We just completed a 9 day, Courmayeur to Pontet, anti-clockwise hike of the TMB with a 17-month old. In the 9 days we hiked 60 miles and stayed in huts the whole time. Some private rooms and some dorm style. We had no issues at the refuges for the first 6 nights, but the French side was more challenging, for reasons unknown to us.

There were four adults total and we had an absolute blast. 10/10 would recommend doing again. We aren’t exceptionally fit, but we’re also quite active and healthy. The grind of the TMB was a fun challenge and the baby loved the experience too.

We unfortunately didn’t complete the entire loop based on weather (yes, us adults know it’s okay to hike in the rain, but the baby likes to stick her feet out of her rain cover and I’m not interested in a hypothermic baby).

I’m happy to go into more details, but wanted to start here for those parents that were considering it. I spent quite a lot of time trying to find similar trip reports, and it doesn’t seem like this is a very popular, or well documented, type of trip.

Let me know what else you want to know and I’ll dig in.

If I am a tent backpacker and fly out to the trail, will I be able to find places to tent camp without booking in advance? Or should I wait until next year and plan a little more?

I'm looking to book a hut-to-hut guided tour next summer. Currently scouting packages from Adventure Base and Happy Tracks. Any experiences with these companies? Any others I might want to consider before making a deposit this week?

We, a group of late 50s and early 60s, just completed about 70% of TMB.  TMB was on our wishlist, but didn’t dare due to its challenging segments.  After reading about some public transportation options to shorten the segment, we decided to take on this challenge before we get any older.  It seems there are some purest out there that frown upon taking shortcuts, but I hope they will be happy to share the beauty of TMB with those that are less physically fit.  I am sharing our itinerary and experience here in case folks like us want to give it a try.

We skipped first segment and segments through Switzerland to maximize our time to see the landscape that we don't see near where we live. We also didn't want to attempt the variant on the first segment.

We booked on our own, starting Oct of 2025. We did not use baggage service. I created maps for our segments on AllTrails based on the published TMB map on AllTrails. I had offline maps downloaded and was able to follow it without any problem.

Day 1: Train from Chamonix to St Gervais, bus to Les Contamines. Hike to Refugio de la Balme (6.4 mi, 1952 ft ascent) Was an easy warm-up day.

Day 2: Hike to Les Chapieux (7.75mi, 2589 ft ascent, 3260 ft descent), Stayed in Les Chambre du Soleil.

Day 3: Shuttle bus to parking area of Refugio des Mottets. Hike to Cabanu du Combal (9.25 mi, 2415 ft ascent, 2070 ft descent). Stopped at Refugio Elizabetta for lunch and walked around a bit.

Day 4: Quick morning hike to Lago di Miage behind Combal (1 mi). Hike to Dolonne gondola, took gondola to Dolonne and short walk to Courmayeur (7.5 mi, 1722 ft ascent)

Day 5: Hike to Refugio Bertone (3.35 mi, 2465 ft ascent). This was a very short day. We had originally planned on a rest day in Courmayeur, but decided to get the steep ascent out of the way.

Day 6: Hike to Refugio Bonatti via high route variant (7.15 mi, 2244 ascent, ??). We climbed to Tete de la Tronche, down to Col Sapin, and instead of climbing the second hill, we took the path along the valley just before the climb. First climb was steep and coming down was pretty challenging and our group thought that was enough. Haha. The walk along the valley was beautiful though. We were glad that we did the variant, as the traditional route seemed very hot. As for lodging, I would research Hotel Val Ferret or Refugio Elena next time.

Day 7: Hike to Ferret and take bus to La Fouly (12.2 mi, 3274 ft ascent, ~4000 ft descent). Statyed in Gite La Fouly. Bus ride was very short, but everything helps after a long day.

Day 8: Hike to Issert (7.47 mi). Bus to Orsieres and train to Martigny. Easy downhill through trees and small towns.

