I just finished the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) in 10 days in late August 2020 (7 nights camping + 3 nights refuges). While I’ve done several treks so far, this was truly the most scenic one yet—every step felt like walking through a painting.
Please note: I hiked the TMB counterclockwise from Les Houches (Aug 14 - 23, 2020), camped 7 out of 10 nights, and DID NOT bring cooking equipment (I ate at both refuges/local restaurants and bought food from supermarkets/bakeries). Furthermore, I went during abnormal circumstances (COVID-19).
10-Day Itinerary:
Day 0: Camping Les Arolles (Chamonix)
Day 0: Chamonix
Stay: Camping Les Arolles (€11.50)
Dinner: Restaurant in Chamonix
Day 1: Refuge Nant Borrant
Day 1: Les Houches > Refuge Nant Borrant (France; 20km/10mi, 8hrs)
Stay: Refuge Nant Borrant (Half-Board, €45)
Dinner: Included
Surprisingly the Best Pizza Ever in Les Chapieux!
Day 2: Refuge Nant Borrant > Les Chapieux (France; 19km/12mi, 8hrs)
Stay: Camping behind tourist office (FREE)
Dinner: Pizza from small shop
Day 3 : Dinner at Maison Vieille (3 course meal)
Day 3: Les Chapieux > Refuge Maison Vieille (Italy; 28km/17mi, 6hrs 45min)
Stay: Refuge Maison Vieille (Half-Board, €55)
Dinner: Included (WOW >>> 1st course “Spaghetti” + 2nd course “Meat” dish + Dessert)
Day 4: The view from Refuge Bertone
Day 4: Refuge Maison Vieille > Refuge Bertone (Italy; 10km/6mi, 3hrs)
Stay: Refuge Bertone (Half-Board, €55)
Dinner: Included
Day 5: Camping Des Glaciers
Day 5: Refuge Bertone > La Fouly (Switzerland; 29km/18mi, 7hrs)
Stay: Camping Des Glaciers (16 Swiss Francs CHF)
Dinner: Restaurant in town
Day 6: Camping Relais D’Arpette
Day 6: La Fouly > Champex (Switzerland; 18km/11mi; 3hrs)
Stay: Camping Relais D’Arpette (15 CHF)
Dinner: Restaurant at Relais D’Arpette
Day 7: Camping La Peuty and eating dinner in a Mongolian yurt (Refuge La Peuty)
Day 7: Champex > La Peuty (Switzerland; 14km/9mi, 5hrs)
Stay: Camping La Peuty (€6)
Dinner: Ate dinner at Refuge Le Peuty (€25) which was the most experiential dinner inside of a Mongolian yurt
Day 8: Argentière
Day 8: La Peuty > Argentière (France; 14km/9mi, 5hrs)
Stay: Camping du Glacier D'Argentiere (€10)
Dinner: Restaurant in town (plenty of options)
Day 9: Wild camping at Lacs des Chéserys
Day 9: Argentière > Lacs des Chéserys (France; 6km/4mi, 2hrs)
Stay: Wild Camping at Lac des Chéserys (FREE)
Dinner: I bought several sandwiches + pastries from a bakery in Argentière for dinner and breakfast/lunch for next day
Day 10: Lac Blanc!
Day 10: Lacs des Chéserys / Lac Blanc > Les Houches (France; 23km/14mi, 7hrs)
Stay: Camping Le Grand (€10)
Dinner: Restaurant in Les Houches
My Packing List (7.5 kg excluding water):
33L Talon Osprey (Free carry-on for EasyJet flight, no need to check in bag)
Lanshan 1 Pro (Tent)
Cumulus Quilt 350 (Sleeping Bag)
Therma-a-Rest NeoAir Xlite (Sleeping Pad)
Columbia Hiking Pants (Zip-off)
Running Shorts
Trekking Poles x2 (Decathlon)
Rain Cover
Socks x2 (Darn Tough Socks)
Underwear x2 (ExOfficio)
T-shirts x2 (Uniqlo)
Base Layer (Mountain Hardwear)
Rain Jacket (Uniqlo)
Down Jacket (Decathlon’s Forclaz)
Trail Runners (Salomon)
Sea to Summit Drylite Towel
Sandals
First Aid Kit
1L Water Bottle x1 (plastic bottle from supermarket)
Hand Sanitizer
Face mask
Passport
Sunglasses
Sun Hat
Buff
Phone
Sony A7iii camera
Kindle
Electronics (chargers, batteries, headlamp, etc.)
Sea to Summit X-cup (plus coffee packets)
Toiletries
50SPF Sunscreen stick (Decathlon)
Sawyer Mini Water Filter
€600 in cash + 50CHF
Total Costs including Day 0 in Chamonix (excluding transportation & flight):
€503 or (€46/day):
Total Accommodation (8 nights camping + 3 nights refuges) = €237
Food, Snacks, and Drinks = €266
Other tips:
I bought 2 trekking poles from Decathlon Chamonix for €10 each (€20 total)
You can buy almost anything in Chamonix from poles to clothes to cooking equipment
1L water bottle is sufficient as there is potable water throughout the trail except the last day (used my Sawyer mini)
Having an offline GPS app can be a lifesaver (I used maps.me)
Remember to bring a face mask and hand sanitizer (COVID-19)
All in all…this was a trek of a lifetime, and I look forward to going back one day during “normal” times. Personally, I enjoyed the mix of camping, staying at a few refuges, and tasting the local cuisine—if I were to do this again, I would still do a mix of camping + refuges. I hope you make it out there if you desire, let me know if you have any questions! - David