Tour du Mont Blanc West

Home » Summer Trekking » Tour du Mont Blanc West

A 4- or 5-day hike from Italy to France with great views of Mont Blanc

Description: 4 or 5 days hiking across the western half of the TMB, from Courmayeur to Les Houches.
Dates:
2nd-5th July 2026 – Available (4-day version)
13th-17th July 2026 – Available (4-day version)
3rd-7th August 2026 – Provisional date (5-day version)
Trip Length: 4 or 5 days walking, 3 or 4 nights
Group Size: 4-10 people
Cost 
4-days: €690 per person
5-days: €890 per person
Trip Grading:
Physical three marmotsTechnical two marmots

Join us for a fantastic group trek over a long-weekend or midweek along the world famous Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) trail – perhaps the best known long distance trek in the Alps. We’ve timed it so you can fly into Geneva airport in the morning and be hiking the same afternoon. At the end of the trip, we’ll get you back to the airport in time to catch a late flight, or if you want to stay longer in Chamonix, you can use the return transfer on a later date. We start hiking in La Visaille, close to Courmayeur in Italy, and finish the trek in Les Houches in the Chamonix Valley, back in France.

For 2026, we’re excited to announce that we’re running the trip in two versions – a sporty 4-day trek and a more relaxed 5-day walk. The 4-day version is for fit and/or experienced hikers who are happy to trek 18km in a day with 1300m of height gain. The middle two days are challenging but acheivable for regular hikers.

If you want to take things a little easier and have more time to enjoy the views or chill out at the refuges, we recommend the 5-day version. This takes in the same route at a slightly slower pace. We’ve introduced this based on feeback from occasional hikers who found the 4-day version a little challenging.

Quick links:

Overview
Detailed Itinerary
What to bring
Booking

Practical Information
Gallery
Reviews
Terms and conditions 

Hikers at Col du Tricot on 4-day Tour du Mont Blanc
Col du Tricot

What is included:

  • Transfers to and from Geneva airport (meeting in Chamonix is possible too)
  • Three or four nights half-board mountain refuge accommodation in shared dormitories
  • Picnic lunch on the first day
  • Four or five days guiding by a qualified International Mountain Leader with a UIMLA certified diploma
What is not included:
  • Lunches apart from day 1
  • Drinks and snacks
  • Flights or travel to the meeting point
  • Accommodation before and after the trip
  • Insurance

As this trip is sold as a package, specific terms and conditions apply in addition to the general White Marmotte terms and conditions. You also have extra rights under EU and French Package Travel rules.

Four-day itinerary
Day 1: Pick up from Geneva Airport or Chamonix. Walk from La Visaille to Rifugio Elisabetta
Day 2: Rif. Elisabetta to Col de la Croix du Bonhomme
Day 3: Col de la Croix du Bonhomme to Chalet Miage
Day 4: Chalet Miage to Les Houches

Five-day itinerary
Day 1: Pick up from Geneva Airport or Chamonix. Walk from La Visaille to Rifugio Elisabetta
Day 2: Rif. Elisabetta to Les Chapieux
Day 3: Les Chapieux to Refuge des Prés
Day 4: Refuge des Prés to Chalet Miage
Day 5: Chalet Miage to Les Houches

Pricing and upgrades

The four-day version costs 690€ per person and the five-day version costs 890€ per person.
Extra accommodation package: If you would like to stay in the Chamonix valley the nights before and after the trek, we can offer a package with two extra nights half-board dormitory accommodation in Les Houches and a transfer from Geneva airport the day before the trip for 250€. Contact us for details.

Happy hikers at the end of the Tour du Mont Blanc West
Finishing the TMB West

Suitability: The TMB is a moderately challenging hike, suitable for regular hill walkers. We’ll be walking up to 9 hours a day, with up to 1100m height gain. Altitude is not generally a problem, but we will hike above 2500m where most people feel some shortness of breath. The trip is not suitable for children under 16, and we ask that 16- and 17-year-olds are accompanied by an adult.
Accommodation: We stay in mountain refuges with dormitory accommodation.
Meals: All breakfasts and dinners are included, along with a packed lunch on the first day. The remaining lunches are not included. We can either stop at a refuge or mountain restaurant at lunchtime, or buy packed lunches from the overnight accommodation.
Transport: There will be a transfer from Geneva Airport on day one. Individual shared return transfers will be provided for your return flight.
Group Size: 4-10

Have a look at the photo gallery for more pictures of the trip.

