TMB Stage 10: 7 km on the Grand Balcon Sud, staring down the Drus

Seven kilometres. That's the full length of Stage 10 on the Tour du Mont-Blanc - the shortest stage on the whole circuit. And yet, it's the stage hikers keep naming when you ask them for the highlight. The Grand Balcon Sud runs a balcony trail along the north face of the massif, with the Aiguille Verte (4,122 m), the Drus, the Mer de Glace, and Mont-Blanc as one continuous, jaw-dropping backdrop. You'll climb eleven metal ladders, wander through the Reserve naturelle des Aiguilles Rouges, and - if you feel like a side trip - visit Lac Blanc, home to the most photographed reflection in the Alps. For anyone who's come all the way from Australia to walk this trail, this is the stage that makes the long flight worthwhile.

Mountain hiking guides, we've walked this balcony in sunshine, cloud, and everything in between. On a clear day, it's a parade of peaks that genuinely stops you in your tracks. When the fog rolls in, the whole thing transforms into a quiet wander through rhododendrons and larches, with glaciers popping out of nowhere through breaks in the mist. This article covers the full route, the side options, where to sleep, and a few yarns the trail doesn't share on its own.

The Route: Profile, Map and GPX

• Distance :↔ 6.2 km
• Dénivelé positif :↗ 692 m
• Dénivelé négatif :↘ 247 m

Stage 10 at a Glance

The standout moment: eleven metal ladders, a chimney with footholds, and an exposed ledge, then you step onto Tete-aux-Vents (2,132 m) with the entire Mont-Blanc massif stretched out in front of you. A 7 km balcony trail suspended between sky and glaciers.

The Climb: Tre-le-Champ to Tete-aux-Vents

You leave Tre-le-Champ (1,400 m) on a forest trail that gains height fast. After roughly an hour of solid uphill through the larch trees, you hit the ladder section. Eleven metal ladders, one after the other, get you up and over a rock barrier, then it's a chimney fitted with footholds and an exposed traverse. It's airy, no question, but it's well-secured and doesn't need any climbing skill. Hands are there just for balance.

At the top, the chunky cairn at Tete-aux-Vents (2,132 m) marks the high point of the stage. It's the main junction: head left for the Lac Blanc detour; keep straight for the Grand Balcon Sud towards La Flegere.

The Grand Balcon Sud: A Front-Row Seat to the Massif

From Tete-aux-Vents, the trail drops gently on a traverse. To your left, the panorama unrolls from east to west like a relief map you can walk through: the Aiguille du Tour (3,544 m), the Aiguille du Chardonnet (3,824 m), the Aiguille d'Argentiere (3,900 m), then the Aiguille Verte (4,122 m) and the Drus (3,754 m) towering over the Mer de Glace. Beyond them, the Grandes Jorasses (4,208 m), the Aiguilles de Chamonix, and the "Trois Monts": Mont-Blanc du Tacul (4,248 m), Mont Maudit (4,465 m), Mont-Blanc (4,809 m).

It's the entire massif, captured in a single look. Not many trails anywhere in the Alps give you a panorama this complete, held for this distance. The balcony goes on for several kilometres, past the Chalet des Cheserys (1,998 m) before reaching the Refuge de la Flegere (1,877 m).

The Drus: A Pillar That No Longer Exists

Right across the valley, the Drus grab your attention. Their profile has changed. In 1997, a seismic collapse ripped away a chunk of the Petit Dru. Further rockfalls followed in 2003, 2005, and 2011. The famous Bonatti Pillar - where Walter Bonatti completed an extraordinary solo six-day ascent in 1955, one of the greatest achievements in mountaineering history - is simply gone. The mountain took it back.

In 1741, the Englishmen William Windham and Richard Pococke were among the first foreign travellers to make it to Chamonix. Windham described the "glacieres of Chamouni" in an account that caused a sensation in London's scientific and literary circles. He already mentioned the Aiguille du Dru in his view from the Montenvers, though he muddled east and west in his description. Their trip sparked a fascination that would turn a dead-end Alpine valley into the world capital of mountaineering.

The Lac Blanc Detour

From Tete-aux-Vents, a trail climbs to Lac Blanc (2,352 m) in about 45 minutes (+220 m of elevation gain). The milky colour of the water comes from rock particles ground up by glacial abrasion. The first basin is 3.30 m deep, the second 9.50 m. This is the spot where the Aiguille Verte and the Drus produce their most famous reflection.

