Trekking the Tour du Mont Blanc
The Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB), one of the finest treks in the world. Steeped in history and dramatic beauty, circumnavigating the Mont Blanc massif and passing through France, Italy, and Switzerland. Covering roughly 170km (105 miles) . The trail can be completed in around 10 days, but it's also possible to do sections or shorter versions. If you've even thought about this 'bucket list' walk, this guide is your starting point.
OVERVIEW
Tour du Mont Blanc Guidebook
Your ultimate companion to Europe’s most iconic trek
Covering 170km (105 miles), the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) is a breathtaking alpine circuit around Mont Blanc, typically completed in 10–11 days. Starting in Les Houches, France, the trail loops through Italy’s Courmayeur and Switzerland’s Champex, before returning to the Chamonix valley.
This guidebook offers a detailed, step-by-step account of the route in both clockwise and anti-clockwise directions. Whether you’re hiking, running, or fastpacking, the TMB is an ideal introduction to high-level mountain trekking for fit walkers. Faster completions are also possible — many finish in 5–9 days.
What’s Inside
- 🗺️ 11 daily stages (7–21km each) with full descriptions in both directions
- 🌄 Alternative routes & variants to visit additional cols, refuges, and viewpoints
- 📍 1:100,000 route maps and access to GPX downloads
- 🏡 Accommodation listings + facilities planner and summary tables
- 🚍 Transport info, local history, cultural insights, and French–English glossary
- 📘 Optional: Companion map booklet (1:25,000 IGN mapping with route line)
Table of Contents
Planning & Background
- Introduction to the TMB
- Clockwise or anti-clockwise?
- Planning your trek
- Training & equipment
- Mountain safety
- Maps & apps
- When to go / How to get there
- Language tips
- Wildlife, flowers & geology
- The early TMB, Mont Blanc’s history, and more
Route Overview
- Daily stage summaries
- Overview profiles (both directions)
- Facilities planner
- Step-by-step guidance for all 11 stages + variant routes
Appendices
- Appendix A: Accommodation listings
- Appendix B: Camping on the TMB
- Appendix C: Useful contacts
- Appendix D: Further reading
- Appendix E: French–English glossary
Stage Breakdown (Highlights)
- Stage 1: Les Houches → Les Contamines via Bionnassay
- Stage 2: Les Contamines → Les Chapieux via Croix du Bonhomme
- Stage 4: Rifugio Elisabetta → Courmayeur
- Stage 6: Rifugio Bonatti → La Fouly via Grand Col Ferret
- Stage 8A: Champex → Trient via Fenêtre d’Arpette
- Stage 11: Refuge de la Flégère → Les Houches via Le Brévent
- Includes clockwise options for each stage
Product Details
- ISBN: 9781786312280
- Published: 27 May 2024
- Edition: Sixth
- Pages: 200
- Dimensions: 17.2 x 11.6 x 1.2 cm
- Weight: 240g
- Format: Paperback
- Authors: Kev Reynolds, Lesley Williams, Jonathan Williams
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