The Tour des Combins (also known as TDC) is a wonderful hiking route that goes around the massif of Gran Combin in the Alps between Italy and Switzerland. It is about 100 km long and has an altitude difference of 6000 metres both uphill and downhill.
Depending on your athletic preparation, the tour can be divided into several short or long stages and can even be done in a single day if done in trail running mode at a fast pace. Agnese and I decided to take it on a weekend in August, between Saturday morning and Monday morning, so that we could return to work on Monday afternoon. To do this, we designed two fairly long and challenging stages and the last one very short and simpler than the others.
Obviously, since this is a route entirely in the Alps, on trails that aren’t always easy, and with the possibility of sudden weather changes, it’s very important to study the route and weather conditions in the hours before setting off. And make sure you bring everything you need to be completely self-sufficient in case you have trouble reaching a refreshment point in time.
We started from Saint Rhemy en Bosses, about 1.5 km away from Saint Rhemy where the official tour passes (Tour des Combins). It can be done in both directions: we decided to do it clockwise.
In the end, our tour was 104 km with about 6080 metres of altitude difference.
Before going into the details of the individual days, I’ll leave some general information.
The path / The route
The route is marked differently in Italy and Switzerland.
In Italy, it is a black diamond on a yellow background with the word TDC. It is frequently found on stones, walls, and on the signs of various walking routes.
In Switzerland, the trail is marked much less frequently and is exclusively on the directional posts of the various walks and is indicated as Grand Tour des Combins on a green background.
The name: Tour des Combins
The name is due to the fact that it goes around the Gran Combin massif which contains several “Combins”. To name a few:
- Combin de Boveire (3663 m)
- Combin de Corbassière (3716 m)
- Gran Combin de Grafeneire (4314 m)
- Combin de la Tsessette (4135 m)
- Combin du Meitin (3622 m)
- Petit-Combin (3663m)
Logistics and accomodation
There are various places to sleep along the route. These are the ones you encounter when going around clockwise:
- Hospice du Gran San Bernardo (Hospice du Grand-Saint-Bernard)
- Bourg Saint Pierre (Bourg-Saint-Pierre – Wikipedia)
- Cabane Col du Mille (Cabane de Mille – Cabane de Mille)
- Cabane de Brunet (Cabane de Brunet)
- Cabane Col de Panossière (Cabane Panossière | Au pied du Grand Combin à 2641 mètres)
- Hotel Mauvoisin (Hôtel de Mauvoisin |)
- Cabane Chanrion (La cabane de Chanrion – Cabane de Chanrion – Cabane de Chanrion – Orsières)
- Rifugio Champillon (Home – Rifugio Champillon Adolphe Letey, Doues)
- Saint-Rhémy (Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses – Wikipedia)
We dined and slept the first night at the Cabane de Panossière and the second night at the Rifugio Champillon.
The weather, the temperature and drink supply
The route follows Alpine trails, often above 2,000 meters, with the highest point at around 2,880 meters. As a result, you can expect low temperatures even in summer and possible weather changes quickly.
Instead, on our tour, we were fortunate to have completely sunny days, but also extremely hot ones. We were particularly surprised to wake up at dawn at 2,650 m and already feel warm!
So we found ourselves walking with backpacks full of everything we needed to face the cold of the high mountains, but all this stuff remained well at the bottom of the backpack.
Regarding water supplies, with the heat of these days, it is very important to have them in mind, especially when planning long stages.
In addition to the mountain huts already mentioned where you can get supplies, here I also add other water points found along the route:
- Fountain in Bourg Saint Pierre
- Fountain a Creux du Ma (ca. 5 km from Bourg Saint Pierre)
- Fountain outside Cabane de Brunet (ca. 8 km from Cabane Col du Mille)
As you can see, there aren’t many. I especially recommend stocking up on water at the Cabane de Chanrion because it might be difficult to find water all the way to the Rifugio Champillon.
Instead, the path is full of streams and waterfalls, so there’s always the chance to cool your head and wrists, especially on a very hot day.
Gears
As mentioned, we brought a trekking backpack so we could have everything we needed for two and a half days in the mountains.
