Mont Blanc
My favorite place. The Tour du Mont Blanc is a 170 km (110 mi) hiking trail that spans across Switzerland, Italy and France. Most people take 10 days to complete the strenuous hike with over 32,800 (10,000 meters) feet in elevation gain and loss and 11 peaks.
Because my partner was training for the Ultra Marathon (UTMB) which challenges runners to complete the hike in 46.5 hrs, we decided to challenge ourselves to complete the hike in 4 days. It took months of training for me to get to this point (i.e. 50 – 65 km runs / week), but we were able to accomplish our goal!
There are several refugees along the route to spend the night where you can refuel and recharge. Find lodging here: http://www.autourdumontblanc.com/en/index.cfm/tmb-huts-accomodation.html. It’s best to plan your stops and book in advance.
Most people begin the hike in Chamonix. Chamonix is a cute Mountain town with tons of cheese fondue and cute shops! It’s busy year round, and you can often see paraglider landings in town – I highly recommend watching for a nice picnic activity!
This is the trek of a lifetime! I recommend hiking in August, as its warm so you can cut down on extra thermals. Note: There is still snow at the highest peaks, although it is minimal, and no special snow shoes would be required at this time in the year.
Check out the trail we followed:
If you begin the trek and simply can’t finish, don’t fret! There are train stations and bus stops to take you back to Chamonix and plenty of shorter hikes you can enjoy from town. Happy travels and don’t forget to simply breath and enjoy this beautiful place.