Day 9: Train to Vallorcine (Mont Blanc Express), then take the gondola. Hike to Refuge du Col de Blame and then back track and hike to Tres le Champ / Montroc (8.7 mi, 1600 ft ascent, 3600 ft descent) Statyed in Gite Le Moulin. This refuge was a bit out of the TMB route. Booked this one because I read the food was good. Food was pretty good, but not sure if it was worth the extra distance and losing private room. You also get a view of Mont Blanc from Auberge la Boerne (the other option) and it had a cute garden.

Day 10: Hike to Refugio La Flegere (7 mi, 3100 ft ascent, ~1800 ft desc) The ladder day! Ladders were more difficult (probably mentally) than anticipated. Especially with big back packs that weighed 25% of my body weight, I was a little freaked out about losing balance and falling all the way down to Chamonix. We had planned on having lunch at Lac Blanc, but when we got to Lac Chesery, we saw a long line of people on another ladder to Lac Blanc and decided to forget it. We were worried what else is there on the other side and didn't want to injure ourselves while hiking tired. We back tracked a little to get to a trail. Descent was still rocky and challenging.

Day 11: Hike to Le Brevent Gondola (4 mi, 1000 ft ascent). We had planned on hiking to Le Brevent and take the gondola down, but it was hot and one of our group members was done. So we took the gondola up and had lunch at the restaurant. It feels a little unfinished for not hiking up there. Maybe we will go back and do Lac Blanc and Le Brevent as a day hike. After taking Le Brevent gondola back down, we took Planpraz gondola to Chamonix, so this was our easiest day.

I feel we could have pushed ourselves more, but our goal wasn't to hike to feel the pain. We were there to enjoy the scenery and each other and we accomplished just that. We met lots of great people as usual. Weather was a bit hotter than we would have liked, but we hardly got rained on and can't complain. It was a glorious trip and I highly recommend it to those who are doubtful. I did train hard before our trip, but I was definitely not in the condition so many others were in. But in the end, I was in good enough shape to enjoy everything I set out to do.

Cheers!

Just finished the TMB at 22y/o and here to answer any questions the girlies may have about doing it solo or camping!

Last week I completed the TMB going clockwise, hiking solo. Sharing my route and some reflections for anyone thinking of going clockwise, especially since I found so few resources online to help plan.

Context: I’m 43F and while reasonably fit, this was the first multi-day hike I’d ever done, and I don’t live near any hikes that come close to the type of terrain I encountered on the TMB. Suffice to say this trail kicked my ass and I found it incredibly challenging and humbling.

I stayed in refuges and a few hotels along the way and tried to book private rooms wherever possible, and succeeded about half the time. My favorite refuges were Cabane du Combal, Refuge des Mottets, and Refuge Nant Borrant, and Hotel Mont-Lac was an incredible proper hotel experience (but $$$).

My route and trail notes:

Day 1: Brevent (took cable car up from Chamonix) to Lac Blanc

Refuge: Refuge Lac Blanc

This was a good start to the hike, not covering too much ground while giving me a good crash course on the terrain I would be dealing with. Refuge Lac Blanc was basic, but great, and the views are unmatched.

Day 2: Refuge Lac Blanc to Trient

Refuge: Hotel du Col de la Forclaz

This day was a total failure and I almost quit the entire hike. Due to a mapping error (more on that below), I ended up spending way too much time doing an incredibly challenging, steep descent from Lac Blanc (started at 8 AM and got to Tre-Le-Champ at 1:00) and still had another 1000m ascent and 1000m descent ahead of me. I didn't have my trail legs yet and knew there was no way I could do that before they gave my bed away at 6p, so I decided to have a nice long lunch at Auberge la Boerne, regroup, and take a taxi (about 60 EU) to Trient. (I'll note that I think I could have gotten from Tre-Le-Champ to Trient by taking 3 buses, but it was a Sunday and the schedules were tight/too risky.) I also injured myself on this incredibly long, steep descent more than I realized at the time. More on that later too.

