After we completed our safari in Africa, we returned to Europe for two months. The next leg of the trip was to do the 10 day trek around Mt Blanc with Margaret, Ewan, Sharon and Kirsty. We booked the trip with Mac Adventure as they organized the lodges, any transportation we needed as well as shuttling of our bags to each accommodation. We opted to do the 'inn to inn' version so that we could have private rooms rather than bunk rooms in mountain refuges. After the hike, we spent a few days in Annecy with the group before they all returned home.
We flew into Geneva and took the bus to Chamonix where we stayed for a few days to chill before the rest of the gang arrived.
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| Beginning of the TMB hike |
Pre-Hike Chamonix
Accommodations:
Helioptic Hotel & Spa - Located in Chamonix, we stayed here for three nights before we joined the rest of the group for the start of the official hike. Margaret also joined us here for one night. The hotel is central and has nice comfortable rooms. It does not have AC but thankfully it got cool enough at night. There are two restaurants in the hotel and they have a nice bar as well as free water/coffee stations in the lobby. Breakfast was included and was a really good buffet. We also had dinner here one night by getting tapas at the bar.
Activities:
While in Chamonix, we mostly caught up on admin, walked around town and relaxed.
Restaurants:
Yumidori - We had dinner here each getting a ramen. Not the best.
Synge & Co - We had dinner here sharing a salad, shrimp appetizer and fish entree - very tasty and cute place.
Tour de Mt Blanc Hike
Margaret arrived on Friday night and stayed one night at our hotel. She got in late so we had a beer with her in the lobby. Kirsty arrived into Chamonix on Saturday around lunch time. We grabbed sandwiches for lunch at Aux Petit Gourmand and then the four of us took a bus to Les Houches where we met up with Ewan and Kirsty who arrived right before dinner.
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| Chamonix |
Our days broke down into the following hikes, going counter-clockwise around the mountain. It total, we hiked over 100 miles and over 32K feet in elevation gain. While many of us got blisters and were quite sore, the scenery was stunning! Some of the days were quite challenging with distance and elevation but there were variant route options that allowed some of us to take it a bit easier on certain days.
Our accommodations and meals along the way are included with the description of each day below.
Day 0: Les Houches (France)
After getting the bus and checking-in, we walked around the town and checked out where we could get the gondola the next day. We had our first "cheeky" beer of the hike at Le Solerey which had a nice patio with views of the mountains.
Our first night was at Hotel & Chalet Du Bois - the place was clean but the bed was not the most comfortable. Dinner was a three course meal with selection of options - we had salad and fish which was pretty good.
Day 1: Les Houches to Les Contamines (France)
We had breakfast in our hotel which was a decent buffet and then grabbed some sandwiches in town at the local patisserie before starting our hike. We opted to take the gondola up to Bellevue, bypassing a not so pretty part of the hike - we did this mainly to ease into it as the next few days were going to be long.
We chose to do the high route which totaled 9 miles and 2.4K feet in elevation gain. We did the hike in 6 hours and 20 minutes with breaks. The scenery was really nice, especially when we got up to the Col de Tricot (2,120 meters). The hike down was quite steep. We stopped at a cute refuge (Chalet de Miage) and had our lunch sitting in the grass.
That evening, we stayed at Chalet Nant Rouge which was a very cute and new place. We got a three bedroom suite with each our own shower and sink and shared two toilets. Dinner was not included so we ate at Le Serpolet, a very nice restaurant nearby. We had a salad and salmon appetizer and fish for our entree - the food was very good.
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| Chalet Nant Rouge |
Day 2: Les Contamines to Mottets/Les Chapieux (France)
We had breakfast at our hotel which was really good - especially the homemade croissants. Since there were not many lunch options on the trail, we also got packed lunches from our hotel.
The hike was very long but stunning passing over three cols (Col du Bonhomme, Col de la Croix du Bonhomme and Col des Fours). About 2/3 of the way into the hike, we had to split as Keith and Shawna were booked at the refuge while the rest was booked at a hotel in the town below. So, Keith and Shawna ended up doing the high route variant which totaled 5.3K feet in elevation gain and 13 miles and took 8.5 hours with breaks. The rest of the crew hiked down to Les Chapieux where a taxi took them to their hotel in Bourg-Saint-Maurice.
That evening, we stayed at Refuge Les Mottets which is a nice refuge located in the Valley of Glaciers with amazing views. Upon arrival, we had a very tasty beer sitting in comfy chairs while admiring the view. We had a private room that was quite small and had a shower and toilet that had curtains to pull for privacy - definitely a bit rustic. The bed was not the most comfortable but at least it was cool in the evening. There was no WiFi and we did not have cell service so we didn't have a way to let the rest of the group know that we had made it safely. Dinner was served family style and included a tasty soup, rice with sausage and custard.
