---
title: "Tour du Mont Blanc Passes: Altitudes, Stages and Variants"
type: "blog-post"
lang: "en"
category: "Preparation"
published_date: "2026-10-12"
url: "https://www.tmb-guide.com/en/blog/tour-du-mont-blanc-passes/"
description: "The Tour du Mont Blanc passes one by one: altitude, highest point of the route and variants, our view of each crossing and when the snow melts."
---

# Tour du Mont Blanc Passes: Altitudes, Stages and Variants

**Published:** 2026-10-12 · **Category:** Preparation

> From the Col de Voza to the Col du Brévent, the main route of the TMB is a chain of passes. The highest is the Grand Col Ferret at 2,537 m; on the variants, the Fenêtre d'Arpette and the Col des Fours reach 2,665 m. Passes can stay snowy until late June or early July.

<!-- source: altitudes: Chamonix valley tourist office (S3), Pays du Saint-Bernard (S4), Chamonix valley tourist office (S9); the rest is our view -->
The Tour du Mont Blanc is a chain of passes: almost every day climbs from one valley to a pass, then drops into the next. The highest on the main route is the **Grand Col Ferret**, at 2,537 m (8,323 ft); two variants reach 2,665 m (8,743 ft).

<!-- source: our GPX track (direction of our 10-day itinerary); the rest is our view -->
We list them in the order of our [10-day itinerary](/en/itineraries/tour-du-mont-blanc-in-10-days/), counter-clockwise from Les Houches to Les Contamines. To follow them along the route, keep the [interactive TMB map](/en/map/) open alongside this page.

## What are the passes on the Tour du Mont Blanc?
<!-- source: altitudes: Chamonix valley tourist office (S1 Bonhomme 2329 and Croix du Bonhomme 2479, S2 Seigne 2516, S3 Grand Col Ferret 2537, S5 Balme 2191, S7 Voza 1657, S8 Montets 1461, S9 Fours 2665, S10 Portalo 2049, S15 Brévent 2368), Pays du Saint-Bernard (S4 Arpette 2665), Trient municipality (S6 Forclaz 1527), IGN map on the Géoportail (S14 Tricot, approximate, give or take a few tens of metres); variants: our pages; countries: sources above -->
Here are the passes of the main route in the order you cross them, along with the four variants (each links to its own page):

<!-- source: same comment as the previous block -->
| Pass | Altitude | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Col de Voza | 1,657 m \ (5,436 ft) | France |
| [Col du Tricot](/en/itineraries/col-de-tricot/) (variant) | about 2,120 m \ (6,955 ft) | France |
| Col du Bonhomme | 2,329 m \ (7,641 ft) | France |
| Col de la Croix du Bonhomme | 2,479 m \ (8,133 ft) | France |
| [Col des Fours](/en/itineraries/col-des-fours/) (variant) | 2,665 m \ (8,743 ft) | France |
| Col de la Seigne | 2,516 m \ (8,255 ft) | France - Italy |
| Grand Col Ferret | 2,537 m \ (8,323 ft) | Italy - Switzerland |
| Col de Portalo (Bovine route) | 2,049 m \ (6,722 ft) | Switzerland |
| [Fenêtre d'Arpette](/en/itineraries/fenetre-darpette/) (variant) | 2,665 m \ (8,743 ft) | Switzerland |
| Col de la Forclaz | 1,527 m \ (5,010 ft) | Switzerland |
| Col de Balme | 2,191 m \ (7,188 ft) | France - Switzerland |
| [Col des Montets](/en/itineraries/col-des-montets/) (variant) | 1,461 m \ (4,793 ft) | France |
| Col du Brévent | 2,368 m \ (7,769 ft) | France |

## What is the highest point of the Tour du Mont Blanc?
<!-- source: comparison of altitudes S1 to S10 (Chamonix and Pays du Saint-Bernard tourist offices, Trient municipality) -->
- **Main route**: the Grand Col Ferret, 2,537 m (8,323 ft), just ahead of the Col de la Seigne (2,516 m (8,255 ft)).
- **Variants**: the Fenêtre d'Arpette and the Col des Fours, 2,665 m (8,743 ft) each.

