Itinerary

Day Day Itinerary

num-
ber
1 10 Start in Chamonix (France).
September Staying at Ile des Barrats campsite, not far from Chamonix.
2019 https://www.chamonet.com/campsites/ile-des-barrats-campsite-chamonix-main-town-36304

2 11 1st day of hiking

September Walking Chamonix (France) – Les Houches (France) – Bionnassay (France) – Les Contamines
2019 (France)
Staying at Camping Le Pontet campsite near Les Contamines (France).
http://www.campinglepontet.fr/

3 12 2nd day of hiking

September Walking Les Contamines (France) – Croix du Bonhomme (France) – Les Chapieux (France)
2019 Staying at campsite near Auberge de La Nova (France).

4 13 3rd day of hiking

September Walking Les Chapieux (France) – Col de la Seigne (Italy) – Rifugio Elisabetta (Italy)
2019 Staying at Refugio Elisabetta:
http://www.rifugioelisabetta.com/

5 14 4th day of hiking

September Walking Rifugio Elisabetta (Italy) – Courmayeur (Italy)
2019 Staying at Camping la Sorgente:
http://www.campinglasorgente.net/

6 15 5th day of hiking

September Walking Courmayeur (Italy) – Rifugio Bonatti (Italy)
2019 Staying in Camping Tronchey:
http://www.tronchey.com/

7 16 6th day of hiking

September Walking Rifugio Bonatti (Italy) – Grand Col Ferret (Switzerland) – La Fouly (Switzerland)
2019 Staying at Camping des Glaciers campsite near La Fouly (Switzerland):
https://www.camping-glaciers.ch/fr/

8 17 7th day of hiking

September Walking La Fouly (Switzerland) – Champex (Switzerland)
2019 Staying at campsite of Relais d’Arpette:
https://www.arpette.ch/camping.php

9 18 8th day of hiking

September Walking Champex (Switzerland) – Alp Bovine (Switzerland) – Col de la Forclaz (Switzerland)
2019 Staying at camping de l’Arpille, campsite of Hotel de la Forclaz:
http://www.coldelaforclaz.ch/index.php/fr/camping
 10 19 9th day of hiking
September Walking Col de la Forclaz (Switzerland) – Col de Balme (France) – Tré-le-Champ (France)
2019 Staying at camping Glacier d’Argentière:
http://www.campingchamonix.com/

11 20 10th day of hiking

September Walking Tré-le-Champ (France) – Rifuge La Flégère (France) – La Brévent (France) – Chamonix
2019 (France)
Staying at Ile des Barrats campsite, not far from Chamonix:
https://www.chamonet.com/campsites/ile-des-barrats-campsite-chamonix-main-town-36304

12 21 Staying at Ile des Barrats campsite, not far from Chamonix.

September https://www.chamonet.com/campsites/ile-des-barrats-campsite-chamonix-main-town-36304
2019
13 22 Bus from Chamonix to Geneva
September Flight from Geneva to London airport.
2019

Wild camping

Switzerland
 Can camp above the forest line, in alpine meadows (луга) or in rocky terrain.
 Not close to huts (otherwise ask hut management for permission).
 Not near wetlands, floodplains (пойма реки).
 Not in Swiss game reserves, etc (e.g. near Ferret).

Camp sites
Chamonix
Ile des Barrats
https://www.chamonet.com/campsites/ile-des-barrats-campsite-chamonix-main-town-36304

https://alanrogers.com/campsite/camping-lile-des-barrats-fr74160

“one of the most expensive at €16.50 a night, but had an amazing view, lovely pitches, and top quality
facilities”

The camp site is located on the way into Chamonix, only 500m from the Aiguille du Midi Cable car.
On entering Chamonix from Geneva, turn left at first roundabout after turn off for the Mont Blanc
Tunnel (follow signs for hospital). Shortly, at next roundabout, turn left and site is on right opposite
hospital.

45°54'51.0"N 6°51'41.0"E

Les Houches
Camping Bellevue
http://www.camping-bellevue-leshouches.com/

Closed for the summer of 2019 because of work.

Les Contamines
Camping Le Pontet
http://www.campinglepontet.fr/

“Camping le Pontet is a further 40 minutes walk from the centre of Les Contamines. There is a short
steep hill from the main trail that leads up into the town, Tourist Information is on the left side of the
car park at the top of the hill and there are restaurants and shops here. To get to the camping, follow
the main trail along the river until you reach a theme park with a swimming lake and playgrounds with
climbing for children on your right. Turn right and walk through the theme park, you can see the
campsite as you cross the river. It has a bar, restaurant, cafe, and good toilet/shower, washing facilities,
with points to charge your phone. It costs around €10.50.”

2481 Route de Notre Dame de la Gorge

74170 Les Contamines Montjoie

45°48'09.92"N 6°43'19.48"E

04 50 47 04 04

Refuge de la Balme
“About 2 hours walk from Les Contamines there is a designated camping spot just below Refuge de la
Balme with a public toilet and water supply 100m away. It’s in a beautiful quiet spot in the valley.”