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| Refuge Les Mottets and View |
Day 3: Mottets/Les Chapieux to Courmayeur (Italy)
Breakfast in the refuge was not the best - mainly they just offered cereal and bread with butter and jam. The rest of our group arrived via taxi around 8:30 and then we began our hike. We chose the high route again making it a long day but with amazing views. We hiked over the Col de la Seigne (2516 meters) where we crossed from France into Italy. When we got close to Courmayeur, we took the gondola down to save on a bit more descent since many of us had blisters at this point. When we got to the bottom, we still had another mile to walk to get to our hotel. In total, we hiked 13 miles and 3.8K feet elevation gain, taking 8 hours with breaks.
That evening, we stayed at Cresta et Duc which was a nice, larger hotel. The town is also larger and cute but we did not have a lot of time to explore. For dinner, we ate at La Padella, sharing a tasty pizza and pasta.
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| Cresta et Duc |
Day 4: Courmayeur to Rifugio Bonatti (Italy)
Breakfast was a decent buffet and then we set off again with a steep ascent to a hill that then flattens out where you can see the town below. It is hear that the group split - with Kirsty, Ewan and Shawna taking the balcony route that had 'up close' views of the Mt Blanc massive and we could see up and down the Val Ferret. Our hike was 7 miles and 3.4K feet in elevation and took 5 hours. We got to the Refugio before the other group so had a beer and showered before they arrived. Keith, Margaret and Sharon took the high route alternative that had the same views but at higher levels and they hiked over Col Sapin where they had 360 degree views of the mountains. Their hike was 10 miles and 5.4K feet in elevation and took 8 hours to complete.
That evening, we stayed in Refugio Bonatti which is considered 'the best' refuge on the TMB. The views were stunning! Our rooms were large and comfortable with twin beds and we had to use the shared showers/toilets which were generally pretty clean. For dinner, we sat at communal tables and they served us individually. We first started with a yucky salad of potatoes, peas and mayo but then had a delicious pasta made with zucchini and then had meatballs with mashed potatoes. Unfortunately the veggie option was not the best for Margaret and Sharon.
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| Refugio Bonatti |
Day 5: Rifugio Bonatti to La Fouly (Switzerland)
Like the other refuge, breakfast was not the best with just cereal and bread. We got a packed lunch from the refuge which also was not the best. We opted to do the high route and the hike brought us into Switzerland as we hiked over the Grand Col Ferret and said goodbye for a few days to the views of the Mt Blanc. The descent was quite long - over 5K feet - passing by cute wooden chalets as we got into the valley. In total, we hiked 13 miles and 3.3K feet in elevation, taking 8 hours with breaks.
We stayed in two different places in town but they were a block from each other. Keith and Shawna stayed in Gite de la Fouly which was cute and had comfortable beds. Our dinner was also excellent with a real salad and a tasty veggie lasagna. The rest of the group stayed at Hotel Edelweiss.
Day 6: La Fouly to Champex-Lac (Switzerland)
Breakfast was the usual continental options and had boiled eggs. Today was our 'rest' day as the hike was meant to be the easiest on the trail and was also the least scenic (although still pretty). It turned out to be a bit harder mainly due to the heat. We hiked for 9.5 miles and gained 2.2K feet in elevation, taking 4.5 hours to complete.
The town of Champex-Lac is very pretty with a beautiful alpine lake nestled on top of a ridge. We had lunch in town, eating a fantastic rosti at Le Rendezvous. Some of the group went to relax by the lake and Kirsty and Ewan even swam in it while Keith and Shawna took a nap at the hotel.
The evening, we stayed at Hotel du Glacier which is a larger hotel and was very clean and comfortable. We had dinner at the hotel which was just OK - they served us ribs with roasted potatoes but the ribs were pretty fatty. The veggie option also was not the best.
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| Hotel du Glacier |
Day 7: Champex to Col de la Forclaz (Switzerland)
Breakfast was not the best - they had the usual continental items but no hot options. Our group split into two hikes again. Keith, Margaret and Sharon left at 6am to do the high route - the hike included some bouldering and screen on the downhill so the rest of the group opted out after reading that description. While challenging and sliding a few times, they enjoyed the beautiful views. In totally, they hiked 9.3 miles and gained 4.1K feet in elevation, taking 7.5 hours.
