Valfréjus

It was a reasonable bivvy last night, but it was cold enough this morning to start walking in my down jacket and gloves before stopping at an amazing bakery in Valfréjus to breakfast off croissants and hot chocolate.  Then followed a walk by Mont Thabor down to a hut for a sandwich by a pleasant little lake.  It's a cool, sunny, breezy day and the scenery is less grand than before, more Mediterranean - dry, many pine trees and lumpy scree mountains, which I'm not tempted to climb.  Now I'm sitting in a little café in the valley having an amazing ice cream, a pastry and a very nice beer.  Well, most people come to France to enjoy the food, so why shouldn't I?

Seven weeks completed

Today I celebrated seven weeks of walking by climbing the Dent Parachée in cool but good weather.  Fortunately I managed to overtake two parties before ascending a couloir to the col - a frightful 50 degree slope of very loose stones and a most unpleasant and fairly dangerous place, most definitely demanding a helmet.  It was impossible to avoid dislodging stones, so it was good not to be in the firing line from anyone above me.  Once on the col, a nice ridge led up to the summit, from where there were sensational views of Mont Blanc, the Grandes Jurasses and, south of me, Monte Viso.  The couloir was no more pleasant on the way down, but I got back to the hut in time for lunch; then a pleasant 13 km walk to Modane.  The first hotel I tried was full and Modane is a drab place centred on the station, so after a pizza and ice cream (still staple items of my diet) I decided to press on and bivouac.  It's one of the pleasures of the trip to go by instinct and change plans.  I did remember passing through Modane in the middle of the night years ago while inter-railing, so twice I've not seen fit to stop there.

A Diversion

Yesterday turned out to be a long day because I carried on to the next hut, the Refuge Fournache.  It was a brilliant afternoon, with a strong wind, white horses on the lake, a vibrancy in the atmosphere and a wonderful contrast between sun, cloud and the shale-like mountains.  I intended to climb the Dent Parrachée today, but there was too much stonefall so instead I followed a great path traversing the mountains and returned to the Fournache hut tonight.  Again, the weather today was amazing, windy with clouds constantly forming and evaporating.  I'm hoping to do the mountain tomorrow if I get a good night's sleep.

The beautiful Vanoise National Park

I continue to go well - almost 40 km yesterday including a big ascent and still reached the Col de Palet hut at 5.15 pm. This proved to be a really good hut, where the guardian served up a big meal and I had a nice talk with a Swiss lady.  The guardian also suggested a few summits I might like to climb, though with a justified gentle warning this morning that I was setting off late for glacier crossing.  I set off in superb weather, with not a cloud in the deep blue sky, and climbed the Grande Motte, with a good ridge leading to the 2,650 m summit.  I'm now coming down to the Refuge de la Leisse on a perfect day.  The Vanoise is a protected area, with no camping, and the scenery is wonderful, with wild places to explore and good paths without too many people.  Bliss!   Should reach Modane in a couple of days if the good weather continues.

Into France going South

I've made very good progress over the last four days - from near the Matterhorn, past Mont Blanc and now into France.  I'm now at least two days ahead of schedule and going much better, partly because it's much cooler, but also I've got a better rhythm going on easier trails.  On the first night after leaving Courmayeur when the huts were fully booked, I found a bar open at 9.30 pm, had a coffee and then slept in a barn.  The next day I started early along the Tour de Mont Blanc trail, OK for the first couple of hours, but then thronged with people and rather boring.  This 25 km section is the only part of my entire1,800 km route which I've done before, though not exactly seen, because it was running through the night. Thankfully leaving the Tour de Mont Blanc trail, I crossed over the Col d'Estaing into France and down the far side in windy weather with dribs and drabs of rain through a scenic area with impressive boulders, pinnacles, mountain goats and a lovely lake.  The next hut being full, I pressed on to the next for a meal and welcome shelter for the night from wind and rain. Now I'm on the Grande Randonnée 5 route, leading south into the Parc National de la Vanoise and on down all the way to Menton, my ultimate destination.

Too many people!

The heavy rain of last night ceased at breakfast time, and a fine day helped me to reach Courmayeur early at 4.45 pm, despite being tempted to leave the Alte Via 1 trail to climb a small summit, thinking it would be quieter.  How wrong I was - there were hoards of people; maybe the peak was in a guide book.  Coumayeur was also heaving - it's now peak season and the crowds are not what I've come for, so I had something to eat, picked up my new boots and supplies and left.  Out of the frying pan of too much solitude into the fire of too crowded!  The problem is that the huts are now fully booked and I couldn't book anywhere for tomorrow night, when rain is again threatened.  I shall leave the Mont Blanc trail as soon as I can and meanwhile tonight find somewhere to bivouac.

It has been a good day though.  The views of Mont Blanc and the Grandes Jurasses were really fantastic, with lots of fresh snow from last night's storm and a plume of spindrift blowing off the summit.  It's been a breezy day and much cooler - I wore a top over my tee shirt for the first time on the journey.

St-Remy en Bosse

Yesterday evening I finally reached a good place for my bivouac at 9.30 pm and quickly got to sleep.  Waking in the night, the stars were brilliant and starlight outlined the jagged outline of the surrounding peaks.  Such a wonderful alpine experience.  Setting off early this morning, I decided not to use my poles today, helpful as they are in managing to walk with a heavy rucksack; through constant use I've developed a  repetitive strain injury in both wrists, which needs resting.  It was mostly a much better day than forecast, but in the last stages the weather broke and I got soaked before reaching St.Remy, at the foot of the Great St.Bernard pass.  Taking refuge in the hotel for coffee and cake, it being too expensive to stay there the night, the lady very kindly 'phoned a nearby B&B and directed me there.  It turned out to be a small apartment, complete with cooking facilities, so rather than set out again to a restaurant in the rain and thunder after an 11-hour day, I cobbled together a scratch meal.  If I continue lucky with the weather, I should reach Courmayeur tomorrow, a day earlier than expected, and I shall be pretty well back on schedule.