Today was our relative rest day on the TMB. Despite the border crossing into Switzerland, it was our shortest day in distance and with the least elevation gain. We were looking forward to a lunchtime finish at Auberge des Glaciers in La Fouly and hoped that this shorter day would freshen up our legs, ready for our final two big days.
- The route – via Arnouva/Chalet Val Ferret, Grand Col Ferret, La Peule and Ferret
- Distance – 20.33km
- Elevation gain – 977m
- Elevation loss – 1515m
- Duration – 5 hours, including a drink stop at Le Peule.
Blue skies above Rifugio Bonatti
After a fairly chaotic breakfast at Rifugio Bonatti, we stepped out into a clear blue sky. We filled up our bottles at the stone water fountain on the terrace and started our watches: 8 am.
Just like the trail to reach the Bonatti, the onward trail was lovely and runnable. Continuing high above the valley, early morning white puffy clouds lingered on the summits of the mountains across the way. There were a few early starters from the Bonatti to dodge, but all was mostly quiet and refreshingly cool in the shade on our side of the valley.
Around 45 minutes later, the trail descended towards the forested floor of the valley and the Chalet Val Ferret at Arnouva. Hikers were busily streaming out of the doors, so we hurried past to get a head start on the next 2.5 km, ascending once more, to Rifugio Elena. Rifugio Elena has a stunning terrace with a view towards the glacier opposite. Most people were heading that way for a coffee, but we weren’t ready to stop yet. We had a 450 m steep climb ahead that we were eager to tackle.
Up to the Grand Col Ferret and into Switzerland, the zig-zagged ascent was harder than we expected. We kept yoyoing with a Swiss couple. They sped past us on steeper sections, and we trotted past them on the few flatter parts.
Crossing the Italian-Swiss border at Grand Col Ferret
As we reached the Grand Col Ferret at 2537m, a few clouds were rolling around the Swiss mountains ahead. Italy would soon be far behind us. We knew that there was a refuge not too far away, down in La Peule, and it looked like we had some nice running ahead to get there. We set off, soon catching the Swiss couple who had beaten us to the col. As we passed, I was very conscious that my painful quads were now making my running pace look pathetically slow and clumsy.
The Alpage de la Peule was rammed when we arrived with a large group who had parked their mules on the edge of the terrace. We were well overdue a stop by now, so collapsed at a spare table on the sunbaked terrace to refuel on a large glass of iced Coke, salted crisps and energy bars.
Thirty minutes later, we forced our legs back into an upright position and set off to finish the descent. After a pleasant pathway along a refreshingly cool river, we joined an interesting section of road. Closed to traffic following a couple of large landslides, we clambered over and through the rockfall and mud for several metres at both closure points. Shortly after, we passed the sign for Ferret and reached a wide, shallow glacial river (perfect for washing our now-muddy shoes). This was a beautiful valley of pine trees and lush meadows rising to glaciers and rugged peaks. We took our time, taking plenty of photographs as we knew that we were approaching the end of today’s route.
Arriving at Auberge des Glaciers, La Fouly
We reached the tiny village of La Fouly shortly before 1 pm. There was a sports shop on the picturesque main street, which was very well stocked with running gear, snacks, and gels. We grabbed some Näak lemon gluten-free waffles (that we’d never seen before) and bottles of iced tea from the supermarket next door and sat on a bench while deciding what to do next.
We couldn’t check into Auberge des Glaciers until 4 pm, but their restaurant terrace was open. Suddenly, we were desperate for a Swiss Rösti. We ended up having a lovely long lunch here, soaking up the impressive glacial view. The Rösti was outstanding, and the coffee was the best we had on the TMB.
Afterwards, to pass the time before check-in (and to get out of the intense afternoon sunshine), we found a shady spot by the rushing river to rest our now very tired legs. It was a great plan to have a short day, but we were lucky that the weather allowed us to enjoy the hours before check-in. It would have been a long and frustrating wait in the rain.
Night 4 – Auberge des Glaciers
What we loved:
The views from the terrace and our en suite shower. Plus, breakfast was served from 6.30 am. This not only allowed us to make an early start but also spread out the breakfast rush. For once, getting to and from the buffet was relatively straightforward.
What we didn’t love:
The toilets – there didn’t seem to be enough. They always seemed to be occupied, and one had a broken lock.
Accommodation:
As well as a washbasin, our private room had an en-suite shower. This was literally a glass-enclosed shower cubicle perched in the corner. A bit odd, but I’m not complaining, it was our own and had hot water! We also had a nice little mountain view through our window.
Meals:
We had a good dinner here. The main course was chicken curry with potatoes and rice. It wasn’t too spicy, and went down well. Tables weren’t preallocated, and we made a beeline for a small table occupied by a couple from South Carolina. Dinner finished quite early, so we sat outside on the terrace in our puffa jackets with a hot herbal tea, enjoying the view for a while longer before bed.
Breakfast highlights were the bread and fruit. Fruit in previous huts had been a rarity, so I was excited to pounce on a banana. Plus, the bread seemed a cut above the very dry offerings at our other breakfasts, making the cheese and ham selection all the more enjoyable. My husband was pretty impressed with the gluten-free bread, too.
Visit the official Auberge des Glaciers website here.
Read my Day 5 blog post from Auberge des Glaciers to Refuge de la Peuty here.
See our full TMB route here.
My Switzerland travel memoir
My love affair with the Alps began when I moved to Switzerland to be a holiday rep. You can read about my repping adventures in my travel memoir – It’s a Wunderbar Life. Click here for sample chapters.