Hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc - 10 Days | Camping | August 2020 | 170KM (105 MI)
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- Опубліковано 15 чер 2024
- 🏔This may be one of the most beautiful hikes on Planet Earth...
The Tour du Mont Blanc is a 170km (105 mi) trek around Mont Blanc through France, Switzerland, and Italy with 10,000m of height gain and descent. I finished in 10 days mainly camping and was a much needed escape from everyone and everything with COVID-19. Hope you enjoy and take care.
David
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0:00 Tour du Mont Blanc
0:12 Day 0 - Chamonix
0:22 Day 1 - Les Houches to Refuge Nant Borrant
1:03 Day 2 - Refuge Nant Borrant to Les Chapieux
2:11 Day 3 - Les Chapieux to Refuge Maison Vielle
4:27 Day 4 - Maison Vielle to Refuge Bertone
5:16 Day 5 - Refuge Bertone to La Fouly
6:25 Day 6 - La Fouly to Champex
6:56 Day 7 - Champex to La Peuty (Fenetre D'Arpette)
8:16 Day 8 - La Peuty to Argentiere
9:16 Day 9 - Argentiere to Lacs de Cheserys
10:11 Day 10 - LAcs de Cheserys to Les Houches
10:34 Lac Blanc
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ℹ️ Info:
Dates: August 14 -23 (Solo)
Distance: ~170KM (105MI)
Accommodation: 8 nights camping, 3 nights refuges
Direction: Counterclockwise (from Les Houches)
Total Costs: 503€ (46€/day)
Weight of Backpack without Water (Day 1): 7.5kg
Detailed Info (including costs): www.saywen.com/blog/hiking-and...
🎒Packing List (7.5kg excluding water): 33L Talon Osprey, Cumulus 350 Quilt, and Lanshan 1 Pro Tent. My gear fit carry-on EasyJet and did not have to check-in. I bought 2 trekking poles for €20 from Decathlon Chamonix.
🗓 Daily Itinerary:
Day 0: Chamonix
⛺️: Camping Les Arolles (€11.50)
Day 1: Les Houches 🇫🇷 to Refuge Nant Borrant 🇫🇷 (20KM/10MI)
🛌: Refuge Nant Borrant (Half-Board, €45)
Day 2: Refuge Nant Borrant 🇫🇷 to Les Chapieux 🇫🇷 (19KM/12MI)
⛺️: Camping behind tourist office (FREE)
Day 3: Les Chapieux 🇫🇷 to Refuge Maison Vieille 🇮🇹 (28KM/17MI)
🛌: Refuge Maison Vieille (Half-Board, €55)
Day 4: Refuge Maison Vieille 🇮🇹 to Refuge Bertone 🇮🇹 (10KM/6MI)
🛌: Refuge Bertone (Half-Board, €55)
Day 5: Refuge Bertone 🇮🇹 to La Fouly🇨🇭(29KM/18MI)
⛺️: Camping Des Glaciers (16 CHF)
Dinner: Restaurant in town
Day 6: La Fouly🇨🇭 to Champex🇨🇭(18KM/11MI)
⛺️: Camping Relais D’Arpette (15 CHF)
Day 7: Champex🇨🇭 to La Peuty🇨🇭(14KM/9MI)
⛺️: Camping La Peuty (€6)
Day 8: La Peuty🇨🇭 to Argentière 🇫🇷 (14KM/9MI)
⛺️: Camping du Glacier D'Argentiere (€10)
Day 9: Argentière 🇫🇷 to Lacs des Chéserys 🇫🇷 (6KM/4MI)
⛺️: Wild Camping (FREE)
Day 10: Lacs des Chéserys / Lac Blanc to Les Houches (23K/14MI)
⛺️: Camping Le grand (€10)
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📲Software:
Shot with iPhone 7 📱
Edited with the LumaFusion App on iPad Pro (2018) 💻
🎵Music found here: www.epidemicsound.com/referra...
(Get a free month with my referral code)
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Tour du Mont Blanc (Detailed blog post): www.saywen.com/blog/hiking-and...
Instagram: / say.wen
Website: www.saywen.com/
☕️ Support me with a coffee! www.buymeacoffee.com/davidwen
#tourdumontblanc #montblanc #hikingmontblanc #campingmontblanc #alps
I did le Tour in Sept 2012 (age 52, rucksacks, not tenting). Same route, except we stayed in les Contamines, and took the haute route from Bonhomme to Ville des Glaciers.
