TMB Stage 8: Champex-Lac to Trient — Bovine or Fenêtre d'Arpette?

Over breakfast at Champex-Lac, the same question does the rounds at every table: "Are you going Bovine or Arpette?" It's the great dilemma of Stage 8 on the Tour du Mont-Blanc. On one side, the Bovine alpine pasture and its sweeping views over the Rhône Valley. On the other, the Fenêtre d'Arpette at 2,665 m — scree, the chance of snow, and a breathtaking drop toward the Glacier du Trient. Two utterly different routes that both end up in the same place: the quiet Valaisan village of Trient.

Mountain hiking guides, we take groups along both routes on a regular basis. The choice comes down to the weather, how your body is feeling, and what kind of day you're hoping for. This article walks you through the two options so you can make the call, with terrain details, accommodation and the things worth knowing for each variant.

The Route: Profile, Map and GPX

• Distance :↔ 15.5 km
• Dénivelé positif :↗ 729 m
• Dénivelé négatif :↘ 901 m

Stage 8 at a Glance

How to choose? If the sky is clear and your legs are still in decent shape after seven days of hiking, the Fenêtre d'Arpette is the most spectacular passage on the whole TMB. If the weather is looking dodgy, your knees are giving out, or you'd rather take things easy, Bovine gives you a lovely, gentler day with brilliant views over the Rhône plain.

The Classic Route: Bovine Alpine Pasture

The official TMB route heads south from Champex, dropping down to Champex-d'en-Bas (1,359 m) and then crossing the hamlet of Plan de l'Au. From there, you climb gradually through forest toward the Bovine pasture, along a shaded trail that winds between spruce trees.

The Bovine Pasture: A Balcony over the Rhône Valley

Arriving at the Bovine pasture (1,975 m) feels like a genuine shift. Up to this point, the TMB has been circling the Mont-Blanc massif in a world of glaciers, ridges, and high cols. Then all of a sudden, your gaze swings north-west, well beyond the massif itself. The Rhône Valley opens up below — wide and deep — with Martigny and its terraced vineyards at the bottom. On a clear day, you can pick out the Dent de Morcles (2,969 m), the Grand Chavalard (2,899 m), and the first summets of the Bernese Oberland.

The Bovine refreshment hut, set in an alpine chalet that's been serving walkers since the 1920s, has hot drinks and simple meals. You'll share the terrace with hikers who have nothing to do with the TMB — they've come purely for this hidden viewpoint.

From Collet de Portalo to Col de la Forclaz

After Bovine, the trail crosses the Collet de Portalo (2,049 m), the high point of the classic route. The descent to the Col de la Forclaz (1,526 m) passes the Chalet de la Giète, another alpine pasture. Col de la Forclaz is a road pass with a hotel-restaurant and car park.

The walk from Col de la Forclaz down to Trient takes 30 to 45 minutes on a forest path. You arrive at the village gently, between wooden chalets and stone fountains.

The Variant: Fenêtre d'Arpette (2,665 m)

The Fenêtre d'Arpette is often called the most demanding variant on the entire Tour du Mont-Blanc. It's also the one that delivers the sharpest contrast in a single day: you go from a gentle, green valley into a world of bare rock, then swing around to face the Glacier du Trient head-on.

The Ascent: From Relais d'Arpette to the Scree

You leave Champex-Lac heading north-east into the Val d'Arpette. After about 30 minutes, you reach the Relais d'Arpette (1,627 m), a refuge-lodge nestled at the forest edge. It's the last spot to grab food or drink before the col.

The trail follows the Val d'Arpette on a good path through larches and alpine meadows. The higher you go, the sparser the vegetation gets. Above 2,200 m, you enter a mineral landscape: granite blocks, loose scree, trail markings that can be hard to spot. Cairns show the way, but in poor weather or mist, navigation becomes tricky — and that's the main reason this variant should be avoided when visibility is poor.

The Fenêtre: The Pass and Its Conditions

The Fenêtre d'Arpette (2,665 m) isn't a col in the usual sense — it's a narrow breach in a rocky ridge, a gap between two worlds. The last stretch before the top is the most technical on the TMB. The scree is steep, the blocks shift underfoot, and in early season (June, sometimes into early July), snowfields cover the passage. Without crampons or snow experience, it's best to turn back.

At the top, the view flips completely. To the west, the green, enclosed Val d'Arpette you've just come up through. To the east, the Glacier du Trient, its séracs and moraines, framed by granite spires. This is the highest point on the TMB when the variants are included. That moment, in itself, makes the whole climb worthwhile.

The Descent to Trient: Scree then Forest

The descent on the Trient side is long and hard on the knees. You lose close to 1,300 metres of height in under 8 km. Scree gives way to moraine, then to a forest path through larches. You pass near the snout of the Glacier du Trient, where the scale of the retreat is really striking.

Twenty or thirty years ago, the glacier still came down within reach of the trail. Families used to come up and picnic with their feet on the ice. Today, the glacier terminus sits above 2,000 m, far above the path. That rapid retreat tells the story of climate change in the high mountains more powerfully than any graph ever could.

A refreshment hut below the glacier is a good spot to sit down before the last stretch to Trient. The trail enters the forest, crosses a footbridge, and brings you into the village.

