The Tour du Mont Blanc from Chamonix: stages, duration, mountain huts, prices and season

The Tour du Mont Blanc, the TMB, circles the whole massif on foot through France, Italy and Switzerland. It covers about 170 km with 10,000 to 12,000 m of total ascent depending on the variants, and takes 7 to 11 days. It is one of the busiest treks in the Alps, and it is not an easy hike.

For summer 2027, bookings for the huts that belong to the hut keepers' association have been open since 15 October 2026. Here are the stages, what a night costs, how to book, when to go, and the rules on wild camping.

The huts on the Chamonix section of the Tour are on the map, with their altitude and season. Tap a number for the listing.

How many kilometres and days is the Tour du Mont Blanc?

There is no single official distance or height gain: guides do not count the same access routes, variants or lifts. "About 170 km" is the defensible figure; a number to the kilometre is not. The ascent, from 10,000 to 12,000 metres, varies with the route chosen.

• 7 days: a sporty pace, long stages, little margin for weather.
• 9 to 10 days: the most balanced format.
• 11 days or more: shorter stages, a rest day, the family version.

The classic start is in Les Houches, at the entrance to the valley, rather than in central Chamonix: you head straight for the Col de Voza and the Val Montjoie. Starting from Chamonix adds a link section or a first night in Les Houches.

What are the stages of the TMB?

This plan is a planning framework, not a regulated itinerary: it is spread over 9 to 11 days by splitting the long stages. The Fenêtre d'Arpette variant, the routes via Courmayeur, bus shortcuts and lifts change the figures considerably.

The first stage crosses the Col de Voza, served by the Mont Blanc Tramway, which lets you shorten the first climb. The last stage comes back via Argentière, at the foot of Les Grands Montets, and can follow the valley's balcony trails described in our Chamonix hikes.

How much is a night in a hut on the TMB?

The official TMB website gives €65 to €95 per person per night in a dormitory on half board (bed, dinner, breakfast), and €500 to €900 in nights for a 7 to 10-day trek.

These amounts do not necessarily include drinks, the next day's packed lunch, a hot shower, a sleeping bag liner, buses and cable cars, cancellation fees, or nights in Chamonix or Courmayeur. Packed lunches and drinks are the most common extras: include them in your budget.

Each hut publishes its prices in its own way: a detailed price, a form or a simple availability request. The budget for a stay in the valley, before and after the trek, is in how much a trip to Chamonix costs.

How do you book huts for summer 2027?

On the official Mon Tour du Mont-Blanc platform, opened on 15 October 2026 for the huts and gîtes that belong to the hut keepers' association. It shows their availability in real time. A place missing from the platform is not necessarily closed or full: it may be independent and take bookings by phone.

1. Book the tightest nights first, around the cols and in the small hamlets.
2. Check each hut's own opening dates.
3. Keep an alternative route in mind.
4. Confirm your arrival time if the weather delays you.
5. Take no night for granted without written confirmation.

In July and August, the most popular places are full several months ahead. The TMB has no official ticket: inflated resale concerns organised trips, transfers and guides, not a place in a hut.

Can you do the TMB without carrying your bag?

Yes, agencies transfer luggage between stages. Delivery depends on the road: not every high-altitude hut is served, and your main bag is often delivered to valley accommodation while you carry a day pack.

"Luggage transfer" does not mean carrying nothing: you still need to carry water, rain and cold-weather clothing, lunch and a first-aid kit. Organised packages often include nights and luggage, rarely lunch, local transport or insurance.

When should you go for the Tour du Mont Blanc?

The classic season runs from mid-June to mid-September, when the cols are in principle clear of snow and most huts are open. It is not a guarantee:

• mid-June to early July: snow possible on the cols, incomplete openings, streams harder to cross;
• July and August: full services, maximum crowds;
• early to mid-September: fewer people, gradual closures, shorter days;
• late September to May: snow, closed huts and reduced transport, it is no longer a summer trek.

Each hut has its own dates, and a temporary closure can come from a water problem, works or a cut road. The valley's seasons are compared in when to go to Chamonix.

Is wild camping allowed on the TMB?

Not everywhere. According to the official website, it is sometimes tolerated near certain huts at limited times, and forbidden in nature reserves outside designated spots and on private property. Each municipality, each reserve and each country has its own rules.

An example: the La Rollaz bivouac area, about 15 minutes past the Nant Borrant hut, with dry toilets, is booked through a departmental website. It does not count as permission anywhere else. Before setting off, check the rules of the reserve, the municipality and the hut, the ban on fires, and plan a fallback in case of fire risk.

Do you need papers to cross into Italy and Switzerland?

The borders are crossed on foot, with no systematic checkpoint, but Schengen entry rules apply: a valid ID card or passport depending on your nationality, and a visa if you need one, for all three countries. For a dog, health rules and reserve rules are more restrictive than the border.

Also bring Swiss francs or a card for the Swiss section, and insurance that covers mountain rescue in all three countries. In an accident on the French side, 112 remains the instruction, and the Chamonix PGHM publishes 04 50 53 16 89.

Can you do the TMB as a family?

The full Tour can be done with trained teenagers, rarely with young children. The best family format is a section of 2 to 5 days, with stages of 8 to 15 km, nights in the valley or in a gîte, transferred luggage, a margin for weather and an exit option by bus or taxi.

Huts sometimes set conditions for children, in the dormitory as at meals: ask about them. Check water availability, children's meals and the lack of phone signal. Shorter walks around Chamonix are in Chamonix with kids.

Do you need to speak the language?

French is the language on the Chamonix side and in French-speaking Valais; in Italy, English is widely understood in tourist areas. Bookings, waymarking and simple exchanges in huts go fine without the local language.

Things get complicated with an unexpected closure, a transfer to negotiate, a change of route or a medical emergency. An offline translation app and the exact names of the huts are more useful than a tourist phrasebook.

What can you do in Chamonix before or after the Tour?

Keep a clear day for the Aiguille du Midi, the best way to see up close the massif you are about to walk around. Lac Blanc makes a good acclimatisation day from La Flégère, and the Mer de Glace can be visited in half a day.

For arriving and leaving without a car, see how to get to Chamonix and getting around Chamonix. Other outings are in the What to do section.

Sources

Sources: official Tour du Mont Blanc website (starting points, accommodation, half-board and night prices, wild camping, season), Mon Tour du Mont-Blanc platform (2027 bookings for member huts), departmental website for the La Rollaz bivouac area, TMB guides for indicative distances and ascents.

Not published or not settled: a single official distance and ascent, an official stage calendar, each hut's opening dates for 2027, a camping rule common to the whole circuit, the cost of transport, packed lunches and insurance. Stage distances are indicative. Research carried out on 27 October 2026.