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Tour du Mont Blanc

% singletrack, % rideable (time), total ascent, difficulty (1-10).

• 10 Climbing Scale Very Strenuous 244 FT/MI (46 M/KM)
• - Technical Difficulty
• - Physical Demand
• - Resupply & Logistics

Contributed By

The Wild Side

The mountains before the 18th century were considered arcane places, full of dangers, inhabited by monstrous creatures, where huge white dragons (i.e. glaciers) descended from the heights to haul away and devour those who wished to violate their territory. The conquest of Mont Blanc in 1786 marks the beginning of a different approach to the mountains, still an unknown place yet to be explored — the birth of Alpinism.

A different approach is also necessary when bikepacking the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB), one of the most popular long-distance circular treks in Europe. The urge to pedal must meld with the attitude of the mountains and to all that it involves. The Tour du Mont Blanc is an alpine voyage that fills the heart and empties the lungs. For a detailed description of the route, click the Trail Notes tab below.

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Trail Notes

• Amazing views on Val Veny and Val Ferret, two beautiful glacial valleys that run along the entire italian side of the Mont Blanc Massif.
• The monuments of the conquest of Mont Blanc (1786) in the Chamonix square. The first of 1887 is dedicated to Balmat De Saussure and the second was opened 100 years later to return M.G.Paccard about who was the real soul of the undertaking.
• The bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) it’s one of the biggest vulture which nesting in the old continent. It’s possible to spot this rare bird of prey, recently reintroduced on the Alps, in the most mountainous areas of the route.
• The Marmot (Marmota) a sort of large squirrel, will accompany you along most of the route with its typical whistle. It’s a warning signal used to communicate your presence to the others marmots. It’s indeed the cutest animal of the TMB.
• Weird wooden sculptures along the trail in the wood after Champex-Lac, in Switzerland.
• This route of TMB deviates from the classic route and requires good physical preparation. However, there are several paths to reduce the total ascent and bypass some of the toughest climbs.
• The best time to face the TMB is from mid-June until mid-September. In June the higher mountain passes may still be snow-covered. During July and August the trails are crowded with hikers, while in later September you can experience the TMB in amore intimate way.
• The TMB can be ridden clockwise or counterclockwise. Many people choose to start from Chamonix or Les Houches in France, others from Courmayeur in Italy, but you can choose any point along the route.
• Take high mountain clothes with you. Abrupt changes in weather can lead to sudden snowfalls even in the summer months.
• Don’t’ forget to wear sunscreen.
• The long, steep descents and the weight of the bike in bikepacking mode devour the brake pads. Take with you at least one spare pair.
• In the towns of Chamonix and Les Houches , there are some well-stocked bike shops.
• Wild camping is not generally encouraged , but is tolerated. Set up camp in responsible places. Be discreet.  #leavenotrace
• For those who don’t want to have a self-supported adventure there are many shelters along the route where you can sleep and eat. In the summer months, given the turnout, it’s recommended to book, while from mid-September many of them are already closed.
• The massif of Mont Blanc with its glaciers and permanent snow ensures a steady supply of water along the route. (Rivers and creeks in the mountain/ fountains in the villages).
• You can resupply at the general stores in Courmayeur (Italy), Les Houches and Chamonix (France) and in the small village of Le Fouly (Switzerland).

Trail Description

The TMB starts in a clockwise direction from Courmayeur, a small italian town located at the foot of the southern side of Mont Blanc. It quickly reaches 2,000 meters in altitude and the majestic scenery offered by the Aiguille Noire de Peuterey and the mighty glacier of Brenva that flows down valley from the summit of Mont Blanc. By way of a hike-a-bike trail you reach the Mont Favre at 2400mt before falling back to the most spectacular area of the Val Veny, where Dora of Vény river, the incredible Miage glacier, lake Combal, Aiguille des Glaciers and the unmistakable silhouettes of Calcaires Pyramides on the horizon paint an ice-age setting of incomparable beauty.

A comfortable gravel road runs through the valley and after passing some dilapidated military barracks, reaches the high Val Veny, a vast isolated plateau that allows you to catch your breath before start to climb again along a trail that leads to the Col de la Seigne (2512mt) on the border between Italy and France. Arriving here just before sunset means you will enjoy the most beautiful descent of the whole Tour immersed in a surreal atmosphere: the sweet flowing singletrack, the Vallée des Glaciers and peaks on the horizon, all is dyed of gold. After losing about 1000 mt in altitude and passed the small village of Les Chapieux, it rises again to face one of the toughest stretches of the TMB, the climb to the Col du Bonhomme (2,483mt) where the narrow, steep and often rough track will make you curse every the added grams loaded on your bike. However, the Alpine environment and the scenic views offered by the surrounding valleys will reward the effort.

The singletrack descent, initially tight and technical, becomes smoother and comfortable as you get closer to the valley where a gravel road leading into the town of Les Contamines. From here you’ll climb a steep fire road to reach Col de Voza, then cross the tracks of the Tramway du Mont Blanc to go down to the village of Les Houches, along an old school crumbly downhill track. The route continues on singletrack through the forest, running along the north side of the Arve valley, where through the branches of the pine trees, you see the majestic Glacier du Bossom and overhanging peaks of the Aiguille du Midi and the Aiguille du Dru.

After the traditional alpine village of Chamonix, you will reach the town of Le Tour where a jeep road reaches the Col de Balme at 2195mt on the border of France and Switzerland. From here a long, scenic singletrack runs the west side of the Croix de Fer and then enters the forest, where it becomes rocky and very technical. From the valley of Trient you’ll climb to the amphitheater of the namesake glacier to overcome the glacial river through a wooden bridge and reach the pass of the Col de la Forclaz. A steep narrow path climbs to the Alp Bovine becoming increasingly challenging in the final stretch where boulders along the trail force you to lift the front wheel.

The route continues between alpine pasture and forest to reach the valley bottom through a steep descent on loose rock that winds between boulders and ancient trees uprooted by winter avalanches. Back in the valley you’ll climb the swiss side of Val Ferret, cross the village of Le Fouly and with a succession of trails and fire roads you reach the Col du Grand Ferret at 2,537 mt altitude, on the Swiss-Italian border. From here the view of the Italian Val Ferret is breathtaking. The return to Chamonix is done by traversing the mountain side, a panoramic balcony on the northeastern side of the Mont Blanc massif: from Mont Dolent to the Aiguille de Triolet, from the Grandes Jorasses to the Giant’s Tooth, until the 4810mt summit of Mont Blanc.

With Thanks

Thanks to Adidas Eyewear, CamelBak, EVOC, FiveTen, Genesis Bikes, Madison Clothing, Miss Grape, MSR, Therm-a-Rest, TitanStraps and Vittoria for supporting this trip.

Additional Resources

• autourdumontblanc.com  is a site plenty of useful info about the TMB route.
• Visit MontanusWild.com – For the full set of photos from this trip.

Terms of Use: As with each bikepacking route guide published on BIKEPACKING.com, should you choose to cycle this route, do so at your own risk. Prior to setting out check current local weather, conditions, and land/road closures. While riding, obey all public and private land use restrictions and rules, carry proper safety and navigational equipment, and of course, follow the #leavenotrace guidelines . The information found herein is simply a planning resource to be used as a point of inspiration in conjunction with your own due-diligence. In spite of the fact that this route, associated GPS track (GPX and maps), and all route guidelines were prepared under diligent research by the specified contributor and/or contributors, the accuracy of such and judgement of the author is not guaranteed. BIKEPACKING.com LLC, its partners, associates, and contributors are in no way liable for personal injury, damage to personal property, or any other such situation that might happen to individual riders cycling or following this route.

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• Chamonix Run Festival du 7 au 9 Juin 2024
• Weekend busy pour le PGHM Chamonix
• Le Panoramic Mont-Blanc ouvre ce 25 mai 2024 pour la saison d'été!
• Télécabines, téléphériques et trains ouverts ce mois de Mai à Chamonix
• Fin de la saison d'hiver au Grands Montets ce dimanche 5 mai 2024

La station de Chamonix compte trois hôtels 5 étoiles, onze hôtels 4 étoiles, vingt-deux hôtels 3 étoiles, treize hôtels

Agence immobilière prééminente située à l’avenue de l’Aiguille du Midi. 

Depuis 1934, Snell Sports est le plus grand magasin de montagne de la vallée de Chamonix.

Compare & Book Online with Chamonix.net

Tour du mont blanc cyclo en velo de route cyclo, 330km / 8000m d+.

Le Tour du Mont Blanc est un classique des longues distances, il consiste à tourner autour du Mont Blanc en passant par Chamonix, le Col des Montets, le Col de la Forclaz, Martigny, Champex-Lac, le Col du Grand St Bernard, Aoste, La Thuile, le Col du Petit St Bernard, Bourg St Maurice, le Cormet de Roselend, Beaufort, le col des Saisies, Megève, St Gervais, le Fayet et retour à Chamonix. Sur la carte le tracé est joli et tentant, dans la réalité il faut s’avaler 330 km et 8000m de dénivelé.

Nous avons fait pour la 1ère fois en 2006 et nous avons choisi de le faire en 2 jours. Cela nous a pris 2 grosses journées de +- 7h30. Partir tôt c'est important pour éviter la chaleur. Il y a beaucoup de points d'eau pour remplir les bidons.

Depuis 2006, nous avons effectué le Tour du Mont Blanc Cyclo en plusieurs formats, qui vont de 1 à 4 jours. Les étapes varient entre 85km et 330km par jour... c'est à vous de décider votre défi!

Bon courage et bons entraînements à tous!!! Vive le vélo de route et le cyclo!

Dates pour l'Été 2023 (nous proposons aussi les parcours 1, 2 et 3 jours).

