Tour de Mont Blanc – Day 2 – Refuge de Bellachat to Flégère

The sun was peeping over the top of the Mont Blanc range as we took breakfast on the sunny terrace of Refuge de Bellachat, overlooking the Chamonix valley. It was the second day of our walk along the Tour de Mont Blanc path, and we were heading over the peak at Brévent and on to Refuge la Flégère.

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Breakfast at Refuge Bellachat

Breakfast consisted of brown country bread (the sort the French eat when they can’t get their fresh-baked baguette from the local boulangerie), packets of jam and butter and large bowls of coffee. As we’d decided to break the standard TMB stage in two, we took our time, waiting for everyone else to leave.

The path wound steeply behind the Refuge towards the high peak of Brévent. I was surprised to notice that the low stone walls I’d observed close to the Refuge now enclosed a scattering of two-man tents of guests. They’d opted to camp rather than stay inside the Refuge – rather them than me!

I’d already made a little walk the previous evening to scout out the Lac du Brévent and a couple of other small pools in between the craggy rocks. Now we found that the TMB route passed them again.

The way was rocky and spare and we passed only a few sheep with bells around their necks. When we were closer to Brévent we bumped into an English couple who stopped to chat about the weather (what else!) We agreed that August had been terrible and that September was definitely the best time to come.

Approaching Brévent cable car station

We approached the Brévent peak where the cable car ascends from the Plan Praz halfway station below,. The walkers we passed seemed noticeably different from those we’d met so far: hard-core TMB walkers (like us!) dressed in high performance mountain clothing with full 35L or 50L rucksacks.

But here the walkers were anything from motor bikers in their leathers, to English teenagers with patterned Bermudas and oversized skate trainers, with headphones plugged in their ears.

Read my article on what to wear for the Tour de Mont Blanc.

The Chamonix valley is a popular holiday area in summer and many come up in the cable car to admire the view of Mont Blanc. They return the same way, or in the case of the keener walkers, walk back down to the valley or the next cable car station.

We had a coffee in the café that jutted over the precipice, with only a glass screen between us and the panoramic view. Then we walked back down to where two paths had diverged 20 mins below the summit just by a small pool.

The path to Brévent summit

It was only on consulting the Cicerone Trekking the Tour du Mont Blanc guidebook more closely that we realised we should have taken another path immediately below the summit. After debating for a while we agreed here was nothing for it but to take another steep climb back up to the peak again – what a low point!

Halfway up we passed some American teenagers bounding down towards us from the cable car. ‘Perhaps we should get some of those mountain stick things’ said one to her friend, then glancing at me she added ’but even the people who’ve got them look exhausted!’

I was thrilled when we finally reached the right turning below the summit and could start going downhill again rather than up. We had two choices from here – follow the recommended TMB route or follow a wide stony ski-piste track down to the Plan Praz lift station.

The guidebook had mentioned narrow, precipitous stretches with metal steps and rails on the TMB route. So, we decided to take the easier option after our exhausting double ascent.

We passed rock climbers hanging from the cliffs and walked the open, winding trail under the whirr of the cable car going up and down. At the bottom station of Plan Praz we found an open grassy area where brightly coloured paragliders were taking off. It was a relief to take off our boots for a while and sit on the café terrace, soaking up the sunshine.

After a tiny but expensive ice cream (nothing is cheap in the Chamonix valley) we finally set off for a further 2 hours walking to Flégère. The path took us through the forest, skirting the side of the mountain and through open meadows that made me want to break into song… “the hills are alive…..with the sound of music”.

Reaching Refuge la Flégère

Soon after we passed through a rocky couloir with warning signs not to linger for danger of rockfalls. Then there was our first tantalising glimpse of Refuge la Flégère on the ridge beyond.

Thirty minutes more on the narrow wooded path and we reached Refuge la Flégère set just below another Cable Car station. We were relieved to find that Refuge la Flégère was much larger than Bellachat.

It had separate 6-people dorms with proper bunk-beds and (oh bliss!) hot showers. After the even more basic accommodation at Refuge du Bellachat it seemed like 5 star luxury!

The Refuge looked as if it had originally been more of a lodge for walkers and skiers. We were told that you could only stay there in summer. In the winter it is leased to Club Med, who uses it as a base for lunchtime meals for their guests.

Supper at Refuge la Flégère

Over our supper of tartiflette and chocolate mousse, we debated what to do the next day. Go back down to the valley and ascend to the Aiguille du Midi on the other side. Or to take a detour from the main TMB trail and venture further and higher to Lac Blanc.

The reports of the glacial lake of Lac Blanc as a ‘must see’ stop for walkers decided it for us. Read about our walk to Lac Blanc – Day 3 on the Tour de Mont Blanc – Flégère to Lac Blanc

Watch my Tour de Mont Blanc Video

This video from our first year of walking on the Tour de Mont Blanc covers Days 1, 2 and 3 of the walk.

Resources for those walking the Tour de Mont Blanc

We used the Cicerone Tour of Mont Blanc guide by Kev Reynolds. It’s an excellent guide for both the clockwise and anti-clockwise route. There’s a detailed route guide, maps, accommodation information and points of interest along the route.

At the start of our walk, we stayed in Les Houches, a village in the Chamonix Valley – check out all the hotel options here. Les Houches is well placed for summer walking opposite the start of the anti-clockwise TMB route.

We booked our transfer from Geneva airport to Les Houches through Alpy Transfers. They run an efficient airport to hotel service.

The cost of staying at Refuge la Flégère includes dinner, bed and breakfast, and hot showers. Bookings can be made by e-mail [email protected] or telephone +33 060 35 82 814. The Refuge has 66 dortoir places and is also open in the day for refreshments of drinks and light meals.

Bookings for some Refuges (but not Refuge la Flégère)can also be made on the Mon Tour de Mont Blanc website. To avoid disappointment and a long walk, you should book your place in all refuges. You can normally do so a day or two before, or from the previous refuge.

The Autour du Mont Blanc website has useful information to help you plan and prepare for your Tour de Mont Blanc walk.

Read Next

Read about our next day’s walk: Tour de Mont Blanc – Day 3 – Flégère to Lac Blanc

More tales from the Tour de Mont Blanc

• Tour de Mont Blanc – Day 1 – Les Houches to Refuge la Bellachat
• Tour de Mont Blanc – Day 2 – this article
• Tour de Mont Blanc – Day 3 – Refuge Flégère to Lac Blanc
• Tour de Mont Blanc – Day 4 – Flégère to Refuge Col de Balme
• Tour de Mont Blanc – Day 5 – Col de Balme to Champex
• Tour de Mont Blanc – Day 6 – Champex Lac to Ferret
• Tour de Mont Blanc – Day 7 – Ferret to Rifugio Elena
• Tour de Mont Blanc – Day 8 – Rifugio Elena to Rifugio Bonatti
• Tour de Mont Blanc – Day 9 – Rifugio Bonatti to Courmayeur
• Tour de Mont Blanc – Day 10 & 11 – Courmayeur to Chapieux
• Tour de Mont Blanc – Day 12, 13 & 14 – Chapieux to Les Houches

This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com

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