For shoes, I used the Hoka Mafate 5, which I’d just bought a few days ago. I’m really happy with them. I’m now going to log a few more kilometers of trail running and then I’ll write a full review and post it in the dedicated section.
Highly recommended items to use are: sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat.
Stage 1 (TDC): Saint-Rhemy-en-Bosses > Cabane FXB à Panossière
- Distance: 49 km
- Elevation gain: 3164 m
- Elevation loss: 2040 m
- Date: 09/08/2025
- Start time: 06:15 a.m.
We set out from Saint-Rhemy-en-Bosses, a kilometer and a half from the old village of Saint-Rhemy, where the tour passes. We did this for convenience of parking.
As soon as we arrived in Saint-Rhemy, the Tour des Combin signs were clearly visible, and we headed along the path that runs alongside the road up to the pass.
As we climbed, the landscape opened up, revealing views of the mountains, which were so familiar to us, being practically right behind our house.
There are always plenty of animals in this valley: cows, sheep, marmots, horses, and even donkeys. And we didn’t fail to encounter them as we climbed.
However, you also need to be careful of the dogs that guard the herds and flocks. For example, we avoided the path between these two buildings because the dogs were very alert in the early morning and we preferred to avoid any problems.
After about 8 km you reach the statue of Pius XI which precedes the Italian-Swiss border at Lake Gran San Bernardo.
We walked a few hundred meters on a paved road to reach the first hill of the day: the Great St. Bernard Pass.
From here, you can admire the lake, a constant presence throughout the tour.
Once you’ve crossed the pass, the descent begins. Take the path immediately to the right and descend fairly quickly, following the ascent to the pass from the Swiss side. After about 15 km, you’ll reach Lake Thules.
We skirt the lake on the left side with gentle ups and downs, and we took advantage of this to take a few extra breaks and take the ritual photo.
Once past the Barrage de Toules, continue downhill until km 20. Here you cross the stream and begin a short, easy climb towards Bourg Saint-Pierre.
Here in Bourg Saint Pierre, you can refresh yourself at the fountain below the church. We stopped for a snack and then turned right about 1 km away to find a coffee for me! So, you can ignore this km from the GPS track. From the fountain, continue straight into the village.
From the edge of town, a long but easy climb toward Col du Mille begins. Five kilometers into the climb, you’ll pass a small mountain pasture offering views of the valley you’ve just traveled and where there’s a fountain to cool off.
The climb continues on a very simple road that allows you to have a beautiful view of the Mont Blanc massif on the Italian-Swiss side just above the Val Ferret.
Around km 31 you reach La Vuardette (2450m).
In front, you can already see the Col du Mille and the refuge is also clearly visible. Looking back, you can see part of the Grand Combin and Mont Velan.
After about 34 km, we reach the Cabane du Col de Mille. Here, we encountered several hikers, as well as paragliders and countless mountain bikers. On the subsequent descent, we often had to stop and move aside to let them pass.
The descent overlooks the valley overlooked by the town of Verbier. It’s steeper at first, then gentler in the second half. After about 8 km, you reach the Cabane Brunet, near a small lake.
The next two kilometers are a pleasant up and down. You then reach a fork near a Tibetan bridge. Both routes lead to the Cabane de Panossiere. Going straight takes a longer loop that passes over the Col des Avouillons (2,649 m). The time on the trail is 2 hours 55 minutes. Going left and using the Tibetan bridge makes the loop shorter: 2 hours 15 minutes.
We opted for the shortest route as it was already late (it was around 5:30 pm, dinner planned at 7 pm) and we had already been on the trails for 11 and a half hours.
The trail continues on a slight incline for another two kilometers until the La Maye junction. Here, the last 600 meters of elevation gain begin, which are quite steep, especially in the first few kilometers. However, the fatigue is offset by the beauty of the landscape that unfolds before your eyes, with views of the Combassière Glacier and the Grand Combin.
When the climb flattens, the path rejoins the one coming from the Col des Avouillons. Here you will find one of the most scenic passages of the tour: the Passerelle de Corbassière.
Finally, we arrive at the Cabane, where we’re greeted with such warmth and kindness. It’s a wonderful spot to watch the sunset after dinner.
