r/TourDuMontBlanc

Hi everyone! On Thursday 15 October many of the popular Tour du Mont Blanc refuges start taking reservations for 2027. Some of them use the Mon Tour platform, others want you to book through their own website or by email.

Over the last year many TMB trips have been planned on Traileasy. And based on how popular each refuge is in those plans and how many beds they have available, these are the ten that fill up quickest (and often don't have an easy alternative nearby).

• Cabane du Combal · 23 beds · own website or email · no official date, but since this week several people report they've made a booking by emailing to cabaneducombal@gmail.com (replies are supposedly very slow)
• Refuge des Mottets · 80 beds · Mon Tour, from 15 October
• Rifugio Bonatti · about 70 beds · request form on its own website · the form says they start accepting reservations from the 13th of February.
• Rifugio Elisabetta · 77 beds · email or phone · no date announced yet, but multiple people reported that Elisabetta said to email them on 15 October
• Refuge du Lac Blanc · 38 beds · own website · no date announced yet
• Refuge de la Flégère · 70 dorm beds · email · Website says they start accepting reservations from the 5th of January
• Les Chapieux (Auberge de la Nova and Les Chambres du Soleil) · 85 beds · Mon Tour, from 15 October
• Rifugio Elena · 127 beds · own website, says they start accepting from 15 October
• Rifugio Bertone · 50 beds · Mon Tour, from 15 October
• Auberge la Boërne · 31 beds · Mon Tour, from 15 October

If you want to do the TMB next year and plan on staying in refuges, I'd really recommend you to start mapping out your route ASAP. I know it's very far away but that is just the reality of the TMB. Also know that even if you don't manage to get all the reservations you want, it is an extremely flexible trail with many hotels and villages nearby that can be reached from the trail by taking a cable car, bus or a taxi. You can find all the huts, cable cars and bus lines in the 100% free Traileasy planner for the TMB (disclaimer: it's my project!)

If you are planning on camping, the rules are also changing. Up to this season you could hike the TMB without any reservations (unless you wanted to bivouac at protected sites like Lac Cheserys) and just show up at a campsite, pay and pitch your tent. Next season, campsite reservations will be required on at least the French site of the TMB. I can't imagine this means you will have to book months in advance, but it's good to keep this in mind and follow the developments regarding this.

Hey former and future TMB’ers - I’m seeking some advice. Normally, I wear contact lenses, but for the safety of my eyes during the trek, I plan to wear my glasses only. I will wear a hat during the hike, to keep the sun out of my eyes. Would it be overkill to wear sunglasses (over my prescription glasses) and a hat OR will only a hat be sufficient? I know there is a brand of armless sunglasses on the market, but I don’t feel like coughing up $160 for a pair of shades.
Thanks y’all!

Hey all, we are planning our trip for next summer and would love any recommendations. I'd like to find some smaller/more unique hotel / bed and breakfast stays along the way. Doesn't have to be hotels, but just places that may not get as much attention but were still gems that you found! Would also love if you could say why you loved them. Thank you!

My husband and I are looking to book the TMB from June 28 - July 8 2027. How worried about snow should we be? This is our first hiking experience in the Alps. We were looking at mostly doing the classic route with some variants as weather permits.