7th stage of the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB)

fr de

7th stage of the TMB: from Forclaz pass to Montroc

Technical sheet

n°4098485
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
–
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 14.13 km
  • ◔
    Calculated time: 7h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: No
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 1,076 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 1,244 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,204 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,301 m
Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Description of the walk

Start: Col de la Forclaz

(S) From the Col de la Forclaz, follow the path in the opposite direction to the one you took the day before. Take a narrow path that descends to the right towards Trient. Cross the Nationale and continue along the path.

(1) Once in Trient, cross the Nationale again and take a small parallel road towards the Trient glacier. Cross the Nant Noir and take the path to the Col de Balme.

(2) The path twists and turns, and as you emerge from the forest, you can see the Col de Balme. The path overlooks the Nant Noir and leads to Les Herbagères. After the last few hairpin bends, you reach the Franco-Swiss border and the Col de Balme and its refuge.
Beautiful view of the Mont-Blanc chain and the Chamonix valley.

(3) Take the path behind the refuge to the right towards the Col de Balme.

(4) Pass this pass and arrive at the source of the Arve.

(5) Continue down to the Col des Posettes and the Chalets de Balme, clearly visible from the Col de Balme.

(6) Once at the Col des Posettes, take the path overlooking the Chalets de Balme, which departs to the left of the official TMB. Stay on this balcony path, which twists and turns downhill. You'll come across a number of footpaths: keep heading approximately south-west (towards Tré-le-Champ).

(7) You find the TMB again. Turn left. The path descends. At La Chaleigne, continue on the TMB (do not take the left-hand path). After a few hairpin bends, leave the TMB.

(8) Take the left-hand path towards Montroc (altitude approx. 1500m). You'll come to a fenced-in building (water catchment?).
A little further down, fork right. You then reach the first chalets (Tré le Champ le Haut), turn left, then left again onto via des Cutes. Just after passing over the railroad, turn right: you'll arrive at the Montroc station, with the bus stop just around the bend, direction Chamonix (E).

End of the TMB, with a few regrets due to lack of time: not having done the Val Ferret via the crests and the French part via the Brévent.

Waypoints

  1. S : km 0 - alt. 1,531 m - Col de la Forclaz (Valais)
  2. 1 : km 1.32 - alt. 1,321 m - Nationale à Trient - Refuge de la Boerne
  3. 2 : km 3.49 - alt. 1,462 m - Bends before Col de la Balme (pass)
  4. 3 : km 7.08 - alt. 2,195 m - Col de Balme
  5. 4 : km 9.39 - alt. 1,997 m - Col des Posettes (1997m)
  6. 5 : km 12.34 - alt. 1,760 m
  7. 6 : km 13.16 - alt. 1,549 m
  8. E : km 14.13 - alt. 1,365 m

Practical information

Start: Col de la Forclaz

Transport: Bus or train from Montroc to Chamonix.

Other walks in the area

Walking Along the Bisse du Trient

Walker
Along the Bisse du Trient
↔6.42 km ↗+358 m ↘-363 m ◔2h 50 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Valais
Starting from Col de la Forclaz (1527m), a short and easy out-and-back walk along the Bisse du Trient (irrigation channel) to the Chalet du Glacier (1583m), which offers a fine view of the Glacier du Trient and the Petite Pointe d'Orny (3187m). ⚠️ Part of the trail has been damaged by a landslide. Bypassing is possible, but the walk is not accessible for baby carriages and wheelchairs (see practical info).

Walking Trient to Tré-le-Champ - Tour Monte Blanc

Association or club
↔13.75 km ↗+1,146 m ↘-1,034 m ◔7h 10 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Valais
This 9th stage of the Tour Mont Blanc (TMB) offers three options, the North-West one that climbs up almost to the summit of Carraye (t 2,132m) and drops down to Valorcine, the South-West past Col de Balme (at 2,191m) then drops to Le Tour or the middle option that goes over Col de Balme and Aiguilette des Posettes (at 2,210m) to drop down to Tré-le-Champ. Here's the description of the classic middle option. Let's do it!The TMB is a classic long-distance footpath that goes around Mont Blanc, passing from France into Italy and through Switzerland before returning to France.

Walking Col de Balme - Source de l'Arve - Col des Posettes from Le Tour

Walker
↔4.64 km ↗+25 m ↘-367 m ◔1h 25 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (Haute-Savoie)
A short summer hike with exceptional panoramic views over the Chamonix valley and its massifs. There are several ways to approach it from Le Tour: the one shown is from the East, using the Charamillon cable car and the Autannes chairlift. The return journey is via the Charamillon cable car.

Walking Refuge Albert 1er - Glacier du Tour

Walker
↔8.29 km ↗+591 m ↘-929 m ◔4h 05 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (Haute-Savoie)
Located above the Tour glacier, on its right bank, it is the only refuge managed by the Chamonix CAF that can be reached without crossing a glacier in summer. Its location is ideal, with views over a wide range of peaks: Aiguille du Tour, Chardonnet, Aiguille d'Argentière, la Verte and les Drus, les Aiguilles Rouges. It was named after Albert 1st, King of the Belgians. Considered the only high-mountain refuge accessible to families.

Walking Les Sources de l'Arve

Walker
↔10.86 km ↗+797 m ↘-788 m ◔5h 25 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (Haute-Savoie)
With a group of senior hikers from the Arve Valley, we set off down the Arve River from its source at La Jonction, Geneva, to its confluence with the Rhône.A short one-day circuit, ascending via the balconies and descending as close as possible to the river, the SM3A path.

Walking Péclerey mountain from the Tour village

Walker
↔7.38 km ↗+562 m ↘-562 m ◔3h 45 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (Haute-Savoie)
This modest hike takes us to the Péclerey mountain overlooking the village of Le Tour, at the northern end of the Chamonix valley. This small, unassuming mountain offers superb views of the surrounding peaks (Aiguilles Rouges, Mont-Blanc), the Chamonix valley and the Tour glacier.

Walking Champex-Lac to Trient -Tour Mont Blanc

Association or club
↔14.43 km ↗+900 m ↘-1,055 m ◔6h 40 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Orsières (Valais)
This 8th stage of the Tour Mont Blanc (TMB) offers two options, the tough one via Fenetre D'Arpette and the somewhat easier option over Porte à l'Ô. Here's the second version, past Plan de L' au, over Alpage de Bovine and Porte à l'Ô, past the Col de la Forclaz to drop down to Trient. Let's do it!The TMB is a classic long-distance footpath that goes around Mont Blanc, passing from France into Italy and through Switzerland before returning to France.

Walking Champex to Cabane d'Orny and return via La Breya summit and ski lift.

Walker
Champex to Cabane d'Orny and return via La Breya summit and ski lift.
↔12.64 km ↗+1,692 m ↘-1,001 m ◔8h 25 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Orsières (Valais)
A circular walk from Champex Lac; ascending the tranquil and beautiful Combe d'Orny and joining the path to the Cabane d'Orny where there are refreshments available. The descent is via the path back to the La Breya ski lift taking in an optional ascent of La Breya. (It is also possible to descend by foot via the Val d' Arpette or from the ski lift, similarly the walk can be shortened and height gain reduced by taking the ski lift up.)

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of the author.