Walking in Europe

Now back in range and can post a few notes…. After our lunch at Contamines – Montjoie (July 25) we walked South toward our booked campsite at le Pontet, but arrived with lots of time and energy so decided to press on (er…up). So we ascended the track up for a few hours to where there were a couple of options for free bivouac camping. We pushed up to Le Balme bivouac site and put the tent up just as a crazy rainstorm erupted. Teamwork! Into the tent with the gear thrown under a tarp to wait out the storm followed by a lovely evening meal on the cookstove after the evening cleared.

July 26… Awoke to what seemed like morning fog that would burn off but alas…. The goal was to get over the Col du Bonhomme (2325m) around lunchtime and then descend into Les Chapieux in time to pitch the tent at the public campsite and have dinner at the Auberge across the street (booked back in March!). Everything went to plan except the socked in fog we walked through ascending to the Col and the now howling wind at the summit. No lunch, just a quick snack, put on an extra layer and press on. The descent to Les Chapieux was beautiful. The sun came out, we found a lovely (level) spot for the tent at Les Chapieux campground, and met some lovely French hikers at our shared dinner table at the Auberge… fell asleep to the sound of sheep dogs bringing the flocks (wearing their bells) in from the hills for the night.