During my recent three-day hike in the Chamonix valley along the Tour de Mont Blanc trail, I kept a video diary to capture my experiences. This video is a bit longer than usual, but I hope you’ll find it engaging enough to watch until the end.

On the first day, we had a tough uphill walk from Les Houches to Refuge de Bellachat. The accommodation was basic, but the view of Mont Blanc was breathtaking. Before dinner, I climbed up behind the refuge to see Lac Brévent, which looked stunning in the evening sun.

On the second day, we mistakenly climbed to the peak at Brévent twice due to a misreading of our guidebook. After that, we opted for an easier route down the stony piste trail to Plan Praz, avoiding the more challenging path with metal steps and handrails. We took a break at the sunny café terrace at the cable car station, watching paragliders take off, before continuing our walk to Flégère. Refuge la Flégère felt luxurious compared to Refuge de Bellachat, especially with its indoor bathroom and hot showers.

On the third day, we stayed at high altitude to reach Lac Blanc, where we enjoyed the view of a beautiful milky green glacial lake. Later, we descended to Chamonix and took a bus back to our hotel in Les Houches. After three exhilarating days on the trail, a long hot bath and a comfy bed at Hotel Slalom were much appreciated.

Although we didn’t complete the full 12-day Tour de Mont Blanc, we felt that our three-day hike was perfect for us. We look forward to returning to continue our journey on the TMB circuit.

In the Chamonix valley, we stayed at the modern and stylish Hotel Slalom in Les Houches, which is ideally located for summer walking. Double rooms in the summer season range from €86-99, with breakfast available for an additional €10.

We used the Cicerone Tour of Mont Blanc guide by Kev Reynolds, which we found to be an excellent resource for both the clockwise and anti-clockwise routes, providing detailed route guides, maps, accommodation information, and points of interest.

Bookings for Refuge de Bellachat can be made by telephone at 04 50 53 43 23, costing €40 for dinner, bed, and breakfast. Refuge la Flégère costs €47 per person for dinner, bed, and breakfast, and bookings can be made by email at bellay.catherine@wanadoo.fr or by telephone at 04 50 55 85 88. It’s advisable to book your place in all refuges a day or two in advance to avoid disappointment.

We booked our transfer from Geneva airport to Les Houches through Chamexpress, which provided an efficient service for €25 plus tax per person each way.

For more information and resources to help plan your Tour de Mont Blanc walk, including a packing list and links to other online diaries, visit the walkingthetmb website.