Tour du Mont Blanc: 12 day trek through France, Italy, and Switzerland

DASH Adventures is very excited to add a Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) trip to our 2026 lineup! This challenging trail includes 11 daily treks of 8-13 miles with 3,000-5,000 feet elevation gain and loss each day along with one rest day. Not for the faint of heart, but certainly doable with dedicated preparation and training. And...there is an option for about an $250 additional cost to have your luggage transported each day, so you only have to hike with a light day pack!

Group Leader Jeremy Klomp, an Air Force Academy graduate and retired Air Force officer, loves being outdoors. An Eagle Scout, Jeremy spends as much time hiking, biking, paddling and running as possible. He has conquered Everest Base Camp (Tibet side), trekked the Great Wall of China, the Grand Canyon, and countless trails and mountains across the western US along with 2 DASH Adventures trips to Peru and Northern Arizona. He is excited to return to TMB! Last summer Jeremy lead a group of 12 friends and family to a 100% successful completion while the average age of the group was 51 years old. Hint: they all used the luggage transfer service and carried light day packs.

Jeremy is your experienced trip leader; he leads the way on each day's hike and is responsible for coordinating lodging, transfers, and other trip essentials from the start of the trek until completion.

About this trip:

Circumnavigate Europe’s largest massif, Mont Blanc! We’ll see countless stunning views of majestic peaks and gorgeous valleys along this epic trail, hiking through Italy, France, and Switzerland.

Note many of the small hotels used on this trek don't accept reservations until October. So our itinerary is tentative but nearly finalized, and once all lodging is confirmed we'll share the details with the group.

Important to know:

• You'll be responsible to arrive in Chamonix on day one of this adventure, 8 July. Most prefer flights into Geneva, with public busses available to Chamonix.

• You'll meet Jeremy and the rest of the group that afternoon in Chamonix for introductions and a gear check.

• Lodging on 8 July is your responsibility, as there are so many options from moderate to luxury (and prices to match) in the Chamonix region.

• On the 9th you'll meet Jeremy and the group at the Chamonix bus station in the morning to begin the adventure!

• From here your rooms are included and most of the hotels provide a "half board" which includes dinner and breakfast.

• On the final day of the trek expect to return into Chamonix in the afternoon of 19 July, so have your plans pickup with a hotel in the area so you can enjoy a shower and recovery before heading off to explore more of Europe, or heading home.

Day 1, Wednesday, July 8 2026. Chamonix (France)

We’ll meet in Chamonix France in the late afternoon for a pre-trek rendezvous to review the itinerary, check gear, and get excited about this adventure! Option to join the group for dinner.

No meals included

Lodging *not* included

Day 2, Thursday, July 9 2026: Chamonix to Tre le Champ (France)

And we’re off! Meet at the central bus station in Chamonix where we’ll head to the cable car that takes us to the trail. Catch the first of 1 million stunning views on the way up! Today we’ll start high and end low, a net loss in elevation. Don’t worry, we’ll gain it back over the next few days!

We step off Chamonix’s street onto the shaded trail below Planpraz, winding through larch and spruce. After about an hour, we reach the Refuge de Planpraz, where steaming café and homemade tart fuel us as we gaze at Mont Blanc’s southern face. From here, we follow a narrow ridge path sprinkled with alpine flowers—edelweiss and gentians—before descending into the Tré-le-Champ plateau. Its grassy meadows and distant glacier views offer the perfect first-night campsite under starry skies.

Gondola ride included

Dinner may be included (depending on the hotel)

Lodging included

Day 3, Friday, July 10 2026: Tre le Champ to Trient (Switzerland)

We leave Tré-le-Champ’s grassy plateau just after dawn, crossing flower-strewn meadows toward the rocky ascent of the Fenêtre d’Arpette. Mid-morning, we pause at the tiny Refuge de la Barma, its metal walls echoing glacier murmurs below. Refueled, we tackle the final scramble over talus before descending through Swiss larch forest into Trient. In the late afternoon light, we arrive at Refuge du Lac, where we savor rösti beside a crackling stove.

Breakfast Included

Dinner may be included (depending on the hotel)

Lodging included

Day 4, Saturday, July 11 2026: Trient to Champex Lac (Switzerland)

From Trient, we follow the Trient River upstream, entering mossy woodland before the steep switchbacks of the Pas du Chat. High on the ridge, we rest at the ruins of an old shepherd’s hut, absorbing sweeping glacier vistas. The descent takes us through rocky ledges into Champex’s alpine pastures. By early evening, we reach the shores of Champex-Lac and check into Refuge Champex, where lakeside fondue and timbered warmth await.

