TMB Day 6-Courmayeur to Champex Lac
The bus station was at the entrance of Courmayeur, within a few minutes of walking from our hotel. We found our seats on the bus and soon, Lyle and I were both zonked out. When we woke up over half an hour later, the bus was crammed with hikers and their packs. We were so lucky to have boarded first and to have had seats for that long ride.
Today, we were leaving Italy and hiking into Switzerland. The first part of the trail was really lovely. After climbing up the mountain, we followed a single track trail embracing the side of the mountain that was always within view of the meandering river running alongside below.
We arrived at Refugio Elena, and the smell of warm soup was so tempting. But it was still too early in the morning, and we were not yet hungry, so we pressed on. Besides, we didn’t want to be weighed down with full bellies on the next portion of the hike, the long uphill stretch all the way to the pass.
The views back down the valley as we climbed up higher were beautiful. These were the epic view of Mont Blanc, and we were so lucky that we’ve had a clear view at all the passes so far. We have heard of stories and seen so many videos where after all the hard work put forth to get to a pass, the views were completely whiteout, hidden behind a thick blanket of fog.
Col de Gran Ferret Italy-Switzerland Border
The pass, Col de Gran Ferret was so windy and cold, we didn’t stay long. We found a spot off the side of the main pass for a quick snack break and then was off again.
There were so many people milling about the pass and the cairn that marked the highest point and the border crossing into Switzerland. Lyle and I tried to quickly do our recording in only a couple of takes as to not monopolize the marker that we totally did not take note of the initials carved onto the cairns that identified the countries. Not until we descended into the valley and started noticing the difference in the marker system did we realize we had already crossed into Switzerland.
A little ways down into the Swiss valley, we came upon this isolated patch of white, silky, fluffy pom-pom plants, like miniature Dr. Suess Truffla trees.
At this refuge, a live band was performing on stage, playing some fun, festive tunes. There were a few food vendors on hand to dole out some hot food. Phong waited in line for a long time to get a plate of their local dish. They were getting ready for the ultramarathon that was about to happen the following week.
After that fun rest and snack stop, we continued on very narrow tracks on the other side of the mountain, heading into a new valley. We rounded the bend and were greeted with the Swiss Alps. For some reason, the Swiss Alps looked more alp-like to us. Perhaps it was the thick green forested mountainsides and the dark evergreens that filled up the valley below. The trails on the Swiss mountains were more narrow and at spots made of smooth rocks. We can imagine how easy it would be to slip and fall on these spots if it were raining.
Down, down, down we went into the trees signaling the end of the day’s hike. We didn’t count on having to trudge back up a steep hill on the other side of the river. Our hike ended in the little hamlet of La Fouly, but that was not our final destination for the day. We still had to hop on a bus for an hour’s ride into Champex-Lac. Since we had time to kill before our bus arrived, we went and bought a few slices of pie from the refuge. They were hearty and delicious.
There was a little confusion on the bus ride to Champex-Lac. Our tickets told us that there was a transfer at the train station, but the bus driver had said for us to stay on this same bus. Lots of people got off looking for the other bus. Eventually, the information was passed around and everyone clambered back on.
We were a little confused at where to hop off once we got to town, so we got off at the end of the lake. After consulting the map, we realized our lodging for the night was on the other end of the lake, giving us an opportunity to walk along the lake. Champex-Lac was quite busy. There were people playing in the water, fishing from the banks and having picnics on the shore of the lake.
Our accommodations for the night was at the Belvedere where more confusion ensued. Somehow, dinner was not included in our reservation, so the inn had not prepared our meals. The old inn-keeper was still living in the 90s. His desk was a dark table in the corner covered in piles of paper. All the information he had about our reservation was printed on paper. We had to call Emile again and have him talk to the inn-keeper to straighten out the situation. The cook was a sweet old lady who asked us to give her a couple hours to get dinner ready. We were fine with that, but Meghan and Sam did not want to eat so late, so they went out to find food on their own.
We were glad we waited because dinner was so delicious, the best we’ve had on the trek, really. During dinner, we were talking about the weather and how lucky we’ve been so far, when the skies opened up and started pouring. It was so refreshing, especially since we were already inside for the night.
TMB Day 7-Champex Lac to Forclaz
After filling our bellies with their delicious homemade jam at breakfast, we left the quaint little Hotel Belvedere and headed back to Champex-Lac. The lake was quiet and still, its surface a perfect mirror image of the green forested mountain on its far bank. We strolled beside the lake, taking our time to breathe in the fresh mountain air.
Before we left town, we stopped at the convenience store. Stocked with canned sardines, mackerel and some bread, we were ready for the day. We walked along the road out of town until we found the trailhead, which was actually a rather wide gravel road that wound its way through a cute, small farming hamlet. We walked alongside empty meadows and lanes blocked by grazing black cows. A couple miles of easy walking through neighborhoods with views of unique log cabins and custom homes was a thoroughly enjoyable way to start the day.