• Du 7 au 10 Septembre 2023 (Jeudi à Dimanche) - 10 places disponibles - Prix: à partir de 800€
• Du 14 au 17 Septembre 2023 (Jeudi à Dimanche) - 10 places disponibles - Prix: à partir de 800€
• Du 21 au 24 Septembre 2023 (Jeudi à Dimanche) - 10 places disponibles - Prix: à partir de 800€
• Du 28 Sep au 1 Octobre 2023 (Jeudi à Dimanche) - 10 places disponibles - Prix: à partir de 800€

Contactez nous via email [email protected] ou +33.6 19 88 92 95

Parcours (exemple sur 2 jours, mais possible en 1, 3 ou 4 jours aussi).

Chamonix - Col des Montets (passage en Suisse) - Col de la Forclaz - Martigny: 44km Martigny - Champex - Col du Grand Saint Bernard (passage en Italie) - Aoste: 81km Aoste - La Thuile: 41km Total: 163 km, 4300m D

La Thuile -  Col du Petit Saint Bernard (passage en France) - Bourg Saint Maurice: 44km Bourg Saint Maurice - Cormet de Roseland - Beaufort: 40km Beaufort - Col des Saisies - Flumet: 33km Flumet - Megeve - Chamonix: 46km Total: 167km, 3700m D

Le Tour du Mont Blanc Cyclo

Durée: 1 / 2 / 3 ou 4 jours (sur demande)

Distance: 330km et 8000m D+

Personnes : 10 personnes max.

Autres Infos

De quoi avez-vous besoin pour le tour du mont blanc à vélo.

• Votre vélo de route. Il doit être propre et en bon état de marche! Nous vous conseillons de vérifier que les pneus et vos freins sont en bon état. Adaptez vos braquets pour la montagne. Si vous avez des questions, contactez nous. Sinon, et si vous préférez louer un vélo, nous travaillons avec les meilleures magasins de location de cyclo à Chamonix. Il suffit de nous demander!
• Votre casque.
• Votre assurance personnelle pour vous et votre équipement. C'est important d'être assuré dans le cas d’intervention médicale, bagage perdu, ou si vous devez annuler votre voyage. Merci de vous assurer que votre assurance vous couvre vous et votre matériel.

Contactez nous pour rejoindre un groupe ou pour votre devis personnalisé [email protected]

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Tour du Mont-Blanc cyclo

Le Tour du Mont-Blanc cyclo passe par La Rosière ! Un parcours dantesque de 330 km et 8300 mètres de dénivelé, 3 pays traversés et un départ depuis Les Saisies attendent les participants ! Venez encourager les coureurs dans les rues de La Rosière.

Avec un départ prévu à 5h00 du matin à la station des Saisies, les coureurs s'élanceront à l'assaut de 8 cols mythiques et rouleront sur les routes de France, de Suisse et d'Italie. On compte sur vous pour les encourager lors de leur descente du Col du Petit-Saint-Bernard et de leur passage à La Rosière. Pour les intéressés, les infos du parcours sont ici : https://letourdumontblanc.fr/

Les coureurs passeront sur la Route du Col du Petit-Saint-Bernard

Samedi 13 juillet 2024 de 12h à 20h.

Devant l'Office de Tourisme

Le Tour du mont blanc

Le circuit vtt classique à travers la france, l’italie et la suisse sur les plus beaux singles des alpes..

Région : FR, CH, IT

Départ : Chamonix

Durée : 3 days

Longueur : 176km

Denivelé + : 8500m

Denivelé – : 8500m

E-bike? Yes

La descente

Roulable: 100%

Pédaler : 100%

Pousser: 0%

L’un des itinéraires de randonnée les plus populaires des Alpes, sinon du monde, et pour une très bonne raison. Les paysages magnifiques, les refuges au top, une véritable aventure traversant trois pays, et les meilleures descentes VTT que vous puissiez imaginer.

Si l’aventure à vélo est votre truc, en particulier si vous avez une préférence pour la descente de qualité, alors c’est un itinéraire pour vous. Si vous êtes nouveau dans les aventures de plusieurs jours, c’est la première mission du préfet, en particulier si vous la planifiez sur trois jours. Chaque jour n’est pas trop exigeant et le parcours dans l’ensemble n’est pas trop long. La recherche d’itinéraire n’est pas difficile sur les sentiers bien utilisés. Les refuges et points d’eau ne manquent pas, même les hôtels si c’est votre truc. Une évasion à mi-aventure est possible si les choses ne se déroulent pas comme prévu (c’est-à-dire le tunnel du Mont Blanc en bus entre Chamonix et Courmayeur).

Un ami et guide local m’a donné l’itinéraire vers celui-ci, et tant qu’il reste sur son itinéraire, je ne partagerai pas d’informations exactes sur l’itinéraire sur ce site. Cependant, cela, espérons-le, offre encore une certaine inspiration à certains d’entre vous, ainsi que quelques conseils et astuces utiles.

• Ne le faites pas de juin à août – le nombre de randonneurs sur le parcours vous rendra fou. Septembre ou début octobre est optimal.
• Faites-le dans le sens inverse – c’est le contraire de la plupart des compagnies de guides, ce qui n’a absolument aucun sens d’après mon expérience, ce qui pour moi n’a aucun sens.
• Commencez à Chamonix – Si vous allez dans le sens inverse, la pire montée est la première lorsqu’elle est fraîche.
• Prenez la télécabine des Houches – faites votre première montée en téléski, vous me remercierez plus tard.

Ride Bikes - Drink Beer - Eat Ice cream

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Tour du Mont Blanc by Mountain Bike

Auf der karte, tour du mont blanc by mountain bike - full route.

Die Tour du Mont Blanc ist eine der bekanntesten Wanderrouten der Welt. Ein Rundweg voller spektakulärer Gletscher, atemberaubender Almwiesen, grandioser Bergpässe und reizvoller Täler. Überqueren der Grenzen von drei Ländern; Frankreich, Schweiz und Italien.

Tour du Mont Blanc by Mountain Bike - Stage 1

Als wir uns auf den Weg machten, waren die ersten 4 Stunden des Tages die härtesten der gesamten Reise! Der Aufstieg vom Parkplatz in Les Chapieux bis zum Refuge du Col de la Croix du Bonhomme ist die ganze Strecke mit dem Fahrrad unterwegs. In der Nähe der Schutzhütte verlangsamte sich der Fortschritt … weiterlesen

von Katie-Jane L'Herpiniere

Entdecke Orte, die du lieben wirst!

Hol dir jetzt komoot und erhalte Empfehlungen für die besten Singletrails, Gipfel & viele andere spannende Orte.

Tour du Mont Blanc by Mountain Bike - Stage 2

Beim ersten Tageslicht waren wir wach und bereit, einen weiteren Monstertag in Angriff zu nehmen. Direkt aus dem Camp führte eine lange, aber fahrbare 4x4-Strecke hinauf zum Col de Balme (2195m), an der Grenze zwischen Frankreich und der Schweiz. (Je nach Jahreszeit besteht die Möglichkeit, von Le Tour … weiterlesen

Tour du Mont Blanc by Mountain Bike - Stage 3

Der letzte Tag und zwei große Cols zu erobern! Der erste war der Col du Grand Ferret (2.537 m) an der schweizerisch-italienischen Grenze. Es gab eine 4x4 Servicestrecke bis zur Schutzhütte Alpage de La Peule, wo wir ein zweites Frühstück auf der Terrasse einnahmen, in der warmen Morgensonne genossen … weiterlesen

Tour du Mont Blanc by Mountain Bike - Stage 3 alternative balcony route

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Collection-Statistik

• Distanz 382 km
• Zeit 28:04 Std
• Höhenmeter 17 020 m

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• Tour du Mont Blanc à vélo

Circuits personnalisés

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val-bike : Circuits à vélo dans les alpes en autonomie

Réveille l'aventurier qui sommeille en toi ! Pars à vélo à la découverte de régions authentiques et sauvages autour du Mont-Blanc, tout en vivant un véritable retour à l’essentiel. Fabrique-toi des souvenirs pour la vie !

"Le bikepacking, une philosophie pour apprendre à savourer le moment présent en voyageant léger."

Tour du Mont-Blanc

Team-building, le concept val bike.

Tu es passionné de deux roues, de grands espaces et de gastronomie ? Je te propose des séjours exceptionnels, guidés, à travers les Alpes.

Tu vas expérimenter une nouvelle manière de voyager, à travers trois pays : la Suisse, l’Italie et la France.

Je vais t'emmener à la découverte d'hébergements authentiques et chaleureux, sélectionnés avec soin.

Epicurien, tu vas te délecter d'une cuisine savoureuse et locale, reflet de la multitude de régions que tu vas visiter.

"Quel sentiment de liberté de s’affranchir de tout ce qui est superflu pour ne garder que l’essentiel ! Un véritable voyage dédié à la simplicité"

Le bikepacking est une approche minimaliste du voyage à vélo, un art de vivre qui t'incite à sortir de ta zone de confort, en étant initié et guidé avec bienveillance.

Tu vas rouler en emportant avec toi, le moins de matériel possible. A cet effet, je te fournis, en prêt, une sacoche de selle à fixer à ta monture pour y glisser tes affaires personnelles.

Il s'agit de ta première expérience ? Ne t'inquiète pas, tu vas recevoir, avant le départ, un " guide de survie " pour te permettre d'identifier les objets incontournables à emporter avec toi.

Ici, l’expression « less is more » prend tout son sens. Tu vas réaliser que ce que tu considères comme indispensable au quotidien ne l'est pas forcément dans un épisode de vie "nomade". En plus, voyager léger te permet de garder du dynamisme dans l’aventure. 