The Chamonix guide Armand Charlet turned the Aiguille Verte into his personal obsession: he summited it over a hundred times by different routes. Standing at Lac Blanc, you start to understand how one mountain can get under your skin like that.

The detour adds roughly 1h30 to your day, return trip from Tete-aux-Vents. If you'd rather spend the night, the Refuge du Lac Blanc (2,352 m) has dorms and meals.

The Reserve naturelle des Aiguilles Rouges

The whole of Stage 10 runs through the Reserve naturelle des Aiguilles Rouges, established on 30 April 1971 at Chamonix. Covering 3,270 hectares, it protects one of the richest alpine ecosystems in the region. The name "Aiguilles Rouges" most likely comes from the reddish tinge of the rock that makes up the massif. Entry is free. A visitor centre at the Col des Montets runs exhibitions on the local wildlife and plants.

The founding philosophy of the reserve boiled down to one sentence: "We shall protect nature to protect humankind!" Half a century later, the Grand Balcon Sud trail is the proof: chamois, ibex, and marmots are regularly spotted on the surrounding slopes.

Accommodation at La Flegere and Nearby

• Refuge de la Flegere (1,877 m): the go-to end-of-stage stop. Dorms, half-board, terrace facing Mont-Blanc. Booking is essential in summer (tel: 04 50 55 85 88).
• Refuge du Lac Blanc (2,352 m): if you want to sleep by the lake and catch the sunrise over the Drus (tel: 07 67 56 74 14). You'll need to climb back up from Tete-aux-Vents.
• Hotels at Les Praz-de-Chamonix: accessible by cable car from La Flegere (15 min). More comfort, more dining choices.

Book by March for July-August, especially at the Refuge du Lac Blanc which fills up fast.

Practical Tips

Water and Resupply

Water is available at the start in Tre-le-Champ (Auberge La Boerne), at the Refuge du Lac Blanc if you take the side trip, and at the Refuge de la Flegere on arrival. A few streams run early in the season, but they can dry up by August. Bring 1 to 1.5 litres. No shops on the trail.

Weather and Timing

The stage is short (3-4h without Lac Blanc), so there's no need for a crack-of-dawn start. The slope faces west: morning light illuminates the Mont-Blanc massif opposite, which is your best window for photos. The trail cops full afternoon sun in summer. Avoid the ladder section in the rain (slippery rock).

Difficulty

The eleven ladders and the exposed traverse are the only bits that need a bit of nerve. Hikers who aren't keen on heights can take a lower variant that bypasses the rock barrier (marked trail from Tre-le-Champ via the Col des Montets to La Flegere, roughly an hour longer). The rest is standard hiking trail, well-marked all the way.

Frequently Asked Questions About TMB Stage 10

Are the ladders dangerous?

No. The ladders are metal, bolted into rock, and well-maintained. They're vertical or very steep, and your hands will be useful for grip. The chimney that follows has built-in footholds. The exposed traverse is the most dramatic section, but the path is wide. In dry conditions, it's genuinely fun. In the wet, the rock gets slippery: take extra care, or use the lower variant.

Can you combine Stage 10 with Stage 9?

Doable, but it's a big day. Linking Trient, Tre-le-Champ, and the Refuge de la Flegere comes to around 20 km and 1,900 m of elevation gain. Some 7-day itineraries squeeze it in. In our TMB in 7 days, we handle this section differently so you're not running on empty.

Should you head up to Lac Blanc or go straight to La Flegere?

If the weather's playing ball and your legs are still cooperating, the Lac Blanc detour is worth every extra metre. The reflection of Mont-Blanc in the lake is one of the Alps' most iconic sights. Allow about 1h30 extra (round trip from Tete-aux-Vents). If the cloud's sitting low over the peaks, the lake loses its main drawcard.

What Comes Next on the TMB

From the Refuge de la Flegere, the next stage takes you up to Le Brevent (2,525 m), widely regarded as the finest viewpoint on the TMB, before a long 1,500 m descent into Les Houches. It's the grand finale - the loop closes.

You've just come from Stage 9, Trient to Tre-le-Champ via the Col de Balme: the return to France is done and dusted. To see where this stage sits in the full circuit, the complete Tour du Mont-Blanc guide covers all 11 stages, variants, and logistics. If you'd like to do the TMB with hand-picked accommodation and a dedicated guide, the TMB in 7 days with Altimood packs the highlights into a single week.

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