Day 2: Les Contamines to Les Chapieux
Word for today - excruciating
Woke to beautiful blue cloudless skies. Set off from Les Contamines
(1167m) for what turned out to be 6 hours of straight up climbing, very
steep throughout. We hiked up to the Col du Bonhomme (2443m) passing
through a section of snowpack. then on up some more to the Col de la
Croix du Bonhomme (2483m) getting there at 4 pm knowing that we still
had over 2 hours of descent left to do. Thank God we each bought another
hiking stick this morning - don't think we would have made it without
them. The scenery today was spectacular, not a cloud all day. We met a
lovely couple , John and Lynne from Sydney, Australia and walked the
final portion of the day with them. We arrived at the Auberge de la Nova
in Les Chapieux just in time for a quick shower then down to communal
dinner at 7. What a long day! Peter wasn't crazy about our accommodation
- we were in a 6 bed dortoir - 3 sets of bunk beds and since we arrived
last we were stuck on top. Our roommates were already in bed at 9 when
we went up after dinner so we had to rummage in the dark to settle in.
We didn't sleep all that well in spite of being dog-tired.
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| Notre Dame de la Grotte, shortly after leaving Les Contamines |
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| On the way up to Col du Bonhomme. Walking through the snow was more difficult! |
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| Village of Les Contamines is in the far distance |
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| At Col du Bonhomme |
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| View to the other side of Col du Bonhomme |
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| Knee wrecking descent to Les Chapieux |