And after Lac Blanc, the next day was a total rain-out, so we cut it short and eventually descended and hiked through Chamonix back to Les Houches.
Took tons of photos, but your video (along with the powerful scoring) brought back more fine memories.
The First Ladder run is the hardest/most vertiginous; the rest, not bad.
Looks like the (right) glacier behind Elizabetta Soldini had receded farther in just 8 years :( .Couldn't tell about the seracs after Fenetre d'Arpette.
At the snack/sandwich place between Arpette and Trient, they had a posterboarded image of a table-sized boulder slab that had crashed through their roof late one night !
Kudos for BACKPACKING the whole thing !
Thanks for the video! Beautiful! I loved the views and seeing your food!
Thank you so much. The views are breathtaking-I miss them a lot, especially now. I also miss the food too!
Ohh wow.. I bumped into this great video. What a beautiful amazing vieuw, so peaceful and priceless..
I love it 😍 and enjoyed it a lot and have watched it over and over again..hahaha..😀 thanx for sharing 👍
Thanks for watching Ilse!
Good morning David, I am so happy to see another great video of yours! I long to see the mountains too and thanks for bringing us audience there in this video. Will repeatedly watching.
Hi Judy - haha thanks. It's back indoors for me (at least for a little while) so why not make some more videos. Yeah I currently live in a country that's below sea level, and I grew up with nature...so I definitely missed the mountains. Do you have mountains near you?
I have mountain fires near me. I live in LA and there are currently 28 wildfires happening. Air pollution was so bad last week as the Bobcat fire was drawing close we couldn’t even go aside of home. You now understand how much I appreciate your mountainous scenery. I am so jealous!
@@judixx Oh yeah I used to live in LA and have seen pictures of the 405 on fire. Well seems like California has been on fire for the past 5 years...agh it saddens me. Well I do miss California a lot. A lot. Especially the nature. And food! We don't have mountains here in the Netherlands so I have to travel a bit...but also a lot of pluses living here as well =)
thank you for this amazing and inspiring video, David!
Thanks for kind words!
Love the video amazing views, I did this hike 2 years ago an it's nice to relive the experience through your video!! Thank you
Appreciate the kind words Ben. Yeah happy that it helped you relive it (same for me, it brings back good memories!)
Brings back memories. You were lucky with the weather!
Thanks Debbie! Yeah very grateful though I remember constantly checking the weather app days prior, which said it would rain every day...biggg mistake
You're so blessed and fortunate to be able to hike the TMB this year! With lesser crowds it must have been so much more beautiful. I'm wishing for the day international travel reopens to hike!
It was beautiful indeed! Yeah I quite enjoyed hiking "alone" but did miss the social interactions at the refuges though. Yes me too! Hope you are well and let's hope things get better fast so we can get back to the mountains! - David
Hi David, great video. Thanks :)
Hi Sisi - appreciate the kind words and hope all is well! - David
Gracias David, ya te di mi like y estoy en espera del estreno. Gracias, saludos desde Caracas Venezuela.
@@khalilzane5976 thanks Khalil😊
Oh my gosh! your video is amazing. Thank you for sharing all of the details, now I wanna go :)
Thanks Dien =) I hope you make it one day...it's one of the most unique and beautiful hikes in the world!
Purely Spectacular! At first I thought, I want to do this....not I'm not sure if I could handle the boulders and ladders without vertigo and my heart rate racing unless it's for very short periods. AMAZING TREK David, thanks for sharing!
Thanks Alvin. Thought I replied but guess not. The ladders can be intimidating (just don't look back and down!). . .though the adrenaline helps. I hope you can make it...I think you would love it. Best and take care - David
Thank you David for the very beautiful and interesting video. I'd like to hike the TMB.
Hi Paula - thank you. Oh I hope you do one day, I have to say out of all the hikes I've done so far...this is probably Top 1 or 2!
David, you have been very fortunate to take this trip in the middle of the pandemic !!! There is just something so special about the mountains...
When times go back to "some kind of normalcy" if that ever happens... don't forget the Andes.
