- Who Should Attempt
- Date
- Location
- Day by Day - Official Route
- Day 0 Official - Les Houches
- Day 1 Official - Les Houches to Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme
- Day 2 Official - Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme to Cabane du Combal
- Day 3 Official - Cabane du Combal to Hôtel Chalet Val Ferret
- Day 4 Official - Hôtel Chalet Val Ferret to Champex Lac
- Day 5 Official - Champex Lac to Auberge La Boërne
- Day 6 Official - Auberge La Boërne to Les Houches
- Day by Day - Alternative Route - 2026
- Day 0 Alternative 2026 - Les Houches
- Day 1 Alternative 2026 - Les Houches to Refuge de la Balme
- Day 2 Alternative 2026 - Refuge de la Balme to Courmayeur
- Day 3 Alternative 2026 - Courmayeur to Ferret
- Day 4 Alternative 2026 - Ferret to Col de la Forclaz
- Day 5 Alternative 2026 - Col de la Forclaz to La Flegére
- Day 6 Alternative 2026 - La Flégére to Les Houches
- Day by Day - Guided Route
- Day 0 Guided - Chamonix
- Day 1 Guided - Chamonix to Les Contamines
- Day 2 Guided - Les Contamines to Les Chapieux
- Day 3 Guided - Les Chapieux to Courmayeur
- Day 4 Guided - Courmayeur to La Fouly
- Day 5 Guided - La Fouly to Trient
- Day 6 Guided - Trient to Chamonix
- Day by Day - Official Route - 2023
- Day 0 Official 2023 - Les Houches
- Day 1 Official 2023 - Les Houches to Refuge de la Balme
- Day 2 Official 2023 - Refuge de la Balme to Rifugio Old House (Rifugio Maison Vieille)
- Day 3 Official 2023 - Rifugio Old House (Rifugio Maison Vieille) to Rifugio Elena
- Day 4 Official 2023 - Gîte Alpage de La Peule to Auberge Gîte Bon Abri
- Day 5 Official 2023 - Auberge Gîte Bon Abri to Auberge la Boërne
- Day 6 Official 2023 - Auberge la Boërne to Les Houches
- Required Gears
- Resources
Who Should Attempt
This is a multi-day adventure run, so you should be in shape and comfortable to run/hike 15-22 miles per day for 5-7 days straight. Thats pretty much the requirement since you can literally just hike the entire route each day and still able to make it to the next check point.
Date
Late July/Early September
July and August are the busiest time due to warm weather and holiday season in Europe, we should shoot for early August because weather should be good and the UTMB race is not until the end of the month to avoid runners destroying the trails.
Although the best dates might be the week before the UTMB event because August weather is much warmer than September, but it might be more expensive and more crowded as its still holiday season in Europe for the kids.
Location
Chamonix, France - Since this is a major resort and the most popular start/finish point, we should be able to stock up on food and other supplies here before we start the adventure.
Here is the entire TMB or the UTMB version. You can also download my Garmin routes
Flight
We will be flying in/out of Geneva, Switzerland.
Transportation
Here are some options we can take:
- Rental Car
- we can stash luggages in the trunk? Normal trunk fits 3 full-size body, so we should be ok! :P But please limit what you pack …
- Train/Shuttle/Bus
- we will need a place to stash the luggages. Train stations might offer daily storage lockers.
Luggage Storage
If we take public transportation from Geneva to Chamonix, we will need a place to store our luggages while we do the runs. Unless we have friends/family members coming along the trip and drive along the route to meet us at each check-points, we will be stashing all the luggages at the start and won’t need them until we get back.
TMB Shake Out Run
Shake-out run around Chamonix to explore the town.
- Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, Glaciorium, Montenvers Loop
- Distance: 8.3mi
- Elevation: 3,9996ft
Day by Day - Official Route
This option is the more low-key route because we will be staying at refuges and huts for most of the nights instead of hotels in ski resorts. Some of these refuges and huts are very popular so booking might be a bit harder, you will need to book very early (6+ months in advance).
Notice! All Refuges/Huts offer half-board which will include dinner/breakfast, and the option to order picnic lunch sack for the following day.
Day 0 Official
- Les Houches
- maybe a short shake out run around town to check out some mountains.
- pack out the gears for the next few days.
- Lodging: Chamonix is a short bus ride away, so there are plenty of options.
