If you’ve spent any time researching the Tour du Mont Blanc, you’ve probably seen the same advice repeated over and over again: plan early and book your accommodation as far in advance as possible.

And while that’s certainly the easiest way to organize a TMB trek, it’s far from the only option.

Every year, plenty of hikers successfully plan the Tour du Mont Blanc with only a few weeks, or even days, of notice. The key is understanding where to stay flexible, how to adjust your itinerary around availability, and which accommodation strategies actually work late in the season.

We’ve helped dozens of hikers put together successful last-minute TMB itineraries, and in this guide we’ll walk through the exact strategies that consistently work.

Tour du Mont Blanc Last Minute Itinerary

The itinerary below outlines one of the most reliable ways to complete the Tour du Mont Blanc with limited advance planning. While it generally follows the traditional 11-stage structure, it incorporates a few transportation shortcuts and alternate accommodation areas that tend to have better last-minute availability.

Because this itinerary relies on public transportation connections, it’s best suited for the peak hiking season (July and August) when buses and lifts are operating regularly.

The key to successfully planning a last-minute TMB is flexibility. Rather than trying to force the traditional stage endpoints, you’ll often have much better luck by adjusting your itinerary around where accommodation is actually available.

In many cases, this simply means staying slightly off the main route, using local buses strategically, or combining shorter and longer stages differently than a traditional TMB itinerary.

Here is an overview of the itinerary:

Les Houches to Les Contamines

This is one of the easier stages to organize last minute, as Les Contamines is a relatively large village with significantly more accommodation than many other TMB stage endpoints. While hotels here do fill up during peak season, it’s still common to find last-minute availability, especially if you stay flexible with room type and location.

Start by checking current accommodation availability in Les Contamines using the live booking map below.

If accommodation in Les Contamines is fully booked, the easiest backup strategy is usually to stay in nearby Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, which is well connected to Les Contamines by the Y84 bus route. This bus is easy to catch, but just be sure you have cash as they don’t accept credit cards for fare payments.

Recommended Saint-Gervais-les-Bains Backup Hotels for Stage 1

If you need to book a hotel in Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, here are your best bets:

Hôtel-Bar-Restaurant Les Dômes de Miage

Only ~8 minutes from Les Contamines by bus and one of the most convenient fallback options for TMB hikers.

Hotel Val Joly

Another easy option located just slightly farther along the bus route.

Les Contamines to Les Chapieux

Les Chapieux is one of the biggest accommodation bottlenecks on the entire Tour du Mont Blanc, even for hikers booking many months in advance. With only a handful of accommodation options in the valley, finding last-minute availability here can be difficult.

The only accommodation options in Les Chapieux are:

• Auberge de la Nova
• Les Chambres du Soleil
• Refuge des Mottets (past Les Chapieux at the head of the Ville des Glaciers)

Fortunately, there’s a very common and straightforward backup strategy: staying in nearby Bourg-Saint-Maurice.

Using Bourg-Saint-Maurice as a Backup Base

Many last-minute hikers choose to take the evening bus or a taxi from Les Chapieux down to Bourg-Saint-Maurice, where there are significantly more hotel and accommodation options available.

The bus connects directly with the train station (“gare”) in Bourg-Saint-Maurice, so it’s generally most convenient to stay near the station if using public transportation.

Some of the best last-minute hotel options here include:

Hotel Arolla

A simple and convenient option within walking distance of the train station.

Base Camp Lodge

A popular choice for hikers with a good location and more flexible room availability.

If neither of those options have good availability for your dates, use the booking map below to see what else might be available in Bourg-Saint-Maurice.

Transportation Notes

In terms of getting between Les Chapieux and Bourg-Saint-Maurice most TMB hikers will opt to take the public bus. During peak season the bus runs three times in the afternoon/evening and takes about 30 minutes.

In the morning, there is typically an early bus (6:45am) as well as a later bus (8:20am) from Bourg-Saint-Maurice to Les Chapieux. Find more information on the bus including a current timetable here.

You can, and should, purchase your tickets immediately upon arriving in Les Chapieux from the automated ticket machine opposite the tourist information building.

Alternatively, taxis between the two are easy to arrange and usually cost around €60–70 each way.

Les Chapieux to Val Veny/Courmayeur

The traditional third stage of the Tour du Mont Blanc typically has hikers staying at either Rifugio Elisabetta or Cabane du Combal, two accommodation options that tend to book out very early in the season.

Unfortunately, accommodation challenges don’t stop there. The following stages beyond Courmayeur also have relatively limited refuge capacity, making this entire section of the TMB one of the trickiest areas for last-minute hikers.

Fortunately, there’s a strategy that works very well: using Courmayeur as a flexible base for multiple nights while adjusting around accommodation availability farther along the trail.

Using Courmayeur as a Flexible Base

Many last-minute hikers simplify this section of the TMB by staying in Courmayeur for two or even three nights while using the local bus network to access different sections of the trail.

