TMB (Tour du Mont Blanc) Trail

julho 2024

Numerous years of dreaming and 1 year of planning. As per Laurie's wish we are tackling the famous TMB - Tour de Mont Blanc Trail, and doing it somewhat "in style" as we engaged Mac Adventures & booked their Extended TMB in Huts tour (13 days) Leia mais

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Viajante TMB (Tour du Mont Blanc) Trail
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- Dia 3
- 5 de jul. de 2024 15:21
- ⛅ 50 °F
- Altitude: 11.850 pés
- França Aigu du Midi Vallee Blanche Aerial Tramway Station 45.877375, 6.88794345°52’39” N 6°53’17” E
1 2 1
At the top
5 de julho de 2024, França ⋅ ⛅ 50 °F
... well almost...
To begin with, even in summer, temperatures in the open viewing areas can fall to −10 °C (14 °F), and I definitely was feeling the cold the higher i was going.
Then, of course, there is hypoxia... and I was feeling it too so I just decided against the Summit and did some exploring on the level I was in.
You can see "The Needle,"
the Alpine Climbers coming in after a hike,
The mini ice tunnels
If you zoom in the photo with cables (R3 pic 1( you will see folks camping in that snow... it is ABSOLUTELY SURREAL!!!
I actually could've spent almost 3 hours there; but I didn't want to leave Laurie alone for that long of time, so I came back probably after 1.5 hoursLeia mais
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ViajanteWOW! The PHOTOS are surreal!
05/07/2024ResponderTraduzir
ViajanteOne of those WOW moments of life when one goes "I cannot believe I'm here!!"
05/07/2024ResponderTraduzir
Viajante What is the temperature there by the snow?
06/07/2024ResponderTraduzir
ViajanteIt didn't feel too cold, but probably around 30. The winds were whipping up at about 20km/hr so it felt colder.
06/07/2024ResponderTraduzir
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Viajante TMB (Tour du Mont Blanc) Trail
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- Dia 3
- 5 de jul. de 2024 16:26
- ⛅ 64 °F
- Altitude: 7.513 pés
- França Les Favrands 45.901305, 6.88571745°54’5” N 6°53’9” E
Lac Bleu
5 de julho de 2024, França ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F
Laurie meanwhile decided to hike to Lac Bleu (The Blue Lake) a beautiful crystal clear mountain lake with plenty of gorgeous blueberry flowers and wild life (she told me she did see a marmot (sort-of a large ground squirrel living in the arwa) but she tried to get too close for a photo and of course got none...
She was enjoying her time by the lake anyway when I descended from the top and went on the trail after a text exchange clued me ax to her whereabouts
Afterwards it was amusing and interesting to see where we were in relationship to other famous mountains of the WorldLeia mais
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ViajanteYour photos leave me breathless! What beauty. And you don't seem jammed with other tourists.
07/07/2024ResponderTraduzir
ViajanteWell most of the tourists go up to Aiguille du Midi and not on little hikes. We did meet some folks on the trail though. Thank you as always for the compliments on photos
07/07/2024ResponderTraduzir
4 curtidas
Viajante TMB (Tour du Mont Blanc) Trail
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- Dia 3
- 5 de jul. de 2024 17:54
- ☁️ 73 °F
- Altitude: 3.438 pés
- França Chamonix 45.920795, 6.86624845°55’15” N 6°51’58” E
2nd Hotel du Jour
5 de julho de 2024, França ⋅ ☁️ 73 °F
Unquestionably a huge step up from last night.
I initially booked it when we thought we were staying only 1 dayand I scored an unbelievable deal for it - about $30.00 a night...then when we changed the itinerary to 2 they were all sold out (hence last night's humble lodgings)
This place is plush and even offers a free spa with sauna, pool, track, and gym (all included) with massage being optional services 😀
Our room has a balcony overlooking part of Chamonix and Argentière mountains

Although the initial thought was to clean up after a full day of activities and then go out we decided that it was more prudent to take care of our feet in anticipation of the big hike still to come so we are staying in.

Bon nuit l'Enfants la Patrie..🌙😴Leia mais
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Viajantealways a good call to take care of your feet! 🦶 💚
10/07/2024ResponderTraduzir
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Viajante TMB (Tour du Mont Blanc) Trail
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- Dia 4–6
- 6 de jul. de 2024 06:36
- ☁️ 57 °F
- Altitude: 3.432 pés
- França Chamonix 45.920613, 6.86570245°55’14” N 6°51’57” E
2nd morning in Chamounix
6 de julho de 2024, França ⋅ ☁️ 57 °F
A beautiful morning; waking up to birds chirping and breath of fresh mountain air coming from the balcony.

