The TMB in 8 days: day-by-day plan

Sitting between the 9-day itinerary and the 7-day express, this breakdown completes the loop in eight days entirely on foot. It relies on three nights away from the classic overnight stops: the Refuge de Nant Borrant, above Les Contamines; the Refuge des Mottets, about two hours from the Col de la Seigne; and the gîte at the La Peule alpine pasture, the first possible overnight stop in Switzerland after the Grand Col Ferret.

The fourth day, from Courmayeur to La Peule, is the most demanding: it strings together the climb to the Rifugio Bertone, the Val Ferret balcony and the Grand Col Ferret (2,537 m), the highest point on the main route. This pace is aimed at fast, well-trained hikers.

Day-by-day plan

Day	Leg	Distance	Ascent	Descent	Walking time	Overnight
	Les Houches → Nant Borrant	21.8 km	1,220 m	830 m	7h15 – 8h30	Nant Borrant and La Balme
	Nant Borrant → Les Mottets No accommodation between La Balme and Les Chapieux in 2027 and 2028. Optional shuttle bus between Les Chapieux and the Ville des Glaciers.	21.4 km	1,530 m	940 m	8h15 – 9h45	Ville des Glaciers and Les Mottets
	Les Mottets → Courmayeur	23.4 km	1,020 m	1,750 m	8h15 – 9h45	Courmayeur
	Courmayeur → La Peule Hardest day: Bertone, Bonatti, Elena, then the Grand Col Ferret.	24.6 km	1,840 m	1,020 m	9h30 – 11h15	La Peule and Ferret
	La Peule → Champex-Lac	21.6 km	550 m	1,150 m	6h15 – 7h30	Champex-Lac
	Champex-Lac → Trient	15.4 km	770 m	960 m	5h30 – 6h30	Trient and Col de la Forclaz
	Trient → Tré-le-Champ	13.8 km	1,060 m	940 m	6h – 7h15	Le Tour, Tré-le-Champ and Argentière
	Tré-le-Champ → Les Houches Very long day: you can finish by cable car from La Flégère or the Brévent.	24 km	1,440 m	1,880 m	9h45 – 11h30	Les Houches
Total		166 km	9,430 m	9,470 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

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Tips for this itinerary

The La Peule gîte has only one dormitory and a private cabin for two: book it first.
Train with 6- to 8-hour hikes carrying a pack before you set off.
If you are tired, the TMR buses from Ferret and La Fouly to Orsières and Champex let you shorten the fifth day.