Western or Eastern TMB?

Which mini-Tour du Mont Blanc is best?

The Tour du Mont Blanc is the most popular multi-day mountain trek in Europe and there’s a good reason for this. Stunning views and varied landscapes combine with accessible trails for a circuit that is memorable but not extreme. Ten to twelve days take you through three countries and seven different valleys, covering 170 kilometres and 10 000 metres of ascent. But if you only have four or five days to spend trekking the Tour du Mont Blanc, which part should you choose? Two four-day sections are particularly well suited to a four-day trek: The TMB East et la TMB Ouest.

The famous Alpine towns of Chamonix (France) and Courmayeur (Italy) sit at opposite sides of the loop, five or six days walking apart but connected by a 45-minute bus ride through the Mont Blanc tunnel. This makes a half-Tour du Mont Blanc an attractive proposition, walking between the two towns and using the tunnel to return to the start point. Many people don’t have two weeks to spare to trek the full circuit, and those new to multi-day trekking often want something shorter for their first one.

A mini-TMB in four or five days can fit into an extended long weekend, or a short week’s holiday. ‘Which side of the TMB is best?’ is quite a subjective question. It’s more of a personal choice depending on your fitness. In this article we’ll compare the two versions so you can pick the one that works for you – Eastern or Western TMB. Of course, you can always come back the following year to do the other one.

Quick summary of the Western and Eastern TMB sections

Logistics of a half-TMB

Start and finish points

Using the Mont Blanc Tunnel, it makes sense to start and finish near Courmayeur and Chamonix. For a short trek, the usual routes are between Val Ferret, Courmayeur and Le Tour, Chamonix, or between Val Veny, Courmayeur and Les Houches, near Chamonix.

Which direction?

The “standard” direction for the Tour du Mont Blanc is anticlockwise. The reason is mainly tradition, and a clockwise trek works just as well. Given the Mont Blanc Tunnel often has a big queue, it’s best to get that out of the way at the start, especially if you have a plane to catch on the last day.  If you’re arriving from France or Switzerland, go to Chamonix, take the tunnel to Italy, and hike back to Chamonix. If you’re approaching the TMB from Italy, you can take the tunnel to Chamonix and trek back to Courmayeur over four or five days.

So, if you’re doing the Western TMB from Chamonix, go clockwise from Courmayeur back to Chamonix. If you’re doing the Eastern TMB, go anticlockwise. If you’re based in Italy, do the reverse.

Timing

The queue is longest from mid-morning to early afternoon in the France-Italy direction. It can easily reach three hours by 11am or midday, so go early to beat this. From Italy to France it’s worse a little later, from mid-afternoon to early evening. We used to start our mini-TMB trips with a morning meeting at Geneva airport followed by a transfer to Italy for an early-afternoon trek to a refuge. After a few three hour waits, we decided to rework the trip for 2027. Our TMB East now includes a night in Chamonix beforehand and an early taxi so we can avoid queuing. Tip: Check the Mont Blanc Tunnel Queue Forecast when planning your trip.

The Routes

Here’s a quick rundown of the two main mini-TMB route choices:

TMB East – Val Ferret, Courmayeur, to Le Tour, Chamonix – Anticlockwise

The eastern version takes in three countries and is a day longer than the western one if you hike every section. However, the days are easier and aside from the Fenêtre d’Arpette variant the trails are generally easier. It’s the more accessible of the two options.

You start in the Val Ferret valley, with a choice depending on how long you want to make the trek. Arp Nouva, Lavachey, and Planpincieux start points give you short, medium and long options. The latter two take you on the Val Ferret balcony trail, passing Rifugio Bonatti and giving grand views of Mont Blanc and the Grands Jorasses before dropping to Arp Nouva roadhead.

From Arp Nouva, the trail climbs past Rifugio Elena to the Swiss border at the Grand Col Ferret. The landscape changes here from steep granite peaks to rolling Swiss high pastureland. You’ll follow a long, downward trending path to La Peule refuge and dairy farm, a great place to sample raclette cheese. Then it’s on to the charming Swiss village of La Fouly.

A rolling valley stage, often skipped by bus or taxi, brings you to Champex-Lac. This slightly bigger town is built around a lovely lake that reflects the hills around it in still waters. From here it’s a choice between the tough but spectacular Fenêtre d’Arpette variant, or the easier, forested slopes of the Bovine Alpage route.

