I walked the Tour of Mont Blanc - fantastic!

[youradvocate]

I walked and camped the Tour of Mont Blanc alone in 9 days recently and enjoyed every minute of it. I should have taken 11 days but I got so carried away I stupidly walked some double mileage sections. It was not just the walking, but the food was fantastic, the drink (loved the Grappa) was great,  especially after the exertion of each day, and the people, young and old, were absolutely wonderful, so welcoming, helpful and so enthusiastic about where they live. In a little bar in Italy I was treated as a minor celeb when I let it be known that I was alone, camping, four days into the walk and am 68. The locals got me blind drunk and wouldn't let me pay for anything. Nothing worse than climbing a high col the next in the hot sun with a raging hangover. It was also fantastic to be able to drink gallons of really cold mountain water just from the streams. On the next nights campsite Gran made me a glorious vegetarian pizza the size of a dustbin lid for 10 euros! Made from scratch in front of me, all fresh ingredients including aubergine, peaches and fantastic olives plus two glasses of the local vino. You must do it one day, it was worth every aching muscle! I'm home now and bored!

[youradvocate]

My sincere thanks to rdpounder. Your photographs on a previous entry gave me the inspiration to hike the Tour Du Mont Blanc. Fantastic and thanks again.

[snakehips]

well done i am very envious of you one day when time allows i hope to do something like that but at the minute it's a dream 

[Mountaingirl]

Well done!   Sounds fantastic.
I've been wanting to do it for sometime now. one way or the other...but not camping for me (don't like the cold or carrying extra ).
I can imagine friendly Italian people. Once I walked in Tuscany, met an elderly woman sitting at her door steps, seeing me going for a walk. When I come back from the day's walk, she was still sitting there, and greeted me with a big smile, saying 'well done, girl!...or something. My Italian is not that great   to understand what she actually said.
Pizza also sounds Yum! ....with Peaches? !
Hope I make it before I reach 68
 
 

[yorksgal]

Well done you and very jealous of you doing that.  Id love to do something like that one day

[altirando]

Don't wait ladies.  Time slips by and you will regret the wasted years if you wait until 68.  Your advocate - try the Tour d'Oisans GR54 next. Or if you prefer Italy, one of the Dolomite Alta Via routes.

[robb]

I've got this tour in my sights for 2014, around late spring-time when the heat is just tolerable to be walking around in without plastering on so much UV-Sunscreen to look like a snowman 
From what i've read of it so far the walk is more/less the same than a typical Lake District long-distance route covering similar terrain and amenities along the way aswell as having options for overnight camping if needed. Did you take much gear? or do you think with the numerous villages conveniently along the way a hiker doesn't really need to take a weeks-worth of food in one go.

[altirando]

The problem with early Spring walks on the tmb would be late snow banks on the cols.  You would need to carry an axe.  This Spring has been particularly bad for late snow. Also most refuges would not be open until mid June.  Not at all like a walk in the Lake District.  I think it is only Brits who try to struggle round with a tent and their own food!

[Mountaingirl]

you made me laugh, robb
If I can tolerate the cold, I like the idea of camping, but I'd stay in refuges. Have you stayed in the refuges, robb? How were they like? Do you have to be a member of CAF and others?
On the other hand, when I did a Chamonix end for a few days, staying at the youth hostel, it was very hot in Chamonix. On the day I arrived,  I had no will to move. 

[youradvocate]

Thanks for the response. I took my usual gear, rucksack, sleeping bag, tent, blow up mattress, waterproof trousers and jacket and the usual clothing and other hygeine and shaving gear. I don't cook, I just walk from one eating/drinking place to another. There is a similarity about this area to The Lakes, distances between eateries seem about the same but the Mont Blanc area is just BIGGER, plus a fair of amount of snow to cross. Added to the fun.The mountain ups are much more up and the downs more down, only the tops of the cols look the same but of course they are that much higher than the Lakes. What I like about their eating places is their style of presentation. For example, in a tiny hamlet one day at 8.00am I ordered a cup of coffee and a croissant. The coffee cup and saucer was placed on my table, with a single blue flower in a tiny vase alongside. My croissant came in its own little wicker basket, again with a single flower attached. Very nice. The other thing I liked was that staff didn't come back and say in a whining voice "is your food alright?" And when I ordered a meal I did not get a separate pie in a earthenware dish stuck on the side of my plate. Yuk! My two UK pet hates! I am now hoping to hike the Robert Louis Stevenson trail in central France in two weeks time from Le Puy to Ales.

[altirando]

For mountain refuges it is useful to belong to the CAF to get priority and a discount but most gites on the popular trekking routes are privately owned.  I think the web site is gites-refuges.com, gives a complete list by area and by GR number.  That's why I commented I couldn't see any point in carrying a tent, with a guaranteed chain of gites with meals you can even book up. Going to be warm walking over the Cevennes in August on the RLS trail. Quite a contrast to the tmb! And mountain girl, still time to book yourself in for a French hol - Just a matter of choosing the area.

[Mountaingirl]

I've just come back from Polish Tatras (TR posted) ...no more leave left from work until after next May     So many places I want to go and so little time off from work. 
I have plenty of time to plan    though.   Mind you, it took a few years to make Polish Tatras reality  .

[robb]

I'll have to look and see if the MTE is compatible with the CAF, unfortunately I can't make it in time for this year but the Spine Race will at least give me some practise in acclimatising to the usual refuge conditions that mainly consists of basic meals and beds crammed up together.

Also as you mention altirando, the conditions at 9000ft differ substantially to what's expected in Britain even into mid-late Spring the snowfields will still be quite tricky along the higher passes so it's always best to factor this in. Mind you i've seen blogs with children and retired folks doing the route so it's not as if you need any more preperation than you'd otherwise do in the mountainous parts of the UK. Just being alert and prepared for the altitude I would expect to be the main thing.

[altirando]

Even very experienced people can be caught out by a late winter season.  Two mountaineering friends of mine abandoned a section of the GTA, traverse of the alps , three years ago as conditions on some cols were too dangerous and they weren't carrying climbing gear. This was in June.  Remember the ski mountaineering season is in May.  Always useful to have an alternative. 

[altirando]

Just thought anyone who has walked the TMB would be interested to know that the Ultra run round the 100mile route was this weekend.  Normally the men do this in under 24 hours, and the girls not much longer.  So next time .......?  Lots of pics and vids on various websites, NorthFaceMontBlanc Ultra.