La découverte d’ hébergements insolites, chaleureux  ou encore spécialités gastronomiques de chaque région vient compléter mes offres .

Ils ont osé l'expérience...

...et ils ont adoré , viens pédaler avec moi .

Pour réserver un circuit ou simplement en savoir plus, tu peux me contacter via whatsapp

Tu préfères m'envoyer un mail ?

Il te suffit de remplir le formulaire ci-dessous et je te répondrai le plus rapidement possible :

Me contacter

Pour réserver ton séjour ou simplement en savoir plus, tu peux me contacter via whatsapp ou remplir ce formulaire, et je te répondrai le plus rapidement possible.

3bikes.fr votre magazine vélo et triathlon

Retour sur le tour du mont Blanc, une épreuve ultime !

Partager la publication "Retour sur le tour du mont Blanc, une épreuve ultime !"

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Le tour du mont Blanc, c’est un peu plus de 330 km et de 8000 m de dénivelé. En passant par la France, la Suisse, l’Italie avant de revenir en France. 

Cette route, ou plutôt cette autoroute, tellement la circulation est dense, en devient insupportable.

Si les montées peuvent sur le papier être l’élément de difficulté majeur de l’épreuve, et elles le sont, les descentes ont leur rôle. Car s’il faut grimper 8000 m de dénivelé, il faut aussi les descendre.

À 4 km du sommet, alors que Sieben me prend un relais, mon corps m’échappe, plus de force.

David POLVERONI

  - 34 ans - Ambassadeur Factor et Castelli. Arpenteur de cols - Passionné de cyclisme - Plus de 30 victoires en Cyclosportives - Pigiste depuis 2018 - Pratique sportives actuelles : pur routier, gravel et dans le futur du VTTAE Strava : David Polveroni

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• Vélorizons : voyage à vélo, raid et rando VTT, circuit cyclo
• Voyages vélo de route / cyclo France
• Le tour du mont blanc

Cyclo France

LE TOUR DU MONT BLANC

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De col en col, un superbe itinéraire cyclo montagnard entre France, Suisse et Italie... Réf CR14

Encore une boucle inédite et un nouveau défi pour les amoureux des grands cols que nous sommes ! C’est à cheval sur la Suisse, l’Italie et la France que nous roulons, à la recherche des plus beaux panoramas du massif du Mont Blanc : de cols en cols, d’alpages en alpages, le Géant offre souvent un visage différent, mais toujours spectaculaire. C’est aussi à la découverte de ces “terres de fromage” que vous invite ce séjour : la traversée de l’authentique Beaufortain précède les petites routes sinueuses du Chablais et du Val d’Abondance... De l’autre côté de la frontière, une incursion originale en pleines Alpes Bernoises vous fera découvrir le village huppé de Gstaad, ses chalets typiques et l’amont de la vallée de Gruyère. Le retour à Chamonix sonne le glas de cette fantastique immersion au coeur des montagnes !

• Départs et prix
• Infos pratiques
• Version liberté
• Avis voyageurs (10)

Distance et dénivelée:

Les points forts.

• De très beaux panoramas sur le massif du Mont Blanc que nous découvrons sous tous ses angles...
• Un circuit à cheval sur trois pays, donc trois cultures.

Accompagnement:

Hébergement:, transport bagages:, option liberté:, prochains départs:.

Certains de nos circuits sont déclinés en plusieurs variantes de niveau, allant de 1 à 3. Lorsque des variantes sont disponibles, vous en trouvez le détail (distance et dénivelée) dans le programme du circuit, jour par jour.

Dans le cas des circuits avec variantes, quelque soit celle que vous avez choisie, les hébergements sont les mêmes (sauf quelques rares exceptions énoncées clairement dans la fiche descriptive). Ainsi, chaque matin, vous pouvez choisir celle qui vous convient.

Au jour le jour

• Jour 1: Chamonix - Col du Grand Saint Bernard
• Jour 2: Col du Grand Saint Bernard - Bourg Saint Maurice
• Jour 3: Bourg Saint Maurice - Col des Aravis
• Jour 4: Col des Aravis - Châtel
• Jour 5: Châtel - Les Mosses (Boucle des Alpes Bernoises)
• Jour 6: Les Mosses - Chamonix

J1: Chamonix - Col du Grand Saint Bernard

Les cols du jour.

• Col des Montets (1461 m)
• Col de la Forclaz (1527 m)
• Col de Champex (1498 m)
• Col du Grand Saint Bernard (2469 m)

Les moments forts

• Le départ au pied de sa majesté le Mont Blanc
• La première descente face à la longue vallée du Rhône
• Le passage par le bucolique lac de Champex
• La nuit au sommet du col du Grand Saint Bernard

Distance parcourue : environ 90 km / Dénivelée positive : environ 3400 m.

Note : la montée au col du Grand Saint Bernard comporte des tunnels et est assez passante. Prévoir de bons éclairages pour être bien vus ! La dernière montée n'est pas des plus agréables, mais la nuit au col est une belle récompense !

J2: Col du Grand Saint Bernard - Bourg Saint Maurice

• Col du Petit Saint Bernard (2188 m)
• LA journée italienne du séjour, avec ses pauses gourmandes...
• La descente sur Bourg Saint Maurice, face au Beaufortain

Distance parcourue : environ 120 km / Dénivelée positive : environ 2 000 m (option plus difficile possible, 125 km / 2850 m).

J3: Bourg Saint Maurice - Col des Aravis

• Cormet de Roselend (1967 m)
• Col des Prés (1703 m)
• Col du Joly (facultatif)
• Col des Saisies (1650 m)
• Col des Aravis (1486 m)
• La traversée du Beaufortain, massif à la vie agricole très vivante en vue de la fabrication du fromage de Beaufort, visite possible de la coopérative au passage...)
• Le lac de Roselend et se eaux turquoises dominées par les alpages...
• La vue à couper le souffle sur le massif du Mont Blanc depuis le col du Joly (à effectuer en aller/retour)
• Le passage à la station des Saisies et son domaine nordique olympique
• A la sortie du col des Aravis, la découverte du massif du même nom...

Distance parcourue : environ 85 km / Dénivelée positive : environ 2 900 m (ajouter 35km et 1000m avec l'option Col du Joly)

J4: Col des Aravis - Châtel

• Col de la Colombière (1613 m)
• Col de Jambaz (1027 m)
• La traversée de La Clusaz et du Grand Bornand, et le charme des villages Haut Savoyards...
• Le col de la Colombière, et son ambiance très particulière...
• L'entrée sur le territoire de la vache d'Abondance, par le val du même nom
• L'approche de la Suisse, face aux Alpes Bernoises

Distance parcourue : environ 115 km / Dénivelée positive : environ 2400 m.

J5: Châtel - Les Mosses (Boucle des Alpes Bernoises)

• Pas de Morgins (1371 m)
• Col de la Croix (1778 m)
• Col du Pillon (1546 m)
• Col des Mosses (1445 m)
• Une journée d'incursion au coeur des Alpes Bernoises, petit paradis caché...
• Le passage par la station "branchée" de Gstaad
• La beauté des paysages du "Pays d'Enhaut"
• La vue sur le Lac Léman

Distance parcourue : environ 110 km / Dénivelée positive : environ 1 900 m.

J6: Les Mosses - Chamonix

• Le panorama sur le massif du Mont Blanc, vu par nos amis les Suisses !
• L'arrivée sur Chamonix et son goût de victoire ! La boucle étant bouclée...

Distance parcourue : environ 95 km / Dénivelée positive : environ 1 600 m.

Les distances et dénivelées sont données à titre indicatif.

Photos de voyage

Vous souhaitez voir des photos de ce voyage ? Rendez-vous sur notre site internet www.velorizons.com à la rubrique "Photos et récits". Vous y trouverez sans doute un diaporama du pays ou de la région concernée...

N'hésitez pas à enrichir cette rubrique en créant votre propre diaporama directement en ligne à votre retour de voyage !

Si vous préférez nous laisser créer le diaporama, vous pouvez :

• soit télécharger les photos sur notre serveur (identifiants de connexion donnés par mail sur demande)
• soit nous envoyer vos photos (CD, clé USB, applications pour l'envoi de gros fichiers par internet...).

Note moyenne des voyageurs :

🔥 Outtrip, la plateforme dédiée aux sports outdoor ! Explore des itinéraires et spots incroyables, quelque soit ton niveau ou ton activité ✨. Connecte-toi avec d'autres passionnés et partage tes aventures 🚀. Rejoins-nous vite et crée ton compte GRATUITEMENT ✌️!

Itinéraire vélo le tour du Mont-Blanc

Rejoins les autres Outtripeurs sur Discord afin de parler de vélo de route (entre autres), c'est totalement gratuit !

L'outtrip :

Le Tour du Mont Blanc est un grand classique pour les amoureux-ses de vélo !

Le parcours du Gravelman Mont-Blanc reprend d'ailleurs ce tour complet du mythique Mont-Blanc en vélo. Je vous partage ce parcours à faire en un ou plusieurs jours selon vos aptitudes cyclistes.

Personnellement, je l'ai fait cet été, la semaine avant l'UTMB ce qui a rendu le départ ultra frissonnant puisqu'on passait sous l'arche de départ/arrivée de l'UTMB mais l'afflux de touristes venus pour l'occasion a un peu terni mon innocence et mon plaisir (circulation très dense et dangereuse, motos très nombreuses dans les cols prêtes à tout pour doubler). Moi qui suis habituée à la quiétude des Pyrénées, j'ai été plongée dans une autre dimension !

Le Tour du Mont Blanc passe par la plupart des cols emblématiques du coin : Col des Saisies, Cormet de Roselend, Petit et Grand St Bernard, Champex-Lac, Forclaz et Montets.

