As the Unit Adventurous Training Officer (UATO) for 2 R IRISH and with the pandemic restrictions starting to disappear, I decided it was time to get the ‘boots back on a trail somewhere’.
The last unit expedition had been to the Pyrenees, and I wanted to do something similar but keep it in Europe as it is logistically much easier. After a bit of research, I came upon the ‘Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB)’. This is a complete circuit of the Mont Blanc massif and is loosely based on the route the original pioneers took as they tried to discover a route to the top of Mont Blanc. It is also listed as one of the must do, long distance walks in the world. The traditional start point is Les Houches, near Chamonix in France and that made deciding on a basecamp easy, as the unit have visited Chamonix many times over recent years. The next decision was how many days to attempt to do it in and whether to camp or stay in refuges. After a lot of research and refinement, I decided to go for a nine-day attempt, I also thought camping was more in keeping with the army ethos, than refuges and it’s also much cheaper.
The basic plan was simple, a two-man G4 team would stay in basecamp as support and to be on call for emergencies. They would be joined by two of the team to form the road party, which would take all the stores and rucksacks to France via Dover-Calais. The remainder (11 ) would fly out once basecamp was set up. This part of the plan all went very well and is certainly the best way to get set up in good order.
Once everyone was in Chamonix and camp was set up, kit was issued, and an acclimatisation walk to the Montenverts Restaurant was the activity for the first day. The campsite sits at 1090m, so most people notice the change in altitude immediately. The Montenverts is a very historic place with links back to the French Resistance in WW2. It also is a great vantage point for viewing the Mer de Glace glacier and witnessing the dramatic decrease in its size, it is reducing in height by up to 5m per year. Once back in camp a large shopping trip was organised to allow all participants to stock up on trail food.
The actual TMB has a number of ‘variantes’ and it is a matter of choice which route is taken. For the first leg, we chose a variant as it provides better views, and you get to cross a lovely suspension bridge. It started in Les Houches and then climbed steadily upwards, eventually going over the Col de Tricot, the highpoint of the day. It was then a steady descent into the ski resort of Les Contamines, where we were picked up and brought back to Chamonix. This allowed everyone to sort themselves out before the full unsupported part of the trek. The second leg started off at the previous day’s pick-up point and began with a gentle downhill walk to the church of ‘Notre Dame de la Gorge’. Almost immediately the climbing started, all the way to the Col du Bonhomme (2329m) and again to the Croix du Bonhomme before the long drop to Les Champieux. Here we were able to camp on a free campsite by the river. The next day was again a long climb to the Col de la Seigne, where we crossed the Italian border before the descent to Courmayer and on to our campsite in the Val Veny.
The weather had been favourable so far but during this night we experienced a proper thunderstorm. However, undaunted we set off again on an overcast morning for the next stage. I had planned to wild camp high in the mountains but due to the weather forecast decided to camp low. We found a nice campsite in the hamlet of Tronchey and settled in once again, having achieved sufficient distance to keep on track.
Next morning was dry but not for long and we had a long climb to the Grand col Ferret in wet conditions, which is where we entered Switzerland. The rain stopped and this allowed us to enjoy the scenery and tidiness of the whole place, expensive though. We set up camp again, this time in La Fouly and we were still on schedule.
By now everyone was hardened into the routine and there were no complaints or injuries, just the odd blister but morale was good. The next day was perhaps the shortest in length and involved a gentle descent but then a steep climb up to Champex Lac and on to our campsite at Arpette. Our host here was very supportive of the army, as his son is serving in the Swiss Army, we were well looked after. The next day was perfect, dry and sunny, so we took one of the hardest variants on the route, over the Fenetre d’Arpette. There is nothing technical about it but it is very steep. At the col, we were at the highest point of the whole trek (2665m), after which it was a long steep descent to Le Peuty, our overnight stop.
Next day started with a steep climb up through a forest. Once above the trees we could see the high point for today, the Col de Balme which is the border crossing, which we quickly reached. Now back in France we had a long descent to Tre le Champs, where we were picked up by the G4 team and taken back to basecamp in Chamonix. The final day was one of the longest legs but thankfully we only had to carry our daysacks. Again, we took the variant, which takes in the famous laddered section. After a steep climb from Tre le Champ we reached the first of these sections, which aren’t as bad as they sound and posed no problems to anyone within the group, but still an added bit of challenge. This was one of the hottest days and there was a long way to go yet. Some drinks were purchased on the way and soon we were at the highest point of the day, Le Brevant, the only actual peak any of us stood on for the whole trek. Then a long three-hour decent back into Les Houches our starting point. Circuit done, rounds complete and a total of 191kms distance and 9700m of ascent behind us.
This was a hugely successful expedition, and all the aims were achieved. The experience was further enhanced by the fact that the UTMB (the world’s biggest trail race) was happening at the same time. This meant that Chamonix was buzzing and there were a great many stalls and outlets selling outdoor gear, which was very tempting for most of the party.
I would like to thank all the members of the team for their efforts, teamwork and strong ethos and a special thanks to the G4 Team, made up of CSgts Ross and Scott, their support was invaluable.
