Self-guided · France · Italy · Switzerland
Nine days,
the whole circuit,
no shortcuts.
The full Tour of Mont Blanc, walked at a sane pace over nine days — three countries, the classic high passes, and a full rest day's worth of extra time spread through the week so you're not racing the schedule.
- Days
- 9
- Distance
- 130 km
- Ascent
- 7,100 m
- Grade
- Moderate to challenging
Trip Essentials
The walk
The complete circuit,
properly paced.
This is the Tour of Mont Blanc done in full, without compressing it into a week that leaves no room for a slow morning or a change in the weather. Nine days is enough to take the high variants where they're offered, stop for the views, and still be in bed at a reasonable hour each night.
You walk anti-clockwise from the Chamonix valley, out through the Swiss Val Ferret and over the Grand Col Ferret into Italy, along the balcony trail of the Mont de la Saxe under the Grandes Jorasses, back into France over the Col de la Seigne, and home over the Col des Fours and the Col du Tricot with Mont Blanc's glaciers close by for most of the last two days.
Everything is booked ahead — gîtes, refuges and small hotels each night — and luggage transfer is available if you'd rather walk with just a daypack. You navigate with route notes and a map; the trail itself is well waymarked throughout.
The route, day by day.
A fixed self-guided package: every stage, every night's accommodation and every luggage transfer is arranged before you set off.
- 01
Les Praz de Chamonix → Lac Blanc → Le Tour
5.5 h · +600 m / −950 m · 13 kmThe Flégère gondola lifts you straight onto the Balcons du Mont Blanc, with the Lac Blanc at 2,300 m as the day's high point. Descend past the Col des Montets and the Aiguilles Rouges visitor centre to Montroc and the village of Le Tour. Night in a gîte.
- 02
Col de Balme → Trient
5 h · +840 m / −930 m · 13 kmClimb the Posettes balcony trail to the Col de Balme (2,200 m) on the French–Swiss border, with the Argentière, Le Tour and Mont Blanc glaciers all close and clear. Descend through Swiss pasture to the village of Trient. Night in a gîte.
- 03
Bovine or Fenêtre d'Arpette → Champex
6–7 h · +1100–1300 m / −750–970 m · 13–16 kmA choice of routes: the Bovine trail contours above the Rhône valley on easier ground, while the higher option follows the Trient glacier up to the Fenêtre d'Arpette (2,700 m), a proper mountain pass, conditions and fitness allowing. Both end at the lake in Champex. Night in a gîte.
- 04
Swiss Val Ferret → La Fouly
5.5 h · +600 m / −500 m · 15 kmAn easier day through the Swiss Val Ferret, past a string of small villages with the Saleina and A Neuve glaciers visible from the valley floor for most of the walk. Night in a gîte in La Fouly.
- 05
Grand Col Ferret → Italian Val Ferret
6 h · +950 m / −900 m · 14 kmClimb through the summer pastures of La Peule, past herds of small black cows, to the Grand Col Ferret (2,537 m) and the Italian border. Descend into the Italian Val Ferret facing the Mont Dolent and the Pré de Bar glacier, near the point where France, Switzerland and Italy meet. A short transfer may be needed to reach the gîte.
- 06
Mont de la Saxe → Courmayeur
6–8 h · +600–1100 m / −750–1250 m · 14–19 kmClimb to the pasture hamlet of Arminaz for the balcony traverse of the Mont de la Saxe, one of the best viewpoints of the whole tour, looking straight across at Mont Blanc, the Aiguille Triolet and the Grandes Jorasses. An optional higher variant runs via the Col Sapin and the ridge itself. Descend to Courmayeur, then a short bus up to a refuge above the town.
- 07
Col de la Seigne → Les Mottets
6 h · +850 m / −650 m · 18 kmUp the Val Veny past the glacial Lake Miage to the Col de la Seigne, the border ridge between Italy and France. An optional detour via the Balcon de Chécroui and the Mont Fortin gives another angle on the Mont Blanc massif. Night in a refuge.