Day 1 Official
- Les Houches to Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme
- Distance: 18mi
- Elevation: n/a
- Lodging:
Day 2 Official
- Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme to Cabane du Combal
- Distance: 15mi
- Elevation: n/a
- Lodging:
Day 3 Official
- Cabane du Combal to Hôtel Chalet Val Ferret
- Distance: 19mi
- Elevation: n/a
- Lodging:
Day 4 Official
- Hôtel Chalet Val Ferret to Champex Lac
- Distance: 18mi
- Elevation: n/a
- Lodging:
Day 5 Official
- Champex Lac to Auberge La Boërne
- Distance: 18mi
- Elevation: n/a
- Lodging:
Day 6 Official
- Auberge La Boërne to Les Houches
- Distance: 14mi
- Elevation: n/a
- Lodging:
- OPEN (treat yourself in Chamonix)
Day by Day - Alternative Route - 2026
Our 2026 TMB adventure will be a 6-day/5-night trip.
Notice! All Refuges/Huts offer half-board which will include dinner/breakfast, and the option to order picnic lunch sack for the following day.
Day 0 Alternative 2026
- Les Houches
- maybe a short shake out run around town to check out some mountains.
- pack out the gears for the next few days.
- Lodging: Chamonix is a short bus ride away, so there are plenty of options.
- Hotel RockyPop (3 star)
- 121€
- Gîte Michel Fagot
- Half-Board = 63.5€
- Hotel RockyPop (3 star)
- LES HOUCHES WEATHER
- Chamonix
- if we stay in chamonix, we will want to stay at the same hotel before/after the adventure so we can leave the luggage with the hotel (they should be ok with that).
- we can either run 4 miles to the official start in les houches or take the bus in the morning to the official start.
Day 1 Alternative 2026
- Les Houches to Refuge de la Balme
- Distance: 16.5mi
- Elevation: 7200ft+, 4800ft-
- Highlights:
- Go over Col de Tricot, stop by Refuge de Miage for rest break.
- Go thru Les Contamines, stop by Notre Dame de la Gorge.
- Option:
- Stay on official route which will cut off 1 mile and 2500ft gain.
- Lodging:
- Refuge de la Balme
- Half-Pension = 60€ - 70€
- 📶 No
- 🛜 No
- 🚿 Yes
- 🚽 Yes
- Refuge de la Balme
- LES CONTAMINES-MONTJOIE WEATHER
Day 2 Alternative 2026
- Refuge de la Balme to Courmayeur
- Distance: 22mi
- Elevation: 7100ft+, 9000ft-
- Highlights:
- Stop by Rifugio Elizabeta for a break and check out the glacier.
- Enjoy the evening out at the town in Courmayeur.
- Option:
- Go up Col des Fours, which will be take off 3 miles and skip the valley of Les Chapieux.
- Stay on Via Val Veny after Cabane du Combal and catch a bus to Courmayeur.
- Lodging: this is a bigger resort town so there will be wide range of options.
- Hotel Croux
- 102€
- Hotel Bouton d’Or
- 150€
- Hotel Croux
- COURMAYEUR WEATHER
Day 3 Alternative 2026
- Courmayeur to Ferret
- Distance: 18.5mi
- Elevation: 6200ft+, 4500ft-
- Highlights:
- This stage will go thru few rifugios with amazing views, including Bertone, Bonatti.
- We will cross over to Switzerland over the Grand Col Ferret.
- Lodging:
- Hotel du Col de Fenêtre
- Half-Board = 80CHF
- Hotel du Col de Fenêtre
Day 4 Alternative 2026
- Ferret to Col de la Forclaz
- Distance: 19mi
- Elevation: 6500ft+, 7000ft-
- Highlights:
- Stop by Chamex Lac and enjoy the view and the small town. Feel free to jump in the lake for a quick swim.
- Skipping the Alpage de Bovine, and the view of the Martigny valley.
- Lodging:
- Hotel Col Forclaz
- Half-Board = 75CHF
- Hotel Col Forclaz
- TRIENT WEATHER
Day 5 Alternative 2026
- Col de la Forclaz to La Flégére
- Distance: 16mi
- Elevation: 7900ft+, 6900ft-
- Highlights:
- Perfect view of Mont Blanc and the valley of Chamonix.
- Climb the iron stairs.
- Detour to Lac Blanc for a quick break.
- Lodging:
- CHAMONIX WEATHER
Day 6 Alternative 2026
- La Flégére to Les Houches
- Distance: 10mi
- Elevation: 2000ft+, 5000ft-
- Highlights:
- More iron stairs.
- Steep down hilll to Les Houches.
- Option:
- Optional 5mi run back to Chamonix
- Lodging: this is a major resort so there will be lots of options.
