To hike the Tour du Mont Blanc, you have two accommodation options: bivouacs or refuges. By opting for the latter, you will considerably lighten your hiking bag and you will benefit from a better comfort in the evening, at night and in the morning of each stage. Moreover, mountain huts are special accommodations with a unique atmosphere. The arrival at the hut after a stage, the meal at the communal table, the night in the dormitories, the breakfast at sunrise and the departure for a new hike are all moments that leave good memories of a trek.

The refuges of the Tour du Mont Blanc usually open in mid-June and close around September 20th. Some of them have a “winter” part, not guarded.

In this article, Trekking Mont Blanc offers you practical information on the refuges of the Tour du Mont Blanc to help you prepare your next adventure in the Alps!

Rules in the refuges of the Tour du Mont Blanc

Mountain huts are special places. The comfort is not the same as in a hotel and the life is common. The refuges on the Tour du Mont Blanc are warm places, maintained by friendly guards, where a few rules must be respected.

Book a refuge on the Tour du Mont Blanc

To book a refuge on the Tour du Mont Blanc, the best is to do it as soon as possible. Some refuges are “fully booked” from April for the whole season. As early as January-February, some huts can already be fully booked! To be sure to have a place in a refuge, book as soon as possible.

To book a night in a refuge on the Tour du Mont Blanc, go to the website to do it online or call the phone number indicated. If you are doing the Tour du Mont Blanc with a guide, you do not need to take care of this part of the organisation.

Payment is made when you arrive at the refuge. Not all of them accept credit cards, so make sure you have enough cash with you.

If you wish to do The Tour du Mont Blanc without a guide, you have to book your nights early!

Note: the tourist tax is almost never included in the price of half-board.

Sleeping in a refuge on the Tour du Mont Blanc

In the refuges on the Tour du Mont Blanc, we usually sleep in dormitories. The beds are bunk beds and the huts provide blankets. It is compulsory to bring a sheet for hygiene reasons. This is the famous “meat bag”.

A piece of advice: take earplugs (Quies) for the night. They will prevent you from having your sleep disturbed by the various noises of your room neighbors!

In some refuges on the Tour du Mont Blanc, it is possible to book a private room for an extra charge. However, these are rare and quickly booked.

Drinking and eating

In the refuges of the Tour du Mont Blanc, you can book only the night or a half-board, with the evening and morning meals.

Evening meals are hearty and usually consist of soup, pasta and dessert. Some refuges offer more elaborate menus that many restaurants would envy. The menus are designed to allow hikers to replenish their strength. If you have a special diet (vegetarian, allergies, etc.), please indicate this when you book.

Breakfast is usually served in the form of a buffet where everyone eats what they want: coffee, tea, hot milk, bread, butter, jam, etc.

In the refuges of the Tour du Mont Blanc, you can also buy a lunch box. This is composed according to the provisions of the hut and you must indicate if you wish to buy a picnic in the evening for the next day.

Drinking water is generally available free of charge, but some huts only sell bottled water. In addition, some TMB huts offer hot water for thermoses.

Washing in the shelters

You can wash yourself in the refuges on the Tour du Mont Blanc but water is a rare commodity and certain rules must be respected.

In most of the refuges, showers are not free and are only available at certain times. In addition, hot water is limited, so there is not always enough for everyone! In the shower rooms, there are also sinks where you can wash your teeth or clean some clothes. Washing is often invigorating because the water is cold.

The refuges of the Tour du Mont Blanc in 2023

Here you will find information on 13 of the different refuges on the Tour du Mont Blanc. The list is not exhaustive and other accommodation options are available depending on the comfort you are looking for and the route you are doing.

For a complete list of accommodation on the TMB, get the official TMB topo guide published by the French Hiking Federation (which we provide with a road-book when you organise your custom Tour du Mont Blanc with our trekking agency).

Auberge du Truc

The Auberge du Truc is located on the GR5 and Tour du Mont Blanc itineraries, in an alpine pasture at 1750 meters altitude. You can enjoy a beautiful view of the Aravis mountain range and the Dômes du Miage. It is also possible to watch the milking of the cows.

