How does Tour de Mont Blanc compare to CF?

[blahblahblah123]

I know that elevation changes on TMB are more significant, but interested in if TMB also has good food with decent prices along the way on the trail... I loved that about the CF

 

[Tincatinker]

I know that elevation changes on TMB are more significant, but interested in if TMB also has good food with decent prices along the way on the trail... I loved that about the CF

Oh, you're 'aving a giraffe aren't you? Given that the elevations on the camino Frances from StJpdP are the equivalent of climbing Everest twice from sea-level the TMB is a cake-walk. 165 km with an elevation gain/loss of a mere 10,600 m. As to the food you are either in Italy, France or Switzerland, cuisines of scarcely any renown. €100 a day should cover most of your costs. Bon chemin

 

[Turga]

You may be on the wrong forum? Perhaps try to Google ”TMB for gourmand with decent prices.”

 

[Madis]

TMB is 180-200km long with 10 000m elevation rise and drop. People walk it under 2 weeks.

Most critical part is the accomondation. You will need to book ahead all the places you plan to stay. The demand for this trail is very high. You should book at least 4 months ahead.

Place you stay at have a breakfast kit that you can order when making the booking. Since you will rarely pass a store, then you will be dependent on the breakfast kit and occasional restaurant to grab lunch. All accomondations that I stayed in offered dinner.

It is much more of a wilderness hiking adventure than Camino Frances which has accomondation and restaurants every few kilometers. Also, TMB has the most breathtaking views you can imagine.

Camino Frances you can do without any training. Especially if you start in Pamplona or later. For TMB you will need to train well or you will be in trouble. Especially if the pack weight is too much.

 

[blahblahblah123]

TMB is 180-200km long with 10 000m elevation rise and drop. People walk it under 2 weeks.

Most critical part is the accomondation. You will need to book ahead all the places you plan to stay. The demand for this trail is very high. You should book at least 4 months ahead.

Place you stay at have a breakfast kit that you can order when making the booking. Since you will rarely pass a store, then you will be dependent on the breakfast kit and occasional restaurant to grab lunch. All accomondations that I stayed in offered dinner.

It is much more of a wilderness hiking adventure than Camino Frances which has accomondation and restaurants every few kilometers. Also, TMB has the most breathtaking views you can imagine.

Camino Frances you can do without any training. Especially if you start in Pamplona or later. For TMB you will need to train well or you will be in trouble. Especially if the pack weight is too much.

Thank you for your response!! I have been looking into it and yes for CF I felt like I never had to think about packing much food except for snacking, but TMB is more remote and definitely more nature, can expect a full meal at every place you stay but maybe not during the day when walking

 

[klimmo]

Hi, it feels a little bit like comparing apples to eh potatoes. While both are walking routes, I'd say the similarities mostly end there. TMB is an alpine trek in the high mountains, back country with steep, technical trails and unpredictable weather. Huts will need to be reserved well in advance (they usually offer half board (dinner, bed, breakfast) and can be very basic and simple.

That being said, the environment is amazing, spectacular views and well worth the effort.

If you want some more detailed info, don't hesitate, I live in the area.

 

[henrythedog]

I know that elevation changes on TMB are more significant, but interested in if TMB also has good food with decent prices along the way on the trail... I loved that about the CF

Generally excellent food; but at prices which reflect the lack of choice. Very much more expensive than the CF. Also imperative to book in advance.

It will dispel any thoughts that on the first couple of days of the CF you were ‘crossing the Pyrenees’.

 

[OZAJ]

Oh, you're 'aving a giraffe aren't you? Given that the elevations on the camino Frances from StJpdP are the equivalent of climbing Everest twice from sea-level the TMB is a cake-walk. 165 km with an elevation gain/loss of a mere 10,600 m. As to the food you are either in Italy, France or Switzerland, cuisines of scarcely any renown. €100 a day should cover most of your costs. Bon chemin

Be nice!

 

[mspath]

I know that elevation changes on TMB are more significant, but interested in if TMB also has good food with decent prices along the way on the trail... I loved that about the CF

For TMB check out these possibilities which are organized tours. One problem is finding available accommodation in the mountains during the season. Therefore check out hidden mountain refuges for how find your own space for each night.

Also for earlier forum posts re TMB see this earlier thread

This may be the best site for planning your own way.

Happy dreaming and/or planning!