I was very lucky to have such a bad day where I was, because taking a taxi would just not have been possible for much of the rest of the trail. I am also grateful to my dining companions that night who suggested I start my days much earlier--7 at the latest--and that helped me a TON for the rest of the hike.

This refuge was basic, but good! Highlight for me was the tofu curry (vegetarian entree) and French fries at dinner.

Day 3: Trient to Champex-Lac

Hotel: Hotel Mont-Lac

This was an incredible day where I regained my confidence. I know a lot of people skip parts of the Switzerland sections, but I really cannot imagine not having done them! The terrain was milder, more dirt paths and less loose rocks, and it was just a nice change of scenery and pace. There was more shade as well. I had a life-changing omelet at Le Bovine.

I cannot say enough good things about Hotel Mont-Lac. It was a splurge, but I had an apartment with a private patio with a lakeview, and the restaurant was incredible. I think I chose this spot based on prior Reddit reviews--the eggplant lasagna was truly memorable, as was the apricot tart dessert. Staff was super friendly as well.

Day 4: Champex-Lac to La Fouly

Refuge: Hotel Edelweiss

A gorgeous day on the trail that wound through lots of forests and across streams; also the day that goes through adorable Swiss hamlets. Again, I cannot imagine skipping this section! There is the most delightful creperie on this stage too, which I highly recommend stopping at.

Hotel Edelweiss was nice and I had a private room and bathroom. The vegetarian options at dinner were hearty. There is also a small grocery story in La Fouly where I was able to replenish electolytes, sunscreen, etc.

This was the day I realized just how badly I had injured my toe on Day 2. At the time, I decided to wrap it and just keep going.

Day 5: La Fouly to Bonatti

A long and tough day, especially because it ended in a steep and seemingly never-ending ascent to Bonatti in full sun. I stopped at Rifugio Elena for lunch and highly recommend the blackberry tart.

Bonatti was crowded and was more of a hostel vibe than the other refuges, especially with the "4 minute" shower token that was definitely not more than 2. But the food was great and, of course, the views were incredible.

Day 6: Bonatti to Bertone

This was my version of a "rest day," just a couple hours on the trail without any major ascents or descents. I thought I had booked a private room at Bertone, but the room had a bunk bed and I had a bunkmate for the night. Not a problem at all, just something to know when booking.

Day 7: Bertone to Cabane du Combal

This day began with a long and steep descent into Courmayeur; I opted for the Dolonne cable car and I'm glad I did. There was a lot of construction on the route at this point and I don't think I missed much by taking the lift.

I cannot say enough good things about Combal. I shared a room with 3 others, but it was spacious and we had our own bathroom and shower. There were dressers and shelves for our things. The food was incredible, and it just felt more intimate than some of the other refuges.

Day 8: Combal to Refuge des Mottets

This was my second shorter/easier day, but unfortunately didn't feel that way because of my injured toe. This was the day that I had to decide whether to end the hike early or find some other workaround for this injury.

Refuge Mottets was another standout refuge--incredibly charming with great food (best soup on the TMB, plus amazing bread and cheese at dinner), live music at dinner, and this horse in the pasture outside that doesn't even seem real. I had a private room here.

Day 9: Refuge des Mottets to Refuge Nant Borrant

With my injury, my options as far as I could tell were: find a way back to Chamonix from Mottets; or cut a hole in my shoe where my injured toe was rubbing and causing a lot of pain. But then a couple I had run into a few times suggested a third option: I try hiking with one shoe and one sandal.

If you've read this far (thanks!!): THIS WORKED better than it had any right to. I did the last 22 miles (35 km) and 2000m ascent and 2000m descent with one trail runner and one Teva (with hiking sock). And I did the Col du Fours like this. Day 9 was probably my toughest day of all in terms of mileage, elevation gain and loss, and altitude, and I'm so glad I tried the one sandal thing because I don't think I could have completed the hike. The descent from Bonhomme was brutal and I thought it would never end. I stopped at Refuge de la Balme for a very memorable tomato and cheese sandwich. And early in the day, I stopped at the dairy stall in des Glaciers for an amazing piece of cheese that was my reward after climbing the col. Absolutely do not miss this.

