Tour du Mont Blanc planning

A friend of mine recently tried to get refuge reservations for the TMB and most were already full.

TMB is very popular, but suffers from the ghost syndrome. People book (without paying in advance), and don’t turn up. Happens everywhere around the world.

Hotels are a bit difficult, because they are in the low lands and have to conform to some rules. I remember having problems in Germany during a Bank Holiday (or whatever), and several hotels were indeed full of local tourists. So we kept walking until we were a bit out of the peak tourist area. (Yeah, a bit tiring.) Found a little hotel in a village, which was, to some extent, full, but the lady at the desk did say they would have found us something. They would not turn us away. She found us a room. Nice lady, nice dinner.

Similar problem at the end of the GR10: the hotel was ‘full’, but the manager offered us a garret, which really was very cute. Superb food there.

Real Refuges, up in the mountains, are run a bit differently. They can not just turn people away – not up in the mountains. People in general do not have tents. So, every one gets in, and everyone gets fed. The very late arrivals get a mattress on the floor of the dining room after dinner. The Refuges have lots of spare mattresses :)

Yes, we usually did phone ahead in Europe, by one day. It usually worked. One time we were given a spot in the overflow tent outside because the Refuge was ‘full’. About 5 pm the Refuge Guardian came and called us inside, to take some beds which someone had booked in advance but they had not turned up. But what if they turn up later, I asked. Tough: check-in time was 4 pm. They can have our spots in the overflow tent – IF they turn up.

Cheers, and Enjoy.

We did the western section of the Tour in early August 2024 as part of a longer walk on the GR 5.. It is certainly a beautiful walk, but be aware that it is also incredibly crowded. There are numerous people doing the tour both as individuals and in guided groups. Plus there are very large numbers of people coming up on the numerous cable trams for day hikes. We have in our more than 50 years of mountain hiking never seen as many people on a mountain trail as we did on that piece of the Tour.

James (and Amy)