TMB Stage 9: Trient to Tre-le-Champ via the Col de Balme

At the Col de Balme, Mont-Blanc reappears. After days spent circling the massif through Italy and Switzerland, you suddenly find it right in front of you — immense, glacial, almost unreal. It's the most stirring moment of Stage 9 on the Tour du Mont-Blanc, and arguably of the entire trek. The third and final border crossing is behind you: welcome back to France, welcome back to the Chamonix Valley.

Mountain hiking guides, we know this col in every kind of weather, and the panorama never fails to impress. Even hikers on their second or third TMB pause at the top to take it in. This article covers the full route from Trient to Tre-le-Champ, including the variants, accommodation options, and the historical stories that make this stage so memorable.

The Route: Profile, Map and GPX

• Distance :↔ 12.9 km
• Dénivelé positif :↗ 1065 m
• Dénivelé négatif :↘ 906 m

Stage 9 at a Glance

The defining moment: at the Col de Balme, Mont-Blanc reveals itself entirely, face to face. After days of seeing it in profile or from the back, the frontal view hits you hard. If the weather cooperates, this is one of the finest panoramas on the TMB.

The Climb: Trient to the Col de Balme

You leave Trient (or Le Peuty, if that's where you stayed) on a forest trail that climbs steadily up the south side of the valley. The ascent is constant but never technical. The path first winds through conifer forest, then transitions to alpine pastures as you gain elevation.

The gradient stays even — none of the exposed sections or scree fields you dealt with at the Fenetre d'Arpette the day before. It's an honest, straightforward climb that gives you time to look back and watch the Trient Valley fall away below. On a clear day, you can still pick out the ridges framing the Glacier du Trient, a reminder of the previous stage.

The Col de Balme Refuge

The Col de Balme refuge (2,191 m), perched just below the col, marks the border between Switzerland and France. It's the last Swiss building on the TMB. Hot drinks and meals are served here, making it the perfect spot to refuel before dropping down into France.

The col itself is a broad, grassy plateau open to both sides. To the north: Switzerland, the Trient Valley, the canton of Valais. To the south: France, the Chamonix Valley, and behind it all, the full sweep of the Mont-Blanc massif.

The Col de Balme: (Yet Another) Panorama That Makes the TMB Worth It

From the Col de Balme, your eyes sweep the entire north face of the massif. The Aiguille Verte (4,122 m) shows off its most striking aspect, crowned by its ice cap. Les Drus, the Aiguille du Midi, the Dome du Gouter, Mont-Blanc itself — everything is laid out like a three-dimensional relief map. On a clear day, you can even spot the Mer de Glace flowing between the Grandes Jorasses and the Aiguille Verte.

This is where the TMB truly clicks. You've been walking around this mountain for eight days, seen it from every angle across three countries. And suddenly, there it is, right in front of you, almost within reach. Hikers who have completed the full circuit feel the magnitude of the distance they've covered. Those starting the TMB from Chamonix don't yet know what lies ahead. Those returning know exactly what they're leaving behind.

The Posettes Ridge: A Detour You Won't Regret

From the Col de Balme, the trail first drops toward the Col des Posettes (1,997 m). From this intermediate col, a variant lets you climb back up to the Aiguillette des Posettes (2,201 m), a detour of about an hour. The viewpoint delivers a full 360-degree panorama: the Mont-Blanc massif to the south, the Rhone Valley to the north, the Aiguilles Rouges to the east. It's one of the TMB's least-known viewpoints, and one of the widest.

The ridge is easy and safe in dry conditions. However, it's exposed to wind and should be avoided during thunderstorms. From the Aiguillette, you continue the descent along the ridge directly toward Tre-le-Champ.

Michel Croz: The Guide Born at the Foot of the Col

Descending the Col de Balme on the French side, the trail passes near the village of Le Tour (1,453 m), a small hamlet tucked at the end of the Chamonix Valley. This is where Michel Croz was born in 1830 — one of the greatest mountain guides in the history of alpinism.

In under five years, Croz racked up the most prestigious first ascents of the golden age of mountaineering: the Barre des Ecrins, Mont Dolent, the Aiguille d'Argentiere, the Grandes Jorasses, Mont Viso, the Grande Casse. His most loyal climbing partner was the Englishman Edward Whymper, with whom he completed most of these expeditions.

On July 14, 1865, Croz and Whymper reached the summit of the Matterhorn via the Hornli Ridge, beating an Italian team approaching from the other side. But the descent turned to tragedy: one climber slipped, the rope broke, and four men fell to their deaths, Croz among them. He was 35. His tombstone in Zermatt reads: "He perished not far from here, a man of courage and a faithful guide."

Passing through Le Tour today, there's little to mark this extraordinary life. A few old stone houses, a cable car, climbers heading for the Glacier du Tour. But for anyone who knows the story, the place carries a different weight.

The Albert Ier Refuge: A Mountaineering King

Above the village of Le Tour, the Albert Ier refuge (2,707 m) watches over the Glacier du Tour. Its story is a curious one. Funded by the Belgian Alpine Club, it was inaugurated on August 29-30, 1930, and named in honor of King Albert I of Belgium — a passionate mountaineer and club member who attended the ceremony in person.