By this time, Lyle and I had been so delayed by the many little details we found on the road that we had already lost sight of the rest of our group. When we passed the hut on top of the plateau right before entering the forest and didn’t see anyone, we thought that either they had taken the harder variant or that they had gone ahead. For the majority of this leg, Lyle and I were by ourselves, always trailing way behind the rest of the group. It’s a good thing that we’re all fine with going at our own pace and not having to stick around in a big group all the time.
Once the real ascent began, it was relentless. The first section took us through some beautiful, shady woods, but soon enough, we were spit out into the open meadows under the bright sunlight. We kept plodding uphill, resting in the cool of the trees whenever the chance arose.
Alpage de Bovine-Switzerland
After what felt like hours, we rounded the bend and were greeted with the metal clanking of cowbells and finally, a cool breeze. A herd of cows was happily lazying about under the sunshine enjoying this perfect summer day.
This was the one hut we had been looking forward to. This Bovine Hut is famous for their pies, and we had been waiting to try it out to see if reality really lived up to all the hype. Lucky for us, Sandy and Phong had arrived ahead of us and Phong had been waiting in line for 20 minutes to get a slice of the pie. Within a few minutes of our arrival, Phong came out with a slice of peach pie. And I have to say, the pie was delicious; the best peach pie I’ve ever had. The crust was thin and flaky, the jam was just enough to gel the real pieces of peach onto the crust. And the sweet slices of peaches were juicy and perfectly baked. We wanted to get more, but the line was too long. Anh Vu and Anh Bi bypassed this hut complaining of the cow smell. We found a table at the very edge of the cliff so we were as far away from the cows as possible and were not bothered by the smell so much.
A few days after we had completed our tour, there were a bunch of posts on the TMB Facebook page describing hikers getting sick and tracing it back to this hut. We saw so many people pet the cows and then proceed to enjoying their meals. Sanitation wasn’t the top priority here.
As we ate our lunch, we saw Anh Vu and Anh Bi climbing up toward the pass. They waited for us for a while, but since it took about 30 minutes and 20 takes of walking through the cows, by the time we started heading up, they were gone. Even Sandy and Phong were also out of sight. Once again, we were on our own for the rest of this leg.
From the hut, it was a short hike up to the pass, Col de Portalo. The trail didn’t actually summit the highest point of the pass. Instead, the pass was just a short metal bridge of about five ft. next to a metal gate. This was probably the most unassuming pass we’ve ever gone across. At first, we didn’t even think it was the pass and just walked through it without a second thought. But then we kept heading down the mountain, and the trail didn’t seem like it was heading back up anytime soon. Upon checking the map, we realized that we had just stepped over the pass to the other side of the mountain, so we had to make our way back up to the bridge to record it for the video.
Some sections of the downhill were so steep, it was easier for me to do a slow running pace instead of walking.
Forclaz, Switzerland
Our day’s walk ended at the little hamlet of Forclaz. Our hotel was right at the end of the trail, but since it was too early to check in, we browsed through the convenience store and found the perfect treat for a warm summer afternoon. Two orange cream popsicles just for me.
Our group was assigned our own dormitory with bunk beds to accommodate 12 people on the top floor of the hotel. We assumed that Sam and Meghan were assigned to our room also, but they didn’t show up. We ran into them on our last day back in Chamonix. They had decided to continue hiking, completing the tour one day early.
We began settling into our own space in the dorm and taking turns in the showers, which was a risky business in itself. The shower water temperature was so dependent on other water usage in the restroom. If you were in the shower and someone turned on the sink, in a split second, the water would turn scorching hot; hot enough to hurt. Some of us took advantage of the cross breeze blowing through the windows and hand-washed a couple of dirty items to hang dry. Others gladly took the opportunity to just lie down, rest and read.
But as usual, cleaned and refreshed after his shower, Anh Vu wandered off on his surveillance routine. After a while, he came back to report that there was an old WWII bunker disguised as a Swiss house with hidden cannons pointing towards the road. The Swiss military operated many of these bunker houses on prominent passes as part of their line of defense against foreign invasion. We decided to go check it out since we had some time before dinner. The bunker house has been turned into a little museum. They even have mannequin soldiers operating the weapons in the displays.
That night, we had dinner with everyone else who was staying at the hotel. The dining room was so loud and crowded. It seemed like with just six of us, we were the smallest group there that night. We were glad our itinerary only submitted us these large social dining experiences only twice, but we can understand how other people would enjoy this social element of the TMB or trekking in general.
TMB Day 8-Forclaz to Chamonix
After studying the route delineated by the tour company for our final day, we (...more like the brothers and Lyle) decided they could come up with a better route, and we were so glad that they did. The original route sent us all the way, 3000 ft. down into the city of Trient in something like a mile and a half only to send us back another 3000+ ft. up the other side of the Trient Valley to the pass that marks the border between Switzerland and France. And the whole day’s trek was only about 5 miles.
