I've been wanting to hike Tour Do Mont Blanc since forever. I don't remember when I first heard of it, but the combination of Swiss alps, rolling meadows with cows in cowbells, staying in warm friendly hostels and eating delicious food was most appealing and it was very high up on my bucket list. I planned to do this hike for my 50th birthday, but that was not meant to be. So, a year later, I started planning in earnest to do the hike the following year. A friend was going to do this hike with me but unfortunately had to drop, so this was a solo experience for me, although I got to do the planning and training hikes with this friend and others.
The Planning
I bought the Cicerone guide to Tour du Mont Blanc as a gift to myself for my last birthday and have been in planning mode ever since. I read numerous blogs about the best refuges, the worst. Strategies to book successfully etc. But for all the planning, booking 9 refuges on the TMB is a daunting task. First of all, not all the refuges can be booked on one portal. Secondly, the booking for the year for different refuges open on different dates. The booking site had a full blown personality which I could not contend with. So eventually, I went ahead and booked through an agency - bookatrekking.com. They would book the 9 refuges, with half board for the duration of the trip. They also have an app, which provides navigation and has all the important collected information in one place, which was quite nice. If I were doing this again, would I book with an agency? Perhaps. There were walk-ins at the refuges who were able to secure a bed for the night, but being the planner I am, I need to know in advance that I've got my accommodation secured, and flying by the seat of my pants is a scary experience for me. For this reason, I think I'd pay the premium and book through an agency again.
I did the booking by the end of October last year, and all the 9 refuges were confirmed by the end of November. To say this is a popular hike that gets sold out quickly would be an understatement.
The Training
I started training in earnest towards the end of April, after recovering from a running injury. I must say that my baseline fitness at this point was very good, so I was able to jump into hard hikes straight away. Fortunately for me, Bay Area has so many hikes to choose from, and I simply had to decide on the distance and elevation climb I wanted to tackle each weekend and I had a number of hikes to choose from. My hiking buddies were also good company for many of these training hikes. The longest, hardest training hike I did was hiking Mission Peak back to back, which was about 10 miles with about 3000ft of elevation gain. I also did a backpacking trip to Emigrant Wilderness, which was 3 days of back to back strenuous hikes.
In hindsight, I feel like I was well prepared to take on the TMB terrain. While most days on the TMB was perhaps harder than the hardest training hike I've done, all of them were still within my physical comfort zone. Coupled with the fact that I was eating wholesome dinners each night, the recovery overnight was good. One thing that makes TMB extra hard is that you need to do these hard hikes, and then repeat them the next day and the next. Thankfully, my body was able to handle that.
The Pack (and contents)
My pack was the Osprey Kyte, 36L, aka my good friend Jay. The bookatrekking app had a handy packing list, and with that and much research of my own, I was able to keep my pack down to the bare necessities. The only things in my pack that I didn't use were the paper map (can't hike without one!), the first aid kit contents (thankfully) and a cork massage ball. I had taken one change of clothes for the trail, 2 sets of night wear, a puffer, a rain jacket and a light wind breaker. My pack weight without water was 15lbs, and with water and lunch, it was a comfortable 18lbs. During my 10 days on the trail, I was never bothered by the weight of my pack. While there's baggage transfer service available on this hike, I preferred to carry whatever I needed with me, and for me, this was the right decision.
The Hike
And finally, after all the planning, training, packing, spending a few glorious days with my sister in Germany, I was in Chamonix, and it was time to start the hike!
Day 1: Les Houches to Les Contamines
I took a bus from Chamonix to Les Houches, and after an obligatory photo under the arch that signifies the starting point, I was on the trail, hiking! making my dream come true!
The highest point today was Col de Voza, which I reached around 11am. The trail today was characterized by a tapestry of cute French villages, with beautiful timbered homes overflowing with flowers in the windows. I stopped for a proper lunch in the village of Bionnassay, grilled goat's cheese with a salad - it was delicious and most satisfying. I also passed by 2 lemonade stalls manned by kids (they were rival teams!) and got to chat with them for a bit, it was a sweet moment.
