Tour du Mont Blanc Day6 First crossing France side Mont Blanc across the Balme Pass

2018-08-152019-09-06

Tour du Mont Blanc, the sixth day.

From the Swiss village Trient to the French part across the Balme Pass at the Swiss-France border. After that, I will climb the mountain opposite Mont Blanc aiming at the sky pond Lac Blanc.

From Trient Village to Switzerland – France Border Col de Balme

Morning of mountain at village Trient. You can see glaciers of the Mont Blanc mountain range shining in the morning sun.

I will climb toward the Balme Pass (Col de Balme) on the right side.

The early stage is a trail traveling through the rare forest in TMB’s journey. Since there is no view, I will climb silently. As the morning air is refreshing and refreshing, it is recommended to go through early in the morning. It may be tough to be hot in the daytime.

Eventually forest disappeared, the scenery opened.

The front dent is Balme Pass. After a while, it should be ,,, but it does not arrive at all, though …

Looking backwards, the landscape of the Swiss part with many trees. In my process, Switzerland passed oneday. Two of the pictures are a couple hiker from Korea. Although mountain walking has become popular in Korea, they lamented that only elderly people.

It is hard to see the end …, the road to Balme Pass.

The patience time will continue.

Finally it has become a mountain landscape.

Looked! Refuge du Col de Balme is a mountain hut built on the Balme Pass.

The fancy Balme hut of red window and I first faced the French side Mont Blanc. It is a feminine image which makes the smooth around the summit, it’s different from the aspect Italian side. It is exactly “white mountain”.

I will take a break here and enjoy the wonderful view from the pass.

In winter it seems to be a slopes, there is a lift. You see the city of Mont Blanc and Chamonix.

Large panorama.

Actually I did not have the accommodation of this day. Since it was the last stage, I thought I decided whether I should get off the mountain or look forward after seeing physical strength and time. Physically it’s still good. I want to enjoy more the Tour du Mont Blanc! As it is, I was not going to Chamonix. I decided to aim at the pond called Lac Blanc in the rocky mountain on the right.

I will walk across a peaceful pasture land.

Early lunch in the cottage Alpage de Balme

I will have lunch at Alpage de Balme, which is a little down from the route. It is a wooden cottage. Although it was not open yet before 11 o’clock, it opened out specially.

First beer. A mountain is reflected in the glass. Cheers to Mont Blanc!

Homemade cheese as an appetizer. The main is a potato dish called “Rosti” of Switzerland which crushed shredded potatoes crisply, sausage full of thick and thick broth.

This is perfect for beer. delicious.

When you come to this place, the trip to the TMB is the final stage. Older Hikers are doing a full leisure as well.

Hike up to the sky pond Lac Blanc

Balme pass seen from the French side.

Good weather.

Oh,,,I have to walk down to bottom of mountain once. It’s seems like really tough route.

,,,,. A terrible climb. I have to reconsider the accommodation place when I got down.

I have gone down to the village. Oh, it’s a waste …. At this point, it was likely that I could arrive at Lac Blanc while it was daytime at the course time confirmed on the guide board, so I decided to challenge for a terrible climb. I called the mountain hut and booked the accommodation. As it was the end of the season at the beginning of September the reservation was okay, but it may be difficult during the summer peak.

I can see Glaciers in the Mont Blanc mountainside across the village.

Clouds came out in the afternoon and rain fell a little. I have to hurry ,,,

I found a lot of wild blueberries on the side of the trail. It works on sweet and sour tired body. Hurry ahead while having instead of snacks.

The way to Lac Blanc is TMB’s variation route. Because it is quite a steep climb, there are some dangerous points that will hit such a ladder. It looks like Donkey Kong ,,,

I have climbed a lot.

I found the landscape that looks like Mer de Grace glacier on the mountain across the village. It’s just like “river of ice”. You can see the building that looks like an observatory on the right side. I am sorry that I do not have time to visit.

I found something pond. Finally got to Lac Blanc? I thought. But it was another pond ,,,

Go up further. It is totally the same height as the clouds.

Today’s inn: Refuge du Lac Blanc

Arrived at Luck Blanc Hut. It was dangerous because the trail was beginning to be covered with clouds. I think that today’s journey is too severe for ups and downs in a day. I was exhausted when I arrived at Lac Blanc. In the afternoon, we are worried about the deterioration of the weather. I can not see the scenery much, so it is recommended to stay one night at the village where I got off the Balme Pass.

Pretty wooden building. There is a balcony, and if it is sunny, you can take a break while watching Lac Blanc and Mont Blanc. Because it is built on the slope, the inside looks like a maze. It seemed that there were more guests of one night hike from Chamonix than TMB hikers.