Day 69: Hugo Is Back!
After a somewhat restless night, I could easily have slept for hours longer and on much flatter ground, I pack up my tent. Packing is a generous term here, as I am not exactly meticulous and my tent usually ends up stuffed into a ball at the bottom of its side pouch. I set off around 8.30 am. From the very first kilometres, I am lucky enough to walk along the top of a ridge with a full 360 degree view of the surroundings.
After a long descent, I am about to head towards the Lai Refuge when I hear someone shout “Charlottteeee”. I turn around to locate the voice and to my great surprise, I spot Hugo sitting at a small restaurant. Hugo is a fellow HexaTreker I met on day two of my adventure. At the time, I was injured and had to take several rest days, so we had not crossed paths again. Unfortunately, a few weeks later, it was his turn to be forced into a three week break due to shin splints. I am therefore incredibly happy to finally see him again. We started our hikes on the exact same day, just a few hours apart, so it feels special to be reunited. I tell him where I plan to camp and we agree to meet there later in the day. For now, he still needs to stay behind to say goodbye to a friend who accompanied him for the past three days.
Originally, I wanted to do a thirty two kilometre day, but with nearly 2,900 metres of descent and the fact that Robin, Scott, Lauren, Valentine and Hugo all seem to be aiming for the same bivouac spot, I decide to scale it back to twenty one kilometres. With much more time on my hands, I take the opportunity to make a small detour, just a few extra kilometres, why not, to visit a lake marked “unmissable” on the HexaTrek app.
I am not disappointed. The colours of the lake are incredible. I stop there for lunch.
After a short rest, I return to the official route.
The rest of the day looks promising. I will pass by the magnificent Presset Lake. Energised, I continue walking under an intense heatwave that has been making the physical challenge harder for several days now. The scenery on the way up to the pass is beautiful, with rivers scattered along the path. Time and again, I dip my cap into the water to cool my face, dripping with sweat.
After a long climb towards the pass leading to the refuge and Presset Lake, I finally reach the summit. The last few hundred metres were over sharp rocks and snowfields. The view more than compensates for the effort, with a stunning panorama over the alpine lake.
About fifteen minutes later, I see Hugo arriving in the distance. I cheer him on and take a few photos of the final metres of his ascent. This is followed by a steep twenty minute descent down to the lake. The view is breathtaking.
The place is stunning, but unfortunately, due to the limit of ten tents allowed for bivouacking near the refuge, we cannot stay there for the night. I decide to remain for a few hours, enjoying a decadent chocolate and coconut tart, followed by my traditional pasta meal. Lauren, Scott, Valentine and Robin join Hugo and me, and then we all head to camp two kilometres further on, near the Balme Refuge.
Day 70: A Race Against Time, A Bivouac and a Piano
The next morning, I walk with the group of four, as Hugo left much earlier. We move at a good pace because we need to reach the grocery shop before it closes at 12.30 pm. Missing it is not an option, we have no food left. Valentine and Robin fly down the descents. As for me, I much prefer the climbs.
We arrive about thirty minutes before closing. Starving, we are far too enthusiastic about the food. After weeks on the trail, good manners tend to suffer. We sit right on the pavement to enjoy our picnic. It must look quite amusing to passers by. Nearly fifteen hikers sitting on the ground in front of a shop, eating strange culinary creations. My sandwich even includes crisps for extra crunch. Haute cuisine, this is not.
After lunch, a new mission begins for me: finding a new gas canister so I can cook hot meals again. I have been looking for one for days without success. There is an Intersport about ten kilometres away, but I will have to leave the trail to get there. Luckily, I find a bus that can drop me nearby.
As it is Valentine’s final day, Robin, Lauren and Scott stay with her at a campsite near the shop. I say goodbye to them and begin my quest for gas.
Thirty minutes later, I arrive at the sports shop. Of course, I did not think to call ahead to check if they had gas. In such a popular hiking area, it seemed obvious to me that they would. Obviously, they do not. A huge detour for nothing. I am told there is a shortage in the region and that it will be very difficult to find any. Cold pasta for the next few days it is. At least my dream of iced coffee will come true.
A little annoyed, I hitchhike back to the trail and head towards the agreed bivouac spot near the Rosuel Refuge, where Hugo, Roel and I plan to meet.
The Rosuel Refuge is beautiful and the staff are extremely friendly. For four euros, we can pitch our tents and use both the indoor and outdoor facilities. One of the staff members knows the HexaTrek well, having completed the first three stages last year. He gives me several tips and explains that bivouacking in Vanoise National Park is strictly regulated. It is only allowed near refuges, with a limited number of tents per night. Brilliant. This is likely to make the next few nights complicated, as the park is very popular and people book months in advance. For us, that is simply impossible since we rarely know where we will be more than two days ahead.
Hugo and Roel arrive shortly after me. When Roel realises there is a piano in the refuge, his eyes light up. A musician and music teacher, opportunities to play the piano are rare on the trail. He asks the manager for permission and sits down at the instrument.
It is a beautiful moment, listening to live piano music. I could listen for hours. Discovering the talents of our fellow hikers is always special. After this musical interlude, we move on to planning the next days, which becomes complicated due to the bivouac rules of the park. After several phone calls to different refuges, we realise that only a few places remain at the Entre Deux Eaux Refuge, thirty kilometres from here. With all the elevation gain ahead, an early start is required tomorrow.
Day 71: A Big Day Ahead
The alarm goes off at 5.45 am after a night that is far too short. The accumulated lack of sleep from the past months is becoming more noticeable. While hiking, I usually sleep between six and seven hours per night. For a few weeks, my body can cope, but over several months, it becomes harder. That is why every ten days or so, I take a rest day to recover some sleep.
The first kilometres of the day are exhausting due to a steep climb and my constant battle against the urge to fall back asleep. To stay motivated, I listen to episodes of the podcast Les Baladeurs, where adventurers share stories of extreme journeys and misadventures. It helps distract me from the pain.
After a long hour of walking, I finally find a good rhythm. Spectacular landscapes unfold one after another. As the park is highly protected, there are fewer people than on other trails. I feel completely cut off from civilisation.
I enjoy this wild, untouched nature until the appearance of the wonderful village of Tignes, a word used here with heavy sarcasm. This ultra touristy ski resort, even in summer, with its many apartment blocks, seriously spoils the landscape.
The only positive of this lunch stop is that I finally find a gas canister, for the modest price of eleven euros. At that price, it must be magical gas that cooks pasta in seconds.
I eat with Roel and Hugo, but we do not linger as thunderstorms are once again forecast for the afternoon. We still have one pass to cross, so it is best to keep moving. I switch into storm alert mode. In short, I walk fast. Very fast. Like a snail on ten espressos. I quickly reach the Col de la Leisse at around 2,700 metres.
I continue walking past several alpine lakes resting in the valley. Swimming is strictly forbidden here, even dipping your feet is not allowed. Given the state and smell of my charming toes, a quick foot soak would probably have renamed the lake Lake Stinky. Just joking, they are not that bad.
Around 3.00 pm, we reach the Col de la Leisse Refuge. We stay there for a good three hours, waiting for the weather to calm, before heading towards our destination. Luckily, only seven kilometres remain. Eager to reach shelter, I pull ahead of Hugo and Roel in the final stretch. When I finally spot the refuge, I let out a sigh of relief. Rest at last.