Stage 2 (TDC): Cabane FXB à Panossière > Rifugio Adolphe Letey di Champillon
- Distance: 39 km
- Elevation gain: 2342 m
- Elevation loss: 2557 m
- Date: 10/08/2025
- Start time: 06:53 a.m.
We woke up before 6 and after breakfast we headed outside the refuge to take in the view from the previous evening.
Here we said our last goodbyes to the Cabane de Panossiere, where we had a particularly good time, both for the welcome and the general atmosphere.
We then began the short but steep climb that leads to the highest pass of the entire tour: the Col des Otanes at 2880m.
The first part of the subsequent descent is particularly technical, with rocky terrain, some sections with equipped ropes, and a few steep ladders to descend. Nothing particularly risky or difficult, but in any case, the utmost attention and concentration are required.
From the Col des Otanes there is a descent of about 5 km until you reach the vicinity of the Mauvoisin hotel, just below the majestic dam.
You walk along a short stretch of slightly uphill asphalt road until you reach this precise point.
This is essentially the entrance to a very evocative section of the tour, which allows you to retrace the underground tunnels used by the workers who built the dam. The trail is well-lit and alternates between very steep uphill sections and easier ones.
And even in the tunnels you cannot get lost since there are signs there as well.
Once you reach the top of the dam, you can admire the full beauty and length of Lac de Mauvouisin. Of course, from the opposite side, you can appreciate the dam’s height, provided you’re not afraid of heights.
From the dam (km 8 of the day), the climb begins again. The first two kilometers are very easy, with short sections through tunnels carved into the rock. To the right of these, you can admire the many waterfalls that flow from the mountains into the lake.
After that, the climb becomes steeper, with an elevation gain of about 150 meters.
Then there is about 3.5 km of fairly easy climbing that leads to the lake located before the short climb to the next hill: the Col de Tsofeiret.
From Col de Tsofeiret you can admire the lake again and then you head towards the next descent, particularly technical in the first hundred meters.
Next you arrive at the Cabane de Chanrion, from which you can admire a beautiful view of Mont Gelè and Mont Avril, separated by the Col de la Fenetre Durand which will be the next pass to climb.
From Chanrion there is about 3 km of descent and then 4 km of ascent to reach the Fenetre Durand (2797 m), which also represents the point of return to Italian territory.
At the beginning of the descent you encounter the wonderful blue waters of Lake Fenetre.
After a 3 km descent, we reach an alpine pasture, from which a large road leads into the Conca of By. Around the 29 km mark of the day, we took the detour towards Alpe of By, searching for a watering source. Consequently, we cut off the official route and continued parallel (about 200 m lower), seeking refreshment in shaded areas such as along one of the typical water channels of the Aosta Valley (called Ru).
On the next climb we connected to the official TDC route and from there we continued uphill to the Champillon Refuge.
Stage 3 (TDC): Rifugio Adolphe Letey di Champillon > Saint-Rhemy-en-Bosses
- Distance: 16,1 km
- Elevation gain: 585 m
- Elevation loss: 1485 m
- Date: 11/08/2025
- Start time: 06:58 a.m.
We woke up again before 6am to admire the first light of dawn.
After breakfast, we set off up the steep climb of around 300 m in altitude that leads up to Col Champillon, at an altitude of 2709 m.
Here we once again found Mont Blanc in the distance and after a short break to put on a lighter T-shirt (it was already very hot), we set off along the long descent towards the Menovy valley.
The steepest descent ends at Alpe Pointeille Inferiore. There’s a fork here, and if you want to follow the official TDC trail, you’ll have to go left, as we did.
The next 4 km are an easy, seemingly flat section that leads to Eternod Dessous. Here begins the last short climb of the tour, which ends with a very simple dirt road that, after about 5 km, takes you to Saint-Rhemy. From there, it’s a final 1.5 km downhill to return to the car.
Additional information
If you want more information or technical details related to this route, please do not hesitate to contact me or comment below.
Other information about ideas for explorations here: Exploring Routes | EmigranTrailer.
Other information about races, results and equipments here: Trail & Running | EmigranTrailer.
Enjoy Hiking & Trail Running!
Andrea De Filippo
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