## Col de Voza, the warm-up
<!-- source: Chamonix valley tourist office ("Col de Voza" page, S7); stage: our GPX track (S12); forest: our 10-day itinerary, day 1; the rest is our view -->
The first pass of the tour, at 1,657 m (5,436 ft), is reached in 2 hours from Les Houches; the Mont Blanc Tramway also climbs there from Saint-Gervais-Le Fayet. It is a gentle climb, partly through forest, mainly a chance to find your rhythm: our first stage climbs only 640 m (2,100 ft).

<!-- source: our Col du Tricot variant page (S12); altitude: IGN map (S14); the rest is our view -->
Strong walkers may prefer the [variant over the Col du Tricot](/en/itineraries/col-de-tricot/), past the Miage chalets and the Truc: a much longer day, but a much wilder one.

## Col du Bonhomme, the big day at the start
<!-- source: Chamonix valley tourist office (S1: Val Montjoie, Beaufortain); stage: our GPX track (S12); snow: La Chamoniarde (S11); the rest is our view -->
This is the real difficulty of the first days: 1,200 m (3,937 ft) of climbing in 7 hours, the biggest ascent of our itinerary. At the **Col du Bonhomme** you leave the Val Montjoie behind and the peaks of the Beaufortain open out in front of you; one last effort leads to the Croix du Bonhomme. Early in the summer, snow can still cover the path.

<!-- source: FFCAM (Croix du Bonhomme hut website: closed from mid-August 2026 to summer 2029), link in the block; our hut page -->
Note that just below the pass, the [Croix du Bonhomme hut](/en/refuges/refuge-de-la-croix-du-bonhomme-2443m-beaufort-france/) is **closed for works until summer 2029** ([FFCAM announcement](https://refugecroixdubonhomme.ffcam.fr/), in French). You will find neither a bed nor a meal there, so carry food for the whole day.

![The TMB path towards the Col du Bonhomme, between pastures and snowfields](/images/col_du_bonhomme_tmb.webp "The climb to the Col du Bonhomme, where snow can linger early in the summer.")

## Col de la Seigne, the way into Italy
<!-- source: Chamonix valley tourist office, Aosta Valley regional tourist office and Mottets hut (S2: border, 2 h from Les Mottets); stage: our GPX track (S12); Chécrouit, descent on foot or by cable car: our 10-day itinerary, day 4; the rest is our view -->
In our view, this is the most moving crossing of the tour: at the border, the view suddenly switches to the Italian side of Mont Blanc. The climb from Les Chapieux makes a moderate day (730 m (2,395 ft) in 5 hours); from the [Les Mottets hut](/en/refuges/refuge-des-mottets-1864m-bourg-saint-maurice-france/), allow 2 hours to the pass.

<!-- source: our 10-day itinerary (day 4); the rest is our view -->
The next day, the climb to the Col de Chécrouit opens another great balcony above Courmayeur, where you can walk down or take the cable car.

## Grand Col Ferret, the roof of the main route
<!-- source: Chamonix valley tourist office and Aosta Valley regional tourist office (S3: border, start from Elena hut); stage: our GPX track (S12); the rest is our view -->
The highest point of the route is reached from the [Elena hut](/en/refuges/rifugio-elena-2062m-courmayeur-italie/), at the head of the Italian Val Ferret: 725 m (2,379 ft) of climbing over the stage to La Fouly, in 5 hours. At the pass, you leave the Grandes Jorasses behind for the gentler pastures of the Swiss Val Ferret.

![The TMB path in the Italian Val Ferret, facing the Grandes Jorasses](/images/tour_mont_blanc_val_ferret_italien.webp "The Italian Val Ferret, which you leave at the Grand Col Ferret.")

## Bovine or the Forclaz, on the way to Trient
<!-- source: Chamonix valley tourist office (S10: Portalo, view of the Rhône valley and Bernese Oberland); Trient municipality (S6: Forclaz); stage: our GPX track (S12); the rest is our view -->
Between Champex and Trient, the route goes over the Bovine pasture and the Col de Portalo, facing the Rhône valley and the Bernese Oberland, then drops to the Col de la Forclaz. With 760 m (2,493 ft) of climbing in 5½ hours, it is the option we recommend to anyone who would rather skip the Fenêtre d'Arpette, especially families.