After about 10 miles of hiking, I was getting exhausted. The total mileage was 13.5 miles, and the fact that I had to walk a further 2 miles after Les Contamines, which is the official stage 1 end point didn't help either. I got another coffee on the way for a quick energy boost and made it to my refuge by about 4:30pm.
The Refuge: Gite Le Pontet
This was a huge refuge, with camping facilities too, and a good one for my first experience of the TMB refuges. The dorms had 6 beds each, and the bathrooms were in the ground floor of the same building. It was all very clean. There was a large communal sitting area where you can buy coffee and snacks, and you can chat with other hikers here. I met a family hiking with a 7 year old girl, a couple from Poland / Scotland. Dinner was assigned seating and I got chatting with this gentleman from Holland, whose name I don't remember but we had a delightful conversation, about adventure, books and philosophy. Dinner was great too!
Day 2: Les Contamines to Les Chapieux
This was supposed to be the toughest day on the TMB, with 4500ft of elevation gain over 11 miles. I was mentally prepared. After a great breakfast, armed with a sac lunch, I set off hiking about 7:30am. There were 2 cols I had to pass today: Col du Bonhomme and Col du la Croix. The climb was steep and unrelenting but also stunningly beautiful. There was a river (Bon Nant) flowing alongside the trail almost constantly, and at the end of every steep climb was the most stunning views to enchant the hiker as they rest. We followed up numerous waterfalls, hiked by glaciers, and saw and heard my first marmots on the trail. The hike from Col du Bonhomme to Col du la Croix was especially hard - very steep, rocky and sometimes you simply had to scale a ridge of slanted smooth rocks. This trail was making us work for every view it offered! After the 2 cols, the climb down to Les Chapieux was easy, and afforded opportunity for chats with fellow hikers and my first sightings of cows and sheep along the trail. Of course, more marmots!
I reached Les Chapieux at about 5:30 where the taxi to take me to Bourg Saint Maurice for my refuge for the night was already waiting.
The rain which was expected in the afternoon finally came as I sat down to dinner and watching the grey moods of the alps was mesmerizing. Thankfully, I could enjoy this from the comfort of my hotel.
The Refuge: Hotel Base Camp
It wasn't a refuge, it was a hotel, and it was the only one on the trail for me. I slept in a dorm, but this place had none of the communal energy I felt the night before. The dinner was at a restaurant where I got a table to myself, and I didn't really enjoy it. I must say it was a good hotel, but this was not what I was looking forward to on the TMB refuges.
Day 3: Les Chapieux to Elisabetta
This was one of my favorite days on the hike, all in all.. The hike was easy after a gruelling 2 days, I was crossing over into Italy, and the refuge Elisabetta was gorgeous! The hike was a mellow climb today with about 9 miles and 3000ft of climb. I walked by meadows with grazing cows and goats, and a beautiful symphony of cowbells and flowing water accompanied me during my climb. The wild flowers added a happy touch to the trail too. As I climbed Col de la Seigne to cross into Italy, the weather turned too. We were enveloped by clouds, and the temperature dropped, giving the moment a dramatic feel.
The Refuge: Elisabetta
I got to Elisabetta in time for lunch, and what a lunch it was! Italians do food with care and pride and that was evident here. The refuge itself is located in a gorgeous site - overlooking a glacier on one side and a picture perfect valley on the other. I couldn't get enough of the views! It was cold outside, and the inside was warm and cosy with so many conversations I could partake in, but I kept steeling outside for glimses at the stunning scenery.
Elisabetta had the most awkward dorm situation I had encountered - instead of bunk beds, they had a large sleeping platform with mattresses laid out with like a 6 inch gap between each other. This didn't look or feel comfortable, and the person assigned next to me was a large sized man, and I wasn't looking forward to this night. Fortunately for me, 2 of my new friends Martha and Leanne who had a private 4 bed room with two spare beds invited me to join them, and I was spared the experience of spending the night on the sleeping platform.
