Tour du Mont Blanc Starting Point: How to Get to the Trail

Most hikers begin the Tour du Mont Blanc in Les Houches, a village in the Chamonix Valley in France. Many spend the night before the trek in Chamonix, then travel to Les Houches for their first walking stage. Geneva Airport is a convenient place to fly into for either town.

The trail makes a circuit through France, Italy and Switzerland, so you can also join it elsewhere. Courmayeur is the main Italian starting point. Before you choose an airport, look at the first night and first walking day of your particular itinerary: a trip that begins in Chamonix may still have its first steps on the trail in Les Houches.

Where does the Tour du Mont Blanc start?

Les Houches is the traditional starting point for a full counterclockwise circuit. The usual first section heads toward Les Contamines, and a complete loop eventually brings walkers back to the Chamonix Valley. There is no required starting point. Where you begin depends on the direction you walk, the accommodation you have booked and whether you are doing the whole circuit or a shorter section.

Our Tour du Mont Blanc map shows how Les Houches, Courmayeur and the other towns fit around the loop. If you are deciding how many days to allow, see how long the Tour du Mont Blanc takes. Book your arrival travel for the first town on your own route.

Les Houches or Chamonix: where should you stay before the walk?

Les Houches puts you close to the traditional start

If you have arranged your own accommodation and intend to set off from Les Houches, staying in the village can make the first morning straightforward. You can walk toward the trail or use the Bellevue cable car if it suits your route. The lift rises from Les Houches to the Bellevue plateau, where several TMB itineraries begin their first walking stage. Taking it changes how much of the ascent you cover on foot, so check the planned stage before buying a ticket.

Check the Bellevue cable car operating information for your dates. If the lift is closed, you will need to climb from Les Houches or use another transfer provided in your itinerary.

Chamonix is a common arrival base

Chamonix has a wider choice of accommodation and connections, and it is an easy base for the night before a Les Houches departure. For example, our self-guided complete Tour du Mont Blanc trek begins with a night in Chamonix. The following morning, the itinerary goes to Les Houches before the first walking stage. Booking a room in Chamonix does not mean the walking route starts at your hotel door.

If you arrive early and want a day in the valley before hiking, our Chamonix trip guide has ideas for your stay. Choose accommodation near the meeting point or the bus you will take in the morning. If a trip says it starts in Chamonix, check its first walking day: the trail may begin in Les Houches after a transfer.

Which airport should you use for the Tour du Mont Blanc?

Geneva for Chamonix and Les Houches

Geneva Airport (GVA), in Switzerland, is the usual major airport for a start in the Chamonix Valley. From the airport you can travel toward Chamonix by coach or arranged transfer, or take a rail journey through the Geneva area and Saint-Gervais-les-Bains–Le Fayet before joining the Mont-Blanc Express. If you are staying in Les Houches, check whether your chosen service stops there; many airport transfers are sold with Chamonix as the destination.

Check the coach and train options into Chamonix for your travel date, especially if your flight lands in the evening. Plan a night before your first walking stage rather than counting on a late flight and transfer to leave enough daylight for hiking.

Lyon if the flight works better

Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport (LYS) is another route into the French side, but it is farther from Chamonix. Compare the full journey to your first accommodation, including coach or train changes, before choosing it over Geneva. A cheaper flight may leave you with a longer transfer on arrival.

Turin or Milan for an Italian start

If your first night is in Courmayeur, airports in northern Italy may be more practical. Turin Airport (TRN) is one option; Milan Malpensa (MXP) and Milan Linate (LIN) are others. You will need an onward connection into the Aosta Valley. Geneva can also work, but the journey to Courmayeur crosses the Mont Blanc Tunnel.

How do you get from Chamonix to the Les Houches trailhead?

The valley has both buses and the Mont-Blanc Express train. Chamonix Mobilité line 1 runs between Chamonix and Les Houches, and the Mont-Blanc Express also stops in Les Houches. Check which stop is closest to your accommodation and the beginning of your planned stage. The train station, village centre and Bellevue lift are different places.

Some itineraries take the Bellevue cable car and start walking from the top, while others climb from the valley. Check whether your tour includes a transfer or lift ticket. If you are walking independently, choose your first stage before heading to Les Houches, particularly if you will be carrying all your luggage.

You do not need a rental car for the journey from Chamonix to Les Houches. Take the bus or train that serves your chosen starting place, and allow time to get from the stop to the trail.

What if you want to start in Courmayeur?

Our self-guided Tour du Mont Blanc from Courmayeur to Chamonix is a partial route from Italy through Switzerland to France. You can fly into one airport and return from another.

Courmayeur has bus links with Aosta and other northern Italian cities. There is also a Courmayeur–Chamonix bus service through the Mont Blanc Tunnel. Traffic at the tunnel can delay a connection to onward Aosta or Milan buses, so leave enough time between services. Check the current schedule for the direction and date you need.

Driving to the start and getting home afterward

If you are driving to a full circuit from the French side, the Prarion car park in Les Houches allows TMB hikers to park for up to 15 days. Check the current parking terms and how you will get from the car park to your first walking stage.

A full circuit may return you to the valley, but your last night and your departure point can still differ. A partial trek may finish in another country. Work backward from the final walking stage when booking your return flight: allow time to get off the trail, reach your overnight town and make the airport transfer. For where to stay along the loop, read our Tour du Mont Blanc accommodation guide.

A few checks before booking flights and transfers

• First night: Is your accommodation in Chamonix, Les Houches, Courmayeur or somewhere else? Use that town as the destination for your airport transfer.
• First walking stage: Does it begin on foot from the valley, after a local bus ride, or above Les Houches after the Bellevue lift? Your itinerary determines what you need to book.
• Last walking stage: Does your trip finish where it began? A shorter TMB holiday can end on the other side of the massif.
• Operating dates: Check the bus, train and lift schedules for your travel days. If your dates are flexible, our guide to the best time to hike the Tour du Mont Blanc can help you choose a walking season.

Match your flight and transfer to your first night, then check how you reach the first walking stage. You can compare arrival and departure details across our guided and self-guided Tour du Mont Blanc tours.

Frequently asked questions

Can I travel directly from Geneva Airport to Les Houches?

Some airport transfers may stop in Les Houches, while others end in Chamonix. Check the drop-off point before booking. From Chamonix, you can take a local bus or the Mont-Blanc Express train toward Les Houches.

Can I reach the start without a car?

Yes. Coaches and trains reach the Chamonix Valley, and local buses and trains connect Chamonix with Les Houches. Check the final stop you need for your accommodation or first walking stage.

Can I start in Courmayeur and fly home from Geneva?

Yes, if your route finishes in or near Chamonix and you allow enough time to travel from the final stage to Geneva. Check the finish point on your particular itinerary before booking flights.