Si vous vous lancez dans un trip en mode ultra comme moi, pensez à prévoir de quoi vous rendre très visibles, pas mal de ravitaillements notamment avant d'arriver en Suisse, et des habits chauds parce que de nuit même en plein mois d'Août il fait frisquet dans les descentes et dans les vallées.

Le parcours :

Informations complémentaires.

ATTENTION : ce parcours est relativement difficile avec des cols allant jusqu'à 35km.

Pour le réaliser, planifiez des étapes si vous n'avez jamais parcouru d'aussi grandes distances.

Vous trouverez la plupart du temps des restaurants, boulangeries, supermarchés et refuges pour vous ravitailler. Si vous avez besoin de dormir, consultez les horaires d'ouverture et de fermeture des refuges aux sommets des cols (nous nous sommes faits piéger en passant le sommet du col du Petit St Bernard aux alentours de 20h30 : refuge fermé, obligés d'entamer la descente avec la nuit).

NE DORMEZ PAS LA NUIT AU SOMMET D'UN COL MEME SI VOUS ETES ÉQUIPÉS.

Le camping sauvage est INTERDIT en Italie. Les carabiniers sont intransigeants là dessus et font des rondes très, très régulières la nuit pour contrôler. Ne prenez pas ce risque inutile, c'est dommage de se pourir un bike trip pour si peu d'autant que la Vallée d'Aoste regorge de gîtes, auberges et AirBnB.

N'hésitez pas à me contacter pour plus de détails.

• Température : 18°C
• Humidité 79%
• Vent : 2km/h
• Température : 21°C
• Humidité 61%
• Vent : 1km/h
• Température : 12°C
• Humidité 92%
• Température : 13°C
• Humidité 67%
• Vent : 3km/h
• Température : 9°C
• Humidité 82%
• Température : 15°C
• Humidité 45%
• Température : 19°C
• Humidité 36%

L'équipement :

Charte de l'outtripeur :

Avant de partir en outtrip, pense à bien consulter la charte de l’outtripeur afin de respecter les règles de prudence, de courtoisie et de respect de la faune et de la flore que chacun doit adopter peu importe son environnement et sa pratique. Chaque Outtrip est relu par notre équipe de modération, mais ni Outtrip ni l’outtripeur(se) étant à l’origine ne pourra être tenu responsable en cas de problème survenu sur le terrain.

Des activités autour qui pourraient te plaire :

• #Rando-Trail
• #Vélo de route
• #Course à pied

D'autres outtrips qui pourraient t'intéresser :

Choisir l'événement qui vous intéresse

Inscrivez-vous pour découvrir la course

14 - 16 juin 2024

26 - 30 juin 2024

03 - 07 juillet 2024

04 - 06 juillet 2024

05 - 07 juillet 2024

17 - 21 juillet 2024

01 - 03 août 2024

26 août - 01 septembre 2024

12 - 15 septembre 2024

20 - 22 septembre 2024

03 - 06 octobre 2024

01 - 02 novembre 2024

01 - 03 novembre 2024

24 - 26 janvier 2025

21 - 23 mars 2025

10 - 13 avril 2025

07 juin 2025

06 - 08 juin 2024

17 - 20 mai 2024

10 - 12 mai 2024

22 - 23 juin 2024

22 - 25 mai 2025

Amérique du Nord

29 juin 2024

19 - 20 juillet 2024

28 - 29 septembre 2024

11 - 12 octobre 2024

07 - 09 novembre 2024

11 - 13 avril 2025

25 - 26 avril 2025

Amérique du Sud

02 - 04 août 2024

19 - 22 septembre 2024

09 - 12 mai 2024

12 - 13 octobre 2024

17 - 20 octobre 2024

08 - 10 novembre 2024

15 - 17 novembre 2024

05 - 08 décembre 2024

03 - 05 mai 2024

19 - 21 avril 2024

28 - 30 novembre 2024

15 - 16 février 2025

15 - 18 mai 2025

4 lettres. 3 pays traversés. 1 aventure extraordinaire devenue finale 100M du circuit UTMB World Series. C'est la course mythique qui, depuis 2003, fait voyager nombre de passionnés autour du Mont-Blanc.

Dénivelé positif

Date de départ

vendredi 30 août 2024

Chamonix - 18:00

Temps maximum

46 heures 30 minutes

LA RÉFÉRENCE DANS L'UNIVERS DU TRAIL RUNNING

Créée en 2003, l'UTMB est la course de trail running la plus mythique et la plus prestigieuse au monde. 171km et 10,000 mètres de dénivelé positif pour faire le tour du Mont-Blanc en traversant l'Italie, la Suisse et la France. Une course unique qui a su transcender la pratique du trail et s'imposer comme une épreuve iconique, mondialement reconnue.

Quelque soit le temps pour finir, de moins de 20h à plus de 46h, les coureurs élites comme les milliers d'amateurs partagent la même aventure sur les mêmes parcours d'exception, portés par l'étourdissante beauté des paysages et un objectif commun : franchir l'arche d'arrivée à Chamonix. Bien plus qu'une course, c'est une aventure transformative dont chacun en sort grandi.

Le parcours en détails

Télécharger en PNG

Pour participer à l'UTMB

Retrouvez toutes les informations dont vous avez besoin avant de vous lancer dans cette aventure extraordinaire.

Assurance rapatriement

Chaque concurrent doit obligatoirement être en possession d'une assurance individuelle accident couvrant les frais de recherche et d'évacuation en France, en Italie et en Suisse.

Découvrir l'assurance UTMB Group

Matériel obligatoire

Retrouvez la liste complète du matériel obligatoire et des kits canicule ou grand froid pouvant être activés selon les conditions météorologiques.

Accéder à la liste complète

Plongez au coeur de la course

Finale 100M du circuit UTMB World Series

L'UTMB est désormais la finale ultime du circuit UTMB World Series dans la catégorie 100M. C'est l'apogée d'une quête vers le dépassement de soi, accessible aussi bien aux amateurs qu'aux coureurs élites, après participation aux courses du circuit UTMB World Series.

Rejoignez l'aventure

Partenaires

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Suivez l'aventure

Politique de confidentialité

Mentions légales

The Tour du Mont Blanc: Training Guidelines

Home » Blog » Performance Tips » The Tour du Mont Blanc: Training Guidelines

Revised and updated November 2022

Often referred to as the toughest one-day sportive in the world, the Tour du Mont Blanc is a loop through three countries (France, Switzerland and Italy) around the highest mountain in Europe. The route covers 338km with 8,300m of climbing. These are huge numbers and the event is not to be taken lightly.

The Tour du Mont Blanc is one of the very few events during which many participants seriously wonder if they will be able to finish. Depending on weather conditions, up to 50% of the riders who cross the start line will not reach the finishing line. The event is above all an endurance challenge, and although all participants are timed, there is no official classification and all finishers receive a well-deserved “Gold” certificate.

1. What does it take to do well – or simply finish – this event?

The start is at 5am and the finish line closes at 23:59. Depending on your level, it will thus take you between ~12 and 19 hours to become an official finisher of the Tour du Mont Blanc. The challenge is at least as much mental as physical, if not more so. You will push yourself to your limits, and then have to dig deeper still, experiencing moments of euphoria followed by despair, revealing depths of character you may not have known you possess. Most participants think of quitting many times and yet manage to find the cussed determination they need to keep going.

An event such as this should be prepared over several years. If you are relatively new to cycling, we recommend you accumulate experience riding shorter events before tackling the Tour du Mont Blanc. Even if you are an experienced cyclist, we suggest riding an absolute minimum of 5,000km with at least 50,000m+ of climbing in the year before. The great majority of participants ride between twice and four times these amounts.

So how best to prepare for the TMB?          

To answer this let’s take a look at the demands of the event. From start to finish, the route is a constant succession of climbs and descents with barely a single metre of flat road. The majority of the long ascensions are at an average gradient varying around 6-7%, but the col de Champex is harder, offering 10.5km at 8.2% with some long pitches at 10%. The longest climb, the col du Grand Saint Bernard from Orcières, is 24.8km and 1,580m of vertical, with the last 6.5km at close to 9%.

The weather is a major imponderable, and can turn an extremely tough event into a terrible ordeal if you are unprepared or lack the right clothes. Extremes of heat can be as challenging for some as heavy rain, sleet or even snow and the resulting risk of hypothermia for others. Even if it doesn’t rain, you may experience temperatures varying from ~0°C to ~30°C throughout the day.

Looking at the detail, these are the most important demands the Tour du Mont Blanc makes of you:

Physiological

• Exceptional aerobic endurance
• A high power-to-weight ratio
• A high capacity to burn fat instead of glycogen while climbing steadily
• The ability to recover quickly on the descents between long efforts on the climbs

Psychological

• The ability to maintain focus, motivation and lucidity for the time it takes to finish, even when severely fatigued
• The self-discipline to stick to the optimum pace on the climbs (and let others go… perhaps to see them again later!)
• The ability to tolerate long periods of pain and discomfort
• The ability to stay positive and deal with inevitable setbacks and negative thoughts
• Excellent climbing skills, on long climbs and varied gradients
• The ability to refuel effectively throughout the ride
• Excellent descending and cornering skills
• The ability to change clothing or at least adjust for temperature while riding

It is certainly possible to reach the finish line of the Tour du Mont Blanc without being “excellent” on all these criteria. It will, however, take longer and feel harder… Each criterion is important and your particular combination will determine your overall performance, or indeed whether or not you are able to finish.

Before working on your personal training plan, take the time to analyse your current abilities against this list to identify your strengths and limiters.