A breakfast is a mile away from the simple spread we had yesterday; I actually was a good boy and "reasonably behaved" and didn't make a full cochon of myself.Leia mais
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ViajanteI still say Laurie takes a great photo!
07/07/2024ResponderTraduzir
Viajante😊
07/07/2024Responder
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Viajante TMB (Tour du Mont Blanc) Trail
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- Dia 4
- 6 de jul. de 2024 08:11
- ☁️ 63 °F
- Altitude: 3.435 pés
- França Chamonix Mont-Blanc Railway Station 45.922787, 6.87520845°55’22” N 6°52’31” E
Mer de Glace
6 de julho de 2024, França ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F
Today is a tough day. Rains and later on thunderstorms are supposed to roll into the area.
We are off to see the Mer de Glace and Ice Caves in Montenvers early in the morning and then try to make our move to Les Houches before stuff is happening...

MONTENVERS SEA OF ICE
Montenvers - Sea of Ice
©
THE MONTENVERS TRAIN, A TRUE LEGEND
Inaugurated in 1910 by the President of the Republic Armand Fallières, this little train which takes visitors from the centre of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc to the Montenvers site is a real institution.

A RARITY TO DISCOVER
The cogwheel trains run on slopes of more than 9%, and there are 5 of them in France. This makes the Montenvers Train a unique experience not to be missed. Climbing into one of its carriages is an extraordinary and dizzying journey. You will feel like you are going back in time in its retro-looking cars.
The 5.1 kilometers of travel between Chamonix-Mont-Blanc and the Montenvers site take place on the mountainside. After a 20-minute climb, you will have arrived at the terminus at an altitude of 1913 meters! The view of the Drus, the Grandes Jorasses and the Grands Charmoz is breathtaking.

A REFLECTION OF ITS TIME
The Montenvers Train has been improved as railway technology has evolved. While the original locomotives were steam powered, they are now electric, but one thing has never changed: the rack. This gear designed to ensure the train's grip on steep tracks has remained the most suitable technique for the route!
When it was created, the train consisted of open and closed carriages, with no distinction of class indicated on the carriages. Indeed, the wealthiest people were seated depending on the weather conditions, in the sun or sheltered from the rain!
Quickly after its creation, the Montenvers Train became one of the main attractions of the Chamonix-Mont-Blanc Valley. Going so far as to welcome more than a million passengers per year in high season in the 1990s.

By taking the Montenvers Train, you will rub shoulders with many mountaineers who use it to leave or return from their mountain races.
And if you are lucky enough to chat with the driver, you will be able to learn more about the secrets of this legendary train.
We were notLeia mais
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ViajanteWhat beautiful scenery! And I love it that you're not "mobbd" by other tourists. Are they all in Paris for the Olympics?
07/07/2024ResponderTraduzir
Viajante😆 ask me if I care, why don't you 😇. To be fair this was still early in the morning
07/07/2024ResponderTraduzir
5 curtidas
Viajante TMB (Tour du Mont Blanc) Trail
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- Dia 4
- 6 de jul. de 2024 08:54
- ☁️ 57 °F
- Altitude: 6.325 pés
- França Le Montenvers 45.931965, 6.91761345°55’55” N 6°55’3” E
2
Mer de Glace 2
6 de julho de 2024, França ⋅ ☁️ 57 °F
The Mer de Glace ("Sea of Ice") is a valley glacier located on the northern slopes of the Mont Blanc massif in the French Alps. It is 7.5 km long and 200 metres (660 ft) deep but, when all its tributary glaciers are taken into account, it can be regarded as the longest and largest glacier in France, and the second longest in the Alps after the Aletsch Glacier.

That said, it receded pretty bad; I've seen some photos from 1911 or so where it would've been much closer to the viewing platform
There was a guide there who told us that at some point, the ice was 300 meters deep (it's about 30 now) by the platform while still 300m at that back side.
But you can still see some blue ice in little crevices below (row 1 photo 4)

After marveling at this nature phenomenon (or what's left of it), we took the gondola down to Ice CavesLeia mais
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Viajante I would not be able to do that
06/07/2024ResponderTraduzir
ViajanteIt was actually very gentle; not as fast as it seems and hardly any sway. It was a different story on a Telepherique yesterday 🤪
06/07/2024ResponderTraduzir
ViajanteAs one who is not fond of heights, I would have a problem with this. 🫣
06/07/2024ResponderTraduzir
ViajanteAs an old Russian saying goes - Those who are born to walk cannot fly 😁
06/07/2024ResponderTraduzir
4 curtidas
Viajante TMB (Tour du Mont Blanc) Trail
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- Dia 4
- 6 de jul. de 2024 09:12
- ☁️ 55 °F
- Altitude: 5.909 pés
- França Le Montenvers 45.928553, 6.92024845°55’43” N 6°55’13” E
2
The Ice Caves
6 de julho de 2024, França ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F
The Ice Grotto/Cave
A small cable car allows visitors to descend from the train station onto the Mer de Glace glacier where they can enter a man made ice grotto. The ice grotto is cut into the living glacier.

The grotto has to be dug out every summer since the glacier moves about 70m every year.

Access is via 430 steps on both the outward and return walk from the top of the glacier gondola lift.

