Tour du Mont Blanc Stage 8: Hiking the Fenêtre d’Arpette Variant from Relais d’Arpette to Le Peuty

If you missed the start of our Tour du Mont Blanc adventure - you can read about:

Day 1 - Chamonix to Refuge La Balme

Day 2 - Refuge La Balme to Refuge des Mottets

Days 3 & 4 - Refuge des Mottets to Courmayeur

Day 5 - Courmayeur to La Peule

Day 6 - La Peule to Champex-Lac and Relais D’Arpette

DAY 7 - RELAIS D’ARPETTE TO LE PEUTY VIA THE FENETRE D’ARPETTE VARIANT

Our “Day 7” of the Tour du Mont Blanc was what most would consider “Stage 8 of the Tour du Mont Blanc.”

Stage 8 delivered one of the most challenging — and memorable — stages of our entire trek. Hiking from Relais d’Arpette to Le Peuty via the Fenêtre d’Arpette variant is widely considered the most technically difficult section of the TMB.

It’s also one of the most rewarding — if you’re prepared for it.

If you’re debating between the Fenêtre d’Arpette and the Bovine route, here’s exactly what this day is like, including difficulty, terrain, elevation, and whether it’s worth it.

Quick Stats: Tour du Mont Blanc STAGE 8 (Fenêtre d’Arpette Variant)

Distance: 7.23 miles

Elevation Gain: 3,281 feet

Difficulty: Very challenging

Terrain: Steep ascents, boulder fields, loose rock descent

tRAIL: VIA ALLTRAILS

where we stayed: REFUGE LE PEUTY

While the mileage may look short and simple, don’t be fooled! This is a long, technical day that demands physical endurance and mental focus.

Why Stay at Relais d’Arpette Instead of Champex-Lac?

Staying at Relais d’Arpette the night before was a strategic move now that I look back at it. Many hikers base themselves in Champex-Lac, but we had about a 45 minute, 2 mile head start on people starting in town. It reduced a bit of elevation gain as well. After a solid refuge breakfast (yogurt, almonds, raisins, and cappuccino machine - a true luxury on the trail), we picked up our picnic lunch and hit the trail at 8:20 AM.

The trail started with a gradual uphill path that felt deceptively relaxed. But after turning into the forest, the terrain quickly shifted. The Fenêtre d’Arpette variant is known for its steep elevation gain, rocky terrain, and sections of scrambling as you approach the pass.

It was one of those trails where time flies because your brain is so preoccupied with thinking about each step. Honestly, I preferred this climb to all of the others and was feeling pretty proud of myself when we finished the first portion. I was like, “that wasn’t so bad, why did everyone hype this up?” Then you walk around a corner and realize there’s a LOTTT more to go.

It’s a lot of stepping UP and we went slow but steady. And then, the boulder field I had read about came into view. And after THAT another huge climb. Once we could actually see the saddle we were headed to it was a little bit of an, “Oh shit” moment but I had a ton of fun! The boulder field was awesome in an “OMG this is hard and a little scary and insane” kind of way. I was truly climbing over rocks on all fours.

The final steep climb up was honestly ridiculous, I could only laugh and keep stepping up. We got lucky at the top and there was barely a breeze. Reaching the Fenêtre d’Arpette is a true accomplishment, both physically and mentally, and offers some seriously breathtaking views. We could have sat and eaten lunch, but I wanted to get some of the rough downhill over with. So we had a protein bar and took some pictures and started the descent.

Loose, slippery rock and extremely steep terrain made for painfully slow progress. Our quads and knees worked overtime acting as brakes. The view of Trient Glacier alongside us helped, but the downhill was easily the hardest part of the day.

I was very over it and thought we would never get to the lunch spot we had read about. But eventually, one foot in front of the other, made it to a few picnic tables (packed) and a really stunning view. The descent we had just done, the saddle we had been at, and a giant glacier with water rushing down the mountainside were all spread out before us as we had our couscous salad with egg lunch bowl and an apple.

The only motivation to continue our slow march downhill was the apricot and strawberry gelato we had heard would be waiting for us at Chalet du Glaciers.

Some parts of this downhill were more manageable, especially once we got into the woods. My knee was starting to bother me but we made it to gelato which was obviously very delicious and welcomed!

The final downhill into Le Peuty was made better by me being THAT person who played two songs out of my phone (AOK) which really brought the vibes back up for me when I was fading for the boring last stretch through woods/roads.