Day 0 Guided
- Chamonix
- maybe a short shake out run around town to check out some mountains.
- pack out the gears for the next few days.
- Lodging: this is a major resort so there will be lots of options.
Day 1 Guided
- Chamonix to Les Contamines
- Distance: 15mi
- Elevation: 5,284ft
- Lodging:
- We could skip this rest stop and head to next check point by doing a 27 miler day to Les Chapieux. BUT that would be almost 10,000ft of climbing …
Day 2 Guided
- Les Contamines to Les Chapieux
- Distance: 12mi
- Elevation: 4,490ft
- Lodging: this is a small town with refuge style lodging with half-board which includes dinner/breakfast.
Day 3 Guided
- Les Chapieux to Courmayeur
- Distance: 18mi
- Elevation: 5,641ft
- Lodging: this is a bigger resort town so there will be wide range of options.
- We will finish the run early and have time to explore this ski resort!!!
Day 4 Guided
- Courmayeur to La Fouly
- Distance: 19.5mi
- Elevation: 6,883ft
- Lodging:
Day 5 Guided
- La Fouly to Trient
- Distance: 19mi
- Elevation: 4,864ft
- Lodging:
Day 6 Guided
- Trient to Chamonix
- Distance: 15mi
- Elevation: 3,908ft
- Lodging:
Day by Day - Official Route - 2023
Because I started booking my 2023 trip a little late (Jan/Feb), most of the huts from the original plan were full so I ended up modifying the distances each day and went with the following for my runs/lodging.
Notice! All Refuges/Huts offer half-board which will include dinner/breakfast, and the option to order picnic lunch sack for the following day.
Day 0 Official 2023
- Les Houches
- Lodging:
Day 1 Official 2023
- Les Houches to Refuge de la Balme
- Distance: 15.5mi
- Elevation: 5000ft
- Lodging:
- Refuge de la Balme
- 📶 No
- 🛜 No
Day 2 Official 2023
- Refuge de la Balme to Rifugio Maison Vieille
- Distance: 23mi
- Elevation: 7700ft
- Lodging:
- Rifugio Maison Vieille
- 📶 No
- 🛜 No
Day 3 Official 2023
- Rifugio Maison Vieille to Rifugio Elena
- Distance: 16.75mi (Italy, have to book via email)
- Elevation: 5000ft
- Lodging:
- Rifugio Elena
- 📶 No
- 🛜 No
Day 4 Official 2023
- Rifugio Elena to Auberge Gîte Bon Abri
- Distance: 19mi
- Elevation: 3600ft
- Lodging:
- Auberge Gîte Bon Abri
- 📶 Yes
- 🛜 Yes
Day 5 Official 2023
- Auberge Gîte Bon Abri to Auberge la Boërne
- Distance: 18.25mi
- Elevation: 6200ft
- Lodging:
- Auberge la Boërne
- 📶 Yes
- 🛜 No
Day 6 Official 2023
- Auberge la Boërne to Les Houches
- Distance: 16.75mi
- Elevation: 5600ft
- Lodging:
- Chamonix
Day by Day - Guided Route
Notice! As you can see the day-by-day routes are SLIGHTLY different from the actual UTMB or TMB route. The “Guided” route starts from Chamonix, while the true TMB route starts from Les Houches. The guided route stops at mostly resort towns and stays in hotels while the official route will mostly staying in refuges/huts.
Required Gears
I have everything listed on my Travel Packing List page under “Multi-Day Adventure Packing”.
Resources
The links below are super useful, I highly recommend going thru them since they include tips, packing list. There are also YouTube videos that you can search for and watch. That will give you an idea of what to expect along the trails.
- https://tourdumontblanchike.com/
- Huts and Refuges Reservation
- https://runthealps.com/guided-tours/tour-mont-blanc-run/
- https://www.tracks-and-trails.com/holidays/mont-blanc-ultra-trail
- https://www.chamonix.net/english/summer-activities/trekking/tour-of-mont-blanc
- A QUICK & DIRTY GUIDE TO THE TOUR DU MONT BLANC
- THE ULTIMATE SELF GUIDED TOUR DU MONT BLANC GUIDE
- HOW TO HIKE THE TOUR DU MONT BLANC
- We Tried the 100 Mile Hike “For Beginners”
- 2019 UTMB COURSE PREVIEW
- https://territoryrun.co/blogs/news/the-tour
- The Ultimate Guide to Trail Running the Tour du Mont Blanc in 7 days