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Tour du Mont Blanc

Stage 2. Les Contamines - Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme

Monday 12th August 2019

 

The weather was not good as we woke on the morning of the second day. There was low mist in the valley and thunder and lightening above. We decided to walk to the church of Notre Dame de la Gorge, to the Roman bridge and possibly to La Balme before deciding whether to go high on the route to Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme. As it turned out the weather passed over as we got to La Balme, although we did encounter mist and hail on the stretch between Col du Bonhomme and Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme.

 

 

Stage 2. Schedule

  From To Distance Km Time Hrs Ascent m Descent m
2-1 Les Contamines (1,160m) Notre Dame de la Gorge (1,210m) 4.5   60  
2-2 Notre Dame de la Gorge (1,210m) Nante Borrant (1,460m) 2.5   260  
2-3 Nante Borrant (1,460m) La Balme (1,700m) 3.0   250  
2-4 La Balme (1,700m) Col du Bonhomme (2,329m) 4.0   650  
2-5 Col du Bonhomme (2,329m) Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme (2,433m) 1.5   170  
  Les Contamines (1,160m) Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme (2,433m) 15.5 6H00 1,390  

 

Garmin GPS Actual Data
Les Contamines to Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme
Distance Time Elevation in meters

Km		 Elapsed
Hrs-Mins		 Gain Loss Min Max
15.34 7H01 1,389 112 1,164 2,491

 

   

 

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Geared up for the rain. L to R: Jim, Lesley, Mick, Kath and Bob

L to R: Jim, Lesley and Rob

 

Notre Dame de la Gorge, near Les Contamines

  The church of Notre Dame de la Gorge, white and bright with its painted façade, marks the end of the road and start of the trails and mountain paths.

The church was rebuilt in 1699 by Jean de Vougniaz, a stone mason  who had recently completed the reconstruction of the church in Saint-Gervais. From the 13th century to the early 19th century, Notre Dame de la Gorge was the local parish church for the residents of the valley. It was also a spiritual sanctuary home to the Marian cult. Every year, for time immemorial, the pilgrimage on 15th August draws the faithful in crowds.

Finally, Notre-Dame de la Gorge is a place of prayer associated with the passing of the Col du Bonhomme mountain pass. Many travelers have crossed the threshold of the church to pray for a safe journey.		  

 

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And still it rained, with flashes of lightening overhead

Roman Bridge

Lesley

L to R: Kath, Jim, Lesley and Bob

Torrent de Tré la Tête

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The way ahead

Looking back from whence we came

La Balme Refuge, 1,700m, our coffee stop

Looking back down the valley as we climb higher

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Tumulus Plan des Dames alt. 2,043m. The legend is that there are two
English ladies buried there, and you should deposit a stone on passing to bury the evil spell.

Crossing snow en route to Col du Bonhomme

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Bob and Kath

At Col du Bonhomme, with Rob keeping an anxious eye on the weather

Mick

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The weather closed in as we approached Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme. We even had hail!

Suddenly the refuge appeared from the gloom

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There were some hungry people for dinner that night! Onion soup followed by beef stew with polenta.

Jim, Lesley and Bob

Accommodation

Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme,
Tel: 00 33 (0) 479 07 05 28

https://refugecroixdubonhomme.ffcam.fr/GB_home.html

We had a small room with 4 bunk beds and one truckle bed that pulled out

There was some storage space for rucksacks, but it was impossible for four people to be in
the room with the door open and to be able to move about.

Jim drew the short straw and had the truckle bed