Day 106 – 109

Km 3558 to km 3715, Courmayeur (Italy) to Refuge des Drayères, GR57 (France).

Day 106

07/08/2022 – 36km

I spent most of the day following the Tour Du Mont Blanc. As before, very busy.

Today also marked another country finished as I crossed from Italy into France. Time to dust off my french and put on the thickest accent I can muster.

Day 107

08/08/2022 – 40km

I was up at a pass just as the sun was rising on Mont Blanc, and had beautiful clear views in both directions.

It was a hot day, but I was pleasantly surprised to find a small supermarket en route that I didn’t know about where I could fill up on snacks (I downed a litre of banana juice before leaving).

I’m now in Parc National de la Vanoise, so camping is more restrictive, but I can set up by the huts after 7pm.

Day 108

09/08/2022 – 51km

Despite having been passed some amazing mountains recently, I think today was one of my favourite days in a while. Just some really beautiful big open mountain valleys. Perhaps it’s because there’s less ski infrastructure in the national park.

It was also a big distance day, as you can see. There was a lot less elevation gain and loss than I’ve been used to recently. Rather than having to descend all the way into a valley, then climb back out, generally I stayed higher.

In the late afternoon I saw a lot of vultures, which I think I’ve never seen in Europe before. They’re very impressive birds, and not a little ominous as they circle overhead.

Day 109

10/08/2022 – 40km

I went a bit easier today (although I did still have to go to the valley floor then all the way back up to a high pass). I took a longer break in town to arrange a few things.

This morning I ran out of food, and had almost nothing to eat for the first 16km (until reaching a town). I think at the supermarket I overcorrected and am now carrying too much food. I’ll do my best to overeat.