Mont Blanc: France - Days 3 and 4 (click once on any photo to display full image)
7/27/2009 thru 8/8/2009
Chamonix (Days 1 and 2) France (Days 3 and 4) Italy (Days 5 and 6) Switzerland (Days 7 thru 9) Chamonix (Days 10 and 11)

Day 3 - Tricot Pass

The day started with another telepherique ride, this time to Bellevue, where we began the first of many hikes that showcased the Alps' farming heritage. In fact, the name Alps comes from the word Alpage, which means high mountain meadow. Legend has it that a long time ago, when people first started visiting the Chamonix mountains, they asked what the craggy peaks were called. The local folk did not see any economic value to these high mountain tops and actually believed that they were inhabited by demons because of the many people who ventured out onto the peaks or glaciers but never returned. Therefore they assumed the visitors must be asking about the only thing of value, the grassy meadows where they grazed their cows, so they told the visitors that the peaks were called the Alpage, and that’s how the mountains came to be called the Alps. Sure enough, as we headed toward Tricot pass, we came upon the first of many dairy cows grazing on the grassy hillsides. Of course, due to their very large cowbells, which allows farmers to find them easily in bad weather, you could hear the cows long before you could see them. In addition, different types of cowbells make different sounds, enabling farmers to track cows individually, if, for example, one is sick. A herd of sheep was also grazing at the pass, so even today, the farming industry is still a large presence in the Alps. Our hike continued over the pass and down into the Miage valley, where we had lunch.

View from Tricot Pass

Can you see the trail winding its way down in to the Miage valley?

Miage Valley

Our original lunch spot was taken over by these two horses, who were quick to associate humans with food, and forced us to move to another area instead. Some of the houses in the valley, like the one in the photo below, had us wondering how the under-lying structure was able to bear the weight of the natural slate roofs.

Later in the afternoon, before beginning the descent into town, some of us opted to hike a short but steep side trail up a small mountain called Le Truc with views of the valley and the trail that we took down from Tricot pass. From there the trail descended into the town of Les Contamines, and we ended the hike at a little outdoor cafe with a very refreshing and well earned beer. Click for Day 3 hike video.

Day 4 - Col du Bonhomme

Day 4 was our first "three sandwich day" - a term our guides used to classify the difficulty level of the hike by indicating the number of sandwiches that we should pack for lunch. This was especially important considering the rather simple European breakfast that was served each morning (usually croissants, yogurt, cereal) compared to the standard American breakfast of eggs and bacon or pancakes and sausage. The difficult part of today's hike was a 4200 feet ascent over Col du Bonhomme (Col is the French word for pass). The trailhead was near a very old church (circa 1759), and we thought the method used to store firewood outside the rectory was rather unique.

The trail began on an old Roman Road and headed up very steeply for the first few miles, before leveling out a bit.

This is the view from the col.

Our lunch stop was just past the col in a little nook sheltered from the wind (the experienced guides knew all the good spots). Notice the people napping in the photo on the left below. This was the normal after lunch activity for most of the people in our group who hiked at a fast pace and didn't stop very often - quite different compared to the short but frequent breaks that Li and I are accustomed to taking when we hike on our own.

On our way down, was another pass called Col de la Croix du Bonhomme. Nearby was a pile of stones wrapped with Tibetan prayer flags, left by some monks that had visited the area. We stopped at a refuge near the col where there was a herd of sheep on the hillside, and a couple of goats that seemed to have the run of the place. Click for Day 4 hike video.

There was no town at the end of this hike, just a simple mountain inn called the Auberge de la Nova, best described as an upscale hiker's hostel. It had very small private rooms (just enough space for a bed, sink, and small chair), but the toilets and showers were shared by all of the guests in a separate room down the hall. Although the facilities were sparse, the auberge had a warm and inviting feel. The people running the place were very friendly, and the courtyard, where we all sat around chatting over a round of beers before dinner, was shaded and cool. Of course Maureen's definition of a "three sandwich day" was slightly different, her third sandwich was a midnight snack.