Cordillera Huayhuash
Hi Cordillera - oh you are right. The mountains are special...and that is one of the things I miss the most right now. I would love to make a trip to the Andes (they are beautiful). Best, David
Gracias David por llevarme a ése mágico lugar, unos paisajes increíbles, el agua y las montañas se ven como un cuento de hadas, gracias amigo, mil gracias.
Brilliant film and wonderful sights! Thanks for sharing
Thanks so much for the words! Glad you enjoyed it, take care and stay safe!
WOW!! the views are just unbelievable!! you were sooo lucky with the weather ay!
Yeah got quite lucky with weather, it’s such a beautiful hike!
Long time no see David. Such an excellent job and inspiration for my next summer vacation!!!
Thanks Ellie! I hope you're doing well and hope you can make it there one day (let me know if you have any questions!)
Thank you so much for the video! I have really good memories from this trekk! ¡Saludos desde España!
Thanks Adrián, yeah I would love to go back to the mountains asap. Take care. Saludos desde Holanda!
Wow stunning video! I’m going this summer and your video is helping gather excitements
Hey Morgan - oh! I'm jealous. I want to go back. It's one of the best hikes I've ever done (#2 on my list). Have fun!
Wow so nice 🏔 I’m getting ready to do this tour next summer, looks fun
You’ll have a great time!
Always such a great vibe in Chamonix
Thanks Kubra. I miss Chamonix, beautiful place
Vraiment superbement filmé. Thank you
Merci Brigitte! J'espère que vous prenez soin de vous!
Hello, I found your channel by chance.
Nice video with very informative description, I wish to do this hiking this summer.
Thanks for sharing, love it :)
Hello and thank you. hope you can do it...it is a very beautiful hike. I see that you have done Everest Base Camp-this is #1 on my list...I really want to go!
Wow so beautiful, I really enjoyed this video, thanks!
You're welcome Luc. So when are you going to do this? Haha
Great video, and just what I was looking for to help plan/amend my itinerary for the TMB. Also, REALLY helpful notes in the video description, thank you! 🙌
Hey Randy - thanks! Glad it was helpful, it's a beautiful hike. I hope you take care! - David
@@hidavidwen if you were to go again, is there anything you would do differently: different kit (more/less of anything), longer or shorter legs each day etc, or were you pretty happy with your trip as it was?
@@randyshart5160 I'm not the film maker but I did the TMB the year before. 10 days was perfect for me, I did it in August and got a really bad sunburn so if you're pale I'd bring either a really good sunscreen and/or long sleeves, long pants and a hat and sun gloves, if you're on a budget remember that everything is more expensive in Switzerland, and if you feel up for it, the variants are amazing and I highly recommend doing them (the ones I did were, coming out of les Houches > col du Tricot ; between Courmayeur and refuge Bonnatti > going up to Tete de la Tronche/Testa Bernarda ; after Champex > Fenetre d'Arpette (like in the video), and after the Lac Blanc, before going down to les Houches, the Lac Cornu and Lac Noir are worth a visit!) Some of these aren't official variants but they were some of my favorite scenery!
Your video reminds me a lot of memories. I also did the TMB this year, in late June. TMB is just awesome :)
Thanks so much and glad that it brought back some memories. I wish I was back in the mountains right now...and I can't wait to go back. Hope you take care! - David
Really nicely shot and edited video. One day I would like to hike that route. Greeting from Finland
Thanks so much! It's a beautiful hike. I hope you make it one day, you will love it. Take care and greetings from the Netherlands - David
Grand merci de partager cette video ici. Cela me donne beaucoup de motivations pour le preference aussi, quand même de mon age(60+)
Je vous en prie. J'ai vu des gens de tous âges le faire. J'espère que vous allez bien
Thanks! That's awesome!
You're welcome Dawn and thank you!
Great video, those views are breathtaking! I'm planning to go this summer as part of a trail running group tour for 7 days...can't wait! Thanks for sharing your experience! I see you videoed using an iPhone7. I'm planning to use my Samsung Galaxy 22, I was considering a Go-Pro but don't really want to spend the extra money at this point and will be one less thing to carry/manage.
Thanks. Have fun! I love the TMB. I'd love to go back one day =)
I think I would like to hike this trail... Very good film👍
Thanks Gaank, glad you enjoyed it. I hope you do it one day, I'm sure you will enjoy it. Take care!
