Expert guidance on preparing for Tour du Mont Blanc adventures – Support Centre

This article contains the following topics:

The Tour du Mont Blanc is an exhilarating prospect, circumnavigating Europe’s highest mountain on a trail that takes you through three countries. However, it’s also an adventure that demands physical readiness, a head for heights and strategic gear choices. While no high-altitude experience is required, and you don’t need to be a marathon runner, fully preparing for Tour du Mont Blanc adventures is vital. By the time you take on the Tour du Mont Blanc, also called the TMB, you should have built up plenty of experience of long, multi-day treks (7-9h per day). It’s an extraordinary trekking trail, but the reality is that the TMB covers varied terrain, has multiple sustained ascents and descents and demands prolonged physical exertion over several consecutive days. Here are our training recommendations to ensure you’re equipped for every twist and turn along the TMB journey of a lifetime.

Col de la Seigne is just one of many highs that you have to look forward to on the Tour du Mont Blanc.

Get in training

Cardiovascular endurance

Boost your cardiovascular endurance with regular aerobic activities such as hiking, running, cycling or swimming. Aim for at least 30-60mins, three to four times a week, and consider incorporating stair climbing into your daily routine to simultaneously enhance both strength and endurance. The stairmaster in the gym is brilliant for this. Also, always consult with your doctor before diving into any new training regime or the TMB itself. Discuss your health, address any concerns and ensure you’re ready for the adventure ahead.

Strength training

Enhance your hiking capabilities with targeted strength training exercises for your legs and core. This means squats, lunges, deadlifts and planks to master the stability and endurance required to tackle the diverse terrains of the Tour du Mont Blanc.

Interval training

Interval workouts help to boost both aerobic capacity and muscular endurance, oscillating between high-intensity bursts and recovery intervals, helping to prepare your body for intermittent challenges along the trail.

Flexibility and mobility

Often overlooked, good mobility can hold the key to preventing injuries while undertaking endurance activities. Incorporate stretching and mobility exercises into your fitness routine to prevent injury and improve flexibility, focusing on stretching the major muscle groups involved in hiking, such as the calves, quadriceps, hamstrings and hip flexors.

Stamina, stretching and strength are what you need to build up to take on the TMB. And sheer determination.

Getting out there

Hiking practice

The best training you can do is to get out into the hills as often as possible. Start with shorter hikes, gradually increasing the duration and intensity of your hiking sessions to simulate the demands of the TMB. Aim to hike at least once a week in the few months before your trip, gradually building from two to three hours up to seven to nine hours of walking. This should include multiple sustained ascents and descents, carrying a full daypack, and then integrating consecutive hiking days.

Hitting the heights

You should also elevate your training experience and spend some time at higher altitudes, although we appreciate that this isn’t often possible. Many sections of the TMB are over 1,000m, peaking at 2,600m over the Fenêtre d’Arpette and, consequently, trekking is more physically demanding than at lower elevations. While Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is relatively uncommon at these altitudes, it’s good to walk at higher elevations when possible and be aware of the signs and symptoms, just in case.

Getting a head for heights

Make sure your head is in the game too! In some places the trail can be exposed, and features sections with fixed ladders that might appear daunting to some. When preparing for the TMB, consider incorporating hikes that mirror the level of exposure in the Alps. Familiarising yourself with elevated landscapes and navigating through them will boost your confidence and ensure you’re well prepared for the unique challenges this trek presents.

Know your limits

This is not a race, it’s a holiday and you don’t need to push yourself further than you should. The same goes for when you’re preparing for the Tour du Mont Blanc. Listen to your body and respect your limits. If something doesn’t feel quite right, it’s totally fine to stop, take a bus or a shorter route that’s safe and well marked. On the TMB, people can skip certain sections and that’s totally fine but it’s important to think two or three days ahead, if you feel like your energy levels are starting to slip. This is because on more remote sections, taking a shortcut is often not possible, and will cost a lot in taxi fares.

If you can, you’ll be glad you pushed yourself up to some serious elevations while training for the TMB.

Getting in gear

Break in your boots

We always recommend hiking boots with excellent ankle support, waterproof and with sturdy and slip-proof soles. You must always break them in as part of your training, but do so early on, before building up to longer treks. Don’t wait until the last minute to treat yourself to a new pair for your holiday.

Hydration and nutrition

Quench your thirst for success by ensuring you maintain adequate hydration throughout both your training and during the TMB itself. When it comes to fuelling your adventure, a well-balanced diet that boasts a mix of carbs, proteins and healthy fats is also essential to sustain energy levels during prolonged exertion.