This approach allows you to:

• Avoid some of the hardest-to-book refuges on the TMB
• Reduce the stress of changing accommodation every night
• Take advantage of the excellent public transportation network in the Courmayeur area
• Keep your itinerary flexible as availability changes

A common approach looks something like this:

Night	Hiking Route	Overnight Location
Night 1	Les Chapieux → La Visaille bus stop	Courmayeur
Night 2	La Visaille bus stop → Courmayeur	Courmayeur
Night 3	Courmayeur → Arp Nouvaz bus stop	Courmayeur
Night 4	Arp Nouvaz bus stop → La Fouly	La Fouly

Let’s break down the first two nights in the itinerary above, getting you from Les Chapieux to Courmayeur.

Recommended Option: Two days from Les Chapieux to Courmayeur

This is the most common, and generally the most manageable, approach for last-minute TMB hikers, as it splits the route between Les Chapieux and Courmayeur into two reasonable hiking days while avoiding the difficult-to-book refuges in this section.

Day 1: Les Chapieux to Courmayeur via Val Veny
From Les Chapieux, hike along the traditional TMB route over the Col de la Seigne and into Italy. After passing Rifugio Elisabetta, continue along the wide trail to the end of Lac Combal.

Here, leave the main TMB route and follow the well-signed road descending into Val Veny toward La Visaille. After a few kilometers, you’ll reach the La Visaille bus stop, where you can catch the local bus into Courmayeur for the night.

Day 2: Return to La Visaille and Continue to Courmayeur
The next morning, simply take the bus back to La Visaille and retrace your steps to the Lac Combal junction. From there, rejoin the main TMB route and continue onwards into Courmayeur, where you’ll spend a second night.

One of the major benefits of this approach is that you only need to unpack once while still completing the full TMB route.

Once in Courmayeur, accommodation generally becomes much easier to find. If hotels in town are fully booked, look to the villages in Val Veny and Val Ferret, both of which are well connected by public transportation and often have additional availability.

Alternative Option: Les Chapieux to Courmayeur in a Single Stage

For hikers comfortable with a longer day, it’s also possible to combine the traditional stages between Les Chapieux and Courmayeur into a single hike.

While the full route is roughly 30 km, public transportation and cable car shortcuts at both ends of the stage can make the day significantly more manageable.

To shorten the stage, we recommend:

• Taking the morning navette from Les Chapieux to Ville des Glaciers
• Using the Maison Vieille (closed for 2026) and Dolonne cable cars to descend into Courmayeur

Using both of these options reduces the hiking distance considerably while still allowing you to complete the full crossing into Italy.

Recommended Courmayeur Accommodation

Start by checking current accommodation availability in Courmayeur using the booking map below.

Here are a few of our top recommendations should they have availability:

Hotel Croux

Very centrally located and tends to have good availability late in the season.

Hotel Cresta Et Duc

Another great option in Courmayeur with good availability that welcomes lots of TMB hikers.

Courmayeur to Val Ferret/Rifugio Bonatti

The next section of trail brings hikers into and above the Italian Val Ferret. The crown jewel of accommodation here is Rifugio Bonatti, which enjoys a spectacular position high above the valley floor with incredible views of the Grandes Jorasses.

Unfortunately, Rifugio Bonatti is also one of the most difficult refuges to book on the entire Tour du Mont Blanc. The same is generally true for the other accommodation options in the area, including Chalet Val Ferret. Rifugio Bertone and Rifugio Elena often times have some availability, but they can create awkwards very short or very long days in your itinerary.

Fortunately, the valley is extremely well connected to Courmayeur via the local bus network, making it possible to continue using Courmayeur as a flexible base.

Recommended Strategy

We recommend hiking from Courmayeur along the traditional TMB route toward Rifugio Bonatti and Val Ferret before returning to Courmayeur by bus for the night.

Most hikers will either:

• Descend from Rifugio Bonatti via the steep connector trail to the Bivio Bonatti bus stop
• Continue further along the TMB to Chalet Val Ferret and catch the bus from the Arp Nouvaz bus stop at the head of the valley

The next morning, simply return by bus to continue your hike where you left off.

Val Ferret/Rifugio Bonatti to La Fouly

This section of the trail tends to ease up on the accommodation challenges a bit, as it’s generally much easier to find a bed in La Fouly compared to the previous few stages of the TMB.

Even if accommodation in La Fouly is fully booked, the public bus running through the valley makes it relatively straightforward to expand your options farther down valley toward Orsières.

For last-minute hikers, we recommend checking the following accommodation first:

• Hotel du Col de Fenêtre: This hotel is in the small village of Ferret, which is about 25 minutes before La Fouly. You won’t find many services in Ferret, but this is a nice hotel in a beautiful setting.
• Gîte La Léchère: Just off the main TMB between Ferret and La Fouly, this is a lovely gite that tends to have availability late into the season.

If accommodation in both Ferret and La Fouly is unavailable, continue expanding your search farther down valley. Frequent buses connect La Fouly with Orsières, where you’ll find additional hotels and accommodation options.

Here are a few well connected options should you need them:

Croquenature

This is a small B&B located only 15 minutes from La Fouly via the bus.

