Accommodation

Where to stay

There is plenty of accommodation on the route - if you want to keep costs down camp sites are plentiful, but you will have to carry extra weight and remember to buy some food for dinner. There are also dorms everywhere - keep an eye out for "dortoir" signs. We travelled light and opted for hotel rooms where we could find them - costs mount up but you can be assured of a better night's sleep.

We didn't book any accommodation before we left, but it's wise to phone the day before to book if you want to be sure of a place. We missed out on a stay in the Bonatti hut because we didn't book in advance, but we were more than happy with our second choice in Lavachey. Remember to take an up to date list with phone numbers with you so that you can phone ahead to the more popular huts or if you are arriving late. There are details in the guidebook, but it's worth checking that they  haven't changed.

The Office de Haute et Moyenne Montagne (the Walking and Mountaineering Office) in Chamonix keeps a complete and up to date list of accommodation on the Tour of Mont Blanc.

Our list

This is the list of hotels and refuges we stayed at or have stayed at in the past. We're not saying they're the best, but we can tell you what they were like when we were there.

Hotel le Grizzli. The owners were really friendly and dried out our boots overnight. We found out how useful this was on later stages. Putting on wet boots in the morning is not nice. The hotel was good value and even had Jacuzzi baths. According to the website they are closed until June 2009, after a fire, so things might have changed quite a bit since we were there. Telephone number: +33(0)4.50.91.56.55

Refuge de la Col du Croix du Bonhomme. Apart from the brilliant location, the guardian made this place special by friendly service that included phoning ahead to book refuges, hot showers, and even a trumpet serenade for another guest's birthday. Telephone number : +33(0)4.79.07.05.28

Elisabetta Soldini refuge. The location is excellent, and though it makes sense to stay here (and we probably would next time around) it's hard to recommend this place because of the regimented approach, the measly portions at dinner and breakfast, and the unbelievably cramped dorm. Telephone number: +39(0)165.844.080

Hotel Lavachey. An absolute find.  It was great value, the rooms were good and the food was brilliant and plentiful, including fresh milk from the cow at breakfast. Telephone number: +39(0)165.869.723

Hotel Edelweiss. We were probably spoilt rotten at Le Vachey, so this place had no chance of coming anywhere close. But the food was good, even though the hotel and the service was a little stuffy and old fashioned. Telephone number: +41(0)27.783.26.21

Chalet du Club Alpin Suisse, Champex. We've stayed here several times in the past (though not when we did the Tour) and we love this place. It does excellent fondues, has a choice of dortoir or rooms and has a garden on the lakeside. Telephone number: +41(0)27.783.11.61

Relais D'Arpette. Perfect to make a head start if you're heading for the Fenêtre D'Arpette, but though the relais is comfortable it is large and impersonal, in contrast to many other places on the TMB. There is also a campsite here. Telephone number: +41(0)27.783.12.21

Hotel de la Col Du Forclaz . A good place to stay, with good food and comfortable rooms. There is a dortoir, but the camping is best avoided. Telephone number: +41(0)27.722.26.88

Auberge de la Boerne. This is a series of buildings arranged around a courtyard that is a great place to wind down after a day's walking. The food was good and it had a friendly atmosphere. Many of the rooms are in the converted barns and outbuildings - there is also a dorm in the main building. Telephone number: +33(0)4.50.54.05.14