Plan not only to develop your strengths, but also work on your limiters, at least to the point where they no longer handicap you. As an example, if descending is a limiter for you, you might easily lose 5-10 minutes on each descent, adding up to as much as an hour and a half by the end. This is a shame, because descending faster is a skill you can learn which has almost no extra energy cost!

2. Your Training Plan: Principles

The best training plan for you is one that has been designed with your unique strengths, limiters, objectives, context and constraints in mind, and is constantly adapted for you when things change (as they inevitably do).

A very strong rider who expects to finish in less than 14 hours needs a different plan to someone who will struggle to finish in 19 hours.

A generic plan intended for all will be sub-optimum at best and potentially useless. This is why we are not providing a generic plan. The “plan” we propose below is in fact a set of guidelines and a framework for you to adopt and adapt as appropriate. Our goal is to give you the means to think carefully about the process and take responsibility for your own preparation.

HOWEVER, this is not a book and we cannot possible explain here all the nuances and individual variations inherent in the training process. We therefore strongly encourage you to use this document as an aide-memoire to what might be important, but then either to do your own research into how to apply it, or to find a coach to help you.

The key principles behind a strong training plan for the Tour du Mont Blanc are:

• Make the Tour du Mont Blanc a priority. This should go without saying, but if you want to ride well on the day, you must commit to a serious effort of preparation. Our plan assumes you will train for 10-15h per week on average through the first part, rising to 15-20h per week on average during the final three months.
• Be consistent. This is the single most important success factor. Of course your training load will vary from one week to the next but these variations should be deliberate in order to create overload and then recovery and super-compensation. If you are unable to train normally for a period you should keep this to an absolute minimum and find ways to compensate (e.g. leg & core strength workouts, walking, jogging, swimming…)
• Build the strongest possible aerobic base , so you can keep riding for as long as it takes. To do this, we recommend you train predominantly at low intensity, below LT1 [1] , the point at which the lactate concentration in your blood starts to increase above the baseline. This is quite likely to be much lower than the current level at which you train. It’s important to understand that training at this low intensity provides the endurance adaptations you need without adding unnecessary fatigue, thus allowing you to train more.
• Develop your fat-burning capacity, to conserve your glycogen stocks during the long climbs and thus your ability to climb hard for longer. Metabolic adaptation is a real differentiator between successful and unsuccessful riders at the Tour du Mont Blanc (as it is at Ironman™ triathlons). It is simply not possible to consume enough carbohydrate during the ride to fuel it adequately and therefore the more you can use your fat stores the better you will perform.
• Build your pain tolerance. Endurance is “ the struggle to continue against a mounting desire to stop ” [2] . For many people this struggle begins in earnest on the col du Petit Saint Bernard, when there is still 100km left to ride and 3,000m to climb. There’s no escaping the fact that the Tour du Mont Blanc is going to make you suffer. The better you can train yourself to tolerate the pain and discomfort as it becomes more and more pressing, the more likely you are to finish.
• Increase the load progressively. Your body needs time to adapt to an increased training load. It’s possible to go from an average of 10h per week to as much as 30h during a one-off training camp, but such an increase is not sustainable and would lead inevitably to over-training. A good rule of thumb is to increase the average by between 5% and 10% per week.
• Rest and recover, to allow your body to adapt and get stronger. Remember, hard training actually breaks you down and makes you weaker! You only get stronger when your body has the time to recover, adapt and rebuild. There should be a big difference between your hardest and your easiest training weeks.
• Monitor your readiness to take on high load . The best way to do this is with HRV (Heart Rate Variability), which provides insights to the state of your parasympathetic nervous system and therefore the stress you are under. Research has shown that training when you are stressed (low HRV) provides little or no benefit and may even be harmful. We recommend monitoring your RHR (Resting Heart Rate) and HRV every morning as soon as you wake up. If RHR is significantly higher than normal and/or HRV significantly lower, train easy or not at all. For more on this read here .
• Include exercises to develop your technical skills , and not only physiological capacity. These might include low cadence while climbing, high cadence while riding on the flat, cornering, riding in a group, taking clothes on and off while riding, etc.

Note that the Tour du Mont Blanc is an exceptional event in terms of distance, climbing and thus the time taken to finish. The training guidelines we give here are quite different from those we give for the Marmotte, for example. For the Tour du Mont Blanc, the focus is almost exclusively on building endurance and related skills.

Our training plan framework begins on November 1 st . This is the traditional start to a new cycling season, and gives you a little over eight months remaining to finalise your preparations for the event, which, as we have already noted, should be worked up to over several years.

A key assumption is that you will continue to ride regularly on the roads throughout the period. If this is not possible, you will have to compensate by doing long rides on the turbo and ideally by joining a training camp in the early part of the year in a warm-weather location such as southern Spain or Portugal, Mallorca or Tenerife.

To finalise your preparations, plan a training camp in the mountains in May or June and ride as much as possible in hot weather to acclimatise. Alpine Cols coaching camps are all designed to help you prepare for sportives and GranFondos up to and including the Tour du Mont Blanc.

Alpine Cols coaching camps

3. Your Training Plan: Overview and Structure 

Our suggested framework includes three phases: Preparation , Pre-Competition and Competition . Each phase is then broken down into 4-week cycles including 3 load weeks and 1 recovery week, with a target training load for each week. If you are over 50, consider adopting a 3-week cycle of 2 load weeks and 1 recovery week.

It’s important to understand that such a structure is essentially arbitrary and takes no account of the total stress you will be under (life stress + training stress) on any particular day. Current best practice is to monitor readiness to train, using a combination of daily HRV (Heart Rate Variability) measurements with perceptions of fatigue and muscle soreness, and to adjust the plan accordingly. If you feel very tired, have sore muscles and your HRV is below the normal range, it would be better either to take a very easy day or not to train at all until you have recovered. Research has shown that training when you are stressed (low HRV) provides little or no benefit and may even be harmful. Read here for more on how to use HRV to guide your training .

Remember that hard training breaks you down: you only get stronger during recovery!

In terms of intensity distribution, we recommend that for all but the very strongest riders you make your entire training for the Tour du Mont Blanc Polarised (90% low intensity, 10% high intensity).

Download the training plan

4. Your Training Plan: by Period      

4.1 preparation phase: november-april.

The key objectives in this period are to accustom your body to training 10-15 hours per week and to build a strong aerobic base. Given the exclusively aerobic nature of the Tour du Mont Blanc, there is a much lower emphasis on HIT than in most training plans.

The training intensity distribution during this phase should be Polarised , meaning 90% of your training should be at low intensity and only 10% at high intensity. The percentage split is calculated on the basis of training session hours, not actual time at high intensity. A typical HIT session will last one hour (and should be counted as such) even though the actual time at high intensity may be no more than 10-20 minutes. If you add 5-10 sprints in a 4h low intensity ride, count this as 3h LIT and 1h HIT.

In practice this means that only one ride per week should include a significant amount of high intensity work.

You should completely avoid training at medium intensity (tempo or sweet-spot), because in this context it would create too much fatigue for too little benefit.

4.1.1 Preparation Phase, on the bike training

• Aerobic endurance : progressing to 6-7h rides at intensity below LT1, the point at which the lactate concentration in your blood starts to increase above the baseline (usually less than 60-65% of your HRmax or FTP). If in doubt, err on the cautious side. The rides should FEEL slow (and only become tiring after 3h or more. Aerobic endurance is by far the most important quality you need to build and you should spend ~90% of your training on this.

Riding slowly may sound incredibly boring and it certainly takes some adaptation, not least in your mindset. Read here for tips on how to help the time pass on long slow rides .

If you are unable to ride outside you will have to do long sessions on your turbo trainer. Read here for suggestions on how to make these more tolerable .

• Fat-burning capacity: Progress towards this by limiting your intake of refined sugar and high glycaemic-index carbs, both on and of the bike. Do at least one long low-intensity ride per week partially or fully fasted, and only begin to eat on the bike after the first two hours (later three hours, then even four).

A good overall macro-nutrient split in terms of total kCal consumed has been shown to be 48% from carbohydrate, 24% from protein and 28% from fat [3] . Obviously each food item should be as high quality and as natural as possible. Avoid processed foods.

Finally, remember to adjust your food intake to your energy expenditure: eat more during high load weeks and cut back during recovery weeks. Keep an eye on the scales to be sure that any weight loss is slow and progressive: the priority at this stage is to fuel your training! Read here for more on nutrition while training for the TMB .

• High intensity : multiple short efforts at intervals ranging from 7 second sprints out to 5 minutes. Some of these efforts should be done at low cadence and will help build leg strength and climbing ability.

The purpose of these HIT sessions targeting the upper end of your power distribution curve is twofold: (1) increase your power at longer durations, and (2) increase your pain tolerance.

You should do no more than one per week, approximately ~10% of your training, and none during the recovery weeks.

• Technical limiters : e.g. descending, cornering, etc. Take every opportunity on your long rides to practice technical skills. If you are not a confident descender, consider joining a training camp in the mountains with a coaching team qualified to teach you to do this. At an Alpine Cols camp we organise specific exercises to improve descending and cornering, using video recordings and individual feedback.

4.1.2 Preparation Phase, off the bike training

You may not be used to off-the-bike training. Nevertheless, it can have a significant impact on your performance. To cycle faster, you need to push harder on the pedals, which means you need not only stronger leg muscles but also greater core strength to stabilise and channel the extra force. The best way to strengthen your muscles is off the bike, using appropriate exercises and good technique. Furthermore, adaptation depends on occasional changes in the training stimulation and the off-the-bike exercises are important for avoiding injury.

• Strength and conditioning : one or two sessions per week, ideally guided by a Strength and Conditioning coach with experience in cycling.

