Hiking the TMB clockwise means meeting groups head-on rather than following them: the trails feel quieter and the huts fill up at different times. Some views, such as the arrival at the Col de la Seigne or the descent into the Val Ferret, reveal themselves from a different angle.
The downside: the first day goes straight into the climb to the Brévent, more than 1,500 m of ascent. The Brévent cable car from Chamonix can make it easier.
Day-by-day plan
| Day | Leg | Distance | Ascent | Descent | Walking time | Overnight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Les Houches → La Flégère Brévent cable car available from Chamonix to avoid the climb. | 17.4 km | 1,590 m | 720 m | 7h30 – 9h | Lac Blanc and La Flégère | |
| La Flégère → Tré-le-Champ | 6.6 km | 270 m | 700 m | 2h45 – 3h15 | Le Tour, Tré-le-Champ and Argentière | |
| Tré-le-Champ → Trient | 13.8 km | 940 m | 1,070 m | 6h – 7h | Trient and Col de la Forclaz | |
| Trient → Champex-Lac | 15.4 km | 970 m | 790 m | 5h45 – 6h45 | Champex-Lac | |
| Champex-Lac → La Fouly | 15.4 km | 620 m | 520 m | 4h30 – 5h30 | La Fouly | |
| La Fouly → Rifugio Bonatti | 19.7 km | 1,280 m | 850 m | 7h15 – 8h30 | Italian Val Ferret | |
| Rifugio Bonatti → Courmayeur | 11.1 km | 240 m | 990 m | 3h30 – 4h15 | Courmayeur | |
| Courmayeur → Rifugio Elisabetta | 16.8 km | 1,410 m | 540 m | 6h45 – 8h | Val Veny | |
| Rifugio Elisabetta → Les Chapieux | 13.9 km | 380 m | 960 m | 4h15 – 5h | Les Chapieux | |
| Les Chapieux → Les Contamines-Montjoie | 18.9 km | 920 m | 1,320 m | 6h45 – 8h | Les Contamines-Montjoie | |
| Les Contamines-Montjoie → Les Houches | 17.1 km | 820 m | 960 m | 5h45 – 6h45 | Les Houches | |
| Total | 166 km | 9,440 m | 9,420 m | |||
Distances and ascent calculated on the OpenStreetMap track of the main route and the variants; “≈” marks an estimated value. Walking times according to the DIN 33466 standard, without breaks.
The itinerary on the map
one color per dayD1overnight stopvariants
Build your own day-by-day plan, then export it as a GPX file.
Customize this itineraryTips for this itinerary
- The waymarking is the same in both directions, but most guidebook descriptions are written for the counterclockwise direction.
- In this direction you go down the Aiguillette d'Argentière ladders, which is more unnerving for anyone uneasy with heights.
The stages in detail
1
Les Houches Les Contamines-Montjoie
750 m1,000 m1,250 m1,500 m1,750 m0 km5 km10 km15 km
2
Les Contamines-Montjoie Les Chapieux
1,000 m1,250 m1,500 m1,750 m2,000 m2,250 m2,500 m2,750 m0 km5 km10 km15 km
3
Les Chapieux Rifugio Elisabetta
1,500 m1,750 m2,000 m2,250 m2,500 m2,750 m0 km5 km10 km
4
Rifugio Elisabetta Courmayeur
1,000 m1,250 m1,500 m1,750 m2,000 m2,250 m2,500 m0 km5 km10 km15 km
5
Courmayeur Rifugio Bonatti
1,000 m1,250 m1,500 m1,750 m2,000 m2,250 m0 km5 km10 km
6
Rifugio Bonatti La Fouly
1,500 m1,750 m2,000 m2,250 m2,500 m2,750 m0 km5 km10 km15 km
7
La Fouly Champex-Lac
1,000 m1,250 m1,500 m1,750 m0 km5 km10 km15 km
8
Champex-Lac Trient
1,250 m1,500 m1,750 m2,000 m2,250 m0 km5 km10 km15 km
9
Trient Tré-le-Champ
1,250 m1,500 m1,750 m2,000 m2,250 m0 km5 km10 km
10
Tré-le-Champ La Flégère
1,250 m1,500 m1,750 m2,000 m2,250 m0 km2 km4 km6 km
11
La Flégère Les Houches
500 m1,000 m1,500 m2,000 m2,500 m3,000 m0 km5 km10 km15 km
Other itineraries
- The classic TMB in 11 days11 days · Intermediate
- The relaxed TMB in 14 days14 days · Easy-going
- The TMB in 12 days12 days · Easy-going
- The TMB in 10 days10 days · Challenging
- The TMB in 9 days9 days · Challenging
- The TMB in 8 days8 days · Very challenging
- The express TMB in 7 days7 days · Very challenging
- The TMB via the variants in 10 days10 days · Very challenging
- The TMB in private rooms, without dorms11 days · Intermediate
- The TMB starting from Chamonix11 days · Intermediate
- The TMB starting from Courmayeur11 days · Intermediate
- The TMB starting from Champex (Switzerland)11 days · Intermediate
- Partial TMB in 4 days: Les Houches – Courmayeur4 days · Intermediate
- Partial TMB in 3 days: Courmayeur – Champex3 days · Intermediate
- Partial TMB in 4 days: Champex – Les Houches4 days · Intermediate
- Partial TMB in 7 days: Les Houches – Champex7 days · Intermediate
- Partial TMB in 7 days: Courmayeur – Les Houches7 days · Intermediate