A day on the TMB

Peuterey to Elisabetta

We were camping at Campeggio Monte Bianco, which made it the perfect starting point for walking the Peuterey to Elisabetta section of the Tour du Mont Blanc.

We left the campsite on foot, following a path through the trees and along the river. Finding the start of the trail was a little tricky, but eventually we picked up the TMB yellow signs.

The walk at first was very quiet, we passed a few families out for a walk from the campsite. Then we joined the river which roared along beside the path. We crossed it and followed the path.

At the top of the first steep bit of path we found a lovely viewing point with a viewing post with tubes that identified the mountain peaks around us.

 

As we continued we joined the main trail, things became much busier. There were a lot of Sunday walkers, TMB hikers and mountain bikers all making their way through the valley. We followed the river, passing areas where the landscape had clearly been battered by landslides, with fallen trees scattered across the opposite bank.

Eventually we reached a lake and the views opened up. We passed Cabane du Combal in a glorious spot below the glaciers, over looking the lake. We continued upwards along a long, stony path. There was quite a breeze, but the sky was beautifully clear.

The soft greens of the moss covering the valley floor, splashes of wildflowers and the huge glacial mountains rising behind them looked fantastic.

 

 

We stopped for a picnic before the path started to climb, enjoying the view. We could hear marmots calling in the distance. 

Refreshed, we carried on upwards. The path became steep and narrow, but it was well trodden and easy enough to follow. Eventually we reached Refuge Elisabetta, where we were greeted by a jolly crowd with lots of banter and chatting. We sat outside, enjoying the late-afternoon sunshine and the incredible views and listened to people’s tales of their TMB walk so far.

They were all staying the night at the refuge, and settling in waiting for their supper, which smelt great. But we still had to get back down. We set off back towards the campsite, hoping to make it before dark. As we walked down we waved back up at our new friends staying at the hut before we disappeared around the corner.

We just about made it, arriving in time for the campsite cafe before it closed. A delicious pizza and salad tasted particularly good after the day's walk.

Tour Du Mont Blanc Family PACMAT marks all the refuges we visited.

21.26 km | 745 m elevation