The Glacier du Trient and the Forgotten Ice Trade

Before the fridge was invented, the Glacier du Trient was at the heart of a trade as unlikely as it was profitable. Workers cut blocks of ice straight from the glacier, slid them down to the valley through long wooden chutes called risses, then loaded them onto carts for the train station at Martigny. From there, the ice travelled by rail to Geneva, Lyon, Marseille, and Paris, where it chilled drinks and kept food fresh in restaurants and hospitals.

That trade disappeared with mechanical refrigeration, and then with the retreat of the glacier itself. What was once part of daily life for mountain communities in the Valais has become a museum curiosity. Walking down from the Fenêtre d'Arpette, looking at that shrunken glacier, you get a real sense of how much has changed in just a few generations.

Trient: Arriving at the Village

Trient (1,279 m) is a small Valaisan village with no fuss about it. No souvenir shops, no ski lifts, just a handful of inns and a campsite. It's quiet, almost austere, after the buzz of Courmayeur or the lakeside charm of Champex.

But it's a proper crossroads on the TMB: this is where hikers coming from Bovine and those coming from the Fenêtre d'Arpette all converge to swap stories about their day. The evening chat always comes back to the same question: "So, which way did you go?"

Accommodation in Trient

• Auberge du Mont-Blanc: the main spot in the village for TMB hikers. Rooms and dormitories, generous half-board, terrace.
• Refuge Le Peuty: below the village, beside the river. Mountain refuge atmosphere, dormitories, lovely wooded setting. Well placed for an early start toward the Col de Balme.
• Hôtel du Col de la Forclaz (1,526 m): above Trient, on the road pass. Handy if you arrive via Bovine and don't fancy heading down to the village. Rooms and restaurant.
• Camping: a small campsite in Trient for self-sufficient hikers. Simple but grand.

Book ahead in peak season. Trient has limited accommodation. In July and August, reserve at least a week in advance.

Practical Tips

Water and Supplies

Via Bovine: there's no reliable water source between Champex and the Bovine refreshment hut (about 2h30 of walking). Carry at least 1.5 litres. The Bovine hut and the Hôtel du Col de la Forclaz let you top up after that.

Via the Fenêtre d'Arpette: the Relais d'Arpette (30 min) is the last resupply point. Bring a minimum of 2 litres. Streams run through the Val d'Arpette but dry up at altitude. On the way down, the Glacier du Trient refreshment hut has drinks and light meals.

There's no shop in Trient. Pick up provisions in Champex the evening before if you need them.

Weather and Timing

The Fenêtre d'Arpette needs clear skies and good visibility. If there's mist, rain, a thunderstorm forecast, or residual snow (common in June), switch to Bovine without a second thought. The scree below the Fenêtre gets slippery when wet, and finding your way is difficult in fog.

Via Bovine, an 8:30-9:00 start is grand. Via the Fenêtre d'Arpette, head off early (7:00-7:30) to keep a margin and avoid the afternoon thunderstorms that are common in summer.

Vertigo and Technical Difficulty

The Fenêtre d'Arpette doesn't have any truly exposed drop-offs, but the scree is steep and unstable. Walking poles are essential, especially on the descent. If you're uneasy with heights, you shouldn't have particular difficulty here — it's the physical effort and the rough terrain (boulders, scree, possible snow) that make this passage demanding.

Frequently Asked Questions about TMB Stage 8

Is the Fenêtre d'Arpette dangerous?

It's not dangerous in normal conditions (fine weather, dry trail, no snow). It is, however, physically demanding and technically tougher than the rest of the TMB. The main risks are a twisted ankle on the scree or losing your way in mist. In early season, snowfields can make the crossing tricky without the right gear. If in doubt, go for Bovine: the TMB has more than enough memories to offer without taking risks you don't need to take.

Can you do an out-and-back to the Fenêtre d'Arpette from Champex?

You can indeed. It's an option for hikers who want to see the Fenêtre without the long descent to Trient. Allow 6 to 7 hours return from Champex. You could also climb to the Fenêtre, come back down to Champex, and take the Bovine route the next day.

Is Bovine worth doing even if you could manage Arpette?

Absolutely. Bovine gives you a completely different day: long views over the Rhône plain, alpine pastures, a peaceful pastoral atmosphere. It's not a "Plan B" — it's a route with its own character entirely. Hikers who've done the TMB more than once often alternate between the two.

Which variant for a 7-day TMB?

In our 7-day TMB itinerary, the choice depends on conditions on the day and how the group is doing. When conditions allow, the Fenêtre d'Arpette is an unforgettable highlight. But a day via Bovine — taking your time at the refreshment hut, looking out over the Martigny vineyards — is no consolation prize either.

What Comes Next on the TMB

From Trient, the next stage climbs to the Col de Balme (2,204 m), the TMB's last border crossing (Switzerland into France). Mont-Blanc reappears right in front of you after days spent on the Italian and Swiss sides. It's one of the most moving moments on the whole circuit.

To see where this stage fits in the bigger picture, the complete Tour du Mont-Blanc overview covers all 11 stages, variants, and logistics. If you'd like to walk the TMB in comfort with carefully chosen accommodation and a dedicated guide, the 7-day TMB with Altimood brings together the best of the circuit in a single week.

You're coming from Stage 7, La Fouly to Champex-Lac: Switzerland's little Canada is behind you. Ahead, the final three stages bring you back toward Chamonix along the southern balcony facing the Mer de Glace and the Drus.

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