The Tour du Mont Blanc is one of the great long-distance walks in Europe. The full circuit — circling the entire Mont Blanc massif through France, Italy, and Switzerland — is approximately 170 kilometres with around 10,000 metres of total ascent, typically completed in 7 to 11 days. Chamonix is the traditional starting and finishing point, and the trail passes through the valley on both the first and last days.
You do not need to do the full circuit. Several day-walk sections start and end in Chamonix, using the valley's network of cable cars and buses to make loop routes feasible. The stretch between the Col de Balme and the Flégère cable car, crossing above the valley with Mont Blanc views throughout, is among the finest day walks in the Alps. The TMB is well-signed and huts are plentiful, but July and August require advanced booking for refuges — some fill up months ahead.