Tour du Mont Blanc
✓ Verified against the agency · Météo-FranceThe classic counter-clockwise circuit of the Mont Blanc massif through France, Italy, and Switzerland. ~170 km with ~10,000 m cumulative ascent. No technical skills required. Refuge booking is the de facto permit — peak season sells out 6-9 months ahead via montourdumontblanc.com. Oldest guide company in the world (1821) operates from Chamonix.
Distance
109.5 km
Max elevation
2,665m (Fenêtre d'Arpette variant)
Duration
7–11 days (10 typical)
Safety classification
DifficultyMulti-day trek
GuideNo guide needed
GearTraction / poles
OfficialYes
MaintainedYes
Season
Late June to late September, when huts operate and the high passes are clear of snow. Early summer snowfields obscure waymarks and hide collapsing snow bridges; October to June the passes are snowbound and the route is not viable. Check autourdumontblanc.com trail updates and La Chamoniarde (OHM) conditions before starting — chamonix.com's TMB pages direct hikers there.
Hazards
- ▲Afternoon storms and lightning on high passes — the agency calls storms 'commonplace in the mountains, especially on hot summer days'