It’s a bright, beautiful morning and it’s forecast to be much warmer than yesterday. Mother Nature is definitely playing all her cards: 50’s and overcast yesterday, clear and 70’s today, 100% rain tomorrow.  It keeps a hiker on her toes!

I took the bus again this morning to the end of the valley to start again in my usual anti-clockwise direction.  I don’t know why but this is the most popular way to hike the TMB and, except for yesterday’s monster descent which would have been a killer climb, I’m quite happy going this way.

And again, an uphill start over a little pass to Rifugio Elena.  It was just 1.6 miles but a strident warmup! 

From Elena it was another hour’s climb up a mostly smooth but steep trail that mercifully had switchbacks.  

It’s amazing when one’s body recognizes a slope it’s used to training on; muscles kick in happily but as soon as the gradient changes they slooow right down and start to cry….

After almost 2 hours and 3 miles I crested the Col du Grand Ferret, the highest pass on the TMB at 2537m and also crossed into Switzerland. 🇨🇭 I found a sheltered perch just downslope and had a delicious crème croissant for 2nd breakfast.

The descent to Refuge la Puele was pleasantly easy for the most part.  The path was smooth, hard-packed mud which was gentle on the joints, narrowing and steepening as the miles clicked closer to the valley floor.

@5.5 miles I reached Refuge La Puele, interestingly located above a smelly cow farm. There was no shade on the porch and I had plenty to drink so I only stopped to use the facilities (trees & privacy are impossible to find on trail!)

Another mile and a half descent to go; initially on a nice gravel road with excellent footing that serpentined back and forth for a complete 180° view; then a crappy, rocky drop down to the river.

A mile of road walking was a surprise.  Then the TMB crossed the river for a brief stint on trail and gravel road on the other side before crossing back to the same pavement for the rest of the stage into La Fouly. 

I arrived in town just before 2pm so joined the other homeless hikers sitting outside the supermarket with a cold drink with a front row seat to watch the glaciers melting across the way.  My gîte doesn’t open till 4pm (strictly enforced) so I had plenty of time to watch the myriad of hikers and bikers go by.

Scrimping tonight by staying in a 7-bed dorm but splashing out tomorrow on a nice hotel (Swiss prices, you know). I did not bargain on the side-by-side sleeping arrangement however. Being the 1st one here I snagged the one by the wall so at least I can cuddle up to cedar rather than a stranger….  This gîte had stellar reviews and the private rooms look nice, but there weren’t photos of the dorm online.  Let’s hope for quiet sleepers and an excellent dinner. 

Well, there’s only 5 of us so I’ve an empty bed beside me! And we’re all English-speakers which should make sharing the bathroom easier.