Both routes lead to the small village of Trient with its striking pink church. From here the last day back into France usually takes you over the Col de Balme, with its refuge straddling the border. The best way to Le Tour from here is over the airy ridge of the Aiguillette des Posettes, but if time or energy are limited there is a shorter route to Le Tour, or a ski lift option.

TMB West – La Visaille, Courmayeur to Les Houches, Chamonix – Clockwise

The western section is a day shorter, but tougher with a bigger climb and more challenging trails. The route begins ascending Val Veny from the bus stop at La Visaille. Passing Lac Combal and Rifugio Elisabetta, you gain the French border at the Col de la Seigne. Weather permitting, you’ll catch a great view of Mont Blanc before dropping into the Vallée des Glaciers, the most remote inhabited valley on the whole TMB. You’ll reach the valley floor at Les Mottets refuge before following a track to the tiny hamlet of La Ville des Glaciers.

Here, you can either take the steep, direct Col des Fours variant, or you can stroll down the valley to Les Chapieux on the standard route. This is another tiny village with two auberges, a campsite, and the only shop in the valley. The two routes meet at the Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme (closed for renovations), 900 metres above Les Chapieux.

Next, there’s a spectacular traverse, exposed in places, to the Col du Bonhomme, followed by a long descent into the Montjoie Valley and Les Contamines. You’ll pass a couple of refuges and some historic monuments on the way down before the trail levels out by the Baroque church at Notre Dame de la Gorge.

After Les Contamines, most people take the Col de Tricot variant. This climbs through forests to a farm and refuge at Le Truc, before a short descent to the lovely Refuge Miage. The final section makes a steep climb to the Col de Tricot before descending to the Torrent de Bionnassay. Another hour brings you to Bellevue where it’s either a cable car or a forest track down to Les Houches.

How difficult are the Eastern and Western TMBs?

Both treks are broadly moderate. They’re not pushovers, but neither trek is too hard for a typical hiker. However, the Western version is definitely a bit tougher than the Eastern. It has bigger climbs and more uneven terrain, whichever direction you do it in. Both can be made easier or harder through choice of variations, or by moving the start or finish points. There are also enough accommodation options to add or subtract days. A difficult four-day trek becomes a lot easier over five days.

The Eastern TMB is about ten kilometres longer, so it typically takes five days to reach Le Tour from Val Ferret. Many people skip a day in the middle, taking a taxi from La Fouly to Champex-Lac, to keep the trek to four days. The day you miss is a valley stage where the high mountains are mostly hidden from view.

How do they compare in terms of comfort?

The Eastern and Western Tour du Mont Blanc sections have quite different characters. Both have a mixture of forests, high passes, balcony trails, and picturesque valleys. But on the one hand, the Eastern section feels greener, prettier, dotted with Swiss chalets, while on the other the West is more wild, remote and spectacular.

The refuges on the Eastern half tend to have Wi-Fi, mobile phone service, and showers that work. The western half has a full day with no phone or internet cover at all, apart from a small shop in Les Chapieux with paid Wi-Fi. Many of the refuges have neither Wi-Fi nor a good phone signal. And several need to limit or shut off the showers if there is an extended dry period.

Apart from the start and finish, the Western TMB passes one town, Les Contamines, with a bank, cash machine, supermarkets, outdoor shops and more, plus the tiny Les Chapieux with a single shop. The Eastern TMB passes La Fouly and Champex-Lac. Neither is as big as Les Contamines but both have a cash machine, a supermarket and an outdoor shop. There is also a small shop at the Col de la Forclaz.

Which is for you?

If you’re looking for an introduction to the TMB, or to multi-day trekking, the Eastern TMB is a little more accessible. It’s also the one to pick if you’re after typical Swiss scenery, wooden chalets with brightly painted shutters, and greenery.

If you want something a little more challenging, wild and remote, and if you don’t mind being without internet and the odd night without a shower, the Western TMB might be for you.

Whichever you choose, you’ll have a great few days in close proximity to the highest mountain in the Alps. You can book onto one of our Tour du Mont Blanc East group trips in 2027. Our Tour du Mont Blanc West group trip is on hold until the Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme reopens in 2029, but we can run private trips staying in Les Chapieux instead.