Four years later, on February 17, 1934, the king died in a fall from the Roche du Vieux Bon Dieu at Marche-les-Dames, near Namur, while climbing alone. A king who died while rock climbing — the anecdote says something about the era and the fascination that mountains held across every social class, all the way up to royalty.

In 1850, during the Little Ice Age, the Glacier du Tour extended all the way down to the present-day village at 1,450 m. Today, its terminus sits far higher. The refuge, renovated in 2013, remains an essential basecamp for alpinists targeting the Aiguille du Chardonnet or the Aiguille d'Argentiere.

The Descent to Tre-le-Champ

After the Col de Balme (or the Posettes detour), the trail descends to the Col des Posettes and then reaches the hamlet of Tre-le-Champ (1,400 m). The descent crosses alpine pastures followed by a larch forest. The path is well-marked and presents no technical difficulty.

Tre-le-Champ isn't really a village — just a handful of houses, an inn, and a parking lot. It's a waypoint, a junction between the Chamonix Valley and the Vallon de Berard. For TMB hikers, it's mainly the starting point of the next stage, toward Lac Blanc and the Refuge de la Flegere.

The Vallorcine Variant

It's also possible to descend from the Col de Balme toward Vallorcine (1,260 m), following the Eau Noire torrent. This variant adds roughly 45 minutes but offers real charm: Vallorcine is a valley apart, connected to France by the Col des Montets road but whose waters flow toward Switzerland. The village has an isolated, almost secretive atmosphere, far from the bustle of Chamonix.

Accommodation at Tre-le-Champ and Nearby

• Auberge La Boerne (Tre-le-Champ): gite d'etape with dorms and private rooms, half-board. The classic address for TMB hikers at this stage. Friendly vibe.
• Refuge du Col de Balme (2,191 m): for those who want to split the stage in two or catch the sunset from the col. Dormitories, meals available.
• Hotels in Argentiere (3 km): the neighboring village of Argentiere offers more lodging and dining options. Reachable on foot or by shuttle.
• Gites in Vallorcine: if you take the variant, several gites and hotels welcome hikers.

Booking recommended in July-August, especially at Auberge La Boerne, which has limited capacity.

Practical Tips

Water and Resupply

Water is available at Trient when you start, then at the Col de Balme refuge. A few streams run on the French side early in the season, but they can dry up by August. Carry at least 1.5 liters. There are no shops in Tre-le-Champ. For resupply, count on Argentiere (grocery store, bakery), reachable in about 45 minutes on foot or by shuttle.

Weather and Timing

The Col de Balme is exposed to wind. In overcast conditions, the Mont-Blanc panorama vanishes — and with it, much of the stage's appeal. If the forecast calls for a clearing around midday, adjust your departure accordingly. Starting early (7:30-8:00 AM) is still the best strategy to dodge afternoon thunderstorms in summer.

The Posettes ridge should be avoided in stormy weather (exposed ridge, no shelter).

Difficulty

This stage has no technical difficulty. The climb from Trient is long but steady (about 900 m of elevation gain). The descent to Tre-le-Champ is gentle. Overall, it's a moderate stage, manageable for any hiker who has already made it to day nine of the TMB.

Frequently Asked Questions About TMB Stage 9

Is the Col de Balme worth it even in cloudy weather?

The Col de Balme without the panorama loses a big part of its magic. But crossing the Swiss-French border still carries a powerful sense of return. And the climb through the Valaisan pastures has its own appeal, with or without the view. If fog is total, the Vallorcine variant offers a more sheltered alternative and an authentic village to explore.

Can you combine Stage 9 with Stage 10?

It's doable but long. Linking Trient to Tre-le-Champ to the Refuge de la Flegere adds up to around 20 km and 1,900 m of elevation gain. Some 7-day itineraries do it, but it's a big day, especially on the ninth day of hiking. In our TMB in 7 days, we handle this section differently to keep your legs fresh.

Where is the source of the Arve?

The Arve — the river that runs through Chamonix, then Bonneville, before joining the Rhone at Geneva (107 km total) — has its source in the Mont-Blanc massif. Descending from the Col de Balme, you enter its watershed. In the Middle Ages, organized labor was used to shore up its banks with bundles of branches. A column erected in Bonneville in 1826 depicts the Arve as a goddess, brought low and chained.

What Comes Next on the TMB

From Tre-le-Champ, the next stage takes you along the Grand Balcon Sud facing the Mer de Glace, with the option to climb to Lac Blanc (2,352 m). It's one of the TMB's shortest stages, but possibly its most photogenic.

You've just come from Stage 8, Champex-Lac to Trient via Bovine or the Fenetre d'Arpette — the tough choice is behind you. To see where this stage fits in the bigger picture, the complete Tour du Mont-Blanc overview covers all 11 stages, variants, and logistics. If you'd rather experience the TMB in comfort with hand-picked accommodation and a dedicated guide, the TMB in 7 days with Altimood packs the best of the circuit into a single week.

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