Area: Massif des Arves, France
The basic concept of the trip was set in stone: to do something worthwhile and interesting each day by alternating cycling and big mountain outings. But that involves a very fine balance: if you are to avoid a rest day, and the weather remains good, you have to be careful not to overcook things. I like to think this is where being 56 years old with nearly 40 years of experience comes in handy! So today I wanted to get among the high Alps, and had a few ideas like the Grand Galibier and others, but the Arves massif was new terrain for me and this option emerged as the front-runner, a stress-free 'randonneur' option. I slept well to the sound of the river near the hamlet (just an inn really) of Bonnenuit, aptly named given my good night's sleep. I crossed the torrent des aiguilles which comes down the tight valley I was hoping to explore, then headed up to the first objective, three beautiful original Alpine chalets. Here, the view up the valley starts to reveal itself. At Les Huiles, another chalet, the stunning three peaks become clear ahead, the central Aiguille particularly impressive. The valley is very well defined and I soon saw the hut nested on the lower slopes of the Epaisseur. I was up in good time (40 minutes or so) and there was a water source. I had, however, forgotten to pack food! That was a bit of an issue, as the slog starts immediately after leaving the hut heading broadly north-west. At certain points I did feel close to overcooking it (after the rigours of the last few days) and needed to rest occasionally. The meadows gave way to a rockier upper section where I started to feel pretty good again, and the last part is a more clearly defined ridge. The view was stunning: looking straight across to the three main Arves peaks, and across to the Meije and the Barre des Ecrins to the south. But the vertical interval had been substantial, 1600m, so I was depleted by the time I got back to the hut. I immediately ordered an 'aiguilles' omelette, served with local beaufort cheese and potatoes, and devoured it on the delightful terrace of the refuge, only later finding they only took cash. This small problem was overcome with an envelope - I later deposited the money with the artisan butcher in Valloire! A very enjoyable stroll back down the valley to the van (16k/1600m) where I freshened up with an invigorating river bath before driving to Lac d'Annecy with the heat building dramatically.
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