## Col de Balme, back in France
<!-- source: Chamonix valley tourist office (S5: border, access from Le Tour and lifts); hut at the pass: our hut page; stage: our GPX track (S12); the rest is our view -->
On the French-Swiss border, the Col de Balme offers, in our view, one of the finest viewpoints on the Mont Blanc range. The climb from La Forclaz is long (1,000 m (3,281 ft) in 6½ hours): the [Col de Balme hut](/en/refuges/refuge-du-col-de-balme-2190m-vallorcine-france/), right at the pass, is perfectly placed for a break. The Compagnie du Mont-Blanc lifts also run up there in summer from Le Tour.

![Hikers facing Mont Blanc on a balcony of the Chamonix valley](/images/randonneurs-col-de-balme-mont-blanc.webp "At the Col de Balme, the whole Mont Blanc range lines up in front of you.")

## Col du Brévent, the last one
<!-- source: Chamonix valley tourist office (S15: Col du Brévent 2368 m; Brévent summit served by the cable car); stage and Planpraz gondola: our 10-day itinerary, day 10 (S12); the rest is our view -->
The last pass of the tour is also one of the finest balconies: from Planpraz to Les Houches, Mont Blanc stays in front of you all day. Do not confuse it with the Brévent summit, higher up, where the cable car goes. The stage climbs 515 m (1,690 ft) in 6 hours, and the Planpraz gondola can spare you the climb from Chamonix.

![Mont Blanc and its glaciers seen from the Brévent balcony](/images/col_brevent_tour_du_mont_blanc.webp "On the Brévent balcony, Mont Blanc faces you all the way to Les Houches.")

## What are the passes on the TMB variants?
<!-- source: Pays du Saint-Bernard (S4: Arpette demanding and exposed); Chamonix valley tourist office (S9: descent from the Fours to Les Mottets; S8: Montets between Chamonix and Vallorcine); IGN map (S14: Tricot); distances and ascents: our variant pages (S12); the rest is our view -->
- **[Fenêtre d'Arpette](/en/itineraries/fenetre-darpette/)**: the most spectacular, but a demanding and exposed variant, with 1,938 m (6,358 ft) of climbing over the day. Avoid it in bad weather.
- **[Col des Fours](/en/itineraries/col-des-fours/)**: as high as the Arpette, with a fine descent towards the glacier valley and the Les Mottets hut; 1,080 m (3,543 ft) of climbing.
- **[Col du Tricot](/en/itineraries/col-de-tricot/)**: the longest variant, 30 km (18.6 mi) and 2,653 m (8,704 ft) of climbing from Les Houches to the La Balme hut.
- **[Col des Montets](/en/itineraries/col-des-montets/)**: the shortest variant, from Argentière to Vallorcine through the Aiguilles Rouges reserve, 550 m (1,804 ft) of climbing.

<!-- source: our 8-day and 12-day self-guided tour pages (highlights include the Fenêtre d'Arpette; luggage transported between stages); the rest is our view -->
With a light pack, the Arpette becomes much more manageable, and that is what our self-guided tours offer: your luggage is transported from stage to stage. Both our 8-day and 12-day tours cross the Fenêtre d'Arpette:

<div id="tour-cards-slot"></div>

<!-- source: our camping article; the rest is our view -->
If you plan to camp, the rules change from one country and one altitude to the next: read our article on [camping on the TMB](/en/blog/camping-on-the-tour-du-mont-blanc-regulations/) before pitching a tent near a pass.

## When are the TMB passes free of snow?
<!-- source: La Chamoniarde (Tour du Mont-Blanc page, S11) -->
Allow for **late June or early July**. Before that, passes can stay snowy and the crossing can become tricky: light crampons, trekking poles and sometimes an ice axe are then useful. The hut season runs from mid-June to mid-September.

<!-- editorial -->
To choose your dates, see the [best time to hike the TMB](/en/blog/what-is-the-best-time-to-the-tour-du-mont-blanc/), and to check snow conditions before you leave, our article on [TMB training and preparation](/en/blog/tour-du-mont-blanc-training/).