Review text over image - Wonderful trip with a great guide!Ian was knowledgable, considerate and friendly and picked a route that worked so well for us

What our customers are saying…

“Wonderful trip with a great guide! Ian was knowledgable, considerate and friendly and picked a route that worked so well for us and made sure that everything ran incredibly smoothly. Will definitely use again.” – Kenneth Roberts

“… We had an amazing 5 nights doing the TMB and will definitely be going back next summer” – Sharon Power

“It was challenging & fantastic all mixed together with sun, snow, thunderstorms and epic scenery! Ian’s 4 day itinerary is perfectly planned …” – Mel M

Read more reviews on Google and Tripadvisor

Tour du Mont Blanc West – Detailed Itinerary

The four-day version of the trek is designed for regular hikers. If like to spend most of your free time in the outdoors and have a reasonable level of fitness, this trip is for you. The middle two days are challenging but acheivable, with up to 1300 metres of ascent or 19km in one day.

Day 1: La Visaille to Rifugio Elisabetta

We meet at Geneva airport between 11 and 11.30 am. From here we’ll travel together to Chamonix, and then through the Mont-Blanc tunnel to La Visaille. We’ll have a picnic lunch here before hiking up to the Rifugio Elisabetta mountain refuge via the old military road over Lac Combal. The path takes us beneath the imposing granite of the Italian side of Mont Blanc as we climb to the refuge where we’ll spend the night.
Accommodation: Mountain refuge
Distance: 7km
Altitude Gain/Loss: 600m/0m
Maximum Altitude: 2197m

hikers approaching the Elisabetta refuge on the TMB West
Approaching Rifugio Elisabetta
Day 2: Rifugio Elisabetta to Col de la Croix du Bonhomme

After breakfast at the refuge, we hike up Val Veny to the historic Col de la Seigne. We’ll take a quick pause to admire the epic views, then cross into France and descend to the Mottets refuge and the Vallée des Glaciers. The valley section gives us a welcome rest before the steep climb to the Col de la Croix de Bonhomme where we’ll stop for the night at the remote and spectacular refuge.
Accommodation: Mountain refuge
Distance: 15km
Altitude Gain/Loss: 1280m/1020m
Maximum Altitude: 2516m

Col de la Seigne
Col de la Seigne
Day 3: Col de la Croix du Bonhomme to Chalets Miage

An airy traverse to the Col de Bonhomme will wake us up before picturesque descent into the Montjoie valley on an ancient salt trading route. Crossing a Roman bridge, we continue into the valley and on to the town of Les Contamines. After lunch, we hike up towards Mont Blanc to reach the round peak of Le Truc. A short descent leads to the idyllic meadows of the Miage chalets, a beautiful place to spend our final night amongst high Alpine pastures.
Accommodation: Mountain refuge
Distance: 19km
Altitude Gain/Loss: 650m/1530m
Maximum Altitude: 2485m

Setting off from Bonhomme Refuge
Day 4: Chalets Miage to Les Houches

After an early start, we tackle the final steep climb to the Col de Tricot. This is a real highlight of the trip, and a chance to take some last memorable photos. From the col, the Combe de Tricot leads down to the impressive suspension bridge below the Bionassey glacier. After this, there’s a pleasant woodland section to reach the Bellevue cable car station. Here, we can either take the cable car down, or follow the four-wheel-drive track via the Col de Voza to reach Les Houches.
Accommodation: None – shared transfers to Geneva airport are provided.
Distance: 13km (or 7km with the cable car)
Altitude Gain/Loss: 710m/1020m (or 710m/480m with the cable car)
Maximum Altitude: 2120m

The famous suspension bridge

The five-day version was created for occasional trekkers. If this is your first multi-day trek, or you like to go hiking once every year or two, this trek will suit you better than the 4-day one. We cover the same terrain, but take an extra day to spread out the challenging bits.