If you are new to this, err on the side of caution to limit the risk of injury. Good exercises to begin with include squats, lunges, planks, bridges and roll-downs. All of these require correct technique to be beneficial.

• Flexibility and stretching : two to three 20’ sessions per week. Pilates or Yoga can be extremely beneficial.

Learning correct technique is vital so choose a practitioner who knows cycling and only takes small groups (or better still runs one-on-one sessions).

• Complement occasionally with other sports: walking, running, swimming, etc. If cycling is your only sport you will build up imbalances and soft tissue problems over time.

4.2. Pre-Competition Phase: April to June.

The key objectives during this phase are to increase the training load to up to 20 hours per week or more and to reinforce your aerobic base by increasing the length of your long rides, while continuing to reinforce your fat-burning capacity. Unless you are a particularly strong rider, we don’t recommend HIT during this period, since HIT will create too much fatigue for too little benefit.

4.2.1 Pre-Competition Phase, on the bike training

• Aerobic endurance : continuing long rides at low intensity, progressing to a 10h ride by mid-June, with as much climbing as possible.

In spite of the low intensity, these long rides are exhausting so you cannot attempt too many, and there is no need to do more than ~60% of the event time and distance in any one training ride. Better to spread it over the weekend and work up to, for example, one 10h ride on Saturday and one 6h ride on Sunday (or vice-versa), followed by taking Monday, Wednesday and Friday off and doing no more than a short recovery spin on Tuesday and Thursday.

Either do these long rides alone or with an understanding training mate; best to avoid the weekend club run which will be too fast for what you need at this time.

• Fat-burning capacity: continue along the lines laid out for the Preparation phase. It is important to keep the macro-nutrient balance close to the recommended split (based on kCal): 48% from carbohydrate, 24% from protein and 28% from fat.

It is equally important to ensure that you are fuelling your training adequately as well as not over-eating during recovery weeks. Keep a close eye on the kCal expended per ride (as reported by apps such as Strava) to guide how much you should eat.

Read here for more on nutrition for the TMB .

• Recovery : short rides, 60-90 minutes, strictly at a very low intensity. Make the easy weeks EASY. If the hardest weeks have pushed you close to your limit, then the easy weeks will need to be easier than normal, otherwise you will overtrain and lose the benefit.
• Test equipment and nutrition options : your long rides are also the perfect opportunity to try out different equipment options under different weather conditions, and to test different nutrition and hydration choices. Better find out now what doesn’t work!

4.2.2 Pre-Competition Phase, off the bike training

• Strength and conditioning : one session per week, focused on maintaining the strength of your legs and core.
• Flexibility and stretching : as in the previous phase it is vital to maintain these sessions to keep your body flexible. Do two to three 20’ sessions per week.
• Other activities : optional, as desired. We recommend an occasional swim or perhaps a 1-2h walk.

4.2.3 General

• Maximise your sleep . This is essential for recovery and adaptation. You should aim at a minimum of 7h per night, preferably 8h, and try to wake up naturally, without an alarm-clock. Banish all screens from the bedroom.
• Minimum travel, minimum stress : the more you can avoid adding to the stress on your body, the better off you will be. This is certainly easier said than done but it is possible to learn psychological coping strategies to reduce the impact of the most stressful events that life can throw at you.

4.3. Competition Phase: taper for the last 2-3 weeks

The key objective in this period is to eliminate fatigue without losing fitness, so that you arrive on the start line the fittest you have ever been, but also super-fresh and thus able to go the distance. The longer the event, the longer the taper: if you would normally taper 7 days prior to a typical event, taper 14 days for the Tour du Mont Blanc.

4.3.1 Competition Phase, on the bike

Progressively reduce your training volume by at least 50%. For example, if on the last weekend in June you do your final long rides, totalling 15h over two days, you might do two 1h recovery rides on Tuesday and Thursday, followed by riding 10h in two rides over the first weekend in July, a further two recovery rides during the week and no more than 6-7h total (in two rides) on the final weekend.

Ideally, you should arrive in Les Saisies 2-3 days before the start. Do a couple of short rides to spin the legs but nothing that will add fatigue.

4.3.2 Competition Phase, off the bike

The need for sleep, good quality nutrition and minimum stress are even more acute during the taper. The better you can plan to sleep well, eat well and avoid stress, the better off you will be…

Download the training plan . Remember, it is up to you to adapt it depending on your personal situation.

5. SUPPORT FROM ALPINE COLS

Two of our coaches have ridden the Tour du Mont Blanc multiple times and know the challenge extremely well. We can help you prepare in two complementary ways:

• Sign up for a six-month coaching agreement to receive individual day-to-day coaching and one-on-one advice;
• Join a one-week coaching camp to benefit from a big block of training as well as one-on-one coaching on your technical skills and of course plenty of advice and tips for your preparation and the event itself. The coaches ride with you on their own bikes and use both observational feedback in real time and videos to help you improve.

Contact Alpine Cols i f you would like a professional coach to help you prepare for the Tour du Mont Blanc.

Do you want to perform at your best during the Tour du Mont Blanc?  Join an Alpine Cols coaching camp to improve your skills and learn how to tackle this challenging event from our expert coaches.

[1] Ideally, you should determine LT1 via a lactate test. Failing this, you can estimate it by paying very careful attention to your breathing while starting at a very low intensity and increasing slowly. Your LT1 will be the point where you first feel the need to start breathing more deeply. For the majority of people, LT1 will be in the range 60-65% of FTP or 60-65% of HRmax

[2] Samuele Marcora, quoted by Alex Hutchinson in his book Endure (2018)

[3] See, for example, https://alancouzens.com/blog/improving_fat_burning2.html

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Alpine Cols

Ultra Cycling Challenges

Tour du mont blanc cyclo : my story and experience.

It all started in October 2021. Having finished the 10 k Everesting challenge (climbing 10000+ altitude meters in one ride and one day), I was looking for a new challenge. A challenge that would surpass all previous ones. I took my dear friend Google and did a search on “toughest road race in the world”. One of the first links referred to “Le Tour du Mont Blanc Cyclo”. https://letourdumontblanc.fr/ The toughest race in the world… That’s at least how the cycling media calls this ultra granfondo. Some also refer to it as thé mother granfondo of all granfondos or an ultra cycling granfondo. Bigger, longer, harder and tougher than its famous siblings such as the Marmotte , the Mallorca 312 and the 3 Ballons.

The coming weeks and months I will keep you posted on my training and preparations. How do I deal with food? What is my target weight? Do I take extra vitamins or other things? What kind of training do I focus on for a granfondo or ultra cycling race? And so on. Everything you could possibly want to know to successfully complete your own granfondo. If you still have questions, do not hesitate to contact me.

Table of Content

What is Le Tour du Mont Blanc Cyclo?

Le Tour du Mont Blanc is an ultra solo road race of 338 kilometres during which you will climb more than 8500 metres. The name says it all…The race is a quest through the mountains that hide in the glory of the majestic Mont Blanc. The race starts in the picturesque Alpine village of Les Saisies, about half an hour’s drive from Albertville. In 2022, the race will take place for the 11th time. During the ultra ride you will cross 3 countries, namely France, Italy and Switzerland.

Training for the Tour du Mont Blanc Granfondo D-Day

Training for the TMB is like training for a Granfondo, but longer and more in advance. Participating in one or more granfondos is also ideal as a preparation for the Tour du Mont Blanc. My training has actually started 3 years ago when I started training for my first challenge: the Bicinglé de Ventoux. After that, I went from one challenge to another; whereby each challenge was followed by a one to two week rest period. This way, you systematically build up more volume and your body gets acclimatised to being on the bike for a long time.

Read More about my Bicinglé de Ventoux adventure

Training for the TMB is like training for a Granfondo, but longer and more in advance. Participating in one or more granfondos is also ideal as a preparation for the Tour du Mont Blanc Cyclo. My training actually started 3 years earlier when I started training for my first challenge: the Bicinglé de Ventoux. After that, I went from one challenge to another with a short break of a week or two in between. This way, you systematically build up more volume and your body gets acclimatised to being on the bike for a long time.

Ultra Granfondo winter training

My training is always divided into two major phases: winter (autumn and winter) and summer (spring and summer). During the winter period, I go for the maintenance of my current physical condition. I cycle 5 to 6 times a week. 2 climb training sessions of around 3 hours on my Wahoo Kickr Bike, 2 training sessions in my power zone 2 of 2 to 3 hours and one High Intensity Training session of 1 hour and 20 minutes (sets of 30 second intervals close to the maximum). 2 to 3 times a week I add a 15-minutes core stability session.

I must admit…you are reading the story of a winter cycling pussy 😊 All my winter trainings except for early autumn ones, when there are still Indian Summers, are indoors. Why? Well, I am always a bit scared of the cold and the slipperiness on the road. Feel free to call me a pussy 🙂

Ultra Granfondo Summer training

When the temperature outside exceeds 15 degrees Celsius, I take out my steel horse. In summer, I go for a long bike ride at least once a week. “Long” in this case means at least 5 hours on the bike, with regular outliers of 7 hours and more. I also regularly head for the German Eifel, only 1 hour and 45 minutes away for me, to climb there. I prefer the Eifel to the Ardennes because the roads are better maintained and because there are several kilometres long cols that have an incline comparable to that of the French Alp cols. These training sessions are done in my endurance zone.

Just like in winter, I also do 1 High Intensity Interval training session per week, 1 or 2 training sessions of 3 to 4 hours at race pace and 1 or 2 training sessions in zone 2. As in summer, two weekly core stability training sessions are also part of the summer training package.

