Tour du Mont Blanc
The Tour du Mont Blanc or is one of the most popular long distance walks in Europe. It circles the Mont Blanc Massif covering a distance of roughly 170 km with 10 km of ascent/descent and passes through parts of Switzerland, Italy and France. Having already been to foot of Everest high up in the Himalayas this seemed to be the next logical step for me in my quest to walk some of the best available long distance walks the world has to offer. This is my account of a fantastic adventure with wonderful scenery and great company. I hope you enjoy it.
(Note: This walk is kindly contributed by Neal Lever)
Day 11, 3rd July 2012:
A leisurely breakfast was consumed because no one was in a rush to do anything. The weather was just perfect and there was a free bus into Les Contamines every half an hour, why rush. I think I will have another coffee but you can shove your muesli. Just one cooked breakfast was all I wanted. Bacon and eggs used to be a Sunday ritual back home. I know it is your day off Lewis but sixteen eggs and two pound of bacon cannot be hard to cook? Only teasing you Lewis, only teasing.
Lee and I jump on the tennish bus to town. It is a smaller main town than most but has its beauty all the same, quaint church, coffee shops with morning croissants, boutiques and not forgetting restaurants and bars. We spend an hour or so looking around when I find the very Zamberland boots I have been looking for in Italy but to no avail. Silly me thinking that I would be able to get Italian walking boots in Italy. After a short time haggling with the shop keeper we agree a price which I might add is way cheaper than back home. It was then that I realised that I had brought some cash with me but had left my credit cards safely back at the campsite. Forget about the boots I think.
Les Contamines
Lewis, Graham, Lee and I enjoy a beerI catch up with Lee and we stop on the main street and have a beer and sit outside enjoying the sun. Soon Lewis and Graham join us and I proceed to tell them all about the boots I have found. No sooner have I told them the story Graham goes over to the shop and negotiates another thirty Euros off the price. Then Lee insists on buying them for me on his credit card. People never cease to amaze me throughout my life. Lee has known me for only ten minutes and he has paid for my new boots whilst Graham has squeezed all their profit out. Thanks, it is days like these that you remember. Boots purchased and me in debt till tomorrow we settle down to a few more beers and why not. Most of the others are walking around town and soon there are quite a lot of us enjoying lunch together at a restaurant further down town. We had a good meal and a pleasant couple of hours before heading back on the bus to the campsite. The rest of the day was spent relaxing, reading and chatting away. I decide to have a shower and spruce myself up for the evening meal at the club house restaurant. The food is OK here and the wine even better. I think Lewis enjoyed his day off today. We all wander back to our tents and wind down for the night for tomorrow is probably the toughest day of trekking on the whole tour.