 

[Shades of Narnia]

It is not a pilgrimage.

 

[Lucy_lou]

I walked the Camino Frances, then 2 months later did TMB last year. Like everyone has stated, totally different. The Camino is a walk, it such an amazing experience, the fellow pilgrims make it so incredibly special. The TMB was totally different, it was my hike, and a hike it was. Totally different feel about it. I enjoyed ( loved) the CF and I enjoyed TMB ( wouldn't say loved it) . I would walk the CF time and time again, not so much TMB.

 

[howardd5]

I walked the Camino Frances, then 2 months later did TMB last year. Like everyone has stated, totally different. The Camino is a walk, it such an amazing experience, the fellow pilgrims make it so incredibly special. The TMB was totally different, it was my hike, and a hike it was. Totally different feel about it. I enjoyed ( loved) the CF and I enjoyed TMB ( wouldn't say loved it) . I would walk the CF time and time again, not so much TMB.

I walked the”houte route”some years back which goes from Chamonix( mt blanc) to Matterhorn , not climb it by the way . It was high, 10,000 ft and isolated . I think the CF is much better and a lot safer.

 

[Colette Z]

Hi, it feels a little bit like comparing apples to eh potatoes. While both are walking routes, I'd say the similarities mostly end there. TMB is an alpine trek in the high mountains, back country with steep, technical trails and unpredictable weather. Huts will need to be reserved well in advance (they usually offer half board (dinner, bed, breakfast) and can be very basic and simple.

That being said, the environment is amazing, spectacular views and well worth the effort.

If you want some more detailed info, don't hesitate, I live in the area.

What physical skill level is needed for the TMB (just did the Salvador + Primitivo last November)? Does one have to walk it as a group package or can it be planned privately

 

[klimmo]

What physical skill level is needed for the TMB (just did the Salvador + Primitivo last November)? Does one have to walk it as a group package or can it be planned privately

You have to be reasonably fit, an average day will have you climb (in one go) a 1000m (3200ft) and a similar descent on sometimes technical single trails. That being said, if you take the time (and you will want to because the landscape and views demand many many photo stops) you can go everywhere. Generally people take 10 days for the whole circuit.

This is a link to a canadian couple who did the circuit last year (they were fastpacking but managed to shoot a lot whilst running which gives a really good idea of both conditions and the landscape)

If you have any more questions, happy to help, I live in the area (in Switzerland)

 

[Colette Z]

You have to be reasonably fit, an average day will have you climb (in one go) a 1000m (3200ft) and a similar descent on sometimes technical single trails. That being said, if you take the time (and you will want to because the landscape and views demand many many photo stops) you can go everywhere. Generally people take 10 days for the whole circuit.

This is a link to a canadian couple who did the circuit last year (they were fastpacking but managed to shoot a lot whilst running which gives a really good idea of both conditions and the landscape)

If you have any more questions, happy to help, I live in the area (in Switzerland)

Great thank you. There are about 4 days on the Salvador and Camino Primitivo that are ascents to 1350, 1400, 1650m with similar descents. I agree it’s about speed. I’ll PM you for more. BTW loved skiing in Klosters.

 

[JulieandPeter]

TMB is spectacular. It has all been said in earlier posts: very difficult, expensive, book in advance, excellent food. Timing is important. We hiked in September which in 2016 was cold and rainy, and many places were closed which made for very long days. We revised our plans quite a bit because we were not prepared for the conditions even though we trained in advance.

The day we hiked out of Courmayeur we came across a lone runner racing in the Tor Des Geants, a 205-mile race over 23 mountain summits (so it's not that difficult for some people ) who was only a few hours from the finish but had been standing in the same place for over an hour (I know this because we passed him twice because we were lost). The other runners we had seen were frantically making their way to the finish, hardly looking up as we made room for them to pass.

This runner seemed to be taking it all in; reflecting on what he had accomplished and feeling grateful for the magnitude of beauty around him (So, perhaps, a pilgrimage for some).

Two kind day hikers from China got us on the right path after they had accidentally done the same thing we did (follow the race course flags, not the TMB trail), but were thankfully redirected by a shepherd a few miles up the mountain. They waited for us at the rifugio to make sure we were safe before they hiked down to their car (a little slice of the Camino spirit).

The first photo is of the runner, the second photo is of what he was looking at.