In the meantime, I am already doing a small challenge here and there. In preparation of the Tour du Mont Blanc for example, I did a virtual everesting and I did the Granfondo Vosges on my own. I love to have those intermediate goals to keep the motivation high. It also gives you a little welcoming boost when you reach these goals. Yes, I am on the right track…

Vitamins and supplements

I am not really into additional vitamins or supplements. After listening to several podcasts like “The Real Science of Sports” I decided to take Beta Alanine; an affordable cycling supplement which has proven its efficiency and which is not harmful at all. According to various podcasts the only two supplements which are affordable for amateurs and do have a positive effect on your performance are Beta Alanine and Caffeine.

Beta Alananine can for example be bought via www.Bulk.com

The different cols and climbs during the Tour du Mont Blanc Cyclo

Vaudagne from servoz.

Your legs are tested for the first time on the Vaudagne climb starting in Servoz. It is a nice and quite easy start with an average incline of 6.6%. 4.1 kilometres long and 270 metres rise. The perfect warming up for the rest of the day.

Col de Montets from Chamonix

Col de Montets from Chamonix is not the most beautiful climb but there is unfortunately no way around if you want to complete the TMB Cyclo. In total the climb is almost 12 km long with an average incline of 3,8%. Only at the end of the climb you get that col feeling when taking the last two turns. The climb takes you from around 1000 metres high up to the summit 1469 metres high.

Col de la Forclaz from Le Châtelard

The next one on the Tour du Mont Blanc Cyclo climb list is the 7 km long Col de la Forclaz from Le Chätelard. Another climb with an average incline of around 6% (6.1%). It takes you 437 metres higher right into the Vallis region.

Col de Champex from Les Valettes

Time to push those pedals somewhat harder. Col de Champex from Les Valletes is another climb in the Vallis area. Done witt the 6% and lower average incline climbs. With an average of 8.2% and 10.5 kilometres long this col is the real stuff. 860 metres higher you will for sure be happy to be able to take a short break.

Col du Grand Saint Bernard from Orsières

Time to meet the biggest Bastardo of them all…the Col du Grand Saint Bernard or in Italian Colle Gran San Bernardo. It is indeed the one where the famous Saint Bernard dogs got their name from. The Col du Grand Saint Bernard is more than 40 kilometres long. Extremely long…no wonder it takes you almost 2000 metres (1983 to be precise) higher. The col has an average incline of 4.8%. Good luck to conquer this one!

Col du Petit-Saint-Bernard from La Thuile

Then it’s the turn of the Col du Petit Saint Bernard. In the Tour du Mont Blanc Cyclo they take the climb from La Thuile. There is a total of 737 meters rise and that 13.3 kilometers long. With an average gradient of 5.6%, this is really something for the punchers; a climb that you can still ride on the big blade.

The Col de Roselend or Cormet de Roselend from Bourg Saint Maurice

The Col de Roselend also known as the Cormet de Roselend start in the famous mountain village of Bourg Saint Maurice. It’s a beautiful col which appeared for the first time in the Tour de France in 1979. And in 2022 they will climb it for the 13 th time. It is one of the many high peaks in the French Alps. The Cormet de Roselend is named after the former village Roselend, which no longer exists because there is a reservoir. Among other things, the reservoir and the dam where you can cycle over, make the climb a popular attraction among cycling and hiking tourists.

19.3 kilometres long with an average of 6.1% and a max of 13.8%… a tricky bastard when having pushed the pedals whole day long.

Col des Saisies from Beaufort

The Tour du Mont Blanc Grandfondo ends where it all started, namely les Saisies. To reach les Saisies you have to climb the Col des Saisies from the village of Beaufort. A 15.6 long climb with an average incline of 5.9% and a maximum incline of 13%. The climb takes you 918 metres higher. All in all, on a normal day, the numbers are fine but imagine having to climb this “French beast” at the end of a 300 km ride. It will feel like climbing the Mount Everest…trust me.

D-Day : the 16th of July 2022

Tmb conditions.

Beep beep beep…. It’s 03:30 in the morning…Saturday the 16 th of July 2022…aka D-day. The race only starts at 5:00 AM but waking up early is a must-do to give your body the last shot of required carbohydrates, salt and isotonic fluids. Your cycling batteries should be 100% recharged before starting this race because otherwise you are made to fail.

1,5 hours before the race, I drink my bottle of 800 ML isotonic Born Pro+ water to which I add some extra salt and eat 4 pancakes with figs jam and some tortilla wraps (just because I like the taste of it and they are also a low fat and carbohydrate rich source). I add some additional salt to my breakfast but also to my drink bottles because it is going to be a desert hot day with temperatures up to 40 degrees Celsius in the valleys.

Time to rumble…

The first 250 kilometres

5 AM… it’s still quite chilly (15 degrees Celsius) so I put on my light Gobik jacket for the first descend from Les Saisies. 470 red lights…like a stream of funny fireflies depart for what is literally going to be a hell of a day. The first descent the cyclists are guided by a safety car to ensure an accident-free start.

At the first checkpoint I arrive somewhere in the middle. The legs are feeling good and I am absorbing my 90 grams of carbohydrates per hour well so I decide to increase my pace, power and speed. The next climb I pass tens of riders. A few climbs further, at the top of the Col de Grand Saint Bernard someone of the organization informs me around 30 cyclists have passed so far. What?! I never expected to be that fast so I decide to limit my breaks. I know… it’s all about finishing the race not about the competitive element. But somehow it gives me a boost when hearing my current position and I want to maintain it.

The last 75 kilometres

The next climb, the col du Petit Saint Bernard, I still manage to produce a decent power outage. Not so obvious when you know that first you have to drive 20 to 30 kilometres from Aosta through the valley. My Garmin showed temperatures of around 45 degrees Celsius. It was like riding in a desert with some fans blowing in extra heat. Moreover, I am in a group of only three people, of which only two, me and someone else, want to ride in front.

On the summit of the Petit Saint Bernard, I find it difficult to eat any more. Something that will cost me about 20 places on the next two climbs. My body can no longer find the necessary fuel and I have to drag myself up. Eventually I finish on a decent 46th place of the 470 participants. I spent 14.5 hours on the bike and I took a break of 25 minutes in total … At 20:00 my wife and daughter are waiting for me. Finally… this is without doubt the most challenging thing I have ever done. I have done an everesting before, 6 times the Mont Ventoux in one day and even a 10K everesting on the Ballon D’Alsace, but the competition element adds an extra stress element. Not to be underestimated! Even when the organization beforehand clearly stresses the fact “it is not a competition” 😊.

Ultra Cycling Granfondo & Tour du Mont Blanc Cyclo Tips & Hints

• Make use of the opportunity to leave two bags at the supply stations (In total there are 7 stations to choose from). Put some of your own food in it, a small bag of salt, some sun cream, a spare tyre and possibly a new pair of bib pants and a cycling shirt. Chances are you won’t need it but better safe than sorry.
• Go to the briefing the night before the event (In French & English). You get some useful information there.
• Keep on eating and drinking during the whole race, even when not hungry or thirsty. Despite the fact that I always tell everybody, and know very well myself, that you have to keep eating and drinking during ultra cycling, I didn’t manage to do it during the last 50 kilometres. As a result I lacked some energy on the last two climbs.
• Eat a mix of sweet and salt food . It makes it easier to consume your food on the long term. I didn’t do this for the Tour du Mont Blanc but some local guy told me after the race. I am now applying this approach during my rides and it works. Several brands like Decathlon, Clif and Etixx have a salty range of energy bars.
• You are passing through Switzerland. Data roaming can be quite expensive when not having the right mobile plan. Take this into account and maybe switch to flight mode temporarily.

My Tour du Mont Blanc Cyclo on Strava

Feel free to follow me on Strava and Instagram:

Strava Profile

Instagram Profile

Where to stay in Les Saisies?

We found an interesting apartment via Airbnb owned by a local French guy called René. René was very responsive and friendly. The apartment is located in a very quiet area of Les Saisies and there is a little supermarket about 50 metres from the front door. Because the apartment is located on the ground floor you have your own terrace and front yard with a fantastic panorama. The start and finish of the Tour du Mont Blanc are a 2 minute bike ride down to the centre of Les Saisies.

Find below the URL to the apartment. I do not benefit from commercial fees or commissions by sharing this link or when anyone makes a booking via this link. Just suggesting and sharing my own positive experience with this premise.

Apartment in Les Saisies

Next Granfondo or Ultra Cycling Challenges on my Bucket List

Tour des Stations : https://tourdesstations.ch/

Les 7 Majeurs : https://www.les7majeurs.com/les-cols/

Read More about my 10K Everesting Challenge Here.

• Where can I register for the Tour du Mont Blanc Cyclo?

All information can be found on https://letourdumontblanc.fr/

• What do I need to register for the Tour du Mont Blanc Granfondo?

Not much. You just need to fill in some personal data and make the payment. Overall, this race is quite cheap when you consider how well organized it is. Oh yeah, one thing people might not think of and which is mandatory is a medical certificate from your GP. This certificate shows that you are physically able to take part in this race. That’s it.

• Is there a time limit during this race?

Yes, there are 3 time limit points. If you do not pass these points before a certain time you are not allowed to continue. The organization has introduced time limits for your own safety.

• Is there any mandatory equipment?

Yes. You are obliged to wear a helmet and to equip your bike with a front and a rear light during the whole race. Besides, the organization requests to carry a valid ID and some cash with you during the whole race. Finally, you need to collect your number the day before the race and it needs to be attached in a proper way to your bike frame.

• Any other questions about preparing for a Granfondo or about the Tour du Mont Blanc Cyclo?

Just contact me via [email protected] and I will be happy to answer your questions.

• Is the Tour du Mont Blanc a real race?

