Tour des Combins

A high circuit around the Grand Combin between Switzerland and Italy

The Tour des Combins circles the Grand Combin across the Valais and Aosta borderlands, joining high passes, glacier viewpoints and staffed refuges in a compact international loop.

95 km · 5,517 m ascent · 6 stages · 5–7 days · · Switzerland, Italy

The Grand Combin and the high country of the Tour des Combins

About the Tour des Combins

The Tour des Combins loops the Grand Combin between the Swiss Valais and the Italian side, with the massif's glaciers and 4,000-metre skyline visible from a chain of high passes and huts.

The route is shorter than the TMB but feels more remote: several stages stay high, the passes are stony, and the circuit crosses a real national border rather than simply circling a valley. The huts make the logistics possible, but weather and booking still determine the best direction.

Five to seven days is a useful planning range. Strong walkers can keep the classic rhythm; parties carrying more kit or waiting for a pass to clear should leave room for a shorter stage in the Valais or an extra hut night.

A glacier view does not mean the hiking line crosses a glacier. Keep the walker's circuit separate from mountaineering variants, and check the current status of every pass before setting out.

The 6 classic stages

  1. Stage 1: Bourg-Saint-Pierre to Cabane de Mille

    Bourg-Saint-Pierre to Cabane de Mille · 16.2 km · 937.89 m ascent · 936.87 m descent

    Climb from the Valais village into the first high hut, with the route quickly opening toward the Grand Combin skyline.

  2. Stage 2: Cabane de Mille to Panossière

    Cabane de Mille to Cabane de Panossière · 16.2 km · 937.89 m ascent · 936.87 m descent

    A high Swiss stage toward the Corbassière glacier and the hut's dramatic balcony beneath the massif.

  3. Stage 3: Panossière to Chanrion

    Cabane de Panossière to Cabane de Chanrion · 16.1 km · 937.89 m ascent · 936.87 m descent

    Cross the high ground at the heart of the circuit before turning toward the Italian valleys.

  4. Stage 4: Chanrion to Champillon

    Cabane de Chanrion to Champillon · 16.2 km · 937.89 m ascent · 936.87 m descent

    The route turns around the southern side of the massif, trading glacier views for broad Aosta and Valais valleys.

  5. Stage 5: Champillon to Grand Saint-Bernard

    Champillon to Grand Saint-Bernard · 15.2 km · 882.72 m ascent · 881.76 m descent

    Follow the border country toward the historic pass and hospice at the western end of the loop.

  6. Stage 6: Grand Saint-Bernard to Bourg-Saint-Pierre

    Grand Saint-Bernard to Bourg-Saint-Pierre · 15.2 km · 882.72 m ascent · 881.76 m descent

    Close the circuit with the long descent back into the Valais and the original trailhead.

Refuges, gîtes and huts on the circuit

  • km 5.4 — Cabane du Plan du Jeu, — (stage 1)
  • km 10.9 — Hospice du Grand Saint-Bernard, 2,470 m, 104 beds (stage 1)
  • km 31.2 — Rifugio Letey-Champillon, 2,465 m, 32 beds (stage 2)
  • km 53.1 — Cabane de Chanrion, 2,462 m, 55 beds (stage 4)
  • km 68.4 — Cabane FXB Panossière, 2,641 m, 75 beds (stage 4)
  • km 75.1 — Cabane Brunet, 2,104 m, 56 beds (stage 5)
  • km 101.2 — Cabane de Mille, 2,473 m, 40 beds (stage 6)

Cols on the classic line

    Know before you go

    • Mid-June to September is the normal window, with the highest passes often holding snow at the start of summer.
    • The route crosses Switzerland and Italy. Plan transport, currency and phone coverage on both sides of the border.
    • Refuges are the route's natural stages and should be booked early for July and August.
    • The Italian side can feel drier and more exposed than the Swiss valleys. Carry water and do not assume every hut is open.
    • Check the Grand Combin weather separately from the valley forecast: the massif creates its own cloud and wind.

    Frequently asked questions

    How long is the Tour des Combins?

    The stored loop is about 95 km with roughly 5,500 m of ascent. Most parties take five to seven days.

    Which countries does the Tour des Combins cross?

    The circuit crosses Switzerland and Italy around the Grand Combin massif.

    How hard is the Tour des Combins?

    It is a high alpine hike with repeated passes, stony terrain and changeable weather. The route is non-technical in its walking form but deserves mountain experience.

    When should you walk the Tour des Combins?

    Mid-June to September is typical, subject to snow, pass conditions and the opening dates of the huts.

    More multi-day routes

    Sources and provenance

    Stage metrics, tracks, huts and passes come from the Traverse route database. Conditions change: verify refuge opening, pass conditions and transport before you go.

    Page reviewed .