Practise with your pack

Although we do transfer your bags for you from one accommodation to the next, there are some sections where your bed for the night is so remote, that you have to carry your overnight gear and plenty of water. So, embarking on the TMB means having your trusty daypack by your side, loaded with all the essentials, snacks and hydration needed for the journey, and so it’s good to get used to a full pack in training too. We recommend that your daily backpack weights no more than 10-15kg.

Layering up

Additional lightweight layers including a waterproof jacket and trousers, lightweight fleece and a down jacket are to be considered essential. Unpredictable mountain weather means you must always be fully prepared, ensuring you stay dry and comfortable regardless of conditions. Other clothing items such as a buff, gloves and hat (both sun hat and beanie) are small additions that can make a significant difference in your overall comfort should the weather turn inclement. In early June or late September, crampons can sometimes be necessary on certain sections of the TMB, so it’s worth trying some out in advance if you can, so that you are confident with your technique.

Train with poles

There is no stigma anymore about walking poles, in fact they are the sign of a strident walker rather than a struggling one. Hiking without poles is like cycling without padded cycling shorts or a gelled saddle. They protect your crucial bits and, in so doing, power you to go further. We recommend training with collapsible poles as they can save up to 25% of energy and help you keep your balance on uneven terrain.

The best training you can do for the Tour du Mont Blanc is to get out into the hills as often as possible.

Fuel for the journey

Quick, easily accessible snacks are a must for sustained trekking, keeping your energy levels up and offering a quick boost when most needed. When you’re on the TMB, particularly if you’ve opted to stay in mountain huts, there can be limited food choices. So you may need to carry preferred foods in your daypack, and get used to doing so on your preparatory hikes. Staying adequately hydrated throughout training is also key, with hydration packs (1.5-3L) providing an ergonomic way to carry larger amounts of water. Water sources along the TMB can vary, making a water filtering bottle an optional but valuable addition to your pack, and worth getting used to in training.

Sun protection

No matter what time of year you are training, or indeed when you are taking on the actual TMB, sunscreen (SPF 50+) and a hat are a must. Additionally, don’t forget to protect your lips and eyes with lip salve (SPF50+) and sunglasses to protect from the glare of snow and sun, both of which you can experience when you hit the TMB.

Stay powered up

Keeping your phone and devices charged is essential for staying connected as well as capturing the experience. A power bank tucked into your daypack ensures you don’t miss a beat.

Learning skills

Weather knowledge

Get into the habit early on of checking the weather forecast each day before you set off. When on the TMB, the forecast is usually posted in mountain huts and accommodations, or your host will advise you, but it’s great practice to do this as default before you hit the hills while training too.

Safety first

While in training and on the TMB itself, even the best-laid plans can go awry, and despite the drawn-out days of the summer, there’s always the possibility of the sun beating you to your next accommodation. Especially with elevated walks of up to eight hours a day. So always pack a head torch (and spare batteries). A comprehensive first aid kit, emergency blanket, whistle and emergency rations, though hopefully seldom required, are also key. Having them at your disposal and not needing them is infinitely preferable to needing them and not having them. If you have them in your daypack from the beginning of training, then you get used to their weight, and also their omnipresence.

Know the emergency signal

It’s always good to know that the international distress signal is six blasts on a whistle (and flashes with a torch after dark) evenly spaced for one minute, followed by a minute’s pause. Repeat for as long as necessary. The response is three signals per minute, followed by a minute’s pause.

Navigate with precision

While navigating with your phone may be your first port of call, technology can fail, and so it’s important to be able to navigate trails confidently the old fashioned way. So, a map and compass are fundamental additions to your daypack, and do incorporate some navigational skills into your training hikes.

You can’t go wrong with a map and a compass. They don’t run out of batteries.

The quick fixes

A penknife or multi-tool can come in handy for various situations, from gear adjustments to unexpected challenges on the trail. A small repair kit with Gore-Tex tape is another smart addition for gear or clothing emergencies. Cash can also be handy in case you need to take public transport and, finally, a spare pair of socks can make all the difference and turn what would be an uncomfortable day back into the adventure it should be.

We hope that you have found this guide to preparing for the Tour du Mont Blanc useful. Do start training as soon as you can, even if you are still just thinking about booking your adventure. And remember that every step of your fitness journey is a step closer to the adventure that awaits. Remember to listen to your body, pace yourself, and always prioritise safety throughout your training and trekking journey. For more information, don’t hesitate to contact our adventure specialists, and read up more about all our Tour du Mont Blanc routes.

To go straight to a summary of our most commonly asked questions, click here.