Introduction

Welcome back to our Tour du Mont Blanc series! In this collection of posts, we’re guiding you through one of the world’s most iconic long-distance hikes. Along the way, we’ll share stunning landscapes, rewarding challenges, and the unmatched beauty of the Alps.

In this post, we’ll take on the TMB Stage 9, hiking the official route from Trient to Tré-le-Champ. This stage crosses the border into France at Col de Balme, marking the end of our least favorite section of the trail and the start of a more scenic path over the next few stages.

We hiked this section in mid-July, and the weather was perfect, with clear skies and ideal temperatures.

TMB Stage 9 Hiking Tips and At a Glance

The TMB Stage 9 statistics are as follows:

• Total distance: 13.6km
• Elevation gain: 1231 m
• Elevation Loss: -1116m
• Highest elevation: 2208m
• Lowest elevation: 1283m

If we look at the stage by section, we have approximately:

• Trient to Col de Balme 5.92km, +983, -68.9m
• Col de Balme to Possettes: 3.7km, +221m, -247m
• Possettes to Tre-le-champs : 4.02km, +27.7m, -804m

If you are looking for another stage or a complete guide, you may want to check:

• TMB Stage 1: Guide from Les Houches to Les Contamines
• TMB Stage 2: Guide from Les Contamines to Col de la Croix du Bonhomme
• TMB Stage 3: Guide from Croix du bonhomme to Rifugio Elisabetta
• TMB Stage 4: Guide from Rifugio Elisabetta to Courmayeur
• TMB Stage 5: Guide from Courmayeur to Rifugio Bonatti
• TMB Stage 6: Guide from Rifugio Bonatti to La Fouly
• TMB Stage 7: Guide from La Fouly to Champex
• TMB Stage 8: Guide from Champex to Trient
• TMB Stage 10: Guide from Tre-le-champs to Flégère
• TMB Stage 11: Guide from La Flégère to Les Houches
• Half TMB Guide: Hike the Best of Tour du Mont Blanc
• Hiking Tour du Mont Blanc: The Complete 11-Day Guide
• 15 Proven ways to shortcut the TMB
• 10 Easy Ways to Stop the TMB
• 12 best Tour du Mont Blanc tips
• The Best Tour du Mont Blanc Packing List

TMB Stage 9 Trient to Tre-le-champs – Step by Step

Leaving Trient

It’s time to begin Stage 9 of the TMB! As you leave the charming town of Trient behind, the trail starts with a steady uphill climb. The first part of the hike takes you through a forest, but this section won’t last long.

Follow the signs to Col de Balme, which will lead you toward the border between Switzerland and France. If you need to refill your water, be sure to do so in Trient, where you’ll find a few water points before you begin the ascent.

Col de Balme

After leaving the forest trail, it takes about 30 minutes to reach Col de Balme, where the scenery becomes truly stunning. At the Col, you’ll find a small mountain hut, perfect for refilling your water, using the restroom, or grabbing a bite to eat.

Make sure to fill up your water bottles here, as there won’t be another water point until the end of the hike. We took a well-deserved break to relax, take in the incredible views, and recharge for the rest of the journey.

Col des Posettes

Next, head towards Col des Posettes. From the intersection just before Col de Balme, follow the signs for Col de Posettes for about 25 minutes. This section includes a short downhill before a steady uphill climb.

Along the way, we couldn’t help but stop and take in the stunning views, so we took a small break to enjoy the scenery. Continuing on, you’ll eventually reach Aiguilettes des Posettes, offering even more breathtaking vistas.

Tre-le-Champs

After reaching Aiguilettes des Posettes, it will be time to begin the descent to Tre-le-Champs. While the views remain stunning at the higher altitudes, this part of the trail is often our least favorite.

The descent becomes steeper as you approach the forested lower section of the mountain, where the scenery starts to change. However, the journey down still offers beautiful landscapes, and it’s a great opportunity to enjoy the peaceful surroundings before reaching your destination.

Auberge de la Boerne

We had reserved a camping spot and dinner at Auberge de la Boerne, which has a small campsite in Tre-le-Champs. There’s a fountain with fresh water, which is a nice perk.

The campsite is cozy, but it can get packed by the end of the day. The hut has shared facilities, including one WC and three showers. You can imagine that the WC can get busy, and there may be a bit of a wait. However, the hot water is available 24/7, which is a great convenience.

Dinner was served in courses: starting with a salad, followed by meat with sauce and rice (a veggie pie for the vegetarian option). Unfortunately, they forgot our vegetarian meal, even though we confirmed it upon arrival. Afterward, we had cheese (brie and tome) and finished with apple compote for dessert.

The best part of dinner was meeting a Polish girl hiking the TMB and a French father and daughter who were also on a multi-day hike.

The camping cost €8 per person, and the meal was €17 per person. Overall, the night was quiet, and everything went smoothly. While we recommend the campsite, we can’t say the same for the dinner.

And that was the end of our TMB Stage 9 from Trient to Tre-le-Champs.