All posts tagged: Mont Blanc

How to walk Mont Blanc and put on weight!

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Can someone explain to me how I managed to walk for 9 days, traveling about 160 kms, ascending(and descending) 10000 metres and STILL managed to put on weight?! Was it the food, the wine, the beer…or all of the above? Maybe? Um, perhaps? Oh, ok…yep! Oh, and brilliant company in spectacular surroundings! The appetite is wet the moment you enter this wonderland, attacking all the senses relentlessly. Before we even start our long walk we’re settling into leisurely lunches in Chamonix, watching the passing parade on the streets of this beautiful alpine ski town, filled with adventure pursuits, designer shopping and restaurants galore. Whom ever said omelettes where only for breakfast has never stopped at the Refuge de Miage for lunch after a solid mornings workout getting there! Perching on benchs looking up the valley of lush fields, backdropped by soaring peaks, the omelette and accompanying salad were a sight for sore eyes and hungry stomachs. Washed down with a coffee, wouldn’t be dead for quids! Picture this if you will…lunch on day two, perched …

Day 10 – Argentiere to Chamonix

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(6 hours) Our last day, and a solid one to complete the TMB, with a climb of about 1100 metres up to Lac Blanc, then down to the chairlift and back to Chamonix. It was extremely humid, with thunderstorms predicted, making the climb all the more difficult with plenty of breaks to mop the brow! Once again the views prevailed the pain. On top of the world, sort of! The first lake was an oasis of calm, with wonderful reflections. And a photo opportunity or two… Then some iron ladders and wooden steps up to the refuge and Lac Blanc. No more climbing, it’s all downhill from here. Maddy, the inspiration for this trip, and an inspiration herself, looks very happy to be here. Tony got a new phone before this trip and has almost blown it up taking photos. Down we go towards the gondola ride to the valley. We were lucky, the predicted thunderstorms didn’t eventuate. After the gondola, a lovely, lazy 20 minute stroll along the river back to Chamonix. …then, a …

Day Five – Val Ferret back to Courmayeur

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(7 hours…20kms) Today has a slightly different format as we are catching the bus up the valley to the Val Ferret, and walking back to Courmayeur. The bus ride itself was crazy, Italian style, with demand outstripping supply by a factor of about three! It’s a narrow windy road up to the Val Ferret stop so the bus isn’t big, but that didn’t deter about 80 people cramming into it, the driver pushing everyone further down the back. Talk about stacks on! Plus it was a stopping all stations, as the driver willed more passengers on, sardine style. We were pretty happy to get to the pit stop and rediscover limbs seemingly crushed by the weight of humanity!! And what a day it turns out to be! The views before us are breathtaking! Ismael stated that this was his most favourite day of the walk because of the stupendous views which astound at every turn. About an hour of meandering uphill, surprisingly not too taxing, especially after the shenanigans of the previous night! The rest …

Day Two – Les Contamines to Les Chapieux

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(8.5 hours…21km’s) After a restful nights sleep, weary aching joints staggered down to a great breakfast, before heading off at 8am. Ismael claims today to be the most difficult day of the walk with over 1200 metres of ascent, and 900 metres of descent, food for thought as the body warms up. The Mont Blanc circuit is essentially 10 days of climbing from the valley up over mountain passes, and back towards the valley each day. Total ascent is about 10,000 metres, and the same descent. Basically we are going up and down big hills as we sort of circle the Mont Blanc Massif, the group of glacier fields surrounding Mont Blanc itself. From Les Contamines at 1170m we climbed slowly and steadily up to Croix du Bonhomme at 2443m, through beautiful pine forest, into low covered flooring all with breathtaking scenery to elevate the aches and groans of protesting muscles and joints. The path we are taking this morning is an old Roman road and the highlight of the morning was crossing an ancient …