and sleep. We stayed at Hotel L’Alpin this night, the only hotel in this little hamlet. I’m rather sure that the owners were also the receptionist and waiter and quite possibly the chef as well. It is a sweet place.

Day 5

An arranged taxi took us to our start in Ville des Glaciers—less village, more a couple farms with lots of sheep. We were all fascinated by the watch dogs on these farms we saw throughout the mountains. They are huge and very serious about their job. Luckily, they didn’t find us threatening. I was excited for this day since we would be hiking over the pass and into Italy (my heritage and, of course, the food!). Seriously, even the pasta pomodoro at the rustic Elisabetta Refugio on the mountain was amazing. Courmayeur, our home for the next two nights, is Chamonix’s romantic cousin on the Italian side of Mont Blanc. It boasts two wonderful hiking areas: the Val Veny and the Val Ferret. Both nestle up against the broad wall of the Mont Blanc massif with stupendous panorama walks above and pleasant meadows and pine forests below. Like magic, the weather changed as we descended into the valley and into Courmayeur. We finally saw gorgeous blue skies and those stupendous views. We stayed at the five-star Auberge de la Maison, which is not right in the center of the pedestrian-zoned town, but with the free shuttle, it was easy to go back and forth. This was one of my favorite hotels, charming and evoking the warmth of an authentic mountain home. Not to mention a fabulous spa.

Auberge de la Maison in Courmayeur

Day 6

This day brought another long, strenuous hike (third theme?) starting from the center of town and traversing up the mountain trails through verdant pastures. We saw many cows, stepped over the mess of many cows, and enjoyed the comedy of three people trying to round up their wayward herd of tiny lambs scattering through the woodsy hills as we made our descent around them. There were two route choices on this day—one more moderate than the other—and half our group chose the strenuous and higher-elevation route. Despite the rigorous hike, we still stopped to enjoy a cappuccino with epic views at Rifugio Bertone. 

Nothing like asking a cow to move out of the way

Day 7

We really enjoyed Courmayeur—both the town and the hotel—and were hesitant to leave on day seven. The arranged taxi that morning took us to Arnuva, where we’d left off the day before. Our hike over the Grand Col Ferret pass into Switzerland led us through one of the quieter corners of the TMB, to Ferret and la Fouly, Switzerland. It was a steady gradient up and a long descent to the tiny villages of Ferret and la Fouly. Our accommodation for the night was Hotel Edelweiss, most definitely a hostel. Rooms were simple but clean and the food was fine. We decided that if they made you leave your walking poles and boots in a downstairs ski room, donning a pair from the selection of provided Crocs, then you were at a hostel.

Day 8

We were eager to get going—what a difference an accommodation can make! We left La Fouly on another crisp and clear morning, setting out for Champex. I got a kick out of how our itinerary called this day’s hike an “easy one” at nine miles, but honestly it was really wonderful. We walked through some beautiful chalets in the tiny village of Praz de Fort and saw the most adorable gnome gardens and clever carvings out of tree stumps along our route. We arrived at the end of the day in quintessentially Swiss Champex—tidy, clean, and beautiful. Its main feature is the small, beautiful lake that anchors the very center of the village. Our stay here was at the amazing Hotel Au Club Alpin. The attention to detail at this eight-room hotel was spectacular. Motorized full-length glass balcony doors, Dyson hair dryers in the rooms, two robes per guest (one for use in the room and one for the absolutely amazing spa), and a Michelin-starred restaurant, just to name a few. 

Soaking our achy muscles in the spa

Day 9

It was time to head back to Chamonix! Another day with two options, and we opted for Fenêtre d’Arpette—a high, steep pass, and the more strenuous option for the day. “The climb starts in a quiet valley, becoming rocky and very steep near the top,” read the description in our itinerary. "Rocky" is an understatement, because there were always rocks of all sizes on every trail, but these rocks were huge boulders. I don’t think I was truly able to appreciate the beautiful views of the Trient glacier on the descent due to the fact that I was just glad to be in one piece after the ascent. Speaking of descents, though, I should mention a couple things: knees and ankles. Ouch! That night, comfortably situated back at the lovely Hameau Albert 1er in Chamonix, we toasted our success at coming full circle over French onion soup, salade Nicoise, and glasses of crisp Sancerre at Josephine Restaurant in town. 

Chamonix lodging: Hameau Albert 1er

Day 10

We had one more hike on our itinerary, but looking at the weather forecast, we chose to put it off for a day and instead experience the Aiguille du Midi lift, one of the best high-mountain lifts in Europe. Two hikers in our group were leaving the next day, so this was absolutely the right choice. We even traveled by gondola above the glacier to the Italian side, Helbronner. From the cable car, it was thrilling to watch mountaineers trekking out on the glacier navigating around some seriously deep crevasses. 

Day 11

On the following day, the remainder of our group completed our final hike, a 4.5-mile trek from Mer de Glace to Aguille du Midi. Also known as the Grand Balcon Nord, this scenic walk led us from the Mer de Glace, Europe’s second-longest glacier, to the mid-station of Aiguille du Midi. Despite being a shorter day, the hike was still challenging with steep uphills. But of course!

Savoring the scenery while resting

Final thoughts

Taking on the TMB is for active adult travelers who have a sense of adventure and are flexible in attitude. Although I saw all sorts of body types on the TMB, my recommendation is that you should be in good physical shape and even consider taking altitude medication prior to starting the hikes. You can do the TMB in a guided group trip, private or not, or go self-guided as my small group did. We found that navigating the itinerary was easy enough, with a few small hiccups. We had great online maps provided by our tour company.

There are many outfitters that provide guidance for the TMB. Being able to have three five-star properties to experience during our 10-day trip was a highlight. European spas often have amazing facilities that you can experience without booking a treatment: Auberge de la Maison in Courmayeur and Hotel Au Club Alpin in Champex are fantastic examples. 

I imagined that hiking would be the gentler cousin to my younger self’s habit of running marathons, but the TMB is tough. It will challenge you each day. The reward is the completion of every single hike and the fact that you are doing it among such spectacular scenery. Early to mid-September is a perfect time—fewer crowds (I was told there are 50,000 people on the TMB during peak summer months) and cooler temperatures. You can never account for a chance of rain though. We were super lucky and only had sprinkles at the end of one of our descents. Two days after we finished, Chamonix was wet and cold, and the surrounding peaks were shrouded in clouds.

• Weather: You need to be prepared for anything. We had lots of fog and chilly weather to start but then sunny skies and temperatures in the 70s, too. Rain gear and sunscreen, a ski hat for the chilly peaks—bring it all!

• Surprises: We encountered steep ladders, ropes and chains along narrow trails, and near-vertical boulder climbing. Be open-minded.

• Transportation: Reliance on public transportation at non-peak times of the year can be a challenge. Make sure your outfitter has plans for you.

• Offline maps: Outdooractive was the app we used for all of our navigation. It saved us when the way was unclear.

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