Enjoyed that. Thank you
You’re welcome! Hope you take care
Stunning Mr Wen. You have provided a solution in a world where travel is now restricted. I'll don my walking gear and play your video at maximum size through my projector, whilst walking on the spot. Hope to catch-up with you on Saturday via the "Santiago Reunion" Zoom call. Best regards. Des
Hey there Des! Haha the best compliment-thanks so much for the kind words. See you Saturday! - David
Enjoyed every second, AfreakingMazing! I was in Chamonix last summer and it was just awesome, I met a tmb-er on the trail in the mountains, very cool. And oh man i rly want to do the TMB also, hopefully soon.
Just dunno if going alone is kinda save if i want to (wild)camp, never did something like this and how the difficulty will be for me. The costs were not that high though, although if i will go im gonna need to buy all the gear too hehe. I'll check out ur blog for more answers.
Yeah it was amazing! What a beautiful place, right? I hope you do the TMB one day...it's a beautiful hike (I'll do it again one day too).
It was also my first time wild camping! I was a bit nervous but to be honest, that was the best part. What a learning experience haha. I bought my tent a few weeks before...went to a park and tried it out...and then hoped for the best. Yeah if you decide to camp, there are many places to do so. And even wild camping...more than likely, you will find others doing the same (you are not alone). And like you probably already know...if you forget something, you can always buy it in Chamonix!
came across this video whilst looking for info regarding the hike, and then learned that you're located in Amsterdam. What a coincidence! I'm living in NL too, definitely would like a meet-up before summer so I could ask for some tips :D Nice video!
Hi Hoan - oh what a coincidence! Yeah I'm in Amsterdam too. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions. I hope things will be better soon...so we can all get out again. - David
Love it.🏅
Thanks Nora. Do you have plans to do this one day (or have done it already)?
I hope I can do it at some point.
This looks beautiful!
It is beautiful! Do you plan to go one day?
@@hidavidwen maybe one day, that’s the dream!
I love this amazing video, looks like you had a great time! I am planing on hiking this trek and I have two questions for you:
- What camera did you use to film?
- Do you think hiking poles are a necessity?
Thanks!
You’re welcome Tammy!
- I used my iPhone 7 to film
- yes hiking poles help a lot! I’m usually someone that doesn’t use poles but for this one, it helped. You can buy poles in Chamonix. I bought them at Decathlon for 15€ and just donated them at the end
Perfect day 👌
Perfect day indeed =) Hope you take care Samir.
Brings back great memories of my trip 2 years ago. You can see it here. A little longer at over an hour. It was so difficult not to cut out so much beauty. R Bertone to La Fouly was a long day. I did that in 2 days. I didn't want to rush. If you were alone how did it go with covid in the huts for sleeping and meals?
Great memories indeed. Yeah I wanted to stay in Bonatti but of course, it was full. I thought it was OK with COVID...although some refuges are more strict than others. There weren't many people on the trail...so many of the refuges were quite empty. And example, Bertone was quite good about restrictions (eg. mask wearing, separating people into different rooms so there was space). Depends on the refuges...there were a few where we were crammed in a room together with bunk beds (though we all kept our distance). We were all given disposable bed linens too. For meals...I felt fine due to the minimal # of guests.
I have seen many inquiries here about how Strenuous the TMB is:
1) There is a LOT of elevation change overall (10 km, total - over 10-11 days), but most of it is "switchbacks" (gradual uphill zig-zags) on what could pass as a rough dirt road.
[Our favorite trail banter, at each turn: "ANNND.....We're Going Up, Again....!" ]
But there are "variantes": alternative ways to get from X to Y, taking the more elevated path or the more lowland, gentle path.
2) I am (or was) a strong hiker - but nowhere NEAR Decathalon - before I did it, at age 52 (I heard late 40s/early 50s was the Average age of TMB hikers).
My friend and I pre-conditioned by repeatedly hiking up/down (13-story) parking garage stairs - in mid-Summer North Carolina Heat and Humidity !
But that was at only about 300 feet above sea level. Then we "apres-conditioned" ourselves: By 'sampling' Belgian Beers, at a nearby Pub XD.
