The Tour du Mont Blanc is a unique trek of more than 170 km around Mont Blanc that can be completed in between 7 and 10 days passing through Italy, Switzerland and France.
Hikers, climbers and mountaineers will greatly appreciate stop overs offered by refuges and gites along the Tour du Mont Blanc.
A bivouac is a temporary camp that can be set up under the stars or in a light tent, set up from sunset until sunrise, for a maximum of 1 night in the same place, without leaving any traces or making a fire.
Unlike bivouac, wild camping refers to camping in places that are not equipped for this purpose (outside of designated areas such as official campsites) and normally indicates camping for longer than one night in the same place.
IN ITALY - Aosta Valley
All forms of parking or camping are prohibited within the territory of the Aosta Valley, even for periods of less than twenty-four hours.
Bivouacs are forbidden below 2,500 meters altitude, which is almost the entire territory of the Aosta Valley crossed by the Tour du Mont-Blanc.
IN SWITZERLAND - Canton of Valais
Bivouacking and wild camping are prohibited in Switzerland.
Exceptions: bivouacking is generally tolerated when it means sleeping for one night only, not in groups, and above the tree line or in emergency situations.
Bivouacking is also prohibited within the perimeter of certain protected areas (nature reserves, wildlife quiet zones, protection zones, etc.), in danger zones and on forest roads.
Regulations can vary from canton to canton. For the Valais municipalities through whose territory the Tour du Mont-Blanc passes, the following regulations must be observed.
Bovernier: bivouacking is prohibited, and there are no official camping areas all over the municipal territory.
Martigny-Combe: bivouacking is prohibited, and there are no official camping areas all over the municipal territory.
Orsières:
camping may only be practiced in designated areas / official campsites (La Fouly campsite, Relais d'Arpette campsite);
bivouacking is tolerated but only with reference to the exceptions mentioned above.
Trient: bivoaucking is prohibited. Camping is possible in the Peuty and Stand rest areas and at the Arpille campsite (Col de la Forclaz).
IN FRANCE
Chamonix
Wild camping and bivouacking are prohibited throughout the territory of the municipality of Chamonix since 1992, with the exception of bivouacking at high altitude between sunset and sunrise.
Bivouacking is formally prohibited in some specific areas:
Lac Blanc
Montagne de Chailloux (from the alpine pastures to the summit of Aiguillette des Houches)
Blaitière alpine pastures
Col des Posettes sector
On the territory of the APHN (Natural Protection Area of Mont Blanc) which regulates access to the summit of Mont Blanc from Col du Mont Lachat up to the terminal crevasse of Mont Blanc du Tacul.
In the Aiguilles Rouges massif (see attached map), bivouacking has been regulated in 2024 by prefectural decree n. DDT-2024-0856 (which will probably be confirmed again in 2025).
Before bivouacking in one of the natural reserves of the Aiguilles Rouges massif (Carlaveyron – Aiguilles Rouges – Vallon de Bérard) it is necessary to register on the dedicated website and reserve the pitch for your tent.
Finally, it is reminded that swimming in mountain lakes is prohibited by prefectural decree.
Vallorcine
The practice of bivouacking in the municipality of Vallorcine, outside of natural reserves, was regulated in 2024 by decree n. 34/2024 which provides the following:
art. 1 - throughout the municipal territory, the practice of wild camping and lighting campfires, both day and night, is strictly prohibited;
art. 2 - bivouacking, outside of natural reserves, is authorized under the following conditions: installation of a tent or base camp with the prior authorization of the landowner for one night from 7:00 PM at the earliest until 9:00 AM the following day at the latest. Above 1,700 m altitude, authorization to bivouac is granted in practice.
Les Houches
In the absence of a specific decree (apart from the prefectural decree mentioned above, which also concerns the Carlaveyron nature reserve), bivouacking is tolerated from sunset to sunrise, for one night.
Within the territory of Les Contamines bivouacking is permitted in designated areas, such as the one created at Pont de la Rollaz, and also in certain areas of the Contamines-Montjoie natural reserve, where tents must be dismantled daily (setup after 7:00 PM and dismantling before 9:00 AM the following morning).
To preserve biotopes and both heritage and ordinary species within the perimeter of the Jovet lakes and Plan Jovet, as indicated on the attached map, the following are prohibited without specific prefectural authorization:
bivouacking, with or without equipment, from July 1 to August 30;
swimming and boating activities on lakes or watercourses, throughout the year.
This prohibition includes the bathing of domestic animals, particularly dogs.
Bourg-Saint-Maurice
In the absence of a specific decree, bivouacking is tolerated from sunset to sunrise, for one night. However, there is an official bivouac area in Les Chapieux