Day 7 - La Fouly - Champex

I woke to the Beast of Arrrghh. Arrgh being how my leg felt. It was as if Rocky had used it instead of meat for a sparring partner. I was lucky this was supposed to be the easiest day of the tour, 15 kilometers / 9.3 miles and only 500m / 1,650’ up and down.

The wildflowers continued to impress. Every bend in the trail seemed to have a new species.

The hike strolled down, in an early morning fog, through one tiny village after another. These villages looked utopian with diminutive houses appearing as if they hadn’t changed in 100 years, small gardens and most importantly, very obvious trail markers.

There were even tasty treats you could buy on the honor system.

About halfway up the remaining climb we found Shrek and Fiona’s house. Its entrance was a door built into the side of the mountain which was completely surrounded by stone. We couldn’t tell how old it was or when it was last used. There was a chimney on the side next to a really long, high ladder that went straight up the rock face. I wanted to climb it, but my far more sensible wife deterred me. Perhaps she didn’t want to have to lift me off my ass two days in a row.

We then made our final push into Champex. The city was a charming town centered around a crystal clear, pale lime green lake whose hues varied greatly as the clouds rolled by.

Dinner consisted of salad and stringy, gooey cheese fondue. There were definitely culinary advantages to trekking in the Alps!

The story continues...