3) The elevation range, on a given TMB day, might take you up/down as much as 1 km/~3300 ft, maxxing at around 8000 ft above sea level.
You can acclimate to that elevation fairly quickly. Like just above Denver Colorado, or cabin pressure IN an airliner, at cruising altitude.
4) A typical day (for us, refuge to refuge) started after a relaxed breakfast, and ended mid-late afternoon, well before dark (10 miles/16 km).
5) The RECKONING came After our trek, hanging out 3 days in Chamonix: Took the cable car (OK: BUS) up to Aiguille du Midi, at 13,000 ft.
Even being (now) comfy breathing at 8000: One stair-flight, Up There, had us semi-gasping XD
Bottom Line: Estimate your fitness level, but then PACE yourself, as it seems fit, on the journey.
Thanks for sharing! I miss the TMB and was thinking about it last night
Looks amazing. I really need to do this.
It is amazing! I hope you do it one day!
@@hidavidwen Well I was planning on doing the Inca Trail next year but France/Italy/Switzerland is much nearer and it might not be possible to travel to Peru still depending on the COVID situation.
@@pavement422 oh yeah true. I hope you get to do both soon! I did the Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu, and it was also one of the coolest hikes I’ve done!
magnifique belle video bravo :)
Merci!
@@hidavidwen passe voir ma chaine pour plus de belle image :)
Aquí estoy apoyándote amigo desde Caracas Venezuela... Hola.
Muchas gracias Flor =) Estoy muy agredecido. Cómo estás? Todo bien en Caracas? Saludos desde Amsterdam.
@@hidavidwen a ti mi amigo, gracias por compartir esos hermosos paisajes, yo lo veo y me imagino que voy con el grupo, que maravilloso.... Aquí en Venezuela estamos prácticamente en guerra, a veces lloro por qué mi país siendo tan hermoso, está gobernado por ineptos y además hay otros países que, queriendose adueñar de sus riquezas están matando a la población. No hay gasolina imaginate y somos un país petrolero, pero en fin..... Espero que pronto vayas a otro lugar hermoso y lo muestres para yo deleitarme con el viaje... Gracias, gracias, gracias.
@@florrosas1689 Ah sí, aunque nuestros países tienen muchas diferencias...hay mucho conflict en mi país tambien (Estados Unidos)...y con coronavirus...es un dolor de cabeza...pues ahora solo puedo concentrarme en las cosas que puedo controlar. Gracias a ti y espero que te cuides Flor =)
@@hidavidwen Gracias David, un abrazo 🤗 espero tu próximo viaje 😉
Hi David, Man … great video... this is in my bucket list effective now..
two quick questions, the weather looks great, in what month did yo do this hike?
and, I saw some people in mountain bikes, is possible to do the full hike (TDMB) in a bike?
Thanks in advance for your response.
Cheers.
Ray
Hi Ray - thanks for the kind words, it's a beautiful hike indeed! I would love to go back one day.
(1) I hiked in August 2020 (lucky to get great weather!)
(2) I didn't meet anyone who did the full hike via bike (just sections)...but it looks like there is a bike route = bikepacking.com/routes/tour-du-mont-blanc/
Hope this helps and let me know if I can help out with anything else. In the video description, I outlined my itinerary and all other info if that may be helpful.
David.
Hi David! Thank you for the video ! Which hiking experience do I need, was it ice bouldering? Thank you :)
Hi Ievgenia - thank you and hope you are well. Hm no ice and nothing technical-anyone who is fit can do it-from young to old. Of course there are some steep parts and there are some ladders (just don't look down if you are afraid of heights!)
Well David it is really beautiful, but was wondering comparing albergues, eating, different people. How would you compare that with the camino? Looks a little scary, but thats half the fun eh?
Thanks Dave! Haha well I also went during COVID so the trail was empty but that was fine because the Tour du Mont Blanc for me was more about being in nature and the outdoors (I wanted the solitude) whereas the camino is more about community and the people you meet. It is a lot harder physically than the camino and more scenic in terms of landscapes. Different experiences :)
Very nice video. Thanks. And when you will reach exactly Montblanc?
One day…
Hello David,
You’re video is amazingly beautiful. You made TMB look easy and simple. Question, would it be safe to do solo& were trails well marked? Thank you. If situation permits I’m planning to go in July.