It ended up only being a 7 mile day but damn if they weren’t some of the hardest so far!

Fenêtre d’Arpette vs. Bovine Route: Which Should You Choose?

If you’re planning your Tour du Mont Blanc itinerary and wondering whether the Fenêtre d’Arpette variant is worth it, this stage offers a unique challenge and some of the most dramatic alpine scenery on the route — but it’s best suited for experienced hikers comfortable with steep, rocky terrain.

If you take the Bovine Route, you’ll have a little more mileage, but less extreme elevation gain/loss and steepness. You’ll have views of the Rhone Valley and the Bernese Alps, walking through pastures with grazing cattle and passing by an auberge along the way (you won’t hit any auberge’s until the end of the day if you choose to do the Fenetre D’Arpette variant and will likely want to pack your own lunch).

WHY SHOULD i SKIP THE Fenêtre d’Arpette VARIANT?

The biggest reason to skip the Fenetre D’Arpette variant of the Tour du Mont Blanc is in the case of poor weather conditions. Since the top of the Fenetre D’Arpette is at an elevation of 8,743 feet compared to the Bovine Route’s max elevation of 6,693 feet, this is a variant that should only be undertaken when conditions are ideal.

The Fenetre D’Arpette variant could become dangerous in windy or rainy conditions because of the steepness and the scrambling section before reaching the saddle.

Even if the weather is great - if you don’t love a rock scramble, this variant is not going to be fun for you ESPECIALLY if you are not using luggage forwarding services and are doing the rock scramble with a heavy backpacking backpack.

Another reason to skip is if you have any injuries that flair up during downhill stretches of hiking. The descent is pretty demanding and punishing.

HOW LONG DOES THE Fenêtre d’Arpette VARIANT TAKE?

According to my Strava recording, our moving time was just under 4 hours, but our total time on the trail was closer to 8 hours! So be prepared for a full day.

TIPS FOR TACKLING THE Fenêtre d’Arpette VARIANT?

• Only tackle this route in good weather

• Once you encounter the boulder field - put your poles away. They’ll just get stuck between rocks and be in your way - you’ll need your hands for scrambling!

• Make sure to pack a lunch or pick-up a picnic lunch from your hut prior to starting your day - you won’t get to the Chalet du Glaciers until the very end of your day.

• If you’re a little on edge about the scramble, this would be a great day to opt for luggage forwarding services so you can scramble unencumbered

• Enjoy the view at the top! We probably could have hung out a little longer taking in the views but I was anxious about the descent and feel like I rushed us off the saddle.

• Make sure to treat yourself with gelato at Chalet du Glaciers! The Fenetre D’Arpette variant is an accomplishment!

Staying at Le Peuty Hut

Le Peuty hut was…charming! By far the nicest lady at check-in and kind of has hippy vibes. The dorm is dark and barn-like - everyone sleeps in a big loft.

There is no WiFi even though we are close to town, there’s a camping area attached that looks pretty nice, and there’s a larger food menu with burgers and FRIES which Soma ate upon arrival. My only complain during our pre-dinner shower/cards/snacking is that there were a lot of black flies buzzing around.

The all female staff at Le Peuty were so friendly and dinner (served in a yurt!) was my favorite of the trip. We had 4 courses - crostini with tapenade, tomato soup, salad with grilled pears and a chicken curry with rice. Plus fresh berries from their garden with cream over amaretto soaked Biscoff cookies for dessert. I went to bed quickly after that - I was beat!

Final Thoughts: Was It Worth It?

This day was a challenge for sure.

I LOVED the variant up to Fenetre d’Arpette, but I did NOT love the brutal downhill the second half of the day!

But would I choose the Fenêtre d’Arpette variant again? Yes.

It’s one of the most dramatic, engaging, and memorable days on the Tour du Mont Blanc — and it feels like a true alpine accomplishment.

If you’re planning your Tour du Mont Blanc itinerary and wondering whether to take the harder route, I say go for it!

Hiking Tour du Mont Blanc Day 6: La Peule to Relais d’Arpette

If you missed the start of our Tour du Mont Blanc adventure - you can read about:

Day 1 - Chamonix to Refuge La Balme

Day 2 - Refuge La Balme to Refuge des Mottets

Days 3 & 4 - Refuge des Mottets to Courmayeur

Day 5 - Courmayeur to La Peule

DAY 6 - LA PEULE TO RELAIS D’ARPETTE

Not to give too much away before I jump into Day 6, but this was definitely a highlight of the trip for me!