Les Chapieux
Campsite near Auberge de La Nova
“You can’t miss the camping here, as Les Chapieux only has a few buildings (the biggest is the Auberge
de la Nova), and the trail descends steeply straight to it. There is a tiny Tourist Information office in the
other half of a public toilet block, camping is in the meadows behind it. I didn’t enjoy this spot as it was
full of RVs, quite busy, and had no shade, but on the other hand it was free. There is a restaurant in the
Auberge but no shop for food. There is a tiny shop that sells strong smelling goats cheese, honey
products, and exceptionally fizzy local beer.”
Rifugio Elisabetta
http://www.rifugioelisabetta.com/

“There is a designated camping spot below the Rifugio, it’s a beautiful location beneath a glacier which
has waterfalls running off to the valley below. To clarify, wild camping isn’t legal below 2,500m (the
Rifugio is at 2,200m), but if you did choose to wild camp there are suitable places close to the Rifugio.”

39 01 65 84 40 80

Courmayeur
Camping la Sorgente:
http://www.campinglasorgente.net/

“There are no campsites as far as I am aware in Courmayeur, I stayed at Camping la Sorgente which is
beneath Rifugio Monte Bianco (it is 1 hour’s walk from here to Cormayeur). I loved this campsite, my
pitch included a hammock! It has fantastic facilities, including good showers (1 free shower per person
per night), toilets and sinks, points to charge your phone, a bar and takeaway restaurant with great
food. You can order pastries for the morning and the bar serves proper Italian coffee. Camping costs
€12.00. There are two more campsites in close proximity to this one, well signposted as you descend
from the Rifugio”

Courmayeur loc. Peuterey 1 Val Veny,

45°48‘17,53’’N - 6°55‘24,60’’E,

11013 Courmayeur AO

+39 38 99 02 07 72 / +39 33 55 22 61 20 / +39 33 58 36 10 46

Rifugio Bonatti
Camping Tronchey
http://www.tronchey.com/

“The camp-site lies at the foot of the Grandes Jorasses with a magnificent view of Mont Blanc. Because
the camp-site is located at the centre of the Val Ferret, it is easy to reach the walking-paths that lead to
the most renowned mountain huts like Bertone, Bonatti and Elena.

How to reach us from Italy: Motorway Aosta – Mont Blanc Tunnel, Courmayeur exit Follow the SS26
towards the Mont Blanc tunnel as far as La Palud. Turn into the local road for Val Ferret and follow it for
about 4 kms. The camp-site is located opposite the golf course, on the left.

How to reach us from France: Exiting the Mont Blanc tunnel, after 200 metres turn left at La Palud. Turn
into the local road for Val Ferret and follow it for about 4 kms. The camp-site is located opposite the golf
course, on the left.”

Campsite Grand Jorassed

“Not a nice place.”
Between Val Veny and La Peule (roughly Courmayor and La Fouly)
“There are no designated camping spots as far as I am aware between Val Veny and La Peule which is
equivalent to a 10 hour walking day. You have three options: stay in a Rifugio rather than camp, take a
local bus for a short way to reduce the walking to a manageable distance, or wild camp.

Wild camping is not generally encouraged, but it’s understood that people do discreetly wild camp along
the route, setting up camp at dusk and moving on at dawn. Ask at the Refuges, they will explain the local
rules, and don’t camp within sight of them unless they indicate that it is permitted, or they may be fined
as well as you for illegal wild camping. It goes without saying, leave no trace.

La Peule – This is a small dairy farm in a remote location just after you leave Italy for Switzerland.
Although you can’t camp at La Peule, they have a couple of yurts and hikers can sleep in them on hay
bales for around 5CHF.”

La Fouly
Camping des Glaciers
https://www.camping-glaciers.ch/fr/

“Camping des Glaciers is a large family campsite in an ideal location on the route of the TMB with a
great view of the mountains above. The restaurants, shops and cash machine in the centre of La Fouly
are five minutes walk away. There is a designated field for TMB campers, including a building to cook
and shelter in if it rains. Maybe it rains a lot because there was a huge storm on the evening I stayed – it
was the only rain of my trip. It costs 8CHF, and the facilities are good, including showers, sinks, and a
small shop where you can order pastries for the morning. When you leave, follow the track through the
field you are camping in into the woods and you are on the TMB trail.”

Prendre l'autoroute A9/E62 jusqu'à Martigny puis poursuivre sur la route du Grand-Saint-Bernard
jusqu'à Orsières. Pour la Fouly/Val Ferret, entrer dans Orsières et suivre les indications.
+41(0)27 783 18 26

Champex
Relais d’Arpette
https://www.arpette.ch/camping.php

“There is a supermarket on your left after the lake in Champex-Lac and I would advise stocking up here
as this is the last one for a couple of days. The camping is on your right as you walk up the hill and start
to leave town. However, if you plan to walk the Fenetre d’ Arpette route I would very much recommend
going on to the next camping spot at Relais d’ Arpette.