Nant Borrant was another standout refuge. Just incredibly charming, with a gorgeous outdoor area to sit and have a beer after your hike. The food was wonderful too: more amazing cheese, soup, and gratin for the vegetarian option.

Day 10: Refuge Nant Borrant to Les Houches

This day was long, but not as hard as the previous day. I didn't end up seeing the shuttle bus at all (was planning on cutting some km off this morning) and got lost just after Les Contamines (completely my fault) and lost about an hour getting back on the trail. Of all the pies and tarts on this hike, the blueberry pie at Refuge du Fioux was the winner. I took the Bellevue cable car down though I think I could have just finished it on foot. I took the bus to Chamonix.

Overall reflections on going clockwise and solo:

These two things are interconnected. While there was a lot I liked about going clockwise, namely having very quiet trails to myself early in the day (I rarely encountered anyone for the first few hours) and in the afternoon, I'm not sure it offset some of the challenges, namely around planning, navigation and troubleshooting. I used Traileasy for navigation and while overall it was a super helpful app/resource, it did have me going off the main trail in many instances (including on Day 2, which lost me a couple of hours). I know the creator of the app is on here and I'm happy to say more over private message; a lot of my navigation issues were due to my inexperience as well.

Not having someone to troubleshoot with made all of this harder, and adding onto that being injured and not really knowing how to handle it was hard. By far the hardest part was from Combal to Borrant, as I had no cell signal and there was no wifi at the refuges, so I was unable to research alternatives, whether cutting into my shoe would work or would backfire, etc. So I was kind of faced with "keep going or find a way to quit" each day.

Overall, as much as I loved doing this hike solo, I would definitely not recommend going clockwise alone unless you are a more experienced hiker. Happy to answer any questions!

if you were camping and only had 5 days to go from chamonix to courmayer would you go the french or swiss side? which has better views

Hi!

My partner and I did 3 nights/4 days on the AV1 last summer and we are planning to do TMB next summer with a friend. We are currently in the planning stage so we can be ready to book accommodations when they open in Oct. Hoping to get feedback on the current plan.

10 days on trail, 11 days total + 2 travel days. We are ideally looking to do private rooms or hotels where possible. Main questions are is this reasonable and can we combine days anywhere?? Any variants we should not miss? Any feedback welcome!

Hotel du bois for night before the start

Day 1: Les Houches → Les Contamines
Chalet hotel gai soleil

Day 2: Les Contamines → Les Chapieux
Col de fours variant
Les chambre du soleil has a triple room.

Day 3: Les Chapieux → Rifugio Elisabetta or Cabane du Combal

How realistic is it to go the extra ~50mins to Cabane du Combal? Is it further than 50m?

Day 4: Rifugio Elisabetta → Courmayeur
Hotel Crampon

Day 5: Courmayeur → Val Ferret (Lavachey)
Mont de la saxe route.
Hotel Lavechet or chalet Val Ferret

Day 6: Val Ferret → La Fouly (via Grand Col Ferret)
Hotel Edelweiss

Can we combine day 5 and 6 or is that too much?

Day 7: La Fouly → Champex-Lac
Hotel Splendide.
Rest day so staying full day + two nights

Day 8: Rest Day

Day 9: Champex-Lac → Trient
Fenêtre d'Arpette variant if possible
Hotel Grande Ourse

Day 10: Trient → Argentière
Le dahu hotel

Day 11: Argentière → Chamonix
Lac blanc variant
Hotel Lyret

Can I bank on buying trek poles in Chamonix? Heading out 8/30. I assume with UTMB finishing up there will be lots of used ones, but worst case can buy new? Thanks!!

