Self-Launched Tour du Mont Blanc Long Weekend: The Hotels Edition
4 days · Tour du Mont Blanc (France, Italy & Switzerland)
Much Better Adventures charges £1,095
No-markup version: ~£430 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
One of the Alps' most iconic routes, the Tour du Mont Blanc doesn't need to cost a fortune — or require a guided group. This self-launched version covers the same spectacular four-day loop across France, Italy and Switzerland, border-hopping through high alpine passes, alongside glacial lakes and jaw-dropping massif views. You'll swap the guided group for the well-marked TMB trail (one of the best-signposted long-distance routes in Europe), replace private transfers with public buses and shared shuttles, and book the same style of cosy mountain hotels directly — saving a significant chunk vs. the Much Better Adventures price. The TMB trail infrastructure is excellent: huts, villages and transport links are all geared towards independent trekkers. Bring your poles, book accommodation early (it fills fast in summer), and you're all set.
Day-by-day
Chamonix → Mont Blanc Tunnel → Val Veny → Courmayeur
Val Veny & Courmayeur, Italy
Make your own way to Chamonix from Geneva Airport by Ouibus/Flixbus or the dedicated SAT/Transdev bus service (approx. 75 mins, ~£15–20 each way — book at sat-montblanc.com). Arrive by 10am to give yourself time to drop luggage at your Courmayeur hotel before the day's hike. To get to the Italian side, take the public Mont Blanc Express bus from Chamonix to Courmayeur via the Mont Blanc Tunnel (operated by SAT, ~£15 one way — runs several times daily in summer). From Courmayeur, take a local taxi or the Val Veny shuttle bus up to the valley start point (~£8). Hike up through Val Veny to Lac du Miage — a stunning heart-shaped glacial lake — following the TMB red-and-white waymarks throughout. The trail is well-marked and no guide is needed. After ~2.5 hours of hiking, return to Courmayeur by shuttle or on foot and check in to the Edelweiss Hotel or Hotel Crampon (book direct, twin-share rooms from ~£50–70pp/night). Spend your evening exploring Courmayeur's pedestrian old town and enjoy an Italian alpine dinner.
🚌Geneva Airport → Chamonix by SAT/Transdev bus (~£18, 75 mins). Chamonix → Courmayeur via Mont Blanc Tunnel public bus (~£15). Val Veny shuttle from Courmayeur (~£8 return).
🛏Edelweiss Hotel or Hotel Crampon, Courmayeur — book direct. Twin-share from ~£55pp/night.
- →Catch the SAT public bus from Chamonix to Courmayeur via Mont Blanc Tunnel (~£15, book at sat-montblanc.com)
- →Take the Val Veny shuttle bus or taxi to the trailhead (~£8)
- →Self-guided hike through Val Veny to Lac du Miage — 5mi, ~950ft ascent/descent, 2.5hrs
- →Spot glaciers and alpine rivers along the TMB trail — all waymarked with red-and-white blazes
- →Explore Courmayeur's historic centre and Via Roma pedestrian street
Courmayeur → Val Ferret → Grand Col Ferret → La Fouly → Champex
Grand Col Ferret & Champex Lac, Switzerland
After breakfast at your hotel, take the local Val Ferret shuttle bus from Courmayeur (free or ~£5, runs in summer mornings) to the Val Ferret trailhead. Follow the TMB trail signs up to the Grand Col Ferret (2,537m / 8,327ft) — the high mountain pass that forms the Italy–Switzerland border. This is a full hiking day (~7hrs, 11mi) with around 3,000ft of ascent and descent. The views of Mont Blanc, Dent du Géant and Grandes Jorasses from the col are breathtaking. Descend gradually to the Swiss village of La Fouly. From La Fouly, take the PostBus (Swiss postal bus — one of the most reliable rural bus networks in the world, ~£8) to Orsières, then connect to Champex Lac. Check in to the Hotel du Glacier (book direct at hotelduglacier.ch — family-run since 1895, twin rooms from ~£60pp/night including breakfast). Dine at the hotel restaurant for classic Swiss alpine fare.
🚌Val Ferret shuttle (Courmayeur → trailhead, ~£5). PostBus La Fouly → Orsières → Champex Lac (~£8). Book via sbb.ch or at the bus stop.
🛏Hotel du Glacier, Champex Lac — book direct at hotelduglacier.ch. Twin-share from ~£60pp/night including breakfast.