Breakfast Included

Dinner may be included (depending on the hotel)

Lodging included

Day 5, Sunday, July 12 2026: Champex Lac to La Fouly (Switzerland)

Today is a shorter day, so we may opt for a morning on the lake! The town is beautiful, and the small lake serene. The hike includes several creek crossings; we won’t get wet unless it is raining. We skirt Champex’s mirror-like lake before climbing through pine and mixed forest toward the Col de la Forclaz. Halfway up, we break at the Refuge de Champex, overlooking the valley’s emerald waters. At the pass, sweeping views of the Trient Glacier greet us, then we descend past tumbling streams into La Fouly. Our day ends at Refuge du Pontet, where apple tarts and Swiss hospitality prepare us for tomorrow’s frontier crossing.

Breakfast Included

Dinner may be included (depending on the hotel)

Lodging included

Day 6, Monday, July 13 2026: La Fouly to Lavachey (Italy) 

We depart La Fouly’s charming chalets, following the gentle Val Ferret road beside the rushing mountain stream. Wildflowers carpet the meadows as we make steady progress toward Lavachey. Around midday, we arrive at the Auberge de Lavachey, a quaint inn with sunny terraces ideal for a light lunch. In the afternoon, we wander local paths through pastoral fields, greeting grazing cows, before settling in for the night at the inn, the peaks glowing at sunset.

Breakfast Included

Dinner may be included (depending on the hotel)

Lodging included

Day 7, Tuesday, July 14 2026: Lavachey to Courmayeur (Italy)

Leaving Lavachey, we begin the climb to the Grand Col Ferret, refreshing ourselves at a small Swiss shelter before reaching the 8,323 ft summit. From here, Italy’s rugged Val Veni unfolds below. We descend past the Refuge Maison Vieille, savoring espresso and glacier views, then continue through larch groves into Courmayeur. As dusk falls, we check into our hotel and stroll the pedestrian streets, delighted by Italian pastries and warm alpine air.

Breakfast Included

Dinner not included

Lodging included

Day 8, Wednesday, July 15 2026: Active rest day in Courmayeur (Italy)

Today we swap our packs for leisure: morning espresso at a café, followed by a stroll through artisan shops. Mid-day, we wander up Val Ferret’s gentle trail to Refuge Maison Vieille for lunch with Mont Blanc in view. In the afternoon, the Skyway Monte Bianco carries us to Punta Helbronner, where we sip hot chocolate in Refuge Punta Helbronner and marvel at icy pinnacles. Back in town, we unwind with thermal baths and a gentle massage.

Laundry options available

Breakfast Included

Dinner not included

Lodging included

Day 9, Thursday, July 16 2026: Courmayeur to Mottets/Les Chapieux (Italy)

We leave Courmayeur early, climbing through Val Ferret toward the Col de la Seigne. Halfway up, a break at the Refuge Maison Vieille readies us for the final push over 8,254 ft. Crossing into France, we descend toward the Refuge Les Mottets, nestled beneath craggy peaks. From there, a gentle walk takes us into the hamlet of Les Chapieux, where we rest in a local gîte, savoring Savoyard stew as alpine dusk settles.

Breakfast Included

Dinner may be included (depending on the hotel)

Lodging included

Day 10, Friday, July 17 2026: Mottets to Les Contamines (Italy)

We set off from Les Chapieux, climbing through pastoral meadows before tackling the Croix du Bonhomme col. Mid-ascent, we pause at the Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme, where wooden bunks and savory fondue await. From the 8,015 ft summit, sweeping views of the Vanoise range accompany our descent through flowered slopes. Late afternoon finds us arriving in Les Contamines, settling into our inn and reflecting on the high-pass challenge we’ve conquered.

Breakfast Included

Dinner may be included (depending on the hotel)

Lodging included

Day 11, Saturday, July 18 2026: Les Contamines to Les Houches (France)

This morning, we head out of Les Contamines along the scenic rolling pastures toward the Refuge de la Balme d’En Haut. We rest over soupe de montagne as ibex graze nearby. The trail then winds through fragrant spruce forest, crossing wooden footbridges over glacier streams. After cresting La Balme plateau, we descend past chalets into Les Houches. We arrive by mid-afternoon, where a riverside gîte and local bakery treats reward our efforts.

Breakfast Included

Dinner may be included (depending on the hotel)

Lodging included

Day 12, Sunday, July 19 2026: Les Houches to Chamonix, (France)

Our last day is an aggressive climb but fewer miles. Enjoy majestic views of Mont Blanc from across the valley! On our final day, we climb from Les Houches along forested switchbacks into the Aiguilles Rouges. Mid-morning, we pause at the Refuge du Col de Voza for tarte aux myrtilles and sweeping views. The alpine path leads us along a flower-lined ridgeline before descending to Chamonix via the gondola. As we reenter town, we treat ourselves to fresh croissants and a glass of local vin de Savoie, celebrating the successful completion of our 11-day Mont Blanc circuit.

Gondola ride included

Breakfast Included

Lodging *not* included