JOURNAL #15 - TOUR DU MONT BLANC ADVENTURE
Our waxed cotton cap has been on a grand adventure over the summer. One of our customers did the Tour du Mont Blanc hike over 11 days starting from Chamonix in France. It is considered the most iconic trail in Europe and is renowned worldwide as a prestigious and extraordinary backpacking trip.
The full circuit takes you on a 170 km journey around the Mont Blanc mountain range accumulating 10,000m of height gain and descent. You trek through three alpine regions within France, Italy and Switzerland, circumnavigating the mighty Mont Blanc which stands at 4810m.
Each day he hiked anywhere from 8 – 25 km and stayed overnight in campsites but there are also lots of refuge huts available to stay in.
This is the itinerary for day nine:
Champex to La Peuty Switzerland
Campsite: Camping La Peuty
Distance: 16.9km
Time: ~5 hrs
Ascent: 790m
Descent: 941m
Highest Peak: 2,049m
He kindly sent us a lot of photos and shared some of the highlights.
Awe-inspiring views, from river rapids in the valleys to the mountain ranges
Great food in each country – tasting even better while looking at magnificent views
The animals, ibexes (goats with huge curved horns), marmots (large ground squirrels) and cows with bells
The ladders which help hikers ascend or descend small sections which are considered steep
Being able to throw a snowball in the summer
Our waxed cotton cap was a great addition to his kit which had to be kept as light as possible as he was carrying not only clothing, but also camping equipment, food and water.
The cap kept the sun off his head and face, but also as it’s made from waxed cotton it is water resistant so kept his head dry in the light showers. The cap is fully lined with a padded sweatband and adjustable buckle at the back to ensure a good fit. We sell them in both navy blue and brown.
If you want to find out more about the trek, we’ve recommended a couple of websites and Instagram pages. You don’t have to do the full route, there are shorter options, along with guided tours and tour companies that will carry your luggage.
How to Hike the Tour Du Mont Blanc Self Guided • Nomads With A Purpose
Tour du Mont Blanc (@tourdumontblanc.club) • Instagram photos and videos
Tour du Mont Blanc blog - everything you need to know to plan your TMB (tourdumontblanchike.com)