Day 1: La Visaille to Rifugio Elisabetta

As with the 4-day trip, we meet at Geneva airport between 11 and 11.30 am. From here we’ll travel together to Chamonix, and then through the Mont-Blanc tunnel to La Visaille. We’ll have a picnic lunch here before hiking up to the Rifugio Elisabetta mountain refuge via the old military road over Lac Combal. The path takes us beneath the imposing granite of the Italian side of Mont Blanc as we climb to the refuge where we’ll spend the night.
Accommodation: Mountain refuge
Distance: 7km
Altitude Gain/Loss: 600m/0m
Maximum Altitude: 2197m

Hikers in woodland ready to start the Tour du Mont Blanc West
The start of the TMB
Day 2: Rifugio Elisabetta to Les Chapieux

After breakfast at the refuge, we hike up Val Veny to the historic Col de la Seigne. After pausing to admire the epic views, we’ll cross into France and descend to the Mottets refuge and the Vallée des Glaciers. A pleasant hike down the valley brings us to the delightful hamlet of Les Chapieux where we’ll meet our taxi to Bourg St. Maurice. We’ll spend one night in the town before returning to Les Chapieux to continue the hike on day 3 morning.
Accommodation: Lodge
Distance: 14km
Altitude Gain/Loss: 400m/1040m
Maximum Altitude: 2516m

Col de la Seigne
Day 3: Les Chapieux to Refuge des Prés

The day begins with the climb to the Col de la Croix du Bonhomme and refreshments at the refuge. It’s a long climb, but we’ll take it slow and steady and be at the top before we know it. A traverse to the Col de Bonhomme follows, ,and then descent towards the Montjoie valley. Halfway down, we’ll turn off the TMB trail for a short climb to the alpage of Les Prés and its welcoming refuge.
Accommodation: Mountain refuge
Distance: 12km
Altitude Gain/Loss: 980m/600m
Maximum Altitude: 2485m

Col de la Croix du Bonhomme on the TMB
Col de la Croix du Bonhomme
Day 4: Refuge des Prés to Chalet Miage

From the refuge, we descend through scenic pastures and pleasant forests to reach the valley floor. Another hour alongside the river brings us to the town of Les Contamines where we’ll stop for lunch. From here we hike up towards Mont Blanc to reach the round peak of Le Truc. A short descent leads to the idyllic meadows of the Miage chalets. This is a beautiful place to spend our final night amongst Alpine pastures.
Accommodation: Mountain refuge
Distance: 14km
Altitude Gain/Loss: 620m/990m
Maximum Altitude: 1937m

Chalets Miage
Day 4: Chalet Miage to Les Houches

After an early start, we tackle the final steep climb to the Col de Tricot. This is a real highlight of the trip, and a chance to take some last memorable photos. From the col, the Combe de Tricot leads down to the impressive suspension bridge below the Bionassey glacier. After this, there’s a pleasant woodland section to reach the Bellevue cable car station. Here, we can either take the cable car down, or follow the four-wheel-drive track via the Col de Voza to reach Les Houches.
Accommodation: None – shared transfers to Geneva airport are provided.
Distance: 13km (or 7km with the cable car)
Altitude Gain/Loss: 710m/1020m (or 710m/480m with the cable car)
Maximum Altitude: 2120m

Tricot descent

What to bring on the Tour du Mont Blanc

As we’ll be staying in refuges overnight, we can travel light on this trip. You’ll be able to fill up your water bottles and buy packed lunches along the way. However, you’ll still have to carry enough kit for four days hiking. You should be able to keep the weight down to seven or eight kilos, plus water. You’ll need the following items:-

  • Rucksack big enough to carry everything – about 30 litres
  • Waterproof jacket
  • Waterproof trousers
  • Warm jacket
  • T-shirts or base layers
  • Jumpers or long-sleeve tops
  • Long trousers (you can wear shorts, but please bring long trousers too)
  • Spare underwear and socks
  • Cotton or silk sleeping bag liner (available from Decathlon)
  • Travel towel
  • Water bottles (1-2 litres – please fill up before we leave Geneva)
  • Sunscreen
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste
  • Soap/shampoo/shower gel – Top tip: try a solid shampoo bar to save weight
  • Any personal medication
  • Sunglasses
  • Hat
  • Sun hat or cap
  • Trekking poles (optional but recommended – you can hire them from us if you need to)

If you have any questions or concerns about equipment, just ask and we’ll be happy to advise you.

