Trail Running - Tour du Mont Blanc
with Jeff Pelletier all-inclusive

Dates: July 30 - August 6, 2023

Price: 2980 EUR

A 25% deposit is due to secure your reservation. The remaining balance is due 60 days before the start of the expedition.

(View the cancelation policy below in the section "Price and Details")

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A dream for many trail runners around the world. Explore the French, Italian and Swiss Alps by foot

Jeff Pelletier is an ultra-distance trail runner and filmmaker based in Vancouver, Canada. Together with his girlfriend Audrée Lafrenière, he travels around the world seeking adventure in the mountains, while documenting it all on his YouTube channel.

Jeff Pelletier is joining Vagabond Trails to explore and trail run the amazing route of the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB). This route is a dream for many trail runners around the world. Running a race is one thing, but exploring these trails is a completely different experience and one that we can guarantee that you'll never forget. Along the way, Jeff and Audree will be sharing their tips and expertise as ultra trail runners.

It is difficult to describe the beauty of this route in words. Only by living and feeling the TMB, you'll understand why this is one of the most beautiful routes in the world. You'll enjoy amazing trail running trails, while you traverse three countries on foot. Just imagine the landscapes of high alpine meadows, the glaciers, the snow-capped peaks, the lakes, the Mont Blanc itself, and, of course, the physical and mental challenge.

This is a 100 miles/160 km journey with lots of ups and downs. To be specific, almost 32,000 feet/10,000 meters of elevation gain. The route takes us from Chamonix - France through Italy, Switzerland, and back to Chamonix.

This trip is all-inclusive, with a shared transfer to and from Geneva airport, all accommodations, bag transfers and meals*. We have handpicked the hotels and mountain huts to offer you comfort, great views, amazing food and friendly service.

We promise you that this will be a fantastic adventure in the heart of The Alps. Read what some of our guests say about us!

*See details below

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Is this tour for me?

If you have trail running experience this tour is for you. You don't need to be a fast runner or have technical climbing skills. However, you do need to be fit enough to cover the daily distance and elevation gain.

The trip is planned so that when you arrive at the next overnight accommodation, you have time to relax, have a glass of wine, read a book and enjoy the alpine views. Some days the distance can be reduced by taking either a cable car or public transportation.

For your comfort while running, your main luggage will be transported from hut to hut each day, meaning you’ll only have to carry a light running vest with your essentials.

For the entire tour, you will be led by a certified International Mountain Leader. Your safety and comfort are our main priority.

Please, make sure that your physical condition is adequate to the itinerary described below. Please, get in touch with us if you have any questions.

Itinerary

Day 1 | Chamonix

Transfer from Geneva Airport to Chamonix. Depending on your time of arrival you'll have time to explore Chamonix or just relax at our chosen hotel in Chamonix. In the evening we will have a group safety briefing. Dinner tonight is not included.

Day 2 | Les Houches – Les Contamines - Refuge Nant Borrant

Today is the official start of our epic journey. We leave Chamonix towards Les Houches by bus. Once in Les Houches, we climb up heading to Bellevue where we can already admire the beautiful views of the valley. We continue toward the Tricot pass on a path that offers constant and beautiful views of the Bionassay Glacier. Once at the pass we descend towards the Miage valley on one of the prettiest corners of the Tour du Mont Blanc. We continue toward our overnight destination close to the village of Les Contamines.

The route: 11.2 mi / 18km - High gain/loss +5020ft/1530m | -4790ft/1460m approx
Highest point at 2110 m / 6922 ft
Approximate time 5 - 6 hours

Day 3 | Les Contamines– Refuge de Mottets/Les Chapieux

Easy riverside trails take us to the church of Notre Dame de la Gorge. After the church, we have a long and steep ascent leading to Col du Bonhomme. Depending on weather conditions the pass might show snow patches. A little bit higher we reach the second col of the day the Croix de Bonhomme at 2440 meters of altitude, where we will enjoy amazing views of the valleys on both sides. A nice and runnable trail takes us downhill to Les Chapieux, from here we will have a mix of a flat trail to a steady easy uphill towards Refuge Les Mottets at 1864 meters, which will be our hut for the night.

The route: 15mi / 24km - High gain/loss +5413ft/1650m | -3083ft/940m approx.
Highest point at 2440 m / 8000 ft
Approximate time 7 - 8 hours

Day 4 | Refuge de Mottets – Courmayeur

The day starts with a steep trail, but the views will be our boost to continue and finally cross the border into Italy at Col de la Seigne. Once on the col (or shoulder), you will admire the views of the French and the Italian valleys. On the Italian side, we will have a long descent into Val Veny. If we are lucky, the valley will be covered in yellow flowers with sparking glaciers descending off Mont Blanc. A long flat path will take us to the start of the steep trail towards the ridge on Mont Favre. The views are amazing at the ridge and the trail will give you an incredible sense of gratitude and freedom. We'll run towards Col Checrouit and then a final steep descent to Courmayeur (here you can choose if you decide to take the cable car or continue the descent by foot). To give you the freedom to explore Courmayeur on your own terms, dinner is not included tonight.

