12 strangers, 10 days, & 85 miles through the Alps...
The Tour Du Mont Blanc, known as one of the most famous multi-day hikes in Europe, is a hut to hut trek that covers over 100 miles in the French, Swiss, and Italian Alps. It has been on my bucket list ever since I learned about it a few years ago and I made it a mission to hike it one day. That day came this September when I hosted a 12 day group trip where 11 other women joined me in accomplishing this feat. After completing the trial, I can honestly say it’s one of the most incredible things I have done to date! Not only to push my body to its physical limits, but also to connect with 11 other women who love the outdoors as much as me and experience the immensity of nature – making me and my problems feel so small amongst the towering mountains. It’s a trip I will remember forever!! Check out my photos and day-by-day breakdowns below 🙂
Days 1 - 3
27.5 Miles Complete
6,000 ft of Elevation Gain
10,000 ft of Elevation Loss
The first 3 days of our trek began with a cable car ride from the town of Chamonix. Day 1 gave us spectacular views of the Mont Blanc massif, Day 2 led us through small towns and forest landscapes, and Day 3 blew us away with its mountain views. We hiked through sunshine, fog, and 6+ hours of pouring rain. Day 3 was known to be the “hardest day of the entire trek” due to its length (11 miles) and elevation gain (almost 5,000 ft) which we conquered together in the rain and good spirits.
Days 4 - 6
55 Miles Complete
8,600 ft of Elevation Gain
8,600 ft of Elevation Loss
Days 4 – 6 I will forever remember as my favorite days of the trek. We crossed from France into Italy by foot on Day 4, ran straight into a herd of ibexes off a detour in the trial, and stayed in our first real mountain hut, Refugio Elisabetta, which had the best views and also included sharing 2 showers with 80 people… On Day 5, we encountered the best views of the trip! We hiked up through thick fog to a mountain pass where the fog had cleared and we were face to face with the Mont Blanc massif. Then we made our way down the steepest section of the trail into the town of Courmayeur where we watched ultramarathon runners, tried our first Italian hot chocolates, and made sure to indulge in lots of pizza! We had 2 sunny days and then some rain Day 6 as we made our way to the Swiss border and stayed at Refugio Elena.
Days 7 - 10
85 Miles Complete
23,000 ft of Elevation gained
29,000 ft of Elevation Lost
And just like that, we finished our 10 day itinerary of the Tour Du Mont Blanc! Day 7 was one of the roughest days of the trip – we crossed the Swiss border by foot in strong winds and freezing rain. But a highlight was our stay at Rite de la Lechere. Day 8 brought us a magical sunny day where we walked through small villages, grabbed coffee at a little hut, did a cold plunge in Champed Lac, and finished our day at Relais d’Arpette. Day 9 led us along a secret detour trail off the TMB and gave us incredible views over the Chamonix Valley. Day 10 was plagued with bad weather, the first snow of the season hit the mountains meaning we had to come up with a Plan B as the pass from Switzerland into France was socked in with snow. We took a quiet trail deep into the woods where our guide saw a wolf and we finished up near the Chamonix Valley in Vallorcine.