Instead, our new route kept us high in the mountains the whole time until we reached the pass. Within a few minutes of being on the trail, we came across one of the most important decisions of the day. Do we take the hard variant or stick with the easy route? It didn’t take but a blink of an eye to see where the group’s motivational level sat. Even before the question was fully asked, most of the group had charged forward onto the flat suspended boardwalk hugging the curve in the mountain. Unknowingly, we had ventured onto a scenic, historical trail with educational signage about the area’s natural resources, how the valley was formed, native flora and fauna and how the Swiss harvested ice from the nearby glacier. For a while, running parallel to the trail were narrow tracks or canals.
We shared this amusing section of the hike with large groups of hikers until we reached the sturdy metal suspension bridge. Most people kept going straight when we crossed the bridge. From this point forward until we reached the pass, there weren’t very many others on this variant of the TMB making it one of the sections we enjoyed the most.
Right after the bridge, the upward climb began and continued for a couple miles.
At one point during the way up, the trail was paved with flat slabs of rock creating a ledge of about 3 feet. Chains were installed along the face of the mountain. We can infer that this section would be extremely slippery when wet. It was a beautiful sunny morning for us, so we only used the chain for fun, hanging onto it while trying to see how far we can send our body off the ledge.
This small hut offered only a small menu of alcoholic drinks and a porta-potty with a beautiful view. It did have a fun little helicopter pad too. While taking a short break here, we met a European hiker who actually knew exactly where Corona is. He used to work in Corona many years before.
We thought the hut was at the top of this section’s incline. We were wrong. The trail continued straight up right behind the hut. Although it was a tough climb up, the surrounding scenery was a great distraction and excuse for stopping and staring. The Trient Glacier was gleaming at the top of the mountain range behind the hut. Extending from the glacier is a long silver ribbon of water gliding down the mountain feeding into the river below. Probably the same one we crossed over on the suspension bridge early that morning. Finally, for the first time on the TMB, we felt like we were alone in the wilderness.
The next part of the trail traversed the side of the mountain range at a fun rolling tempo instead of TMB norm of miles of relentless uphill climbing followed by thousands of feet of steep descents. We had fun hiking this section. The terrain kept changing and kept us guessing as to what was coming next. At times we were balancing on top of large rocks and boulders. Other times, we treaded upon soft, bouncy, dirt trails lined with flowers. Sometimes, there would be a small creek to step over or rocks laid down like stairsteps. We were feeling a little giddy walking this trail this morning.
At one point, we were across the valley from our hotel the night before in Forclaz. Looking straight down into the valley, we noticed Trient below and were so happy we followed our own path, on this, our last day on the TMB.
Around another bend, we got our first glimpse of the pass, Col de Balme, and it looked like an easy-breezy walk to get there.
Col de Balme
As we approached the pass, we started feeling the breeze, but once we crested that last small hill, oh boy, was it windy! And once again we were greeted with a sight of Mont Blanc standing mighty and strong in the background.
This time, we found the marker at the border with the letters S on the Swiss side and F on the French side. And since there weren’t many people milling around it, we were able to take some pictures and do a little recording with it.
As is the norm, the rest of the group had already arrived at the hut for quite a while. They’d even ordered and almost finished their lunch when we sat down. We lingered on the bench outside the hut for about 20 minutes before deciding it was time to head off the pass and back into France. This would be our last descent.
Once again, the way down was pretty steep, and although horrible on the knees, running down the trail was much easier than walking for some of us.
Along the trail, we found abundant wild blueberries. The berries were smaller and harder to the touch than the varieties we find in the grocery stores in the US. At first, I was a little hesitant about picking and eating them, but then I noticed a lady walking amongst the berry bushes with a wooden device, which was obviously some kind of harvester. If she’s harvesting them, I’m sure they’re edible. So I tried, and they were, for the most, sweet. And no stomach issues ensued.
This area was a major ski resort with multiple trams and chairlifts running at the same time. Luckily we didn’t have to go too far down; just one last mile to the tram that would bring us down to the bottom of the mountain.
Our timing was pretty good. We only sat around for a few minutes after getting off the tram before the bus arrived. We hopped on and although the driver had to take a 10-minute break, we appreciated having comfortable, shady and air-conditioned seats on the bus while waiting. I was so appreciative, I fell asleep right away and all through the long bus ride back to the Chamonix center.
From the drop off point, it was just a short (and stumbly for some…or one) walk back to our hotel, where nice showers and cool rooms were waiting for us. That evening, we had a congratulatory dinner at a French restaurant to celebrate the successful completion of our trek on one of Europe’s most revered multi-day routes, the Tour du Mont Blanc. Our abridged version lasted 8 days, covered 62 miles with 25,000 ft. of elevation gain and loss. Overall, we had mostly good weather aside from a couple of hotter days. We experienced no difficulties crossing the passes and were greeted with clear skies and epic views at all of the best scenic spots. Expansive blue skies, deep green valleys, glimmering glaciers upon grand mountain tops expanding across three different countries truly make the Tour du Mont Blanc a world-class trek. No wonder people all over the world flock here for a taste of the Alps, us included.