Hiker standing by a stone pillar in front of Mont Blanc on the TB
Just inside Italy, with the Mont Blanc Massif behind

Booking

Book Now

Click the button to book online, or send us an email to bookings@whitemarmotte.com to request more information.

Please note that specific terms and conditions apply to this trip, so make sure you read these before booking.

Three hikers approaching a col on the TMB West
Col du Tricot Climb

Practical information

Yes, your return transfer can be arranged for a later date if you want to stay a few days longer in Chamonix. There are plenty of accommodation options in the town, from campsites to five star hotels. Our favorites include the three star Croix Blanche in the town centre and the four star Morgane in Cham Sud. There is an extensive bus and train network, so it is easy to get around the valley without a car.

If you arrive early, we can’t offer an alternative transfer but we can pick you up in Chamonix instead of Geneva airport at the start of the trip.

If you are not flying from Geneva after the trip, we can offer a small discount as we won’t need to book the return transfer. Get in touch for details.

We will leave Geneva airport at 11.30am on day 1, so you’ll need to be in the arrivals concourse before then. We recommend booking a flight that arrives no later than 9.30am to allow time for delays. If you can only find flights that land between 9.30 and 10.30am, please check with us before booking as we may well be able to accommodate this.

For the return journey, we recommend booking any flight from 7.30pm onwards on day 4.

While you don’t need to be a marathon runner, you do need to be able to hike on hilly terrain for up to eight hours per day. The Tour du Mont Blanc is a mountainous route around some of the highest points in Europe. In general, we can cover 15-20km and up to 1300m of ascent in a day. To put this in context, it’s a little like hiking up Scafell in the Lake District and Snowdon in North Wales on consecutive days. If you are not used to walking in the mountains we recommend that you get some practice beforehand – it is very different from walking on the flat.

We do not recommend that you come on this trip if you have a condition that could lead to a life threatening emergency, e.g. severe allergies, severe diabetes or severe uncontrolled epilepsy. This is because much of the trip, including all of the overnight accommodation, is in remote terrain with no vehicle access. Evacuation is only possible by helicopter and may entail a long wait, particularly at night or in adverse weather conditions.

We reserve the right to refuse to take you on the trip or to ask for a letter from a physician before accepting your booking if you have a medical condition of this type. 

We also would not recommend this trip if you have any condition which impacts your ability to perform moderately strenuous exercise for long period or to walk safely on uneven terrain.

We find Decathlon is great for picking up these items at a reasonable cost. If you have any difficulty finding something, let us know and we’ll see what we can organise for you.

We use remote mountain refuges high in the Alps. If you have not stayed in these before the experience is definitely one you will remember. You can expect a warm welcome and a hearty communal meal, along with a bar service for any drinks or snacks before dinner. The accommodation is in dormitories, and being in a cabin in the mountains it can be a little basic. There are normally hot showers but this is not always guaranteed, especially in very dry summers as the water is sourced from nearby streams.

Please note that credit cards are often not accepted and there may be no wifi or mobile phone signal.

We aim to have a between four and ten people in a group. However, we will commit to running a trip from the first booking, so even if only one or two people book we will guarantee to run the trip. If you are the only person to book, we’ll give you the option of coming on your own (with private guiding), transferring the booking to another White Marmotte product, or cancelling for a full refund.

If you arrive late on the first day, please get in touch with us as soon as possible. We will do our best to organise for you to join the group as early as we can, however it is likely that there will be additional transport and/or accommodation costs which you would have to cover.

Insurance is not included in the cost of this trip, so you’ll need to have your own insurance which covers search and rescue, including by helicopter, and emergency medical care in both France and Italy. This is a mandatory requirement in order to protect both you and us in the event of an emergency.

If you’re a French resident, you can purchase a suitable policy at www.sport.lycea.fr.

A hiker sitting on a rock looking at MontBlanc
Mont Blanc – the massif we’ll be hiking round

Book Now

Please read the specific terms and conditions that apply to this trip before booking.

See all our reviews and leave your own at Google or TripAdvisor