Trip report : Mont de Vores

Wow what a few days the cloud came down on monday night and stayed down the rain started Tuesday afternoon and stopped this morning so one day in the tent one day in Albertville and a day getting soaked in Megeve and area meant I didn't get to see as much of the area as I wanted.

So imagine the frustration as while in the market in Megeve today the cloud lifted to reveal a layer of fresh snow on the tops I visited on Monday. Having finished the morning walk around the market (well worth the time with a full range of stalls) it was a simple call to ask the wife to drop me as high up on the route to la Cret du Midi as possible and see how far I could get.

Having pushed though the standard forest ascent I began to think I was back in Wales. The climb to la Cret Du Midi was a solid mix of grass and track but once up the route over Ban Rouge to Mont de Vores had the feel of the high Berwyns about it a feeling left unchanged by the return trip over the three unnamed tops on the opposite side of the valley.

Sadly 2000m was to be a couple of hundred short of the snowline but for a 5 hour afternoon circuit within walking distance of the camp site if was a great way to salvage a frustrating period.

Trip Report : Mont Joly

Weather forecast for the next three days is none to clever so I rejigged plans for the area and instead of walking back to the site I turned this into a circular on a long hot day.

Once again I took advantage of being dropped off at Le Planay and gained an extra 150m over the other lower options. From there it is a case of following the tracks up over mountain pasture to the main ridge beneath le Croix du Christ.

This of course makes a great breather stop at the half mark on the initial climb and also at the point that Mt Blanc appears for the first time

However while the view is great the hard work is still to come, passing the chalet the track steepens up the climb of the outlying Mont Geroux before easing before the final pull up to the main summit of Mt Joly complete with cairn and panorama.

The temptation to continue along the ridge is very strong at this point and at least four tops appear to be possible but I settled for only the first before heading back cutting across beneath the face of Mont Geroux before pushing on over Mont Joux and the attendance cable car terminals on Mont d'arbois back to Le planellet where I was due to be picked up.

Camp site review : Chantalouette, Praz sur Arly

Moving day and on to the second site of the trip. Chantalouette is a smaller site located right on the edge of the central part of the village off the main Megeve - Ugine road. It run by a very helpful man who was keen to practice his English and supplied a converter for our UK electric lead.

The site itself is a well draining slightly sloping field around a central building housing cubical facilities for washing and showers. Sinks are also fully contained within as it a drying line for clothes. Again a small play area is present.

The site si quiet and friendly and well worth a visit.