Tour de Mont Blanc - Day 10
Day 11 _ Saturday 20 July
Cable car from Chamonix to Planpraz and walk to Les Houches and train back to Chamonix 12 kms - 5 Hours
Ascent/Descent: 764m/1781m (2507 ft / 5843 ft)
Hotel De L’Arve Chamonix
Our day begins by catching the cable car back up to Planpraz. Ready set go …….
For our last day on the Tour du Mont Blanc, we had several options. The toughest (which we took), but most rewarding took us all the way to Les Houches via the Col du Brevant & the rocky pedestal of the le Brévent (2525m).
This route took us around the back of the chair lift with 20 or more para gliders circling above in the cool breeze. A few more little ladders attached to rock took us to the top of the massive chair lift suspended across the valley.
Again Mont Blanc seemed to be within touching distance on the opposite side of the valley. The weather was perfect and the 360 degree views were exceptional.
Descending past Lac Brevent and traverse onwards to Bel Lachat before making the descent to Les Houches. Lunch was decided to sit on the track in the sun which I wasn't that happy about so Mikey and I had lunch a bit further under trees. We met a gorgeous little dog named Ooshy and she was oh so very very tired and hot.
We carried on walking Mikey and I decided to do another stint of mountain running to catch the others and passed by a zoo with Ibex.
There was talk amongst the hikers and it was said that this trail was to be the hardest down hill on the tour. While we ran and enjoyed this trail we felt this trail had been so overly exaggerated because the track was like walking down a well made forest path. Sure it was steep but very well formed. Maybe people are just soft heheheheheheh or their legs just couldn't do any more walking.
We finally got to Les Houches and crossed under the arch to FINISH MONT BLANC MASSIF - 10 DAY TOUR!
We had done it! Cold beers at the local watching other hikers finish what a feeling we are hooked.
Then we took the short train ride back into Chamonix to descale and celebrate our success.
Chamonix is the centre of mountaineering in the French Alps and always a hive of activity and is the perfect place to celebrate the end of your walk around Mont Blanc.
Thoughts of the day:
● we’ve finished
● much easier than everyone said
● walking across the snow
● snow unexpected
● twisted ankle but held it together