From Courmayeur to refuge Bonatti
The day starts with going to church. More accurately, finding the start of the trail next to the Church in Via Roma. You can't miss it, as the Church has a massive balcony, offering a great view of the town and beyond. The trail starts to the left of the church, between the church and the Alpine museum. In spite of the early hour, we are far from being alone. The road winds and climbs among Courmayeur alpine houses, eventually reaching a cross road - straight ahead or left over the bridge. Taking the left will take you into the forest, in what seems like an endless set of switchbacks. Every once in a while I stop where there's a gap in the trees to look back and see Courmayeur getting smaller and smaller behind us. My brother is a much faster hiker than I am, and we fall into our rhythm for the next five days: him ahead, stopping at strategic points to let me catch up.
As we step out of the tree line we see the Bretone refuge above us. It's 11:00 AM, too early for lunch, but just in time for hot chocolate and coffee. In the next five days I will be drinking more hot chocolate than I've had in the past 20 years. That's the influence of hiking with someone who loves hot chocolate...
After a short break on the refuge's balcony, we continue on. There's a water נbasin at the entrance to the refuge and everyone stops to fill in their bottles. The way forward is a bit confusing, as there are several unmarked paths going up, but they all eventually lead to the same options: either continuing up into the Col Sapin variant, or going left into a balcony path, taking you above the valley below. I've heard the variant is beautiful, and although i'd love to take it, we decide to take it easy today.
The path menders among low bushes with great views of the Mont Blanc range across the valley. Last time I was here, in early July, summer was in full bloom with big rhododendron flowers. Not much is left of this now, the view is more brownish, dotted with the ever-present blueberries. It's still an utterly beautiful stroll, and the path is again full of a mix of long-distance as well as day hikers, coming up from the valley floor.
We hike past several abandoned farm houses and find a good spot for lunch, eating our freshly bought supplies of local cheese and randomly-picked sausages which turned out to be very good. Having my brother with me elevated my picnic game, and in addition to the basics, we also have Cornishons and small packets of Nutella. This is the life !
We arrive at our destination - Refuge Bonatti - early. When booking, I was torn between Bonatti and Elena, choosing Bonatti thinking that it makes more sense if we plan on taking the longer variant. Now that we've taken the main route I'd like to press on to Elena, but, like Bonatti, it is full.
Like most huts, Bonatti does not allow hiking poles and boots into the hut. There's a basement room for these, and it smells of wet feet, human sweat and mud. But as you enter the main room, it is cosy, with enticing smells coming out of the kitchen. We order soup (barley and vegetables - really really good) and polenta (not so great), and settle outside with our books.
As the afternoon progresses the temperatures drop, bringing in a storm. Inside the hut is busy with the usual pre-dinner activities: people milling about - checking in, going in and out of the showers, setting their closed to dry, reading books or looking at maps. I love this time in the huts , strangers finding ways to share a confined space with each other.
Bonatti is a privately-owned hut, and it is clear in the cooking. Food is abandon and tasty, and there's even dessert ! The room is full of of the usual chatter, only today there's an extra topic - the great weather we've been having is leaving us, and there's rain and snow predicated. For those making their way into Switzerland, tomorrow is a relatively long day, and some of the people at our table are considering taking public transport into La Fouly. It will require 4 buses and most of the day. but they are afraid of not being able to complete the day. I'm encouraged to find out that i'm looking forward to tomorrow, and that i'm not the weakest person on the trail. I'm then immediately ashamed of this thought.
Sunset above the Mont Blanc range
We are assigned to a 20-people dorm, but the room is so well set out, with wooden benches with mattresses and convenient storage space in the centre of the room, that it doesn't matter that I'm sharing with 19 other people, including a gorgeous, clearly Scandinavian couple in the mattresses right next to me. I fall asleep before lights out, with the now-familiar background noise of snores and creaking floorboards.
20-people dorms at Bonatti - there's even space above the pillow to put stuff
Pro tip: choosing a season. Having hiked this part pf the trail before, I see a big difference. Last July this was a meadow in full bloom - every shade of pink, purple, blue and red imaginable with wild strawberries everywhere. Now there's more reds and browns, with blueberries as far as the eye can see. How to choose when to go? The season starts in mid-June and ends mid-September. I've heard there used to be a major difference in the number of people on the trail between the edges of the season and peak season (mid-July to end of August). Not anymore. The huts are constantly full. June-July is peak blossom season, but you are risking hiking in deep snow. September the blossoms are gone, but it's considered the driest month. July-August you will get a lot of day hikers, families on vacation. If you choose June or September, be mindful of when huts close - they each have their own date. Book the huts the moments you decide when you want/can go, particularly if you want private rooms - those go quickly!
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