Tour du Mont Blanc - From Les Houches back to Chamonix in twelve days

The Tour du Mont Blanc is a circular route, typically starting and ending in Les Houches, France. As one of Europe’s most famous hiking trails, it’s well-documented, with plenty of information available online. There are even websites that allow you to book accommodations in refugios along the way.

We planned to do the tour in early July and started organizing about two months in advance. However, we discovered that we were already too late to secure all the necessary refugio bookings. As a result, we opted for a mix of refugio stays and camping. We only booked refugios where camping wasn’t an option, giving us more flexibility for our daily hikes.

It’s worth noting that some areas along the route lack official campsites, and wild camping is generally not permitted. Additionally, by late June, there was still significant snow at higher elevations, making camping at those altitudes less appealing.
Length: 180km, cumulated height: 12.000m

Day Trips

Day 1 - Les Houches - Auberge du Truc

Length: 16km, cumulated height: 1500m

While most people take the cable car in Les Houches, we chose to start hiking right away. Our plan for the day was to camp near Rifugio Miage. However, it started raining early in the day, and the rain only intensified as we progressed.

To avoid setting up a wet tent on the first day, we called Auberge du Truc to check for availability. Staying there turned out to be a great decision, as the rain continued heavily throughout the night.

The photo below shows Auberge du Truc.

Day 2 - Auberge du Truc - Camping du Pontet

Length: 16km, cumulated height: 830m

The rain persisted into the second day, making for a less-than-ideal start to the tour. However, the campsite was excellent, offering both dinner and breakfast. Surprisingly, the food was even better than what we had at the auberge. This was likely the most modern campsite we encountered during the entire trip.

Day 3 - Camping du Pontet - Chapieux

Length: 17km, cumulated height: 1450m

Our original plan was to stay at Refugio Col de la Croix du Bonhomme and continue the next day via Col des Fours. However, due to the significant snow still covering the route, many sources advised against taking it.

Instead, we hiked down to Les Chapieux, where we found a few restaurants and a free campsite. The campsite is quite basic—essentially a flat area with two toilets and cold water—so don’t expect much in terms of amenities.

Day 4 - Chapieux - Refuge Combal

Length: 18km, cumulated height: 1200m

While some people opt for the bus from Les Chapieux, we chose the hiking trail. The weather had cleared up, making for a pleasant and sunny hike. After crossing Col de la Seigne, however, the rain started again and continued until we reached Refuge Combal.

This small refuge turned out to be the most beautiful place we stayed on the tour, and the dinner there was easily the best meal we had throughout the trip.

Day 5 - Refuge Combal - Courmayeur

Length: 16km, cumulated height: 800m

At the start of the tour, we weren’t sure whether we could take the balcony trail due to lingering snow or if we’d have to take the route via Val Veny. In the end, we chose the balcony trail, which turned out to be one of the most beautiful sections of the entire tour. The snow had mostly melted, making for a pleasant and straightforward hike.

Upon arriving in Courmayeur, we stayed in Entreves, where we booked a hotel and extended our stay for an extra night to relax and explore Courmayeur.

Day 6 - Courmayeur - Rifugio Elena

Length: 17km, cumulated height: 1200m

Since we stayed in Entreves, we didn’t follow the usual route via Rifugio Bertone. Instead, we took a bus a few kilometers into Val Ferret and hiked up to Rifugio Elena. The bus ride itself turned out to be a surprise, as it only reached the first stop, leaving everyone to continue on foot due to a closed road.

This became one of the most intense days, as heavy rain soaked us by the time we arrived at Rifugio Elena. However, the refugio had a spacious and well-equipped drying room, excellent showers, and surprisingly delicious food.

Day 7 - Rifugio Elena - La Fouly

Length: 12km, cumulated height: 600m

Thanks to the drying room, everything was completely dry by the next morning, allowing us to continue without any issues. This was one of the easier days, leading to La Fouly. The town has a large campsite with a pleasant location, including a warm, well-equipped area where you can prepare dinner and relax for the following day.

Day 8 - La Fouly - Champex-Lac

Length: 15km, cumulated height: 600m

Another relatively easy day, except for the final section leading up to Champex-Lac, which took longer than anticipated. The weather was sunny, and Champex-Lac is a beautiful spot where you could easily spend more time to relax. The town offers plenty of restaurants and options for breakfast. We stayed at the campsite, which could use some modernization.

Day 9 - Champex-Lac - La Peuty

Length: 17km, cumulated height: 100m

Our original plan was to take the route via Fenetre d’Arpette, but it was still closed, and few people attempted it. Instead, we opted for the easier route to La Peuty. The campsite there is simple and affordable, with basic shower facilities.

Day 10 - La Peuty - Tre le Champs

Length: 13km, cumulated height: 1100m

In Tre le Champs, there is a very small campsite located opposite Auberge la Boerne. At the time, camping was only allowed if you also had dinner and breakfast at the auberge. Since we didn’t want to go down to Argentiere, we opted to stay here and were glad we did. The campsite offered basic shower facilities, making it a convenient and pleasant stay.

Day 11 - Tre le Champs - Flegere

Length: 8km, cumulated height: 1200m

This part of the tour to Lac Blanc is especially stunning. However, it’s the only section where you need to be cautious about where you source drinking water—both in Lac Blanc and Flegere, water needs to be filtered. If you stay at La Flegere, drinking water is available for free.

Day 12 - Flegere - Les Houches

Length: 12km, cumulated height: 400m

We had initially planned to take the balcony route, but the rain was relentless, and the visibility was almost zero. In light of these conditions, we decided to hike directly down to Chamonix and took the bus back to Les Houches.