Ice sculptures and caves are inside, under the glacier. The Gallery of Crystals features a collection of the finest crystal specimens in the Mont Blanc massif.

Needless to say it's a very popular spot for AlpinistsLeia mais
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ViajanteAmazing!
06/07/2024Responder
ViajanteIt's like Laurie kept on saying "it's not real " 😊
06/07/2024ResponderTraduzir
ViajanteBeautiful! I love the blue ice.
06/07/2024ResponderTraduzir
ViajanteThe thing is when you look at it up close it is transparent
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Viajante TMB (Tour du Mont Blanc) Trail
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- Dia 4
- 6 de jul. de 2024 09:28
- ☁️ 55 °F
- Altitude: 5.912 pés
- França Le Montenvers 45.927037, 6.9226945°55’37” N 6°55’22” E
Ice Caves 2
6 de julho de 2024, França ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F
It's hard to see, but photo 2 with Laurie is a sculpture carved like a fireplace, and the next one with me has a diamond in the middle of that "wall"
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Ice caves looked like a great experience! [Harvey]
07/07/2024ResponderTraduzir
ViajanteHi Harvey! It was amazing!!
07/07/2024ResponderTraduzir
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Viajante TMB (Tour du Mont Blanc) Trail
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- Dia 4
- 6 de jul. de 2024 12:50
- ☁️ 64 °F
- Altitude: 3.264 pés
- França La Griaz 45.895085, 6.80333345°53’42” N 6°48’12” E
2
Les Houches
6 de julho de 2024, França ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F
When we returned to Chamounix, the rain started a steady slow drizzle, so we hightailed back to the hotel, grabbed our stuff, and took The Mont Blanc Express train to our next way point - Les Houches.
Try as we may, but the drizzle stayed with us, so the rain gear came out, and we walked about "a click" to our current abode Hotel du Bois.

Now about the village

Les Houches, located 6 km from Chamonix, is a ski resort with a domain that extends from an altitude of 950m up to 1900m. Long descents through tree-lined slopes are combined with impressive views of the Mont Blanc massif and the Chamonix valley.

Interestingly Les Houches is twinned with the Russian village Krasnaya Polyana (Russian: Кра́сная Поля́на) meaning "Red Meadow" - a suburb of city of Sochi and was chosen by the International Olympic Committee to assist in the organization of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games.

Les Houches is the starting- and finishing-point of the popular Tour du Mont Blanc, thus which is why we are here for tomorrow "boots and saddles " will sound, and we'll be tourists no more

While most Americans will call it Le Hooch or Hooches, we've heard variations of Hooge, Zhooge, and Zooge

French pronunciation: [le.z‿uʃ]; and Arpitan: Les Ouches or Les Oucies
🤔😕😣🫤
Go figure.

Just in case if you are wondering, apparently, there is nothing here to do, and it's raining, so we have done our final reconfiguration and preparation for tomorrow's walk and staying in.

This cute little chapel is next door to our hotel, but it was closed, so we couldn't get inFalls?

...AND A DOOR!!! (OK Nancy Isch? 😁)Leia mais
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ViajanteCool door!
06/07/2024Responder
Viajante🙏
06/07/2024Responder
Viajante Knock knock
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ViajanteMethinks a goblin lives there
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Viajante TMB (Tour du Mont Blanc) Trail
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- Dia 4
- 6 de jul. de 2024 18:06
- ☁️ 63 °F
- Altitude: 3.219 pés
- França La Griaz 45.895687, 6.80283545°53’44” N 6°48’10” E
2 1 2
Dinner
6 de julho de 2024, França ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F
..that started with pre-dinner aperitif (which, of course, is self-explanatory redundant 😉) in the bar.
Local Mont Blanc bier pour moi and vin Rouge pour Mme

I couldn't believe the size of that menu, so I had to look at it through Le Telescope

And as big of a menu as we were offered, we opted for Raclette, a local regional dish which came with salad and charcuterie .
Raclette (/rəˈklɛt/, French: [ʁaklɛt] ⓘ) is a dish of Swiss origin, also popular in the other Alpine countries (France, Germany, Austria), based on heating Raclette cheese and scraping off the melted part, then typically served with boiled potatoes.
Check out https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raclette

We finished the dinner off with
Orange Blissom Crème Brule (Mme) and
Chocolat Fondant (moi)

We also found another door for Nancy Ish.

Still raining, so we just going to retire to our chambre and get good rest for tomorrow

La nuit je deviens fou, je deviens fouLeia mais
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ViajanteLooks delicious, especially the desserts!
06/07/2024ResponderTraduzir
ViajanteFood looks amazing, and I like the doors as well. Then again, I take pictures of flowers everywhere, so--
07/07/2024ResponderTraduzir
ViajanteNot to worry, flowers will be coming up although my 35mm SLR stayed home, and I can't work the macro properly with the phone camera, so usually they are not great ...but nonetheless
07/07/2024ResponderTraduzir
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