- →Val Ferret shuttle from Courmayeur to trailhead (free–£5)
- →Self-guided hike: Val Ferret → Grand Col Ferret (2,537m) → La Fouly — 11mi, ~3,000ft ascent, ~7hrs
- →Cross the Italy–Switzerland border on foot at Grand Col Ferret
- →Admire views of Mont Blanc, Dent du Géant and Grandes Jorasses from the summit pass
- →PostBus from La Fouly to Orsières and connect to Champex Lac (~£8, book at sbb.ch)
Champex → Bovine → Col de la Forclaz → Trient → Argentière
Trient (Switzerland) & Argentière (France)
Start the day with breakfast at your hotel, then pick up the TMB trail directly from Champex — the waymarks lead you straight out of the village. Today's hike (~6–7hrs, 9mi) climbs through pine and larch forest to the high alpine pastures of Bovine — a scenic plateau with sweeping views over the Martigny valley. Pack your own lunch from the village supermarket or bakery the night before (~£5). Continue along the trail over Col de la Forclaz and descend into the small Swiss village of Trient. From Trient, take a local bus or shared taxi to the French border and on to Argentière (~£10–15). Check in to the Hotel La Couronne (book direct — historic 1860s hotel in Argentière, twin-share from ~£55pp/night). Alternatively, the Hotel de la Couronne is easy to reach from Chamonix town centre too. Celebrate a big hiking day with an Alpine dinner in Argentière village.
🚌Hiking between Champex and Trient (self-guided, all waymarked). Bus or shared taxi Trient → Argentière (~£10–15, ask at hotel for local taxi contact).
🛏Hotel La Couronne, Argentière — book direct. Twin-share from ~£55pp/night. Alternatively, a budget hotel or guesthouse in Chamonix from ~£45pp.
- →Self-guided hike: Champex → Bovine alpine pastures → Col de la Forclaz → Trient — 9mi, ~2,100ft ascent, ~6–7hrs
- →Picnic lunch on the Bovine plateau with panoramic views of the Martigny Valley (pack from Champex)
- →Cross back into France from Switzerland near Trient
- →Bus or shared taxi from Trient to Argentière (~£10–15)
- →Explore Argentière village and its glacial backdrop
Aiguilles Rouges Nature Reserve → Lac Blanc → La Flégère → Chamonix
Aiguilles Rouges & Chamonix, France
The grand finale. Take the local bus from Argentière toward the Les Praz de Chamonix area and hike up into the Aiguilles Rouges Nature Reserve following the TMB trail signs. Climb to the Lacs de Chéserys and then to the legendary Lac Blanc (2,352m) — widely regarded as one of the most photogenic spots in the Alps, with the entire Mont Blanc massif reflected in the water. Keep your eyes peeled for ibex, chamois and marmots. Pack a picnic lunch from a Chamonix boulangerie the evening before (~£6). After soaking in the views, descend via the balcony trail to La Flégère and take the La Flégère cable car down to Les Praz de Chamonix (one-way ticket ~£18, pay at the cable car station). From there, take the free Chamonix Bus or the Mont Blanc Express train the short hop into Chamonix centre. Then connect to Geneva Airport by SAT/Transdev bus (~£18, allow 2.5hrs door to door to be safe — book at sat-montblanc.com for an 8pm flight or later).
🚌Local bus Argentière → Les Praz de Chamonix (~£3). La Flégère cable car → Les Praz (~£18). Free Chamonix Bus into town centre. SAT bus Chamonix → Geneva Airport (~£18).
🛏No overnight — depart Chamonix for home or stay on for additional nights independently.
- →Self-guided hike: Les Praz → Lacs de Chéserys → Lac Blanc (2,352m) — the iconic TMB highlight, ~5–6hrs, ~3,700ft ascent
- →Wildlife spotting: ibex, chamois and marmots in Aiguilles Rouges Nature Reserve
- →Picnic at Lac Blanc — one of the world's most scenic lunch spots
- →La Flégère cable car descent to Les Praz de Chamonix (~£18, pay at station — no pre-booking needed)
- →Chamonix Bus or Mont Blanc Express train back to Chamonix centre (free/~£3)
- →SAT/Transdev bus from Chamonix to Geneva Airport (~£18, book in advance at sat-montblanc.com)
Self-launched vs. Much Better Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Much Better Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£430 | £1,095 |
| Duration | 4 days | 4 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £665 per person (61%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Much Better Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£430
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Tour du Mont Blanc Long Weekend: The Hotels Edition cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £430 per person for 4 days in Tour du Mont Blanc (France, Italy & Switzerland). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Much Better Adventures?+
Yes — Much Better Adventures charges around £1,095 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £430 — a saving of roughly £665 (61%) per person.
How long is the Tour du Mont Blanc (France, Italy & Switzerland) trip?+
This itinerary runs 4 days, covering 4 day-by-day stops through Tour du Mont Blanc (France, Italy & Switzerland).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a hiking, adventure, culture trip through Tour du Mont Blanc (France, Italy & Switzerland), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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