There are so many TMB resources online, it's ridiculous. With so much information available, it's easy to get lost. So here are the highlights of my decision process.
The main questions to ask yourself:
How much time you have/want
When
How fit you are (or think you are)
Huts or tent
Whole circuit or parts of it (this is related to 1+2 together)
What sort of human interactions you are looking for.
I ended up taking August 30 (Friday) - September 11 (Thursday). Why Friday? It means I can take advantage of the weekend, to start the hike. I don't like Sundays as a travel day because it typically have limited public transport and opening hours for supermarkets.
Why September? I desperately wanted to go off-season, which means either early (late June early July) or late (September). Early in the season there's a risk of having to hike in the snow, and as a solo hiker, hiking in the snow is out of my comfort zone. So in spite of wanting to see summer blossoms, September it is. Going in September, I knew it meant not being able to relay on some public transport shortcuts. But that's ok . So September, and I have full two weeks to use.
Next is clock-wise or counter clockwise. I really wanted clockwise, as they say it's less people/different people in the huts every day , but again, being a solo hiker, I decided to balance my being solo with going with the flow of people.
Huts or tent? for me this was a clear choice, there is no way I would be able to carry gear, and tent by myself felt too lonely, even for me. So huts it is.
Once I had clear answers to these questions, I dove into all the web resources to find out what my options are.
Tip 1: Find out what your flight options are, choose the dates, book the huts , and only then book the flight. It's easier to shifts huts around that a flight. Tip 2: Once you decide on dates, go ahead and start booking the huts. No reason the wait - most huts will start taking booking for the summer after the new year's. This is crucial if you'd like private rooms, as these go quickly, and are often reserved in bulk by the tour agencies. This is not to say that you can't go on a whim. But then be prepared to be creative with your days, and/or bring a tent .
Some great sites to get you started :
1. Tour du Mont Blanc Facebook group - the group admins are experienced hikers, it is a great place to consult with other hikers and catch up on any seasonal updates. 2. TMB books in English - the "classic" cicerone one, as well as the newly published Knife Edge one. 3. http://www.autourdumontblanc.com/en/ - The official trail site. Has list of (almost all) accommodation options, and you can book many of them directly through this site. It even has a nice planning tool where you want to go and it will give you the accommodation options for each night. Note that not all huts allow for online booking, and you need to either call or email them. I found that writing in the local language using Google Translate helps speed up my reservation.
Planning your trail
If there is one thing I've learnt from planning this trip is that you can start it almost anywhere you'd like. Les Houches is the traditional starting point due to its proximity to Chamonix and the ease of access, but there really is other reason for this. Some other places to start from (Italy and France, Switzerland is a strangely challenging starting point)
Using Chamonix as a base, or sleeping locally:
Sleeping in Chamonix and taking the cable car up to Brevent - this option is better for clockwise hiking. Counter clockwise, starting in Brevent will mean a massive descent on the first day, which is not recommended.
Taking the cable car up to Flegere (either the night before or in the morning).
Tre Le Champ - can be easily reached from Chamonix via bus, which are free if you spend the night in Chamonix and get a pass from your hotel.
Le Tour - same as Tre Le Champ, easily reached by train. From here you can either hike up or take the cable car if it's operating. If you'd like to start off with a night in a hut rather than a hotel or a hostel - you can take the cable car from Le Tour and sleep in Les Écuries de Charamillon.
Les Contemine - if needed, it's possibe to get to Les Contemine by train and bus from Geneva airport or from Chamonix
From Courmayeur:
Val Ferret - take the bus from Courmayeur to the last stop at Val Ferret - this brings you 15 minutes away from Elisabetta.
Maison Vielle - take the Dolonne cable car and spend the night in the huts above town.
Val Veny - take the bus from Courmayeur and hike up to Cabane Combal to spend your first night there.
And finally, places where you can re-stock on food and supplies:
Chamonix - has several supermarkets that open early in town center, as well as a bakery.
Le Contamines - has 2 or 3 supermarkets, and they are even open on Sunday morning.
Courmayeur - supermarket, specialty stores, pharmacy
La Fouly - general store in the village center.
Col de la Forcalz - there's a small store across the road with basic products, it's mostly a tourists stop
Argentiere - down the road from Tre Le Champ, has a supermarket and a bakery.
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