Refuge Bonatti to La Fouly

10 September Refuge Bonatti, Italy (2025 meters or 6644 feet) to La Fouly, Switzerland (1600 meters or 5250 feet) : 20.95 km

After leaving the refuge, we climbed for a while and then the trail headed downward into the valley. Then it climbed steeply from the valley floor continuing to Refuge Elena where we stopped for a break.

Here we had good coffee with a great view. Refuge Elena faces a beautiful glacier across the valley and the moraine walls look like a construction company is working there.

Then we climbed steeply more and more like 2 hours to reach Grand Col du Ferret. (It seems you can always see people on the trail far above you.) Crossing the Grand Col du Ferret (2584 meters or 8478 feet) we passed from Italy into Switzerland.

From the Col it was a fairly gentle descent for an hour or so and we arrived to another refuge and a dairy farm, Alpage de La Peule where we had coffee and snacks.

From there it was a long decent towards La Fouly, on a mixture of paths, tracks and roads. (One road sign showing traffic bumps had been modified for a good laugh.)

In Switzerland everything is much more costly. On top of that they love to allow you to pay in Euros at par – 10% gain for them and they just laugh about it as they know they have a captive audience.

As we reached the hotel the evening thunderstorm started. Hotel Edelweiss was good, food was really good. (http://albergo-edelweiss.it/en/) Our room at the hotel  was OK – Russ had to duck going through the door but it was “only” 100 euros per night per person with half board.  

Couermayeur to Refuge Bonatti

9 September – Couermayeur (1202 meters or 3944 feet) to Refuge Bonatti (2025 meters or 6644 feet) : 12.61 km

The first 2.5 hours out of Couermayeur you climb, climb and climb some more and steeply at times. Along the way you get nice views of Courmayeur. 

Refuge Bertoni at the top of the climb is very pleasant enjoying great views and has great coffee. It seems many people make it a day hike from Couermayeur – have lunch and go back down.

 The remainder of the hike is fairly easy and picturesque, across wildflower filled meadows.

Although every step you take through here has beautiful scenery it is good to finally arrive at Refuge Bonatti. The place was packed but clean and well designed and the food and service were good - all one can ask for. 

(http://www.rifugiobonatti.it/?lang=en). Actually this was another last minute deal. For days before there were no vacancies in the Refuge Bonatti which is the only accommodation around there. It was only the same morning leaving Courmayeur we got the “good news” that they have 2 available beds (reservations of which had just been cancelled) in the dorm. Our stay in the dorm worked out fine. No one snored too loud!