While the refuge was crowded, I loved it! I met so many people, had so many conversations, dined on great food, was in one of the most scenic spots I've been in in my life - it was perfect all around!
Day 4: Elisabetta to Courmayeur
By this time, I had made so many trail friends that my hike didn't feel solo at all.. While I was hiking alone by my choice for the most part, anywhere I stopped for a break, I ran into people I knew. I had people looking out for me too, which was a special feeling.
Today was supposed to be an mellow day, and right from the outset, the scenery was stunning! We got to see Monte Bianco, from the Italian side, and it was a majestic site that kept us company throughout the hike. I took many breaks for the scenes, lunch and made it to Courmayeur by 1pm for lunch with Martha and Leanne. We took the gondola down to town to avoid the 4000ft of elevation loss.
I was excited to do laundry in Courmayeur, in a washing machine, and that's what I did. It cost me a hefty 20 euros, but my heart was set on clean clothes, and so I went ahead. Courmayeur is a very cute town, the homes are beautiful with slated rock roofs, beautiful outdoor displays. The town center was very commercial, catering to hikers, and I didn't want to linger here. My refuge was a 20 minute bus ride away and as soon as my clothes were washed and dried, I left for my refuge.
The Refuge: Rifugio Monte Bianco
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| This was the view from my bunk bed! |
Day 5: Courmayeur to Rifugio Bonatti
The day started with a walk through the charming little town of Courmayeur, followed by a steady (and hard, let's say it..) climb to Rifugio Bertone. I had a cappuccino at Bertone to celebrate the climb being in the rearview mirror, and my! Italians do coffee perfectly! Bertone had no drinking water (only bottled), no ice cubes, but they had the most amazing coffee machine - no one can accuse Italians of not having their priorities straight!
After Bertone, it was a beautiful hike along a balcony all the way to Rifugio Bonatti, with Monte Bianco as a constant companion. I also stopped along the way at a stream to soak my tired feet.
From Bonatti, my plan was to take a bus to my refuge, which was a valid plan except that I had to climb down about 2000ft in about a mile to reach the bus stop, and I wasn't prepared for this. By the time I got to the refuge, I was grumpy from having hiked the unplanned section..
The Refuge - Rifugio Chapy Mont Blanc
Day 6: Bonatti to La Fouly
Today I hiked out of Italy and into Switzerland. I took a bus from the refuge to Alp Nueva and started the hike up to Col Grand Ferret, which is where Italy ends and Switzerland begins. After a gentle descent along meadows and gorgeous wild flowers, I arrived at the refuge. Today's hike was only 6 miles - my only short day on the trail. I reached the refuge by 12:30, and had plenty of time to sit, read, stretch my legs, do my laundry and relax in general. This day was a much needed break for me. Although the official stage ends at La Fouly, my refuge is 4 miles before that.
The Refuge - Gite Alpage de la Peule
This is a working dairy farm and the cows, with their melodious cowbells was a welcome part of my relaxing afternoon. The refuge had ice cream - home made at that, and it was delicious! We had fruit salad with ice cream for dinner too! I really enjoyed this refuge. The milking of cows started at 4:30am, and I can imagine that light sleepers would have found that annoying, but I was able to go right back to sleep. After the cows left to graze other pastures, the marmots took up their spot! Watching them was like watching a game of whack-a-mole - their antics was funny.
Day 7: La Fouly to Champex Lac
Today was a long day for me, but in my well rested state, I was ready to take it on. The hike down to La Fouly was 4 miles and a gentle descent. After a coffee, I was seriously tempted by the option to take a bus to Champex, as many hikers were doing today. I reminded myself of my why for this trip, and continued hiking. I crossed many idyllic Swiss villages during the day, setup amidst rolling green meadows, and they were a delight. The challenge of today was that most of the uphill section was at the second part of the day, when the weather was hot, and it was indeed hard to hike up to Champex from Orseries. But other than this section, the day was fully manageable. Champex has a beautiful lake and there were many people enjoying the lake - swimming / boating etc. I soaked my feet in the lake for a long while and continued the hike to my refuge.