Hi everyone! I completed the TMB earlier this month, and it was my first multi-day hike. I absolutely loved it — right up to the very last step! 🥾🏔️
I’m a compulsive planner, so naturally I’m already researching my next multi-day adventure. 😅
For those who have done the TMB, what would you recommend as a next hike? I’d like to increase the difficulty a little, but not go for something too much harder.
I stayed in hotels and dorms along the TMB and would prefer to keep it that way — I’m not really looking to camp.
Would love to hear your recommendations and experiences!

Worried that I chose a terrible week to hike and that we’re going to see nothing but a gray haze the whole time we’re out on the trail :(

Hi everyone - I’ll be on TMB Day 3 tomorrow. I’ve previously posted about my fear of heights. Just wanted a heads up on what to expect on my route tomorrow? Are there many portions where it’s essentially cliff edge? Many technical portions with risk of falls? Etc

This is a description of the route I’ll be taking

“You can ride all the way to Refuge des Mottets to shorten the initial ascent and begin your hike from this scenic mountain hut. From here, a gradual climb leads to Col de la Seigne, the natural border between France and Italy, offering breathtaking yet manageable views. Once you cross into Italy, descend to La Casermetta Hut (2365 m) before reaching Refuge Elisabetta, your stop for the night”

Hi!! Has anyone rented a small locker for just some personal items they didn’t want to take on hike? Any recommendations or sites I can use? Thanks!

Hi there,

i am currently thinking of hiking the tmb in the next few weeks. Since i did not find much about hammocking, i was wondering if anyone here did the trail with only a hammock and a tarp?

I know that i have to plan the track differently because many sections end above the treeline.

So my questions are:

1. Is it possible to do the track with only a hammock?

2. How many of the official campsites/bivoucs do have trees? 20%? 50%? All of them?

3. If i need to wildcamp, is it possible to adjust the sections that for example i will reach a hut middays, eat something and keep walking until i will find a spot? Or will they be way to long? I am good with daily 1500 - 2000hm and 20-25km

I know the rules about wildcamping and the consequences. Doing it for years and i know how to act. Id like to use a hammock because it is lighter, i like it more than a tent and in my opinion, it is better for nature if set correctly.

Thanks for your help :)

Hey everyone,

Me and two friends have booked to do the TMB from 25th August to 4th September 2026. We’re starting in Les Houches and planning to camp every night.

After planning and booking everything, we’ve only just realised we’re going during the same week as the UTMB. To be honest, it’s put a bit of a damper on my excitement as we were hoping for a quieter experience and I’m now worried about how busy it might be.

Has anyone done the TMB during UTMB week? Did it make your experience better or worse? I’d love to know what we should expect with the extra crowds, runners, campsites, etc.

Any advice or experiences would be massively appreciated!

Thanks! 🙏

I’m just curious, has anyone encountered any board games at refuges? If so, which ones?

Hello everyone. i am starting Day 2 TMB tomorrow.

On Day 1 I noticed I have difficulty with dealing with exposure I.e being on a cliff edge walk where there’s a steep fall. I have a fear of heights. I can power through it but I’d like to know if there any route variants - or how does this route fair from that perspective?

This is the description of the route I’ll be taking

“The well-marked trail leads you to Notre Dame de la Gorge, a historic chapel nestled in nature. If you're feeling adventurous and the weather allows, you can take an optional detour toward the Tre la Tête Glacier for even more spectacular scenery. The route then gradually ascends to the Col du Croix du Bonhomme, with plenty of opportunities to pause and take in the surroundings. After a gentle descent to Les Chapieux”

I’ll be hiking and camping the whole way Aug 19-28. I have a long sleeve sun hoodie, a long sleeve under layer and a rain jacket. Will I still need a puffy jacket too? I hear it’s really hot in the trail right now, but not sure if it’s gonna be cold enough that I’ll really need it at night. Thanks!!

I've heard stories of bed beds in the refuges (hotels too?) in the past, but so far haven't seen anything for 2026. Are they not an issue this year?