No, it is not. During the briefing, the organization reminds everyone the TMB is not a race but the common goal should be to finish the ride. It is what the French like to call ‘a Rando’ or ‘Randonnée’. In the end you can consult your final position on the TMB website and you do get position updates at each check point but these are purely informative.

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• La Megève Mont-Blanc est de retour
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Megève La Megève Mont-Blanc est de retour

Elle fait partie des célèbres cyclosportives que les amateurs, et même certains professionnels, apprécient. Ce dimanche 9 juin, les amoureux de la petite reine ont rendez-vous avec la Megève Mont-Blanc qui, pour l’occasion, a retrouvé son nom d’origine. Car la course n’en est pas à sa première édition.

Elle est née en 1989 de la volonté de deux passionnés de cyclisme : Hervé Grosset et Frédéric Muffat. « L’idée est venue un peu comme ça entre nous, raconte ce dernier. On l’avait baptisée la Megève Mont-Blanc parce qu’on voulait qu’il y ait 4 807 mètres de dénivelé. » Organisée par le Club des sports, la compétition se déroulera sur une seule journée ce dimanche, avec un départ prévu à 8 heures devant le palais, tandis que le village des exposants ouvrira une heure plus tard. La cérémonie de remise des prix aura lieu à 16 heures au palais.

Trois parcours au choix

Cette année, les participants auront le choix entre trois parcours qui sillonneront les magnifiques paysages du Beaufortain. Au départ de Megève, tous les cyclistes rejoindront le col des Saisies, puis descendront à Hauteluce afin de prendre la direction de Beaufort. À ce stade, les participants à la petite boucle de 90 kilomètres et 2 200 mètres de dénivelé positif entameront le retour. Ceux optant pour la boucle moyenne de 120 kilomètres et 3 300 mètres de dénivelé positif prendront la direction d’Arèches par le Cormet de Roselend, puis le col du Pré avant d’aborder le retour. Enfin, ceux qui auront choisi de couvrir la grande boucle de 140 kilomètres et 4 000 mètres de dénivelé positif devront affronter, à la suite du Cormet de Roselend et du col du Pré, un retour par Villard-sur-Doron et la série de lacets qui remontent au signal de Bizanne.

Tout au long de la compétition, les cyclistes pourront profiter des points de ravitaillement tenus par les bénévoles et disposés à différents points des parcours. Les bénévoles seront également présents pour signaler les sites dangereux et les motards accompagneront le ou les pelotons jusqu’à l’arrivée devant le palais.

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Everything You Need To Know About Hiking The Tour du Mont Blanc

A s an avid hiker, you’ve probably heard of the Tour du Mont Blanc or TMB hiking trail. You might even have plans to conquer this popular hiking destination one day. If so, here’s everything you need to know before you go.

In 1760, a Swiss Geologist and physicist, Horace-Bénédict de Saussure, then living in Geneva, discovered the TMB hiking trail. Saussure wanted to explore the Mont du Blanc Mountains to examine and document plant specimens. Also called the Mont Blanc massif, the mountain range is 60 miles by 20 miles long, with 11 summits over 4,000 meters high. Though he discovered it in 1760, Saussure first walked around the entire TMB hiking path in 1767.

Unfortunately, the Swiss scientist failed to climb one of its peaks on that initial journey around the path. The first to achieve this feat were Michel Paccard and Jacques Balmat. The two found a path to the apex in 1786 through the Grands Mulets route. Sausurre became the third person to reach the summit shortly thereafter.

Trail Overview 

Though Pacard and Balmat first reached the peak of the Mont Blanc massif via the Grands Mulets route, the Gouter route is today’s standard path. This trail is 105 miles long and passes through 3 countries: France, Italy, and Switzerland . The Gouter Route (also known as the Voie Des Cristalliers and Voie Royale) is one of the two most commonly utilized routes to reach the summit of Mont Blanc in the Alps. Though the Gouter route reaches an elevation of 15,774 ft, it is considered the most straightforward ascent. The route lies on the north side of the mountain, in France, seeing thousands of mountaineers annually. 

The Tour du Mont Blanc difficulty level is somewhat subjective to the hiker. The Gouter route is relatively easy because it takes about two days to reach the ascent and does not require extensive technical skills. Nonetheless, it is physically demanding and mentally challenging if you lack athletic ability. The most difficult aspect of this route includes a narrow passageway of unstable rocks on the mountain’s edge. Seventy-four have died, and 180 were injured in accidents along this dangerous segment between 1990 and 2011. 

Once passing this tricky part, the Gouter route is smooth sailing. It steadily increases in steepness while crossing exposed terrain. Hazardous weather conditions are the most dangerous aspects that remain. Cold and wet conditions can cause hypothermia and frostbite. Therefore, visiting the Tour du Mont Blanc for Summer hiking, Mid-June to mid-September, is safest. During the summer, temperatures will range from 40 degrees at night to 80 degrees during the day. Some days require shorts beneath a warm, sunny sky ; others might entail brisk, wet conditions.

Permits And Regulations

No permits are required for the TMB and there are no regulatory restrictions. However, some believe a technical skills test could reduce deaths and injuries along the path. Additionally, residents are disturbed by the amount of trash that hikers inevitably abandon to lighten their loads on the ascent. What’s interesting about the Tour du Mont Blanc is that there are many comforts along the path in the form of hotels and huts. Several companies offer self-guided packages that include accommodations, detailed hiking guides, and set itineraries. 

Trail Highlights And Points Of Interest

The Tour du Mont Blanc hike is considered one of the world’s top ten “bucket list” hiking trails. In addition to the soothing sounds of waterfalls , there are glaciers, streams, high alpine meadows, and the natural beauty of the Mont Blanc landscape. Among the most beautiful and visible flora are the rare Slipper Orchid, the Martagon Lily, Aquilegia Alpha, the famous Edelweiss, and rare Campanula thyrsoides. Though heavily impacted by human presence, the animals that remain in the wilderness of the Mont Blanc massif include Marmots, Ravens, Goats, Mountain Hares, Vultures, and Eagles, among others. 

Safety Considerations

On the Tour du Mont Blanc hiking trail, the most important considerations will be comfortable shoes and a good quality backpack with appropriate dimensions and weight.  What qualifies as an appropriately sized bag will depend on whether you stick to hiking the trail or detour slightly to local huts and hotels. The former will require a 60L bag, and the latter will require a 30L bag. Remember to break in your footwear a few months in advance and buy shoes larger than usual to accommodate swollen, achy feet. Trekking poles will help lessen aches and pains experienced in the knee and leg muscles. Hiking crampons are a “better safe than sorry” item to add to your Tour du Mont Blanc packing list. They will help maintain balance and avoid slipping across waterways and snow patches, which might even save a life! 

In case of an emergency, administer first aid, note location and grid reference on a map, call for help (cell phone service is generally available along the TMB). If no phone is available, blow a whistle or flash a flashlight six times. If there is an injured person, carefully consider whether to go for help or stay with the injured. If the injured party stays behind, leave them with food, water, and warm clothes. 

Planning and Preparation

Being physically prepared for the TMB hike is a necessary safety precaution. Training should start at least three months in advance and should be in layered clothing, hiking boots, and a fully packed backpack to best simulate trail conditions. Other things that require planning include booking accommodations along the trail and deciding how many days to stay. An itinerary will vary depending on whether two days, two weeks, or even two months are set aside to experience the beauty of TMB. 

Most hikers can ascend the Tour du Mont Blanc self-guided if interested. The trail is easy to follow, with well-maintained paths, directional markings, and clearly understood signs. However, map reading skills are essential, and hikers should also carry a guidebook. 

People Ask: Hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc

Q: What is the Tour du Mont Blanc hiking trail?

A: The Tour du Mont Blanc is a 170-kilometer hiking trail that circles the Mont Blanc massif in the Alps, passing through France, Italy, and Switzerland.

Q: How long does it take to complete the Tour du Mont Blanc?

A: The entire trail takes about 10 to 12 days to complete.

Q: What is the best time of year to hike the Tour du Mont Blanc?

A: The best time to hike the Tour du Mont Blanc is from mid June to mid September, when the weather is typically mild and the trails are clear of snow.

Q: Are there any accommodations along the trail?

A: Yes, there are many accommodations available along the Tour du Mont Blanc, including hotels, hostels, and mountain huts.

Q: Is it necessary to hire a guide for the hike?

A: No, it is not necessary to hire a guide for the hike. The trail is well-marked and there are many resources available for hikers.

Q: How difficult is the hike?

A: The hike is considered to be moderately difficult, with some steep ascents and descents.

Q: What should I pack for the hike?

A:You should pack appropriate hiking gear, including sturdy boots, warm clothing, and rain gear. You should also bring a map, a compass, and plenty of water and snacks.

Q: Are there any safety concerns I should be aware of?

A: Yes, there are some safety concerns to be aware of, including potential hazards such as steep drops, loose rocks, and unpredictable weather. It is important to stay on the marked trail and to be prepared for changing conditions.

Q: Can I hike the trail in sections?

A: Yes, it is possible to hike the Tour du Mont Blanc in sections, with many hikers choosing to focus on one or two sections at a time.

Q: What are some of the highlights of the hike?

A: Some highlights of the Tour du Mont Blanc include stunning views of the Alps, charming mountain villages, and the opportunity to experience the unique cultures of France, Italy, and Switzerland.

The Tour du Mont Blanc is a renowned hiking trail accommodating hikers from across the globe. It is mentally and physically challenging, but efforts will be rewarded with breathtaking views along the route. The TMB is accessible with or without a guided tour, as there is food, water, emergency services, accommodations, and other modern amenities along the path. With a reasonable amount of advanced preparation, physical training, thoughtful packing, and a conscientious “Leave no trace” mindset, this unforgettable journey is worth experiencing for yourself.