The Tour de Mont Blanc
by Graham Taylor
One of the benefits of ignorance is that you are apt to select the most spectacular project where wiser heads would embark on something more realistic. For the enlightenment of other innocents I have penned the following account. The tour circumnavigates Mont Blanc by way of a pass a day and offers views into some of Europe's finest alpine scenery which, after youthful climbing adventures from Chamonix, was calling me back. Dave Rowson of the Yorkshire group was available and kindly agreed to make up the party.
When to go is the first decision and is a balance between snow, which lingers on the passes that rise to 2500metres, and the arrival of the population of Paris who depart the city on Bastille Day, the 14th July. We chose to fly to Geneva from Liverpool on the Wednesday 11th July and return on Tuesday 17th July using Easyjet.
The route is well documented in the Cicerone walking guide, which has daunting profile maps and useful lists of phone numbers. Several articles have appeared in mountain biking magazines but they seem deliberately vague on the route as they are really advertisements for tour operators. Nomad Adventures' site, http://home.freeuk.net/amarsh/montblanc.html, is a relatively clear account. Worth reading just to cheer yourself up with how much you are saving. Ed Clements' guides advertised in the RSF Journal at first sight seem hopelessly out of date but in fact are still relevant as little has changed. The ever helpful Stanfords (http://stanfords.co.uk) will post the first map you need (IGN3531 ET top 25 series). Buy 3630 in Cormayeur and keep them in the Halford's mapholder which attaches to the handlebars.
Bikes on planes is a bit of a mystery, no one will officially accept them but I knew others who had no problems flying from Speke. In the event we cadged cardboard boxes from bike shops and packed them inside; however at the airport others simply handed them over with no attempt at dismantling. There was no extra charge. On arrival abandon the box, put on disposable plastic gloves, assemble and away you go.
The advice on packing is of course take just the essentials, then throw half of them away. This however is too much. We split the repair kit and I went with what I rode in. If you want to know: SPD mountain bike shoes (the rigid soles and big grips were OK over rough ground), double thickness marathon running (guaranteed no blisters) socks, polyester pants, padded shorts, thermal vest, cycling top, thin fleece, light waterproof jacket, helmet. This was adequate for the conditions with the addition of nylon overtrousers for the one cold wet day. For social occasions my big mouth saddle bag weighing in at 2kg contained lightweight trousers with zip-off legs, spare pants and socks, a tee shirt and flip flops plus razor and a toothbrush (Dave refused to share). Do not even contemplate camping.
The 1600 flight from Liverpool arrives at 1850 in Geneva but the challenge then begins, how to get to the Chamonix valley, only 100 miles away that night. Enquiries on the Swiss rail website http://www.sbb.ch, reveals a 4 hour journey time, perhaps Railtrack ain't so bad. Although very close to the French border to the east, there are no connections and the train follows a tortuous route. The answer is to pedal into Geneva, cross the start of the Rhone, marvel at the jet d'eau and head for Annemasse, 5km south east into France and catch one of the regular trains to St Gervais south of Chamonix, pausing only to grab a copy of the timetable for the return journey (vital see later near disaster). Bikes safely stowed we trundled through the night to our first night in the Hotel Chamier (0033 4 50 93 60 10), 280 FF for twin room.
Croissants, coffee and at 8.30 we set off following the GR signs on the west of the valley with a blue sky and sunshine, in the direction of Notre Dame de la Gorge. Here the Roman road (what gears they must have had) climbs steeply to the first hot chocolate at Nant Borant then as a pleasant rideable track followed by epic manhandling to the snowfield at the foot of the Col du Bonhomme, taken in the company of parties of most sections of humanity travelling, perhaps wisely, exclusively on foot. Say 30% rideable although it would be more if you found the jeep track which joins the path at the chalets de Jovet but whose start is just off the map to the west. Every morsel of unnecessary weight preys on the mind and around here Dave began burying particularly chunky impediments. From the Col at 2439m it is possible to cycle 100m east before more gruelling manhandling through snow and boulders begins to a final height of 2479m before a rideable descent to the Refuge du Col de Croix de Bonhomme (hot chocolate and cakes). See Ed Clement's notes on taking uppermost path. This is 820Oft up from Speke Airport, left less than 24 hours earlier, and 5200ft above the croissants. Biologists note that the body can stand this punishment and there are sufficient oxygen molecules to enable you to lug a bike to this altitude, should you wish to do so, nice views though.
