Tour du Mont Blanc with Four Season Guides
In Summer 2026, Four Season Guides will bring its trusted, guest-first approach to the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) – a spectacular, week-long loop through France, Italy, and Switzerland that blends big-mountain scenery with the warmth of the Alps.
If you’ve hiked with Four Season Guides in the American Southwest, we’re delighted to introduce your next chapter: the classics, done the FSG way.
Our Tour du Mont Blanc is a limited departure, intended for both our loyal guests
and curious new adventurers who’ve always wanted to hike in the Alps – but have been waiting for the opportunity to do it with people they trust.
How This Fits Four Season Guide’s Story
For more than two decades, Four Season Guides has earned a reputation for expert, multi-day hiking adventures in the Grand Canyon and the American Southwest.
After receiving record-breaking interest in our first international trip launches (to Peru’s Machu Picchu, via the Inca Trail and comfortable lodges), we’re thoughtfully expanding to Europe with a single, well-crafted 2026 Tour du Mont Blanc departure.
We’re keeping things personal and high-touch, emphasizing quality over quantity. We’re partnering with veteran Alpine professionals and drawing on a top-tier local team to guide us along this world-famous route. The goal is simple: bring the Four Season Guides-level of care, and attention to detail, and trail pacing our guests love to one of the world’s great treks.
Why Mont Blanc? And why now?
Part of the answer comes from a longtime friend of Four Season Guides: Chris H., a former Grand Canyon guide who now lives in Berlin and continues to work in the hiking industry all across Europe. Over the years, Chris has stayed connected with the FSG team and provided insights to help make this new experience possible. Chris’ influence is felt throughout the itinerary, and you might even see him on the trail!
“I think [Tour du Mont Blanc] is an incredible classic hike, and it's a really good way to introduce people to hiking in Europe. You know, it's rugged. It has its challenges, but it's comfortable. It's not a suffer-fest.”
For hikers used to the solitude of
the Grand Canyon or Escalante, the Tour du Mont Blanc offers a new kind of magic. You still earn your views, but you also get to enjoy a hot shower, local cheese, and maybe a glass of wine at the end of the day. It’s adventure and culture, all rolled into one trail.
Who Should Consider the Tour Du Mont Blanc with FSG
The TMB experience is globally shared, yet deeply personal. This resonates with FSG’s community-minded travelers – those who enjoy camaraderie on the trail and who are open to engaging with people from different walks of life while still feeling grounded by their own trusted guide.
As Chris says, “You’ll hear more languages on the TMB than at the airport.”
In addition to this global perspective, you can expect six to eight hours on the trail each day, and daily distances up to about nine miles. Some days you’ll ascend more than 3,000 feet and then descend 4,000 feet. These are big hiking days!
Prior hiking experience is a plus, and a training plan can make all the difference. However, first-timers to European trekking are welcome – you’ll carry only a daypack while your main luggage moves ahead and waits for you at the next “Refugio.”
What Makes the Tour du Mont Blanc Special?
The TMB is a ring-route around the highest peak in the Alps, threading historic passes and storybook valleys as you cross national borders on foot. One day you sip a café in France, the next you’re savoring gelato in Italy, and by afternoon you’re descending into Swiss meadows with cowbells echoing across the slopes.
Expect constant company from glaciers and granite: the Mer de Glace and the Aiguilles of Chamonix often steal the scene, and balcony trails like the Aiguilles Rouges give you that postcard perspective on Mont Blanc itself. The cultures are as rich as the scenery: welcoming lodges, local cheeses and breads, and the camaraderie of fellow trekkers from all around the world.
Guests who love our Southwest trips can rest assured that this TMB journey delivers the same sense of accomplishment with a different flavor: more villages, more cafés, more layers of living mountain culture.
FSG’s Tour du Mont Blanc is still about moving with purpose through wild spaces, supported by expert guides who care and with logistics handled quietly in the background so you can stay focused on the moment.
Guides and Safety
Our on-trail team pairs a seasoned EU-certified local mountain guide with an experienced second guide when group size warrants it. This gives guests the best of both worlds: deep, lived-in knowledge of the Mont Blanc massif and FSG’s culture of attentive trail leadership.
You can expect clear trail briefings, thoughtful pacing, and calm decision-making if weather shifts. In the Alps, logistics are well-honed – think support vehicles, cable cars where appropriate, quick access to help if needed – yet we still respect mountain environments and keep safety first.
You’ll also feel the FSG difference in small moments: a trail lunch built from hyper-local artisan breads and cheeses, a quiet word of encouragement on a steep pitch, and a reminder to look up when the Aiguille Verte or the Grandes Jorasses come into view. (Trust us, you don’t want to miss this view!)
Logistics, Lodging, and Meals
On this journey, you’ll hike for seven days crisscrossing through France, Italy, and Switzerland.
We combine comfortable 3- and 4-star hotels with one rustic mountain lodge night to match the rhythm of the trail. Twin beds are the norm in the Alps, with occasional multi-share rooms in select locations, and some properties even have shared bathrooms – which is all part of the traditional European hiking charm.