Kirsty, Shawna and Ewan left at 8:30 doing the lower route. Shawna was feeling a bit sick this morning and almost didn't make the hike but decided to start the hike and see how she felt - she ended up doing the whole thing. We started by walking through the valley and near chalets and then started a steep climb up to Bovine Refuge where we stopped to have cake and lunch. We met the rest of the group at a hotel/restaurant at Col de la Forclaz after hiking 9 miles and gaining 2.5K feet in 5.5 hours.
We got a drink at the restaurant before getting our taxi transfer to Martigny where we stayed at Hotel Vatel, a very large, modern (but not quaint) hotel. That evening, we walked around the town which was not the cutest and had drinks at Moloko before having dinner at La Vache Que Vole where we had a tasty salad and pizza.
Day 8: Trient to Tre-le-Champ (France)
Breakfast was pretty good with a large buffet. We then got a taxi transfer to Trient where we started our hike. It was a bit rainy this day but not too bad. We all intended on doing the high route but once we got to Refuge du Col de Balme where we crossed back into France, Shawna started to fill a bit sick so Keith, Shawna and Kirsty did the lower route from there - going for 6.2 miles and 3K feet in elevation over 4.5 hours. Once we got into the valley, we caught a bus to Chamonix. The rest of the group did a longer hike, arriving a couple of hours after we did.
We got to our hotel before we could check-in so Keith and Shawna got a much needed 90 minute massage. Unfortunately, we could not shower before so the poor masseuses had to put up with our dirty, smelly bodies. The massages were very relaxing!
For the next three nights, we stayed at Chalet Hotel le Prieure - a nice, modern hotel in Chamonix. The beds were super comfortable and we had great views of Mt Blanc.
That evening, we had drinks at L'Hydromel where we also snacked on yummy sweet potato fries. We then had dinner again at Synge and Co where we had the shrimp appetizer and fish entree and a different salad.
Day 9: Tre-le-Champ to Planpraz (France)
Breakfast at the hotel was the best by far with lots of continental and warm options, including the ability to make freshly squeezed orange juice.
To get to the start of the hike, we had to take a bus from Chamonix to Tre-le-Champ. The group split into two hikes as Shawna was not comfortable doing the ladders on today's hike. So Keith joined her on the high route that bypassed the ladders where we connected at the top of the trail with the remaining group. The views were stunning again with great views of Mt Blanc and the surrounding mountains. The descent was long and we took the gondola down from Planpraz back into Chamonix. In total, we hiked 9.5 miles and 4.3K feet in elevation over 7.5 hours.
That evening, we had drinks at The Beckett and Wilde, an Irish pub. We then had dinner at Le National where we had salad and penne pasta.
Day 10: Planpraz to Les Houches (France)
After having breakfast at the hotel, we embarked on our final day of hiking the TMB. We all took the gondola up to Planpraz and then split into two groups again. Keith, Margaret and Sharon took the high route, hiking up to Brevent which required a bit of bouldering and a ladder and then did the long (over 5K), but gentle descent into Les Houches. In total, they hiked 8.8 miles and gained 2K feet in elevation, taking 5.5 hours to complete.
Kirsty, Shawna and Ewan decided to take the gondola up to Brevent to see the amazing views of Mt Blanc and then returned to Planpraz to hike down from there. We originally had planned on hiking the Petite Balcony Sud route as recommended in the app but we had heard that part of this route was close due to a rockfall and this way meant we could have to take the gondola all the way back down into Chamonix to start the hike. So, we descended from Planpraz, crossing a few boulder fields and then connected into the Petite Balcony Sud route. After hiking up a few hundred meters, Kirsty started to fill a bit ill due to the heat so we decided to shift our route again by hiking down to the river where we could walk along the river into Les Houches. Unfortunately, after walking about 1km on the river route, we came across a fence with a sign saying the trail was closed due to a rockfall. So, we had to turn around a walk a couple of km before we could cross the river on a bridge and then walk into Les Houches via the road. In total, we ended up hiking 11 miles and 1.4K feet in elevation gain over 6 hours. We were so excited to finally meet up with the rest of the group so that we could walk through the arch together!
That evening, we celebrated with three bottles of sparkling wine at La Bodega and then went to dinner at La Moraine, sharing a yummy fondu for an appetizer and then a small rosti dish for our entree. It was a great way to celebrate our achievement!
Post-Hike Chamonix
For our final morning in Chamonix, Keith, Margaret and Shawna took the gondola up to Aiguille du Midi at 12.6K feet to the viewing platform to see Mt Blanc up and close. We took two gondolas to get to the top and we walked around the platforms, breathing heavy with the thin air. We saw some of the climbers descending from the mountain. The views were absolutely amazing. We also walked around the museum before descending back into town.
