TMB: Our story
Part 2: Val Veni - Plan de l'Au
Wednesday September 2nd: near refuge Elisabetta - Villair
Statistics:distance: km
up: 385 m, down: 1080 m,
weather: partially clouded and some showers in the afternoon.
During first half of the night we had some thunder storm and severe showers. During these showers we were not able to sleep, so we were glad when the rain stopped. After a short night of sleep, we break down the tent after breakfast. The outer shell of the tent is dry, the groundsealing of the innertent had not completely with stand the rain/water that flowed under our tent. When Jacqueline and Alex arrived we immediately started this stage. First we walk along the Lac de Combal. Here we see some beautiful reflections of the surrounding mountains in the lake and later we see the slowely mixing of warmer, blue coloured rainwater and cold milky coloured icewater. Just after the lake we turn right for the steep climb to chalet Alpe Veille superieur. After the chalet where we had a short break, we continue climbing, now more gradually. During the climb we have some great views of the glacier du Miage with Lac du Miage and the Mont Blanc massive. The first part of the descent is steep, but near lac Chécroui the path is much vlakker. After the lake the path continues to descent to col Chécroui. Here we have a lunch break. After lunch we take the right track from the col to Dolonne, in our booklet a variant, but now the official route. First we descent over a road. Near some houses the road is for a small path. In the meanwhile it started to rain a little. This is where Edwin and I lost the track and descended throught the meadow and later along a very steep road, while Jacqueline and Alex managed to stay on the marked route. A little before Dologne our paths join again so together we reach Courmayeur. Here Jacqueline and Alex stay at a hotel. Edwin and I will continue for a while to find a place to pitch the tent outside Courmayeur. First we do some shopping and have supper on a at the busstation. After supper we continue and walk to Villair. After this village between the trees we find a nice spot to pitch the tent for the night.
Thursday September 3rd: Villair - Pra Sec
Statistics:distance: km
up: 680 m, down: 380 m,
weather: Cold and rainy in Val Ferret, sunny and warm in Aosta.
After breakfast we break up and walk to an open spot to wait for Jacqueline and Alex. It's cold. Together we walk and climb to refuge Chalets du Pré. Here we drink a hot chocolat inside to get warm again. Jacqueline and Alex decide to take the more alpine variant, and we want to take to lower, official variant along Leuchy and La Leche since the weather is not to good, it is a bit rainy and foggy. We take a good look at the route in the booklet of Jacqueline and Alex, since its course has changed since 1995. Just after we have left the refuge we split up, Jacqueline and Alex continue climbing while we take a more leveled path. Everything goes well until we get lost of the path and meet a couple of mean shepherdsdogs. One of these dogs snaps in my lower leg. Since we only hear the shepherd and the dogs keep on barking we continue, although I am very scared. When I look at my leg I see that it is bleeding a little. We notice that we are no longer on a path and climb up through the grass until we reach the path again. We continue for another while, till we reach a bridge. Here we clean the wound and call to the 'ANWB alarmcentrale'. They tell us that I have to get an injection against tetanus within 24 hours after the bite, so we decide to descend to the road in the valley. This descent goes rather well despite my leg is hurting a little. When we reach the road we see a busstop, but we have to wait more than an hour for the next bus, so we hitch hike. Because there is doctor at Courmayeur, they bring us to a medical centre in Morgex. Here we have to wait for the doctor. In the meanwhile we speak to a charwoman, who is originating from Mexico, she speaks English and goes to a 118-nurce. She looks at the wound and tells us that we have to go to the hospital in Aosta to get tetanus injections and some antibiotics. Because we have no transportation she orders an ambulance. In the hospital in Aosta the wound is cleaned again and I get 2 injections and a recipe for the antibiotics that we have to pick up at a pharmacy. When we leave the hospital we notice that in Aosta it is much warmer and that the sun is shining. With the antibiotics we return to Courmayeur by bus. For the second time we have supper in front of the bus station. After supper we take the bus to Pra Sec where we got the hike. We walk a little in the direction of Lavachy before we pitch our tent for the night. Since the doctor ordered me to put up my leg when resting, I have to sleep on my back with all our clothing under my leg. Not quite comfortable.
This was a day I will not forget easily. And till then I was not really scared of dogs, but now I feel more fear when a dog I'm not familiar with approaches me. During the day we have sent several text messages to Jacqueline and Alex so they know what has happened. They had a great walk an arrived without any brooses at refuge de Bonatti.
Friday September 4th: Pra Sec - La Foully
Statistics:distance: km
up: 905 m, down: 925 m,
weather: Cold, windy and some rain.
After breakfast, we break down the tent. Because I may not exert too much, Edwin takes the more heavier things from my backpack, so my pack is much lighter. We walk on the left side of the stream we walk to Lavachy. From here we continue over the road to Arvuna. Here we meet Jacqueline and Alex again. Together we continue and climb to refuge Elena. In the refuge we drink something. Next to the four of us several other TMB-hikers are having a break in the refuge. After the break we continue climbing the col Grand Ferret. Although the climb is not steep, Jacqueline and Alex walk faster than we do. Because it is windy and cold, they immidiately start descending when they reach the col. We reach the col somewhat later and we also do not stop here, but a little lower when we have a small break. The descend is as the climb to the col gradually, so it is really walking. In chalet de la Peula there are a lot of fellow walkers sheltering from the wind and cold. Jacqueline and Alex already have ordered a sandwich. I have some tea and a glas of plain water. We eat our lunch that we've been carrying along. After lunch, we descend together to Ferret. Between Ferret and le Clou a hamlet near la Foully the route follows a path on the left side of the stream. In la Foully Jacqueline and Alex stay at a hotel for the night, while we go to the campsite. The campsite is run by a Dutch couple and has a recreation room where we can sit and prepare supper and dry some of our clothings that got wet during the day. When the rain is less intensive, we
Saturday September 5th: La Foully - Plan de l'Au
Statistics:distance: km
up: 410 m, down: 690 m,
weather: Mostly sunny with some cold wind.
Today I have diarrhea, a side effect of the antibiotics I have to take because of the dog bite.
It is cold and a bit foggy when we awake. We have breakfast with porridge in the recreation room where the gas stove still is standing. In the mean while the fog disappears and while we enjoy the view of the sunset on the fresh snow ice appears on the grass and tent. After breakfast we break down the tent and wait inside. Because the route crosses the campsite, without backpack Edwin goes to the place where we should meet to say that we wait at the campsite. When Jacqueline and Alex arrive at the campsite, we descend to Praz-de-Fort, unfortunately in the shadow. After Praz-de-Fort we continue in the sun and through open field to Issert. It is a pleasant walk. Just after Issert, we have a break. Here we discuss the next few stages of the tour. After the break we climb to Champex through the woods - chemin du Champignon, but the only mushrooms we see are pictures on the information panels. After I have visited the public toilet we have lunch together at the border of the lake. After lunch we split up. While Jacqueline and Alex stay at Champex, we go to the campsite of the village. Here we decide to continue and take the normal route of the TMB and not the Alpine variant like Jacqueline and Alex want to do. Edwin takes even more stuff from my backpack. In short etappes we descend to plan de l'Au. During some breaks we drink some water and eat a lot of blue berries. At plan the l'Au we ask permission to put up the tent and we are even allowed to put up the tent near the house and use the outside toilet. It is a nice end of the day.
Continued in part 3
Last modified December 2010