The Refuge - Relais D'Arpette
This was another gorgeous refuge in a pretty setting. There were lots of hikers, the dorms had 9 bunks in a room, but I had a good night sleep. Food was great, I had rice and lentil soup - which was as close to our dal rice as I could get. It was also served buffet style, and I managed to avoid cheese altogether, which made me happy :)
Day 8: Champex to Trient
Another mellow day of hiking along meadows and grazing cows was thoroughly enjoyable. The scenery was stunning, as usual and the weather was great. I had lost my hat the previous evening, and so the gentle weather definitely helped. When I tried to buy a hat from a cafe, they said they don't sell them but very kindly gave me a new straw hat! I was touched by the kindness of the folks I met on the trail again and again.. Only disappointment this day was that I was unable to get Rosti for lunch at the Bouvette Alpine - it seems you need a reservation for lunch - at a remote snack stall along a trail - who knew! But I did get a bowl of hearty soup and a slice of carrot cake, and everything was divine!
The Refuge : Auberge Mont Blanc
Trient is a tiny town of only a handful of buildings, one of which is the charming pink church. The refuge was awesome, it had a perfectly friendly TMB vibe with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating areas. Food was very good, and we got an ice cream slice with the swiss flag for dessert!
Bonus points for this refuge for having a washing machine - it cost 6 CHF to do a load of laundry, but the luxury!
There were 6 bunk beds in a dorm, and only 4 were used. It was very comfortable.
Day 9: Trient to Vallorcine
Technically, today was not supposed to be difficult, with about 10 miles and 3500ft of elevation gain. But there were 2 climbs today - the 2nd one back into France, and the second climb was very hard indeed. It had sharp angled rocks to climb over, and this was never ending. After reaching the peak, the climb down was equally hard and steep. This was the day I decided to skip a lunch bag at the refuge, and this was not a good decision in hindsight. I finished the official stage before 4 and had another 5km to hike to get to the refuge for the night, but I was exhausted. I ended up taking a train to Vallorcine, which cut off only 2kms of the walking, but I was taking any solution that could cut off a single step forward.
The Refuge: Gite Mermoud
This was the smallest of the refuges I stayed at, and as my luck would have it, I got a private room with a queen bed! I was exhausted and was so happy to not to have to deal with the dorm etiquette and be able to spread my things and fall into bed as early as I wanted. Dinner was great, we had spagetti and ratatouille, and chocolate cake fresh out of the oven. Dinner was very social and by then, I had recovered some energy to be able to enjoy the evening.
Day 10: Vallorcine to Chamonix
And just like that, it was the last day of my hike, and I had a renewed surge of energy. The climb on this day was about 4500ft, and it included a section of the famous ladders, but I was ready! The climb was hard but fun, I took breaks and I was very happy. Before I knew it, the ladders section was there, and they were indeed a fun challenge to tackle. I found the ladders easier than other sections of the climb which had large boulders to scale. The views from the peak of Tete Aux Vents was stunning, and from then on, all the way to Pranplaz, the regale and pure face of the French side of the Mont Blanc was our constant companion. I had an option to finish the hike at La Flagere, but since it was only 1pm when I got there, and I had energy to spare, I continued hiking until Pranplaz. I reached Pranplaz around 3:30 and took the gondola down to Chamonix, feeling such a mixture of strong emotions that my facial muscle were hurting from the strain of holding in an explosive grin.
I had hiked 108 miles in 10 days and climbed 35,000 ft - and I was immensely grateful, joyous, proud and exhilerated! While I trained hard and responsibly for this hike, so many things could have gone wrong and soured this experience for me, at least somewhat, and it didn't. Borrowing a phrase that a friend of mine used, the universe held me the entire time, and I flowed along in the current of serendipity, human kindness, natural beauty and wholesome food.
While this post captures the timeline and logistic aspects of the hike, there's so much more on my mind that I need to convey. I'll write another post of random mind dump.
Photos are here, hope you enjoy them.
Excellent and very interesting write up
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