Bellachat Refuge

The Bellachat refuge is a small wooden mountain refuge for 24 hikers located near the Brévent pass. It offers an exceptional panorama on the Mont Blanc massif! Built on an old mountain pasture chalet, it is a refuge with a mountain atmosphere.

Refuge du col de la Croix du Bonhomme

Le refuge du col de la Croix du Bonhomme est un grand refuge sur le Tour du Mont Blanc, le GR5 et le Tour du Beaufortain. Il se situe à proximité du col des Fours (2665 m) et … du col de la Croix du Bonhomme (2329 m). Situé à 2443m d’altitude, il offre une vue panoramique large et lointaine sur la Haute Maurienne et la Chartreuse.

Refuge CAF des Contamines

The Contamines refuge is located near the village of Les Contamines and is the perfect stopover before heading up to the Col du Bonhomme. This small and cosy chalet offers everything you need to spend a pleasant night.

Auberge de Bionnassay

The Auberge de Bionassay is an old farmhouse located at 1320 meters above sea level that has been transformed into an accommodation. Located at the foot of the Bionnassay glacier, it is a warm hostel which includes a collective dormitory, rooms for two, four or six people and three dining rooms. The dishes are varied and the cuisine is succulent!

Refuge Elisabetta Soldini

The Elisabetta Soldini hut is a refuge located on the Italian side of the Veny valley, at 2185m. From the terrace, you have a breathtaking view of the Aiguille des Glaciers and the Estelette glacier! The atmosphere of this refuge is warm and mountainous.

Bertone Refuge

The Bertone hut (named after an Italian mountaineer who died in a plane crash) is located on the heights of Courmayeur, at an altitude of 1996 metres. It is a good place to stop and discover the Val Sapin and the Val Ferret. You can taste local specialities such as polenta and fontine, a very good Italian mountain cheese.

Refuge des Mottets

The refuge des Mottets is located at 1864 meters, very close to the Col de la Seigne (2515 m) at the border between France and Italy. It is an old chalet that has been renovated and transformed into a mountain refuge. From the terrace of the refuge, you can enjoy a beautiful view of the summits.

Bonatti Refuge

The Bonatti hut is a traditional hut on the Tour du Mont Blanc located in the Val Ferret, at 2025 meters altitude. It is named after Walter Bonatti, a famous Italian mountaineer. You can enjoy a beautiful panoramic view from the Col Ferret to the Col de la Seigne! The common room, made of wood and stone, has a particularly warm atmosphere. At the Bonatti refuge you can taste local specialities and Aosta wines.

Refuge of Maison-Vieille

The refuge of Maison-Vieille is a very pleasant and welcoming refuge on the Tour du Mont Blanc. The atmosphere is lively and comforting after a nice hike. The food is delicious and you will be able to taste many typical dishes of the valley: cold cuts, wines, cheeses, polenta, pasta, cakes… The cooking is done on the Losa, a stone heated by fire! Located at 1956 meters above sea level, the Maison-Vieille refuge is between the Chécrouit pass and Courmayeur. From the terrace, the view of the Mont Blanc massif is breathtaking.

Elena Refuge

The Elena hut is one of the biggest huts on the Tour du Mont Blanc with 127 places. It is located at 2061 meters, facing the Pré de Bard glacier, in the Val Ferret. Its large size does not detract from its conviviality and typical mountain atmosphere. From the terrace, the view of the peaks and the valley below is a sure invitation to enjoy a well-deserved break.

Robert Blanc Refuge

The Robert Blanc hut is a small alpine hut on the Tour du Mont Blanc, situated at 2750 metres above sea level, at the foot of the Aiguille des Glaciers. The atmosphere in the small common room, heated by a wood stove, is typically mountainous. At the table, cheeses from the valley and home cooking await you!

Refuge de la Flégère

The Flégère refuge is a refuge built in 1827! It is located at 1877 m of altitude, near the Flégère cable car. It has a breathtaking view of the Chamonix valley and the Mont Blanc massif. Warning: there is no drinking water but the refuge sells bottled water. In 2019, the refuge was closed for works and will reopen on June 19, 2020.