Hotel Terminus

This lovely hotel is located opposite the train station in Orsieres and is about a 30 minute bus ride from La Fouly

La Fouly to Champex

Another stage that tends to have good accommodation availability late in the year is the route between La Fouy and Champex. A lovely little resort town, Champex has plenty of accommodation and you aren’t likely to have issues finding a bed.

Use the map below to find availability in Champex for your dates:

Should most of the hotels in town be full, we recommend looking at the following options:

• Chalet La Grange
• Gite Bon Abri
• Relais d’Arpette

All three of these options are slightly out of town, with the first two on the main trail between Champex and Col de la Forclaz, and Relais d’Arpette firmly on the Fenetre d’Arpette route for the next stage. However, don’t fret, as it is easy to take either route the following stage from any of these options.

In the rare case that you can’t find a bed in Champex, take the bus down the mountain into Orsières where you’ll find additional accommodation.

Champex to Trient/Col de la Forclaz

Trient and Col de la Forclaz are another common accommodation bottleneck on the Tour du Mont Blanc, especially for last-minute hikers. Nearly all TMB hikers pass through this section, creating high demand for a relatively limited number of beds.

Fortunately, there are several workable backup strategies if accommodation in Trient is unavailable.

Option 1: Stay at Les Touristes in Le Châtelard

The easiest backup strategy is booking a bed at Hotel Les Touristes in Le Châtelard. The hotel is located roughly 20 minutes from Trient and, in our experience, offers one of the most convenient fallback options for TMB hikers.

While you can take the public bus between Trient and Le Châtelard, the hotel also offers transfers for a similar price, which can make logistics significantly easier.

Option 2: Stay in Martigny

The city of Martigny has abundant accommodation and is located roughly 30–45 minutes from Col de la Forclaz by bus.

However, the bus schedule isn’t always ideal for TMB hikers, especially later in the afternoon. Many hotels can help arrange a taxi or private transfer if needed, although this will obviously increase costs.

The closest hotel in Martigny, which is also right by a bus stop, is Hotel Restaurant La Porte d’Octodure

Option 3: Continue Further Along the Trail

Especially strong hikers can consider continuing beyond Trient to the top of the Col de Balme, where Refuge Col de Balme is located.

Because of its position between traditional TMB stage endpoints, Refuge Col de Balme sometimes has better last-minute availability than accommodation lower in the valley.

You can also continue a bit farther, or use the Autannes chairlift, and stay at Gîte d’Alpage Les Ecuries de la Charamillon, which sits midway down the Le Tour variant route.

Trient/Col de la Forclaz to Tre-le-Champ (and on to Argentiere)

After crossing the Col de Balme and re-entering France, most hikers complete the final section of the Tour du Mont Blanc over three stages. The traditional overnight stops are Tre-le-Champ and one of the high mountain refuges above the Chamonix valley—either Refuge La Flégère or Refuge Lac Blanc.

Unfortunately for last-minute hikers, accommodation at all three locations is often fully booked well in advance.

Fortunately, this section becomes much easier once you’re willing to detour slightly off the main TMB route.

For the first of these stages, we recommend continuing beyond Tré-le-Champ down into the village of Argentière, where you’ll find significantly more accommodation options. The descent from Tré-le-Champ takes roughly 45 minutes and is straightforward to follow.

In Argentière, check for accommodation with availability for your dates on the map below.

Tré-le-Champ / Argentière to La Flégère / Planpraz (and on to Chamonix)

Many hikers spend their final night on the Tour du Mont Blanc at either Refuge La Flégère or Refuge Lac Blanc, both of which enjoy spectacular views of Mont Blanc and the surrounding peaks.

Unfortunately for last-minute hikers, both refuges are typically fully booked well in advance.

Fortunately, this section is easy to adapt by descending into the Chamonix valley at the end of the day using either the La Flégère or Planpraz cable cars before returning to the trail the following morning.

In general, we tend to recommend descending via the Planpraz cable car, as its base is more centrally located in Chamonix and provides easier access to hotels and other accommodation.

However, La Flégère is also a great option and can make for a slightly shorter and easier hiking day if your legs are starting to feel the accumulated mileage of the TMB.

Recommended Accommodation Near La Flégère

• Hotel Eden
• Hôtel Les Lanchers
• Hôtel Le Labrador

Recommended Accommodation Near Planpraz

• La Folie Douce Hotels Chamonix
• Hôtel de L’Arve

After spending the night in the Chamonix valley, simply ride the cable car back up in the morning and continue your final day on the TMB back to Les Houches.

Summary & What’s Next?

While booking the Tour du Mont Blanc at the last minute certainly requires more flexibility than planning a year in advance, it’s absolutely possible to put together a fantastic itinerary—even during the busy summer season.

The key is staying flexible with your overnight stops, using public transportation strategically, and focusing on accommodation hubs rather than strictly following the traditional refuge-to-refuge stages.

If you’re actively planning your trek, we recommend starting by checking accommodation availability for your dates and mapping out a few flexible backup options before booking transportation.

And if you’d like additional help organizing your route, comparing accommodation options, and adjusting your itinerary around real-time availability, check out the TMB Trek Planner below.