Relais d’ Arpette – This is a beautiful location where you can camp outside the refuge and have use of
their facilities including modern showers and toilets. The refuge sells food, and I bought a packed lunch
which was ready for me in the morning as I left (€10.50/CHF). The directions to the Relais d’ Arpete are
not very clear – as you leave Champex-Lac and the camping is on your right, carry on 50m or so up the
road, then turn off left where you will come to a ski lift. Turn right under the ski lift to follow a Bisse
(drainage channel). Although it isn’t well signposted, stick with the path by the Bisse all the way, it will
eventually rise steeply until you reach a small road where you turn left to the refuge. Camping is
€13.50/CHF.”
+41(0) 27 783 12 21

Camping Les Rocailles (in Champex - Lac)

TODO

Trient, Col de la Forclaz

Camping de l’Arpille, campsite of Hotel de la Forclaz:
http://www.coldelaforclaz.ch/index.php/fr/camping

“There are two options for camping here, and the first is on terraces behind the Hotel du Col de la
Forclaz. It has a great view up to glaciers above, and good facilities including a small toilet and shower.
Camp on the lower terrace to catch the sun earlier in the morning. On the downside, the restaurant in
the hotel is very expensive (26-40CHF for a small main course), and the shop opposite sells an array
Swiss chocolate, but no useful supplies. Camping costs €13.50/CHF.”

027 722 26 88

Le Peuty
“This camping is 30 minutes walk down hill from the hotel, and is easy to find as it is well signposted and
located next to a small road which is part of the TMB route. It is a designated camping area in a small
field with a public toilet and shelter to sit/cook in, and costs around €5/CHF.”

Tré-le-Champ, Argentière
Camping Glacier d’Argentière
http://www.campingchamonix.com/

“At this point I detoured slightly because I wanted to visit Argentiere, so there may be camping closer to
the TMB route at or just after Tre-le-Champ. I stayed at Camping du Glacier, and it was a fantastic
vibrant campsite full of climbers and mountaineers. The facilities are good, with plenty of hot showers,
toilets, points to charge your phone, and a bar and restaurant. I arrived on barbecue night which offered
good value fresh food with veggie options. The onsite shop sells pastries which you can order in the
evening and collect from 6:30am. The only downside was that the field was quite sloping so there were
no flat pitches. It was really good value at €8.50 and I plan to stay there again.”

161 Chemin Des Chosalets, 74400, Argentiere, Chamonix Mt Blanc, Rhones Alpes, France

Longitude - 6.923747, Latitude - 45.974717, Altitude - 1200m

+33 (0)4 50 54 17 36

Campsite Pierre Semard in Les Frasserands

http://www.village-vacances-chamonix.com

400, Chemin des Frasserands, Montroc-le-Planet, 74400 ARGENTIERE - CHAMONIX

+33.(0)4.50.54.00.29

Shops
Chamonix
Many
Les Houches
Many

Les Contamines
Sherpa – 7:30am-1pm, 3-7:30pm

Carrefour – 8am-12:30pm, 3-8pm

La Cendree – 9am-12:30pm, 3-7:30pm

Spar – 8am-12:30pm, 3-7:30pm

Courmayeur
Many

La Fouly
Super marche – 8:00am-12:30pm, 2:30-6:30pm (https://supermarche-la-fouly-sarl.business.site/)

Champex
Supermarche Du Lac – 8:30am-12:30pm, 2:30-5pm; 8:30am-5pm (Saturday, Sunday)

Argentiere
Marche U – 8am-7:30pm, 8:30am-12:30pm (Sunday)

Sightseeing

Saint-Gervais:

Campsites at Refuge du Fioux (to be organized with Refuge du Fioux)

The Contamines:

Bivouac sites at Truc (to be organized with Refuge du Truc) (Variante)

Bivouac at the Pont de la Rollaz

Bivouac de la Balme (facing the Refuge de la Balme)

The Chapieux:

Area of bivouac on common ground

Val Veny:
Camping Aiguille Noire (near the Zérotta chairlift) (Outside GR)

Campeggio Monte Bianco The Sorgente (in Peuterey / Purtud) (Outside GR)

Camping Hobo (locality Cuignon / near the Zérotta chairlift) (Outside GR)

Val Ferret Italian:

Camping Grandes Jorasses (in Planpincieux) (Outside GR)

Camping Tronchey (Outside GR)

Val Ferret Switzerland:

Camping des Glaciers (in La Fouly)

Champex:

Campsite Gîte Bon Abri (in Champex d'en Haut)

Col de La Forclaz:

Camping de l'Arpille (to be organized with the Col de la Forclaz hotel)

Trient:

Communal campsite of Trient

Camping / Bivouac du Peuty

Vallorcine: (Variante) Camping des Montets

Argentiere / Chamonix:

Camping pitches at Auberge La Boërne (to be organized with Auberge La Boërne)

Numerous campsites in the valley / see Tourist Office - (Outside GR) -

Resources
https://annapaxton.com/2015/08/09/tour-du-mont-blanc-camping-a-guide-to-campsites-on-the-route-
of-the-tmb/
https://www.montourdumontblanc.com/InfoliveDocuments/1_-_english_-
_campings_et_bivouacs_du_tmb_-_english.pdf

https://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/tour-of-mont-blanc-camping-options-i1267