Evenings feature set menus at hand-picked restaurants and lodges that spotlight regional specialties. Lunches are picnic-style on the trail using fresh local ingredients. That being said, we can gladly accommodate most dietary needs with advance notice.
At-a-Glance Itinerary
For full details, visit our Tour du Mont Blanc page. Meanwhile, here’s a brief overview:
- Day 1 — Arrive Les Houches (France), trip briefing and welcome dinner. Overnight Les Houches.
- Day 2 — Bellevue to Les Contamines, mountain pastures with views of the Bionnassay Valley and Mont Blanc. 6.8 miles, roughly 2,100 ft ascent and 4,183 ft descent. Overnight Les Contamines.
- Day 3 — Over Col du Bonhomme and Col de la Croix du Bonhomme, views of Aiguille des Glaciers. 9 miles, about 3,937 ft up and 2,953 ft down. Transfer to Bourg Saint Maurice. Overnight Bourg Saint Maurice.
- Day 4 — Cross Col de la Seigne from France into Italy, descend into Val Ferret, transfer to Courmayeur. 9.3 miles, 2,297 ft up and 3,281 ft down. Overnight Courmayeur.
- Day 5 — Climb to Grand Col Ferret and enter Switzerland, descend to La Fouly, transfer to Champex. 8.1 miles, 2,789 ft up and 3,281 ft down. Overnight Champex.
- Day 6 — Champex to Col de Bovine, forest and balcony views, descend to Trient or Col de la Forclaz. 8.4 miles, 2,625 ft up and 3,724 ft down. Overnight mountain lodge.
- Day 7 — Cross back to France via Col de la Balme, descend to Argentière. 7.9 miles, 3,281 ft up and 3,445 ft down. Overnight Argentière.
- Day 8 — Balcon des Aiguilles Rouges to Lac Blanc, descend by La Flégère cable car to Le Praz and transfer to Chamonix. 6 miles, 2,953 ft up and 3,609 ft down. Overnight Chamonix.
- Day 9 — Breakfast and departures.
How to Book and What’s Included
This is a lodge-based, guided 9-day, 8-night hiking itinerary, covering more than fifty miles. The trip includes expert guides, most meals (from dinner on Day 1 through breakfast on Day 9), ample trail lunches and snacks, daily luggage transport, in-country ground transportation during the hiking portion, and select cable car tickets.
As with any Four Season Guides itinerary, you’ll receive a detailed trip packet with training guidance, daily mileage and elevation gains, and packing lists. Items such as flights, airport transfers, personal drinks, travel insurance, and gratuities are not included, but we’re happy to provide guidance and suggestions!
To reserve your place, visit
fsguides.com or call
1-928-525-1552 for personal assistance.
FAQ
Is the TMB suitable for first-timers to European trekking?
Yes. If you are an active hiker who is willing to train in advance, you’ll fit right in. You’ll hike with just a light daypack with on-the-trail necessities, while your larger luggage is transferred on ahead.
How many miles do we hike each day and how long are we out?
Expect to hike up to nine miles and 6-8 hours daily, with meaningful climbs and descents. You’ll be rewarded with stunning views and local goodies, like artisan breads and cheeses, on arrival.
How strenuous is the terrain?
Trails are well-traveled and well-maintained, but can be rocky and steep. Some days gain or lose more than 3,000 to 4,000 feet, so proper preparation is important.
Do we carry full packs?
No. You carry a 10 to 20 pound daypack with water, layers, and part of the picnic lunch. One larger bag with extra clothes, toiletries, and more (up to 33 pounds) is moved for you each day.
What about altitude?
Typical route elevations range from roughly 3,300 to about 9,000 feet. While moderate by Alpine standards, these heights can feel demanding if you are new to altitude.
How big are the groups and how many guides?
This special, one-time-only departure will be confirmed with a minimum of four guests, and can accommodate up to 12 hikers. A second guide joins when the group reaches 7 hikers, to preserve service and safety.
What kinds of lodgings should I expect?
A mix of comfortable hotels and one rustic mountain lodge night. Important things to know about European hiking lodging: Twin beds are typical, some properties have shared bathrooms, and occasional multi-share rooms are possible.
What can I expect in terms of weather?
Mountain weather is variable, and the European Alps are no different. Your guides will brief you daily and adjust as needed. Come prepared for sun, wind, rain, and cool evenings.
Why choose the TMB over other classic, world-famous treks?
On FSG’s Tour du Mont Blanc expedition, in just one week you’ll experience three countries on foot. You’ll cross historic passes, and sample French, Italian, and Swiss culture via your own two boots – an unmatched blend of scenery and sense of place.
A Final Word from the Four Season Guides Team
If you’ve hiked with us before, you know that Four Season Guides trips aren’t just about mileage or gear lists.
Our trips are about discovery – not just discovering landscapes, but discovering yourself. The Tour du Mont Blanc is different terrain from what we started walking on, sure, but it offers the same sense of movement, history, and human connection that’s always been at the heart of what we do.
We’re not leaving the Southwest, we’re just stretching our legs a little farther. And we’re excited at the opportunity to bring you with us.
Four Season Guides, 506 N Grant St suite o, Flagstaff, AZ 86004, United States
+19285251552
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