- 08
Col des Fours → Col du Bonhomme → Les Contamines
6 h · +850 m / −1500 m · 15 kmClimb through pasture and past waterfalls to the Col des Fours (2,665 m), the highest point of the tour, with the Beaufort region's dairy farmers often out working the slopes. Cross the Col du Bonhomme, then descend the old Roman road to the chapel at Notre-Dame-de-la-Gorge and a short bus into Les Contamines-Montjoie. Night in a gîte.
- 09
Bionnassay Glacier → Col du Tricot → Les Houches
5–6.5 h · +850–1100 m / −850–1250 m · 13–17 kmThe final day, with a choice of routes to the Bionnassay glacier: the gentler line via the village of Champel, or the higher Col du Tricot (2,120 m), with a close, memorable view of the Dômes de Miage, the Chamonix valley and Mont Blanc itself. Descend to Les Houches, where the trip ends mid-afternoon.
Where you'll stay
A good bed at the end of every day.
A mix of family-run mountain gîtes, high-mountain refuges and small valley hotels, all pre-booked before you set off. Classic accommodation is dormitory-style in gîtes and refuges; a comfort option upgrades to twin rooms where the accommodation allows it. Ask us at enquiry if you'd prefer a more hotel-heavy variant.
Getting there
Nearest airport: Geneva (about 1 hour by transfer or bus). We can help arrange the transfer to Les Praz de Chamonix and the onward journey from Les Houches at the end.
What's included?
A fixed self-guided package — accommodation, luggage transfer and route notes all taken care of before you arrive.
Eight nights on a half-board basis — dinner, bed and breakfast
Route notes, IGN maps and a printed guidebook for the group
Digital route notes on your phone
Tourist taxes
All planning, booking and support before and during the walk
Luggage transfer between accommodations (optional add-on)
Not included
- Picnic lunches
- Bus transfers on the trail (approx. €25–30 per person)
- Cable cars used on any variant (approx. €18–25 per person)
- Personal expenses, drinks, souvenirs, cancellation insurance
- Guiding — this is a self-guided tour, you are responsible for your own safety
Book your Complete Tour of Mont Blanc — 9 days adventure.
- Free cancellation to 60 days
- Confirmation within 24 hrs
- ABTOT financially protected
We'll start planning your trip right away. Not happy with anything? We'll adjust it or refund you — no questions asked.
The Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT) provides financial protection under The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 for Big Trail Adventures (member 5690). Protection is provided for non-flight packages. Full details in our booking conditions.
Things walkers ask us.
Is it really self-guided? What if something goes wrong?
Yes — you walk without a guide, with detailed route notes and a paper map. You'll also have a WhatsApp contact for the whole trip and 24/7 emergency support in case of weather changes, injury or a booking issue. Big Trail Adventures is your first point of contact from the moment you enquire.
How fit do I need to be?
Level 3 out of 4. Expect five to seven hours of walking a day with around 900 metres of ascent on most days, on good mountain paths with no technical climbing. If you already do long hill days — a full Lake District horseshoe, a Snowdonia day — you'll manage this fine. Regular cardio in the months before makes a real difference.
Why nine days rather than seven or eleven?
Nine days gives you the full circuit and the option to take the higher variants — the Fenêtre d'Arpette, the Mont de la Saxe ridge — without a schedule so tight that a poor-weather day forces you to skip something. It's a middle ground between the fast compressed versions and the traditional eleven- or twelve-day tour.
Can I book for one person?
Yes. Comfort rooms need two people minimum, but the classic dormitory-style version and single-room upgrades are both available for solo walkers. Tell us on the enquiry form and we'll quote accordingly.
When can I start?
The season runs mid-June to mid-September, with snow possible on the higher passes into June — good boots, gaiters and poles are essential early in the season. Give us three or four preferred dates on the enquiry form and we'll come back with what's available.
Do you handle payments and refunds?
Yes. You book with Big Trail Adventures, pay us, and we handle the rest. Cancellation terms are set out in our booking conditions.