David at Aiguillette des Posettes 2,201 metres (7,221 feet) TMB
Map of TMB (Tour du Mont Blanc)
My walk started with a cable car ascent to Bellevue and the Col de Voza. I then followed an undulating forest path to the awesome suspension bridge below the Glacier de Bionnassay. Crossing the cascading waterfall I met Noel and Danielle from Dorset. It was then a long climb to one of the high points on the TMB…. the Col de Tricot at 2,120 metres (6,955 feet)…. wonderful views down into the Valley of Miage. Incredibly steep zigzag descent brought me to the Refuge de Miage….. where I met Amy and Jonathan from Washington State in the USA…. I first met them last night in Les Houches. After climbing out of the Miage Valley I decided to climb Mont Truk 1,811 metres (5,941 feet) affording spectacular views of the Domes de Miage 3,672 metres (12,047 feet). On my descent I met the 'Pink Ladies of Wisconsin' (mothers + daughters) doing the TMB together!!
Descending on a delightful forest trail I finally arrived in the village of Les Contamines. My hotel with its beautiful garden is the Gai Soleil. Delighted to find the Pink Ladies are also staying here. Chatted to Alisa from London over a delicious evening meal! Wow!… what a truly awesome first day on the Tour du Mont Blanc!!
TMB - Slideshow of TMB Day 1 . . . Les Houches to Les Contamines
TMB - View from suspension bridge of roaring glacial torrent
cascading down from Glacier de Bionnassay
TMB Day 2…. Les Contamines to Le Chapieux…. Tuesday 1st August 2023. What a brilliant day!!! Rain had been forecast for most of the day….. we didn’t get a single drop!!! Just a little fine drizzle ascending the Col du Bonhomme at 1,706 metres (5,597 feet)….. even a little sunshine broke through in the descent to Le Chapieux!! Big elevation gain today! Met so many fellow TMB hikers from all over the world…. including the ‘Pink Ladies from Wisconsin’ again on the trail! My overnight in Le Chapieux was at the wonderful Auberge de la Nova…. the camaraderie in the evening was brilliant! Incredibly I sat at a table for our evening meal with a different six ladies from Wisconsin….. Darla + Lauren, Cathy + Molly and Terra +Sandy…. once again ‘mothers and daughters’!!! All twelve of them from Wisconsin had eventually bumped into each other earlier up on the Col du Bonhomme! Had a lovely chat with Gill and Ron from York plus Ursula from Poland. I went to bed tired but so happy reflecting on the totally amazing walk and the fantastic people I had met. My evening in the Auberge de la Nova was definitely one of those very special travel moments!
TMB - Slideshow of TMB Day 2 . . . Les Contamines to Les Chapieux
TMB Day 3….. Wednesday 2nd August 2023….Le Chapieux to La Visaille via the spectacular Col de la Seigne…. crossing from France over into Italy!!! Macs suggested getting a shuttle bus up to Refuge Les Mottets but I decided to set off early from Le Chapeux and walk up the beautiful Vallee Des Glaciers…. it was a lovely peaceful walk just adding an extra two hours to my day. The TMB started with thick heavy clouds but as the hours went by the sun finally broke through from the stunning Col de la Seigne onwards. It was quite cold on the col probably around 10C but with a significant wind chill…. by the time I reached the beautiful Rifugio Elisabetta it was 25C!!! The rifugio is set on a spur of the towering Pyramides Calcaires backed by the Glacier d’Estellette and Glacier de la Lee Blanche. As you probably know by now I absolutely love mountains and especially glaciers!!! I was so excited looking up at this truly magnificent natural wonder! I enjoyed a beer alongside my friends from Wisconsin. I later joined fellow TMB hikers on the shuttle bus down from La Visaille down into Courmayeur….. surrounded by its soaring mountain walls. I am based here for the next three nights. Tomorrow I get the shuttle bus back up to La Visaille so that I can continue to walk the TMB down into Courmayeur. Tonight I bumped into the ‘Pink Ladies of Wisconsin’ outside an Italian restaurant…. so they kindly invited me to join them. Totally, totally awesome day!!!
TMB - Slideshow of TMB Day 3 . . . Les Chapieux to La Visaille
In the morning I got the shuttle back up to La Visaille 1,659 metres (5,442 feet) to resume walking on the TMB down to Courmayeur. I then walked up to the milky-blue Lac Combal 1,958 metres (6,423 feet). Walking uphill beside the glacial roaring meltwaters with a TMB group from Guangzhou in China…. they were so excited to learn that I had lived in Hong Kong for 18 years! I then climbed up to a high point of 2,430 metres (7,972 feet) where I met Dandan Li….. also from China but now living in Madrid. My morning’s elevation gain of 771 metres (2,529 feet) now resulted in the most incredible mountain vista….. I was SO excited!!! Towering above me across the Val Vani valley was the awesome southern flank of the Mont Blanc Massif dominated by the peak of Mont Blanc Courmayeur 4,704 metres (15,423 feet)…. the summit of Mont Blanc itself not quite visible at this point. The Glacier du Brouillard and Glacier de Freney tumbled down into the Val Vani….. I heard the echoing loud rumble and crack of a crashing ice serac on the glacier! I was amazed that the massive Glacier du Miage extends way down into the Val Vani. To my right I looked in awe at the vertical rocky spire of the Aiguille Noire de Peuterey 3,772 metres (12,375 feet)!!!
I was in no hurry today so spent hours just taking in the breathtaking scenery including relaxing beside both alpine lakes. Eventually I reached the Refugio Maison Vielle where I enjoyed a small Peroni! I then began the tiring 730 metre (2,395 feet) descent back down into Courmayeur alongside Virginia from San Francisco…. we were so glad to reach the old village of Dollone at the base of the mountain! I had been out on the trail for 8 wonderful hours!
A totally, totally awesome day on the TMB!!!
TMB - Slideshow of TMB Day 4 . . . La Visaille to Courmayeur
Despite the forecast for poor weather in the afternoon the rain didn’t materialise until the early evening with the arrival of short heavy downpours.
Courmayeur is famous as both a Winter and Summer resort …. it is also the last town you meet on the Italian side before arriving in France via the Mont Blanc Tunnel.
I am fascinated by the ‘history of climbing’ and Courmayeur is renowned as one of the capitals of mountaineering and mountain hiking!
I loved ‘people watching’ as locals and tourists alike strolled on the pedestrianised Via Roma and gathered to chat on the Piazza Abbe in the late afternoon.
At lunchtime I enjoyed a delicious salad which was far bigger than I expected!! Late afternoon tea comprised of berry fruit tart with vanilla gelato….. it was scrumptious! In the early evening I chatted with a family from Minneapolis as I ate my ‘diavola’ pizza with a refreshing cold beer! I am very much aware that Courmayeur is quite close to Aosta where I stayed on my 2 month long distance walk from Switzerland to Rome last autumn on the ‘Via Francigina’!
I really enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere of Courmayeur….. it was perfect for a TMB rest day!
TMB - Slideshow of TMB Day 5 . . . Rest Day in Courmayeur
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“I am never lost in the mountains, it’s where I find myself.” — Unknown
Regards
David