Tag Archive: Hotel La Grande Ourse

  1. Day 5: La Fouly to Trient

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    We started the morning with a breakfast that might have killed a weaker woman. To get a slice of bread I had to tackle a Chinese tourist. To get a cup of coffee I had to put a German cyclist in a headlock. Let’s just say thank goodness Simon brought us some peanut butter and bananas to supplement breakfast, because it was a crowded free-for-all with about 50% of the food the Auberge needed for all of the people crammed into the dining room. I finally gave up and left.

    I am not going to lie. It is exhausting to climb over 1000 feet in a mile. And we were about to do it again on Day 5. The good news is that (and be sure to look at the Strava elevation map) our first 10k on Day 5 was fast and furious! I even managed to clock my fastest mile of the entire trek, despite four hard days on the trail already.

    I was so happy to have an easy hour to start the day. It was beautiful running along a river bed through pine forests and smooth trails. If every day had been like those first 6 miles we would have been finished with the TMB by now. We enjoyed the great trail conditions and we picked up the speed. It was wonderful to look at our watches at 9:30 AM and know we only had 13 more miles to go!

    Soon we were forced to slow a little as we climbed up a hill towards Champex Lac, where Simon and Hugh met us with lots of goodies. We had some snacks then started off on the trail again. We stopped at a refuge for soup (delicious) and views. We could see down into the valley that was our destination. It was super steep with lots of rough footing. But soon we arrived into the tiny hamlet of Trient. Dinner here was a heaping bowl of pasta, which we ate happily before crashing in our beds. One more night on the trail! And we were all still going strong.

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  2. The Lodging, Europe 2015

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    Our trip to Europe last summer was remarkable for its “running around.” In 15 nights we stayed in five different countries in 10 different hotels.

    This summer we will literally be running: around Mont Blanc that is. But we’re also doing our share of country hopping. We will hit four countries and nine hotels in eleven nights. We chose three of the hotels and our outfitter chose the other six. I’m looking forward to our visits.

    Geneva Switzerland Hotel N’Vy.

    Chamonix France Les Aiglons.

    Les Contamines France  Hotel Gai Soleil.

    Les Chapieux France Auberge de la Nova.

    Courmayer, Italy Albergo Edelweiss.

    La Fouly Switzerland Auberge des Glaciers.

    Trient Switzerland Hotel La Grande Ourse.

    Paris France Hotel Fabric.

    London England The Ampersand Hotel.