Tour du Mont Blanc Short Break

5 Days & 4 Nights 4.8 Read 122 reviews

A taste of Europe's classic long distance trek over 5 days
Hike from Les Houches in France to Courmayeur in Italy
Take in glorious Alpine views of the famous Mont Blanc Massif
Sample delicious Savoyard mountain food including locally made cheeses
Stay in comfortable 3* hotels and one traditional mountain hut

Experience fantastic inn to inn walking on a section of Europe's most famous long-distance trail; the Tour du Mont Blanc. Hike from Les Houches to Courmayeur over three walking days, staying in comfortable accommodation each night. It’s the perfect hike for those who prefer their trekking in comfort, and are looking for a taste of the Alps without committing to a longer trip. The Tour du Mont Blanc is a trek filled with superlatives from beginning to end and the ever changing mountain panoramas will just blow you away. Hike through the Les Contamines Nature Reserve, where you will be sharing paths with TMB hikers from all over the world. Enjoy a refreshing beer on the sunny terrace of a mountain hut in the remote Vallée des Glaciers. Finish on a high note with a fabulous walk into Italy's Aosta Valley and spend your last evening in charming Courmayeur where you can raise a glass of Génépi (liquor made from alpine flowers) to an unforgettable break on the Tour du Mont Blanc.

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What To Expect

Travel restrictions and resources, to and from any destination

This short break itinerary is perfect if you want to experience the famous Tour du Mont Blanc trek as part of a longer trip to France or Europe, or if you only have a long weekend to spare. Staying in comfortable hotels and one traditional mountain hut in private rooms, you will have a maximum Alpine experience in minimal time without compromising on comfort. The tour is rated moderate-strenuous with daily average ascent/descent being 1,000 metres. Bag transfer is also included so you can walk with just a day pack.

Tour Type:

Classic Routes | If you’re the active, outdoorsy type, who’s interested in taking on the great routes of the world or looking for a challenge, then our Classic Routes are for you. We’re talking the West Highland Way, Tour Du Mont Blanc and the Passau to Vienna Danube Cycle Path, to name but a few!

Activity:

Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&B’s, inns, and guesthouses.

This trip is suitable for:

Solo Travellers

As a guide, we would suggest that the minimum age of traveler this tour would be suitable for is: 12 Years

Ideal if you have an interest in:

Alpine Walking

Activity Level & Terrain

The Tour du Mont Blanc is a tough trek with considerable ascent and descent on each day. We would suggest that you are an experienced walker who is looking for a challenge. If you currently don’t enjoy an active lifestyle we suggest regular walking in hilly terrain supplemented by cardio vascular exercise for at least 6 months prior to your walk. A good gym or personal trainer will be able to draw up a personalised training programme. The terrain is mountainous, rocky and rough underfoot.

Navigation

The Tour du Mont Blanc is comprehensively way marked at all junctions and by regular paint marks along the trail. We supply you with detailed 1:25 000 IGN maps and route notes so you should have absolutely no problem following the route. We also provide you with access to the Macs Adventure Smartphone App, which you can use to navigate. We strongly recommend using this App, or at least having it on your phone ready to use should you ever be in any doubt about your direction. You should also polish up on your map and compass skills prior to departing, as weather and visibility can change very quickly in the mountains, and these kinds of skills never go out of fashion!

Accommodations

You will spend three nights in charming, high-quality 3* hotels, most of which are family-run. One night is spent in an atmospheric mountain hut in private twin/double rooms with shared bathroom facilties. Private rooms in huts are very popular therefore we cannot guarantee that a private room will be available when you book. In this case you will be offered a dorm room with a small reduction in price. To ensure a private room in the mountain huts we encourage you to book as far in advance as possible. If you are a solo walker, you will be booked into a dorm in the mountain hut as single rooms are not available in mountain huts. The solo walker price has been calculated with this discount already take into account.

Single Rooms

If you require single rooms within a party a limited number are available, although a supplement is payable. Single rooms are not available in mountain huts.

Solo Walkers

The Tour du Mont Blanc is available to solo walkers who are experienced and confident hiking in Alpine terrain. While the TMB has become increasingly popular over the past few years, it should not be underestimated. You will be walking in high-Alpine terrain subject to rain, fog, thunder/lightning storms and snow at any time of year. You must be confident walking alone on difficult terrain, over snow fields and navigating in poor visibility/weather conditions. Whilst this is a challenging walk, because of its popularity, there are more often than not other walkers in close proximity, which is why we can offer this tour to solo walkers. However, if you are a first-time Alpine solo walker, we recommend an alternative tour. We have a range of Alpine tours that would be more suitable for you. Please contact us for more information. If you are a solo walker, you will be booked into a dorm in the mountain hut as single rooms are not available in mountain huts. The solo walker price has been calculated with this discount already take into account.

Meals

Breakfast in the 3* hotels is a buffet selection with lots of sweet treats like pastries, home made jams fruit and cereals. Savoury tastes are also catered for with bread, cheese, ham and eggs available. Breakfasts in the mountain hotels and huts tend to be very basic; bread, butter, jams, coffee, tea and orange juice. If you prefer something more substantial before walking, we recommend carrying a few energy bars with you each day and supplement your breakfast with one of these. Packed lunch items can be bought locally from supermarkets or the local boulangerie. If you are staying in a hut or remote accommodation, order a packed lunch with them upon arrival. Allow about €10 per day for lunch. Drinks are not included but available at all overnight accommodation.