I'm thinking about too. If u start solo u ll be not solo there because of others.
Hey there bimbim, thanks for the kind words! Haha yeah the video makes it look easy and simple, but of course it's a bit harder than what it seems like =)
But yes-you can do it solo and safely. I did it solo myself. This is probably one of the most popular trails in Europe (the world), so it is very well marked. Don't worry. But do caution if the weather turns bad...then it can be harder to follow, so that is also why it's nice to have a GPS. I used maps.me app which was great (others I know used Gaia).
I did get lost once because I wasn't paying attention-it was my fault (bright, sunny day). You see, there are other trails that intersect with the TMB, so you just have to follow the TMB trail (you'll see the sign for it)...I was just blindly looking at the bright sunny skies and decided, "Oh I want to take a right because it looks nicer over there (when the TMB path was to the left)." I didn't realize until 1 hour later and had to turn back...but luckily there was plenty of sun left.
As long as you pay attention, you'll be fine =)
Good luck and enjoy!
David
@@hidavidwen thank you so much! I’ll reach out to you when my trip is confirmed:)) take care!
Thank you for all the info. Very helpfull. Sleeping bag: Were you cold?
You're welcome! I was quite warm as I had a pretty good sleeping bag (which is important)!
Nice Tour
Thanks so much Joel. I hope you take care =)
David Welcome (: thank u
Loved the video, and planning to take the trip late august with my girlfriend.
I have a question about the difficulty of the trail tho..
I’m 20 years old and fairly fit, however im a beginner in hiking ( I have only hiked a single multi day hike)
And won’t be able to train much hiking before going on this trip.
Do you think it is doable for me with just a months hike-training?
Or should I postpone it to next year? :)
Hi Samuel - I think you should do it now if you have the chance (who knows what will happen next year). If you are 20 years old and fairly fit-you can do it.
I was fairly fit but didn't do any hiking training beforehand (also I live in the Netherlands...and therefore no opportunities for mountain training). The 1st day was quite tough...but you get used to it on Day 2-3 =)
It's a beautiful hike, and the adrenaline really helped me out too. You'll love it.
So cool, wonder how long you have plan for the trip?
Oh I did very last minute planning because of COVID...usually you cannot do that due to the fact that people usually book months in advance. I think I planned this 1 month in advance. I found a ticket, bought everything I needed to buy, and then went. Here's a blog post I wrote about the planning = www.saywen.com/blog/hiking-and-camping-the-tour-du-mont-blanc-2020
Also this is a really great FB group where I found a lot of the most up-to-date information = facebook.com/groups/MontBlancTour
Great movie. May I know what month you were hiking?
Hi Cezary - yes! I hiked in September. If you want to learn more including itinerary + costs, I wrote a blog post here = www.saywen.com/blog/hiking-and-camping-the-tour-du-mont-blanc-2020
Awesome video! I’d like to hike the TMB too, but I’m a bit scared about the ladder section. How did you manage them with the backpack?
Thanks Elvira. Oh the ladder section...I think it helps to have a lightweight bag (general advice). Tie your poles up to your bag. If you keep looking up, that helps too. But the ladders are very secure in case you are wondering. I hope you get out there some day, you'll love it!
@@hidavidwen thank you! one more question: how would you describe the difficulty of the route?
@@elvirae315 Hm hard to say because it depends on the person. For me...a 32-year old, relatively in shape male...I would rate it a 7 out of 10 in terms of difficulty (medium) for 10 days. While I ran regularly, I did not have proper training as I live in the Netherlands (no where to go up!) plus COVID situation...so Day 1 was hard, but I adjusted after that. It is STEEP and you do up and down...but it HELPS a lot if you take your time (10+ days).
But overall, I did not find it very difficult. I did the Fenêtre d'Arpette variant, which was tricky (that was more like 8.5 difficulty out of 10) due to the bouldering.
Amazing landscape, is it difficult to meet people for hiking or other outdoor activities / sports in Netherlands ? There might be meetup community there but not sure I haven't tried yet lol . Will appreciate if you can share your experience there . Thanks
Yes it is beautiful. There are plenty of Meetup groups in the Netherlands for sports and outdoor activities (I know people who join). For hiking, there are a few that do "hikes" in parks like Veluwe...but yeah Netherlands is a flat country so there is no real hiking like the TMB.
