Tour du Mont Blanc
Stage 1. Les Houches - Les Contamines-Montjoie
Sunday 11th August 2019
| Our TMB started in Chamonix with a bus ride 8 km down the valley to Les Houches, where there are two cable cars that can be used to access Col de Voza. The smaller of the two, the Prarion Cable car rises to 1,900m; we took the larger Bellevue cable car which rises to 1,794m and is ideal for accessing the Col de Voza for the Bionnassay route or taking the Col de Tricot route. This saved at least two hours hard slog up the ski-field trails with 650 - 700 m of climbing. |
Stage 1. Schedule - Bionnasay Route without the Cable Car
| |
From |
To |
Distance Km |
Time Hrs |
Ascent m |
Descent m |
| 1-1 |
Les Houches (1,010m) |
Vielles Luge (1,365m) |
3.5 |
|
360 |
|
| 1-2 |
Vielles Luge (1,365m) |
Col de Vosa (1,650m) |
2.5 |
|
290 |
|
| 1-3 |
Col de Vosa (1,650m) |
Bionnassay (1,320m) |
2.5 |
|
|
330 |
| 1-4 |
Bionnassay (1,320m) |
Le Champel (1,220m) |
3.0 |
|
|
170 |
| 1-5 |
Le Champel (1,220m) |
Tresse (1,016m) |
3.5 |
|
|
250 |
| 1-6 |
Tresse (1,016m) |
Les Contamines (1,160m) |
4.0 |
|
190 |
|
| |
Les Houches (1,010m) |
Les Contamines (1,160m) |
19.0 |
6H30 |
840 |
760 |
Stage 1. Schedule - Bionnasay Route using the Cable Car
| |
From |
To |
Distance Km |
Time Hrs |
Ascent m |
Descent m |
| 1-3 |
Col de Vosa (1,650m) |
Bionnassay (1,320m) |
2.5 |
|
|
330 |
| 1-4 |
Bionnassay (1,320m) |
Le Champel (1,220m) |
3.0 |
|
|
170 |
| 1-5 |
Le Champel (1,220m) |
Tresse (1,016m) |
3.5 |
|
|
250 |
| 1-6 |
Tresse (1,016m) |
Les Contamines (1,160m) |
4.0 |
|
190 |
|
| |
Les Houches (1,010m) |
Les Contamines (1,160m) |
13.0 |
4H30 |
190 |
650 |
Our Route via Col de Tricot using the Bellevue Cable Car
Garmin GPS Actual Data
| Distance |
Time |
Elevation in meters |
Km |
Elapsed
Hrs-Mins |
Gain |
Loss |
Min |
Max |
| 17.1 |
7H33 |
680 |
1,280 |
1,794 (*) |
2,113 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(*) Top of Bellevue Cable Car
The Bellevue Cable Car
.
The hike from Les Houches at 1,010m to Col de Vosa at 1,653m is about 6 km and 650m of ascent; for those wanting to start the TMB on an easier footing there are three other ways of getting to Col de Vosa:-
- The Téléphérique de Bellevue; This ascends from Les Houches at 1,010m to Bellevue at 1,794 m in 6 minutes and costs Euro 14.50 for a single for an adult 15-64 years, Euro 9.50 for seniors.
- The smaller Télécabine du Prarion; This ascends from Les Houches at 1,010m to Prarion at 1,900m; pricing as per Téléphérique de Bellevue
- Mont Blanc Tramway: one of France's last mountain rack-rail trains that starts from La Fayet, 584m, and Saint-Gervais, 792m, between meadows, pastures and small mountain lakes, via Les Houches to the Nid d'Aigle (The Eagle's Nest) at 2,372m. From La Fayet there are 6 stops - Saint-Gervais 792m, Motivon 1,400m, Vosa Pass 1,653 m, Bellevue 1,794m, Mont Lachat 2,115m and Nid d'Aigle 2,372m
|
.
Route of Mont Blanc Tramway
We're off!
Snack bar "La Challete" at 1,800 m, just above the cable car
The first of many Group Photos
L to R: Bob, Kath, Rob, Mick and Lesley
Our guide, Rob "Sherper" Gale
Crossing the Tramway tracks as we head for "Himalayan Bridge"
Arrive in at L'Are alt. 1,760m, with 1H45 to go to Col de Tricot
Nice walking under the shade of the trees
Waiting to cross the Himalayan Bridge
Dôme du Miage
Glacier du Bionassay and the Dôme du Goûtier, right
Approaching Col de Tricot
Col de Tricot 2,120m
Lunch at Col de Tricot
Alpine orchid (Gymnadenia conopsea?)
Descending from Col de Tricot towards Chalet de Miage
Dôme du Goûtier
Looking back to Col de Tricot
Refuge de Miage
Rob, Mick & Jim
.
After the short climb of Mont Truc we headed towards Chalets du Truc
Chalets du Truc
Reblochon cattle
Reblochon cheese
Descending into Les Contamines
Les Contamines Church
Accommodation
Hotel La Chemenaz,
10, Allee du Nant Rouge,
74170 Les Contamines Montjoie
www.chemenaz.com
Tel; 00 33 (0) 450 47 02 44
Hotel La Chemenaz
Hotel La Chemenaz
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