Dinner in the hotels will be at least three courses chosen from a fixed menu, and sometimes there is a choice available. Dinner in the mountain huts tend to be a convivial affair, and you will be seated with the other guests. Meal times are a real highlight in the huts, and you can enjoy the company of people from all over the world while you dine on good honest home cooked food. Dinner is typically soup with bread, a main course consisting of meat and rice or pasta, a side salad or vegetables, followed by a simple dessert or cheese. If you have any dietary requirements, please tell us upon booking and we can arrange this with the accommodations. In Courmayeur. dinner is not included so you are free to choose from the available options. Savoyard specialities are mostly based on cheese. Dishes which shouldn’t be missed include fondue, tartiflette and raclette.

Included

3 Nights in 3* hotels
1 Night in a mountain hut in a private room (dorm for solo walkers)
Bag transfer
Breakfasts
3 Dinners
Access to maps, GPX tracks and daily route information with the Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app
All your trip documents provided digitally through your online Macs “My Account”
24/7 telephone support from our UK office

Excluded

Travel insurance (required)
Travel to Les Houches and from Courmayeur
Lunches (allow approx.10 Euro per day)
Dinner in Courmayeur
Public transport such as cable cars/ski lifts/buses
Drinks and snacks
Personal equipment

Extras

Additional nights before, during or after the walk
Accommodation upgrade at any point on the trek

When To Go

The season for the Tour du Mont Blanc runs from the start of July to mid-September. Please note that public transport in the area in the shoulder month of September is limited. This means that certain 'short cut' options will not be at your disposal during this month. Those hiking in these months should be prepared to walk the full distances each day. In the itinerary description, you will find the daily distances both with and without any possible short cuts.

Numerous gondolas/chairlifts/funiculars stop operating by mid-September. This will affect some of the walks. Please take that into account when booking.

Furthermore, if you wish to travel in early July you need to BOOK EARLY as this tends to be the most popular time on the trail and books up quickly.

The last weekend of August sees Chamonix hosting the famous Ultra Tour du Mont Blanc race (August 28 to September 3 2023). We recommend avoiding the TMB at this time as the area is extremely busy and most accommodations full.

Getting to the Start

By Air: Geneva is the best airport for the Chamonix valley. From here you catch a train if you wish , but the best option is to take a pre-booked shuttle through a company such as Mountain Dropoffs. Your Destination & Adventure Specialist will be happy to give you more information about this. By Rail: TGV to Saint-Gervais-Le Fayet. www.voyages-sncf.com For the return, there are regular trains between Chamonix and St Gervais les Bains Le Fayet. By Road: Highway A40-E25 Mont Blanc-Chamonix, exit Saint-Gervais-Le Fayet. More information at www.viamichelin.fr Parking: In Les Houches you can park for free at the Bellevue Cable Car station. In Chamonix, free parking at the Aiguille du Midi & the parking Planards (Montenvers station).

Getting from the End

From Courmayeur, you can take a public bus through the Mont Blanc tunnel to Chamonix, from where you can take a shared shuttle (as mentioned in the Getting to the Start section) back to Geneva Airport. Chamonix also has a train station should you prefer to take the train to another destination in France. If there you are a more than 2 people travelling, it may be worthwhile to take a private taxi transfer from Courmayeur directly to Geneva airport. Please contact us for prices if you are interested in this.

Luggage Transfer

Baggage transfer is included as standard, allowing you to enjoy the trek with just a light day bag on your back. We ask that you limit your baggage to one bag per person with a maximum weight of 15kg per person. If you would prefer not to have bag transfer, and prefer to carry everything on your back as you walk, this can also be arranged. Just ask one of your Destination and Adventure specialists for more information.

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Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive Les Houches Day 2 Les Houches to Les Contamines 10.5 miles / 17 km Day 3 Les Contamines to Mottets/Les Chapieux 12 miles / 19 km

A gentle start from Les Contamines for the first 5km along the valley floor to the chapel at Notre Dame de la Gorge (shuttle transfer possible). Here the path turns upwards and climbs steadily on the Chemin Roman through the Contamines Montjoie Nature Reserve towards the distant Col du Bonhomme. The climb reveals increasingly rugged views of the high peaks and you quickly reach the rugged landscapes of the Col du Bonhomme (2329 m).

A further hour on rough and rocky ground brings up the Col de la Croix du Bonhomme. Here you can either climb over the Col des Fours (2665m) and descend steeply to Refuge des Mottets or alternatively descend to Les Chapieux.

There is a shuttle running between Les Chapieux and Mottets if you need to make your way between the 2.

Walk 1 - Walk to Refuge des Mottets, 19.5km, 7.5 Hours Ascent/Descent: 1621m/893m

Walk 2 - Walk to Les Chapieux, 19km, 7 Hours Ascent/Descent: 1335m/933m

Overnight Les Chapieux

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Refuge Les Mottets | Auberge, Hut, Rifugio

Extensively refurbished in 2010 the Refuge Mottets maintains a wonderful atmosphere. The original farm buildings and new sleeping accommodation include dormitory and private rooms, while meals are taken in the atmospheric main building.

Refuge La Nova | Auberge, Hut, Rifugio

The Auberge de la Nova is a friendly mountain hotel in a lovely location, serving hearty mountain food and cold beer. The auberge is a simple mountain lodge and has private rooms and dormitory accommodation. Bathrooms are shared. There is a small farm shop next door, which is a good option for a picnic.

Les Chambres du Soleil | Auberge, Hut, Rifugio

A small family run hotel in the village of Les Chapieux with only 3 rooms, first opened in 1856, and run by Celine and Pierre. The scenery here is spectacular, you will be surrounded by upland pasturelands and have excellent views of the Mont Blanc Massif.

Day 4 Refuge des Mottets to Courmayeur 12 miles / 20 km Day 5 Onward Travel

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