Les Contamines - Col du Bonhomme - Col de la Croix - Les Chapieux
- Distance: 18km
- Duration: (with breaks): 9h 00min
- Elevation gain/loss: 1320m/930m
This was one of my favourite sections of the whole hike. Our backs recovered from yesterday and we were ready to conquer the trail again. We were getting used to the weight and the hiking sticks turned into best trail friends. We might actually be able to pull this off.
As breakfast we got coffee and croissants at Refuge Nant Borrant, which is a beautiful place to stay for a night. If you have any energy left on day 1 for a gradual uphill hike 1.5 hours from Les Contamines, this is definitely a great option.
Once back on the trail, the path headed through an idyllic alpine valley with rolling hills, hordes of cows and a soothing sound of their bells. I guess that’s where they shoot all those Milka commercials. I highly recommend to also take a look back while hiking towards Col du Bonhomme (2329m) as the valley is just stunning.
Approximately 1 hour before the pass we encountered some snow, which was rather refreshing given the heat during the day. For most of the sections it wasn’t difficult to walk, only a few hundred meters before the pass the path was kind of steepish. Nothing sketchy though.
The views at the top did not disappoint again and we spent some time resting and soaking in the beauty of the Alps. I knew it’s beautiful here, but honestly I was still stunned.
After the break we continued to a higher Col de la Croix (2483m) and had to conquer more sections in snow. There was one tricky part close to the top as it was rather steep and slippery, but nothing dangerous, just a bit of a slower hike.
This might be a good indication for all early season hikers – at the end of June the mountains might still be covered in snow above 2000m, so keep that in mind when you plan your hike.
Once we reached Col de la Croix, there was a choice to either follow the regular route to Les Chapieux or climb even higher to Col des Fours (2665m) and from there descent to Ville des Glaciers.
From other hikers we learned that the latter was a really extreme path to follow at this time of the year due to heavy snow. We were urged not to go there without crampons and climbing experience, so the choice was easy – Les Chapieux.
On our way down we stopped in Refuge du Bonhomme, where I met my dream dog, and then descended to the valley below. I would not call Les Chapieux a town, since it’s really a few houses only, but you could still order a fresh breakfast for tomorrow or take a bus to Ville des Glaciers.
We decided to stay in a free (!!!) campsite next to Auberge de la Nova, in which we had a fun dinner with other hikers.
Remember the cliff-hanger I left on day 1? So while the day was again full of stunning views and sun, in the evening we had an “honor” to experience probably the worst storm I have ever encountered. In a tent. In a field with no shelter from the wind.
What are alpine storms? Crazy winds with crazy rain and crazy frequent lightning. At some point we held our tent on its sides scared it’ll just blow away from the devil wind. The lightning was so constant that we basically had electricity inside and could barely hear each other due to the sound.
Some fellow hikers got their tents flooded or destroyed by the wind so we considered ourselves lucky by only losing one peg of our tent. After this night every camping hiker we’ve met referred to it as THE night. A storm in the mountains is uncool.
Day 2 tips
- It is a busy section, so the earlier you start, the less likely to get stuck in mountain traffic. Some of the sections are narrow paths, making it difficult to pass other people. You can also try avoiding the crowds by starting later, just be mindful of afternoon storms that are quite frequent (and unexpected) in the Alps.
- If you camp in Les Chapieux, try to stay close to the buildings to have some shelter from the wind in case of a storm.