Tour du Mont Blanc

The Tour du Mont Blanc is one of the great classics of Alpine long-distance walking, circling the Mont Blanc massif through France, Italy, and Switzerland. The route moves through a landscape of glaciers, high passes, pastoral valleys, and mountain villages, revealing a different face of the massif from each country it crosses. The terrain changes considerably from one day to the next — steep, rocky switchbacks give way to rooty forest tracks and open alp meadows in quick succession. The cumulative elevation gain is substantial, with multiple passes crossed on many days, so arriving with solid mountain legs is important. Water is available at refuges and mountain streams throughout, though some high sections have long stretches between sources. Late June through mid-September is the reliable season; early June can still see snow on the higher passes, and by October most refuges have closed for the year. The route is exceptionally well-signed with TMB markers and red-white GR blazes, making navigation straightforward in clear conditions. Refuges fill fast in high summer — booking for July and August must be done months in advance.

Distances, elevation and times are approximate; follow waymarks and local conditions on the trail.