FAQs

The Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) is an epic trekking route that circles the Mont Blanc Massif covering 165+km (depending on variants taken) and a whopping 10,000m+ of elevation. The trail starts in the small town of Les Houches, France and then winds it's way through Italy and Switzerland before returning to France to complete the loop.

The TMB trail has been made even more famous over the years with the UTMB Mont-Blanc hosting the worlds premier mountain ultramarathon race, that largely follows the Tour du Mont Blanc route. Each year the UTMB event attracts the attention of the ultra running world drawing runners from across the globe to put themselves to the test over this beautifully brutal course.

Les Houches is the official start and end point of the Tour du Mont Blanc which is situated at the end of the Chamonix Valley. There are regular buses leaving the main town of Chamonix every day to transport you to start point to begin the tour.

The closest airport to the TMB trail is Geneva in Switzerland. From there it is approximately a 1 hour transfer to Chamonix the closest main town near the start of the trail.

The cumulative elevation (10,000m+) is not to be underestimated, by the last few days you will definitely feel it! In saying that with decent base fitness plus a solid training program leading into the tour it is certainly achievable for most regular runners or outdoor enthusiasts. It’s less about speed and more about time on feet and an ability to keep moving.

Places are filling up quickly these days due to popularity amongst both hikers and trail runners looking to complete the TMB trail. Bookings for accommodation (Refuges, Lodges, Hotels) all fill up fast once the bookings open in Sep-Dec for the following season. This is the optimal time to lock in your trip for the following year especially if you are traveling as a group. The early you book the greater your chance of getting the dates or preferred accommodation options.

It is possible to book closer to the current season but you will need to be flexible with your options, this might mean longer days on trail sometimes or getting accommodation outside of the major town stops on route resulting in a local bus or taxi ride. Doable but an increase in the hassle factor.

If you only had 2-3 days then doing either the East or West half of the TMB would still be an amazing experience. The Italian town of Courmayeur is close to the half way point of the trail and is accessible to Chamonix via Bus, Car or even Chairlift (expensive but amazing experience).

This provides a great starting/end point for a half loop option. Not only that but Courmayeur is a great town to spend some time in, especially for the Pizza and Gelato fans amongst us!

Yes and it's a great option for those anting to travel light each day on the trail but have their main bag turn up each night at your accommodation. Most of the guided tours included this service.

For self guided tours there are a number of companies offering this service for an additional fee. We recommend Besson Transports who have years of experience transporting bags around Mont Blanc. Please note a few of the high mountain huts may be unavailable for luggage transfer due to accessibility issues which may mean for one night on the trail you will have to rely on the pack you are carrying with you. You can find a full list on the Besson Transports website.

If you run solo on a self guided then you will not be on the trail by yourself, there will be plenty of other runners and hikers at your accommodation each night. The communal style dinners will allow for you to mix with many other trail lovers each night and share your experiences from the day. It's these types of interactions with other like minded people from all over the world which makes this adventure special.

The other option would be to join a guided tour group, that way you will get a shared experience with the same group of fellow trail runners everyday.

Often there is still some snow on the high passes in late June or early July depending on snow season in which time caution needs to be taken. Micro-spikes or crampons may be required to provide traction on some of the ice or snow. Care needs to also be taken if crossing any of the snow bridges which may have formed by running water creating a void beneath the hard packed snow.

It’s absolutely stunning! A magical place that will inspire, challenge and take your breath away! Stop thinking about it and just do it!