I personally haven't found a group yet but have mainly gone with friends (although I'd like to find a group too).
What are you using to capture such gorgeous video while hiking?
iPhone 7 =)
I've since upgraded...but I used to carry big DSLRs on these hikes...now I just use my phone
Nice video, thanks for sharing. Is September month good to go? How many days are ideal? Do you rate this trail n hike as moderate or difficult level ? What fitness preparation do you suggest?
Hi Callie - thanks!
- September is a great time to go with mild temperatures and less people (I prefer hiking in Sept actually)
- I did it in 10 days (take a look at the description)
- Hike is moderate to difficult depending on your fitness level. I went during COVID and was a bit out of shape so first few days were hard but got easier. Overall, I would rate it 8/10 in terms of difficulty for the average person
- Hm well hiking is always good preparation. I live in the Netherlands (flat country) so unfortunately didn’t really prepare in that way but did a lot of running/biking/walking which helped.
But yeah fitness preparation is always hard to say based on so many factors. But you see people young and old do this…it’s not technical.
I did the TMB in Sept. Slight chance of seeing (and maybe having to detour) significant fallen snow in some of the higher cols.
Also, the refuges close toward the end of that month, which may have limited the dinner entree selection at some of them (I don't eat beef or pork, and there was little/no poultry on the menus - though one night I had decent fish).
But Yes, the weather is (mostly) very nice. Eight of our ten days were sunny, albeit variable temps. Plus you don't have to start your day super-early (and with jet lag, if from the US) to avoid the hazard of afternoon Summer Lightnng Storms (like when hiking in the Rockies). During one (after Dinner) frontal storm, at the high Lac Blanc refuge (after the Ladders), the staff cut off the lights to protect them from power surges from any nearby lightning. So we sat in the dining room and drank beer, with our headlamps tucked under shot glasses. Created a nice, cozy atmosphere (no pun intended).
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Thank you for video.
What time of year did you hike? What were the lows/highs?
Once you were in 'towns' , was it easy to access wifi ? And charge battery for cell phone (camera)?
Were you surprised by anything? Did you wish you had taken....?
Thanks Lisa, appreciate it. I went in August of 2020. It was a weird (yet opportune) time to go because of COVID...which meant fewer people and you didn't need to book beforehand (you usually do). Highs? Well the mountains! It was such a much-needed escape from COVID-19...the mountains...it really helped my wellbeing. Another high was also camping in Lacs des Cheserys (highly recommend...the sunset and sunrise views are breathtaking...imagine just waking up, creeping out of your tent, and seeing the glaciers-you won't get that in a refuge plus it's free to wild camp there) The lows? Well actually, I personally really enjoy meeting and talking to people after a long day's hike...but there weren't many people on the trail doing the TMB (besides the local day hikers). When I went, some of the refuges were quite empty.
There isn't much wifi in the refuges/mountain huts to be honest, which could be good or bad thing depending on how you look at it (you really get to disconnect). But you'll find wifi in the big towns and some refuges...but don't expect to be on wifi often. I had an Anker power bank to charge my phone & electronics. There are charging outlets to charge your phone/electronics in the refuges.
Surprised by anything? Not much...but beware of the signs. I did get lost for 2 hours and took the GR5 route instead of the TMB route during one intersection. The TMB is well-marked, but it can get confusing because it intersects with other trails like the GR5...also with less people, you may not be able to rely on "following the crowd." So pay attention (I probably wasn't paying attention)...also there was a refuge I could've asked to make sure I was on the right path. Good thing it was still afternoon and a beautiful day. I also had a friend who hiked a few weeks before me that got completely lost (and it was snowing)....you can imagine it was terrible for her, and she had to cut her trip short. Not to scare you...but mountain weather can change like that! So also be prepared for whatever type of weather.
@@hidavidwen this is valuable information. Originally, I meant the lows/highs in temperature but appreciated you sharing your low/high perspective!
@@lisaiketani2643 Haha yes the highs lows temperature wise...I don't exactly remember but a Google search showed averages in August TMB to be 12-26C (53-79F)...which sounds about right. It gets chilly in the mountains...and it definitely got below 12C at night.
hello, as I'm planning to do the same kind of travel vlog, I was wondering how long the editing of that video took you if you can remember approximately :)
I want to say around 10 hours. Good rule of thumb is that if the video is 10 min, it will take 10 hours to edit. This includes everything from compiling the video clips, putting together the storyline, music, exporting, writing the description, etc
Good luck, I love the TMB!