The route: 15.5mi / 25km - High gain/loss +4166ft/1270m | -6233ft/1900m approx
Alternative route: 13.6mi / 22km - High gain/loss +4166ft/1270m | -3700ft/1130m approx (taking the cable car)
Highest point at 2500 m / 8200 ft
Approximate time 7 - 8 hours

Day 5 | Courmayeur – La Fouly

We start the day with a vertical climb towards Rifugio Bertone. After a quick Italian coffee, we follow an almost flat, beautiful, easy but high trail towards Rifugio Bonatti. The trail offers impressive views of the Mont Blanc that you'll stay in your memory forever. We start the descent to Arnouva and then towards the beautiful Rifugio Elena, where we can enjoy a coffee or a drink. We continue our way towards the high Gran Col Ferret. Once at the col you'll contemplate the spectacular views of the Swiss and the Italian valleys. A beautiful descent on a single trail will take us to our accommodation for the night at the end of Val Ferret. If you feel, you'll like to reduce the distance and elevation this day there is a couple of options by taking public transportation.

The route: 18mi / 29km - High gain/loss +6430ft/1960m | -5734ft/1748m approx.
Alternative route: 8.7mi / 14km - High gain/loss +2296ft/700m | -3280ft/1000m approx. (using public transport)
Highest point at 2537 m / 8323 ft
Approximate time 7 - 8 hours

Day 6 | La Fouly – Col de Forclaz or Trient

We start the day with an easy descent to the ancient village of Praz de Fort. We will get some water from the local fountains and continue our path to the start of the ascent towards Champex Lac. Leaving Champex Lac behind we head up through the forests on an easy-open path until Plan de l’Au where we start a steep ascent traversing around the mountain to La Giete. Once at the highest point, we run downhill towards Col de la Forclaz and continue our descent to the last Swiss village and its iconic pink church in Trient.

The route: 19mi / 31km - High gain/loss +4855ft/1480m | -5577ft/1700m approx.
Alternative route: 10.5 mi / 17km - High gain/loss +3477ft/1060m | -4265ft/1300m approx. (using public transport)
Highest point at 1470 meters
Approximate time 7 - 8 hours

Day 7 | Trient - Chamonix

We have a couple of uphills and downhills more until our final destination. On the way, we will have fantastic views of the Mont Blanc, the Aiguilles Rouges mountains and the Chamonix valley. We traverse the mountain before we start our last descent towards La Flegere and Chamonix.

We will celebrate this epic journey with a final dinner together.

The route: 17mi / 28km - High gain/loss +5741ft/1750m | -6430ft/1960m approx.
Alternative route: 12.4 mi / 20km - High gain/loss +5741ft/1750m | -3805ft/1160m approx. (using cable car)
Highest point at 2065 meters
Approximate time 7 - 8 hours

Day 8 | Chamonix

We enjoy a last breakfast together and then time to pack all the memories back home.

A note about fitness: This adventure involves physical activity for around 7 hours per day. To participate comfortably in the tour, you will require a certain level of fitness. To make a self-assessment of whether or not this is for you, you should consider yourself to be in good shape, be accustomed to running/hiking, and be able to do it comfortably for at least 3 hours in a day. Please consult a doctor if you feel that this might be a challenge before booking.

The entire tour is done in English.

*We reserve the right to change the itinerary without previous notice due to weather conditions, National Parks regulations or notifications and unforeseeable circumstances.

This tour is governed by the Terms and Conditions

How Challenging ?

High effort. This is a challenging adventure where we can expect 6 - 8 hours of running/hiking per day, with up to 1500 m/4900ft of elevation gain. Previous trail running experience is recommended.

Price and Details

The tour includes:

Everything described in the tour
All of the scheduled activities
Transport from Geneva Airport to Chamonix
Transport from Chamonix to Geneva Airport
All accommodation during the tour (7 nights)
2 nights in a 4* hotel in Chamonix
1 night in a 3* hotel in Courmayeur
4 nights in gites or huts in shared rooms or dorms
Luggage transfer between accommodations
All main meals during the tour (7 breakfast, 7 packed lunch, 5 dinners)
Guiding from a certified International Mountain Leader
Amazing trails & beautiful landscapes

The tour excludes:

Transport to Geneva (e.g. flights)
First night dinner in Chamonix
Dinner in Courmayeur
Single room supplement available for an extra price, applicable only in Chamonix and Courmayeur (3 nights)
Insurance. All participants are required to have their own insurance appropriate for outdoor sports; such as health, accident, mountain rescue, repatriation, cancellation, personal liability, etc.
Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages
Expenses for extra activities, such as; massages, spas, sauna, hot tub
Any accommodations for extra days in Chamonix
Any lifts or cable cars
Any private transfers
Tips for the International Mountain Leader

Price: 2980 EUR

25% deposit is due to secure your spot, the remaining balance is due 60 days before the start of the trip. Once the trip is confirmed your deposit is non-refundable, however, it can be transferred to any other trips.

Participants:

min 7 - max 14

Start: Geneva (Cointrin Airport)

End: Geneva (Cointrin Airport)

We reserve the right to change the itinerary without previous notice due to weather conditions, and unforeseeable circumstances.