Introduction: Shortcut the TMB
There could be many reasons why you would want to cut or shortcut the TMB (Tour du Mont Blanc).
The trek has 11 stages and it would take 11 days to do them, but you may not have the time for it. So, you could double up if you are a hardcore hiker or could simply shortcut the trail and cut some stage and portion.
Another reason could be the weather. We have been on the TMB during beautiful sunny weather as well as rainy day. And when you are looking at 3 days without break from the rain, it could be a great decision avoid some stage. As with rain comes fog and you basically cannot see a thing anymore.
Table of Contents
Be Aware
Depending on when you are hiking the TMB, you will have more or less options to shortcut the TMB. During the high season, normally all of them are available. But low season could be trickier. You will need to check before you go on the latest timeline for all alternatives.
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Get our complete map of the TMB for yourself to use online, offline with all trails, routes, water points, camping spots, refuges and so on….
Shortcut the TMB
Stage 1: From les Houches
If you want to avoid the first uphill of the TMB from les Houches, you could take the cable car
Bellevue to Coupe du Monde and then switch for the Cable car Maison Neuve. This will cut the forest part of the trail and will bring you almost at the Col de Voza.
Stage 1 or 2: From Les Contamines
There is a free shuttle bus running in the Contamines. If you want to save some energy you could ride it at the end of the Stage 1 to reach Les Contamines. If you stay in town, you could also take it to get a head start on the Stage 2.
Stage 3: From Les Chapieux
You can ride on the Les Chapieux Shuttle between Les Chapieux and Ville des Glacier or Parking des Mottets. This will allow you to cut a part of the Stage 3 and could either make an easy day or combine the Stage 3 and 4 to save 1 day.
Stage 4: From Cabane du Combal
One hour after Rifugio Elisabetta, you will find the Cabane du Combal. If you stop following the TMB route and head on the “Via Val Veny” you will find the bus stop La Visaille. From there you can ride until Courmayeur or a camping area.
Stage 4: Cablecar to Courmayeur
Once you are at the end of the Stage 4, you can avoid an unpleasant downhill (from Plan Chécrouit) by taking the cablecar down to Dolonne or Courmayeur. The TMB trail goes first through Dolonne and then Courmayeur. Also, we personally stayed in Dolonne.
Stage 5: Head Start
If you wish to cut a bit of the stage 5 to combine it with the stage 6 and avoid staying Rifugio Bonati or because you were camping in Val Ferret valley, you could use the bus until the stop “Rif. bertone bivio” and then follow the trail to reach the main TMB route.
Stage 5: Cutting it and Stage 6 head start
If you desire, you could completely skip the Stage 5 even though it is one our favorite. To do so, you can take the bus that runs from Courmayeur main station to Val Ferret valley and get out at the terminus (Arp Nouvaz). This will make you skip the complete stage 5 and have a head start for the stage 6.
Stage 5: Cutting it.
You could take the same bus and stop at “Freboudze bivio” and then take the trail up to Rifugio Bonatti. This will cut the stage 5 but then you would start the complete stage 6.
Stage 6: From Ferret
Now you are in Switzerland toward La Fouly. If you want to skip the end of the Stage 6, you can ride on the bus from Ferret to La Fouly VS. It is a 10min ride.
Stage 7: Skipping it
You can skip the complete stage 7 and that would not be so bad. Personally, we didn’t enjoyed it much. To do so, you can take the bus 272 from la Fouly to Som La praz of Orsières and then take the bus 271 to Champex-lac. It takes around 2h.
Stage 8; Skipping it
If you want to skip the stage 8 of the TMB, it is also possible, but it will take a bit more time. The ride is from 2h to almost 5h depending on the connection. First take the bus 271 from Champex to Orsières, then the train to Sembrancher and Martigny. From Martigny take the bus 213 to Trient village.
Stage 9: shortcut
Once at Col de Balme, you could take on the official variant of the TMB and once at the village of Le Tour take the line 2 bus to Chamonix.
Stage 10: Avoiding it
You can also skip the stage 10 if you want. From Tre-le-Champs, go down to Argentières and from there take the Mont Blanc Express Train to Les Praz de Chamonix. From there you can take on the Flègère cable car to reach the next stage.
Stage 11: Avoiding the last summit
If you want to skip the last summit of the BMT (Brévent), you can take on the cable car Brévent and then Chamonix PlanPraz to reach the city of Chamonix and even walk the trail down to reach Chamonix.
Get our full map
Get our complete map of the TMB for yourself to use online, offline with all trails, routes, water points, camping spots, refuges and so on….
Walking: the most ancient exercise and still the best modern exercise.” – Carrie Latet