@@hidavidwen thank you for the very informative answer!
Hey, I really loved the video and the outstanding views. You inspired me to do the hike as well.
But I have one question of the video. What's the song's name?
Thanks, appreciate the kind words!
The first song is Thunderline by Reynard Seidel.
@@hidavidwen Thank you for giving me the title that fast.
I got all the songs, using Shazam.
The music is just perfect, it really awakens me. You put the perfect songs at the perfect moments.
Great job 👍🏻
@@DrDuckk Thanks! Yeah I think I probably spent more time finding the right music than putting the videos together!
@@hidavidwen Haha, anyway, you did great :)
Hi, nice video. Why day 5 was 29km? Can you do it shorter and day 6 longer? Not only 6km? 😁
Hey Andy - ah yes Day 5 was a long day. I remember planning for this. I wanted to stay in Refuge Bonatti (which is between Bertone and Courmayeur), but it was closed for COVID last summer...so I decided to just to stay at Bertone and go to La Fouly the next day (there aren't too many options to stay between Courmayeur and La Fouly). Another option (if all is open) is to go from Courmayeur > stay at Refuge Bonnatti...and then head to La Fouly the next day.
So yes you can make Day 5 shorter and Day 6 longer if you wanted to.
@@hidavidwen thank you for your reply. Can I put a tent up next / somewhere close to any refugee so I can sleep in my tent? Will they charge for this? 😁
@@andyabramowicz3355 Depends haha. Some allow.
I did wild camping near Lac Blanc (but away from the refuge). Also there many official campsites you can camp at. In terms of wild camping, there are also country-specific rules where you cannot camp below a certain elevation.
I would read this (tmbtent.com/guide-camping-tour-mont-blanc/) to learn more about camping.
@@hidavidwen In this case is it worth taking a tent? I think you can stay at refuge for about £50 per night. Am I right? I am trying to figure out in this postcovid world what is most efficient. Tent or Refuge. Can you provide some prices so I can plan everything? Many thank in advance. 👍😁
@@andyabramowicz3355 here’s a link to my blog with my itinerary and all costs : www.saywen.com/blog/hiking-and-camping-the-tour-du-mont-blanc-2020
👍🏻
Is there in any point during this journey that you wanted to cry? Either tears of joy, of exhaustion, of appreciation, or of grief?
Hmmm....great question. There were moments where I was just so grateful for being out in nature...I was in awe of the scenery...and I felt like a new person again (especially with the COVID situation). I was exhausted at the beginning...probably due to being inside for too long...but I was so happy to be exhausted...to feel alive again. So yes...it was amazing to feel alive again =)
Which moment?
Hi @@bentenn1010 , I especially enjoyed the Italian alps (from Les Chaieux to Refuge Elisabetta)...it felt like a scene out of a movie like Lord of the Rings 😁
@@hidavidwen great to hear man - this is the stuff that travellers and watchers really want to hear - with covid more than ever! didn't even know this was part of the route of the camino! I will say, however, I love your videos and documentary-style!
@@hidavidwen I loved the melodious sound of the bells on the cattle, both there and before, between Contamines and Plan des Dammes/Bonhomme.
Please I like to do it too 💪🏾💪🏾🤩🤗🤩🤗woww,, really incredible 🤩🤩🤩💙💙love it
Greetings from Bali 🙏🏾
Thank you Martha! I hope you get to do it. Bali-what a beautiful place! I have very beautiful memories from Bali and would love to return one day. I hope you take care. Blessings from Amsterdam - David
@@hidavidwen oww really, have a great day too
How much did each of your campsites cost?
Check the description. I listed all the prices including how much each campsite cost
how do I find the music inside the site you sent ?
What is the song name ?
Hey I found the music via Epidemic Sound. Is there a particular song you’re interested in? Which part of video? I can try to find
Honestly, Mt Blanc or Mte Bianco is shared by Italy and France. Not by Switzerland 🤔
Thanks for the comment. The hike itself goes AROUND Mt. Blanc and goes through Italy, France, and Switzerland.