We descended partly in the saddle to the chalet de la Raja and then fast tarmac to the Auberge de la Nova (0033 4 79 89 07 15 15) where we got the last two beds. Definitely book ahead on this trip; the overnight stops are predictable and walking groups bag whole rooms. This was our first acquaintance with the dortoir, a very sociable arrangement with two wide bunks the length of the room, a pillow, blanket and sheet each. Companions are selected at random and in the light of morning are often not who you imagined they were. Excellent meal, wine and conversation with fellow travellers.
Day two and remarkably chirpy at 8.15 we left for a scenic ride northeast on tarmac and track to the Chalet Refuge des Mottets then began shoving upward to the Col de Seigne at 2516m arriving at 1145. Top tip is to remove pedals, which just bang your shins, and even better do not lose the allen key.
Descent was through snowfields, rideable in a precarious sort of way when the track improved, and after a freezing paddle through melt water became rideable again across a beautiful alpine meadow with the spires of the Pyramides de Calcaires to the left before arrival at the Refuge Elizabetta for (you've guessed it) hot chocolate and cakes. The alpine refuges are spotless, cheap and act as welcoming cafes during the day. You can fill your water bottles safely here so you only need carry 700ml.
The descent from here to Courmayeur (in Italy now) is an exhilarating plunge through spectacular scenery on uncrowded roads surfaced like billiard tables. Terminal velocity at 50mph reached just before hurtling into a tunnel. Disc brakes are wonderful for the Alps: they stop you, are fade free, do not melt valves out of tyres and, surprisingly, do not get damaged.
Here we began to struggle for accommodation as the refuges higher up the valley were full, but the tourist office found us beds at Planpincioux.
The valley is rideable up to the Refuge de Elena at 2062m, last hot drink before the one-hour push ends at the Grand Col Ferret at 2537m. The views here back into the Mont Blanc massif are the most spectacular of the tour as the Grandes Jorrasses rise shear from the valley floor to 4000m whereas the mountains on the Chamonix side are set back and hidden.
Extensive snowfields at the summit shrouded in mist led to a bikeable descent to the valley floor thanks to the compass and map. On the descent we met our only other cyclists on tour, two German lads going the wrong way round (anticlockwise) with the latest Cannondales but laden with camping gear which reduced them to a crawl. There must be campsites but I didn't see any. I cannot believe camping would save much money over the dortoirs and refuges and you would lose the opportunity to meet and chat to fellow adventurers. A fast tarmac descent was followed by a switchback climb to the Lac de Champex for the Auberge de la Foret and its excellent table d'hote.
Day four is short and starts well with a descent on tracks to Plan de Air at 1300m but then becomes a brutal push across roots and rocks to Bovine at 1900m before level going, occasionally rideable to tarmac at La Forclaz. Then a fast descent to Trient at 1300m and the Cafe Gite Moret in torrential rain, thank you discs.
A reasonable push today, after a short ride, to the Refuge at the Col du Balme, 2191m, through powdery snow and low clouds, where an overworked lady gallantly served potage and hot chocolate to hordes of soggy travellers.
From the col the rough access road gives an exciting ride down to the lift station at le Tour, from where it is a pleasant ride down the valley to the fleshpots of Chamonix and communal living at the English climbers' haunt, the Gites des Vagabonds. We should have pressed on but instead I wanted to show Dave the spectacular Mer de Glace from the top of the Montenvers funicular railway.
The last day should have been easy with a descent to St Gervais then the reverse of our journey, Annemasse to Geneva. However, we were becoming over confident: the through train would not get us to Geneva for the 1445 flight, so what ensued was a train to Bonneville then a desperate chase through wonderful rolling country with Lac Leman in the distance. We did make it but only just.
Honestly it is a walk, admittedly along bridleways, but with a bike you do it in half the time because you make such good time between the ascents. If cycling equals tarmac, mountain biking is staying in the pedals and rough-stuffing is occasional shoving then this spectacular trip just barely qualifies for the RSF.
You might wish to add a few more days to explore the areas you pass through and include a trip to the very top on the cable car from Chamonix.