The Tour du Mont Blanc or TMB is one of the most popular long-distance hikes in Europe. It circles the Mont Blanc massif (range), covering a distance of roughly 170 kilometres (110 mi) with 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) of ascent/descent and passes through parts of Switzerland, Italy and France. It is considered to be one of Europes classic long-distance hiking trails.
The circular route is normally walked in 11/12 days. The usual starting point is at Les Houches in the Chamonix Valley. The route passes through seven valleys around the Mont-Blanc massif, in an anti-clockwise direction. The ‘official’ route has changed over the course of the years and many alternatives or ‘variantes’, exist to the standard route. Some of these take the intrepid walker onto paths requiring greater fitness, awareness and skill. Others provide less demanding options, which are often quicker than the accepted route, but provide lesser viewpoints onto the mountain ranges.
Plentiful accommodation exists along the entire route, allowing it to be broken into segments to suit most fit hikers. Accommodation takes a variety of forms, from separate bedrooms to large mixed-sex dormitories (refuges) and small hotels. Despite the abundance of choice, the popularity of the trail can lead to problems finding accommodation. It is recommend to book accommodation well in advance.
The highest points on any variant of the trail are the Col des Fours in France and the Fenêtre d'Arpette in Switzerland, both at an altitude of 2,665 m (8,743 ft). This is not high enough to cause altitude sickness for most people, nevertheless the trail provides a tough physical challenge. Having experience in walking mountain country is preferred - because mountain weather can change very rapidly. Participants on the Tour du Mont Blanc should be suitably equipped.
We are hiking the TMB in September with two other couples and have scheduled 11 days to complete the 170km hike. A company called Macs Adventure is setting up our itinerary and helping us book hotels and refuges. I'm looking forward to the challenge of each days hike and the beautiful scenery surrounding the Mont Blanc massif. I hope my photos will capture what makes this one of Europe's most popular and challenging long distance hikes.
Next post from this trip.
I quickly realized that no amount of training in the rolling hills near Huntsville, Ontario (my home town) would prepare me physically for what awaited me on the trails around Mont Blanc. This is strenuous Alpine hiking in altitude, the kind I have never attempted before. I soon learned that it is not so much the distance - but the ascent & decents each day.