We all checked out of the hotel and then took a bus to Annecy.
Annecy
We stayed for four nights exploring the area while Ewan and Sharon stayed three nights.
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| Annecy |
Accommodations:
Atipik Hotel - The hotel is pretty basic with small rooms and is centrally located. The beds were comfortable and the AC worked which was much needed given the heat. We got breakfast in the hotel which was a simple but good continental buffet.
Activities:
We rented bikes and biked the 40km around Lake Annecy. The scenery was beautiful. We stopped and walked around the cute town of Talloires where there was a local market so we bought yummy cheese and spreads along with a few items from the bakery to have a picnic along the lake. On our ride back, we say the paraglider landing in a big field so we rode over there to watch for a few minutes. Of course, Keith, Margaret, Ewan and Sharon got tempted so they booked it for the next day. Before returning to Annecy, we stopped at a beach where everyone, except Shawna, swam in the lake for a bit.
Keith, Margaret, Sharon and Ewan left the next morning to head out to the site for the paragliding. Unfortunately, due to weather, their flight times kept getting pushed back. They were finally able to do it around 2:30pm. They totally enjoyed it and were able to do some twirls in the air while also getting to steer a bit.
Shawna and Kirsty stayed in town and walked around the old town, exploring the massive market. They also visited the Chateau d'Annecy (the old castle) as well as Palais de I'lle, a medieval castle and prison. Both museums featured art exhibits and a bit of history of the town but neither offered a lot of information about the buildings themselves.
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| Chateau d'Annecy |
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| Palais de I'lle |
On our last evening with the full group (Ewan and Sharon left one day prior to the rest), we voted on the following 'awards' from our TBM hike:
- Loudest: Ewan/Keith
- Most effort in French: Kirsty
- Most improved in French: Sharon
- Most blisters: Shawna
- Most keen to take extreme legs on TMB: Sharon/Margaret
- Best disaster avoided: Margaret
- Best lodging: Chamonix/Bonatti
- Biggest ass in an Uber: Keith
- Most worried about completing the TMB and crushed it: Ewan
- Best hike: To Bonatti
- Worst hike: To Courmayeur
- Meh hike: None
- Best turned out: Kirsty
- Most disgusting salad: Bonatti
- Funniest moment: Not knowing which mountain was Mt Blanc until second to last day
- Touching moment: Sitting outside Bonatti, having beers and callings Keith and Ewan's parents to wish them separately Happy Anniversary and Happy Birthdays.
On our last full day, we walked around the market and got some goodies for a picnic and then said our goodbyes to Ewan and Sharon. The rest of us walked an hour to rent stand up paddle boards on the lake. The water was a bit choppy so it was hard to stand up the whole time and we were limited to a smaller confined area where we could go. That said, it was beautiful and we enjoyed being on the water. We had our picnic, a short swim and then returned to the hotel to rest.
On our last evening, we watched the fireworks which is supposed to be one of the best in Europe. Annecy does this annually as a lake festival event. We could only see the high ones which were great but since we all had to get up early the next day to leave, we did not stay for the entire event.
Restaurants:
Cafe des Ducs - Located on the canal, we had drinks here before dinner. The Hugo spritz was not the best but the beer was good.
Brasserie Saint Maurice - We had dinner here sharing a pate for appetizer and a fish dish for our entree. We also shared a tarte tatin and chocolate mousse for the table. The food was pretty good.
La Closerie - Located in Talloires, we had a coffee here sitting outside.
Le Fournil de Mon Pere - Located in Talloires, we got baguettes, cookies and scones for our picnic lunch.
Cafe de la Poste - We had drinks here before dinner. Nothing special but server was nice and gave us a free shot of his homemade liquor (which was not good but funny).
Alegria - We had dinner at this very cute Peruvian restaurant tucked in a courtyard. We shared ceviche, trout crudo and a tomato appetizer for the table and then the two of us shared a steak dish. Very tasty!
Nostymo - Shawna and Kirsty had lunch here where Shawna had a nice salad.
Captain Pub - We stopped here for drinks before dinner - cute pub.
La Coupole - We stopped here for more drinks before dinner. Good cocktails.
Le T Quattro - We had dinner here sharing babaganoush and tomato and burrata carpaccio for appetizers for the table. We then shared a yummy trout dish for our entree and got a couple of desserts for the table. Great place.
Beer O'Clock - We had a few beers here before dinner.
Brasserie du Theatre - We had dinner here as we could get a table outside with a decent view of the fireworks. We shared a salad and salmon dish - not the best but at least we could sit while the show was going on.