I was shocked at the fact that I actually got a pretty good nights’ sleep in our big dorm room. I did wake up to a frat-boy neighbors snoring at one point, but I put my headphones on and fell back asleep until 6:45 am when I started to do my morning tasks - grabbed our boots and sticks (poles) from the storage shed and ate breakfast (they had yogurt which I was thrilled about).

We got a little bit of a later start, getting ready post-breakfast instead of pre because it wasn’t a high mileage day. We took an alternate route that was recommended by Moon Honey Travelers which you can read about here.

It was scenic, had some glacier views, and rolling hills where I finally forced Soma to record a video of me running and twirling around to The Sound of Music. I also gave him a play by play of the book I had just finished (The Hand That First Held Mine by Maggie O’Farrell) as an experiment to see if it helped me remember the plot - writing this 6 months later I can confidently say the experiment…did not work. I still seem to forget book plots immediately after finishing them.

When we got into the town of La Fouly we stopped for a cappuccino and tiramisu but quickly realized that the bus we were trying to hop on was leaving in 3 minutes. It was a very expensive cappuccino (we were in Switzerland now) so I ran into the shop and had the hardest time communicating that I needed a to-go cup - thankfully two guys jumped in and helped tell the waitress what I needed and we shuffled our way to the bus stop and just made it on.

We took the bus to Issert because I was being stubborn and insisting that we not miss out on hiking any significant elevation, but looking back I definitely wish we would have just switched in Issert and taken the bus all the way to Champex-Lac.

Instead, we got off at Issert and did another hour and a half-ish of climbing through the woods - not at all scenic, until we finally came to the magical town of Champex-Lac. We grabbed a bench, spread out our stuff, and I immediately plunged into the chilly but amazing waters.

It definitely got more crowded throughout the day so I was very glad we got there when we did with our prime bench and grass location where we lounged for 2.5 hours.

I popped over to the supermarket and put together a picnic lunch, with a brewski, and we read and sat in the sun and watched the locals coming down with their inflatable stand up paddle boards and it was just so lovely and picturesque.

It was very hard for me to walk away from the lake but eventually we did have to make our way to our home for night. We did get a litttttttle off course but eventually found our way to a very nice trail winding through a very green, lush, mossy forest and following the very melodious creek.

Our stop for the night was Relais D’Arpette which was definitely one of the larger and more built up/popular places that we stayed but had unreal views to the distant mountains where we would be heading the next day. We were surprised to learn that we had another private room, and this one might have been my favorite. We had a little balcony and the views were so gorgeous.

Dinner at Relais D’Arpette was chili so I had to get the vegetarian version but it was pretty good - this was one of the few that was served as a buffet. We sat with a couple we had met a few other nights along the way which was nice. Then we went back to the room to play 500 Rummy and I of course forced a photo shoot becuase LOOK AT THE VIEWS FROM OUR BED!?

Overall, this day felt like SUCH a treat. We were way more relaxed at Champex-Lac than we had been on our “rest” day in Courmayeur. if you’re going to take a rest day - I would say do it Champex-Lac! And definitely don’t feel like you’re missing anything if you take the bus from La Fouly to Champex-Lac!

mileage: 8.8 Miles

elevation: 2,326 feet

trail: via ALLTRAILS

Tour Du Mont Blanc Day 5 -Courmayeur to La Peule

If you missed the start our our Tour du Mont Blanc adventure - you can read about:

Day 1

Day 2

Days 3 & 4

DAY 5 - Courmayeur to Gite Alpage la Peule

This was our most difficult day of the trek and it was definitely a doozy!

We were up at 5:15 AM and had coffee in the room - Soma took his Old Town like a shot!

I didn’t love our hotel in Courmayeur, but they were nice about making us a breakfast bag to-go because we were checking out early and missing breakfast. They made us a ham and cheese sandwich and gave us a banana and biscuits.

Our day started at 6:30 AM on the roads of Courmayeur (rudely also uphill) until we hit the trail and the uphill continued through the woods. This was one of the first major climbs that had us fully in the forest, and I actually quite liked it. There’s something great about climbing through the trees in anticipation of when you’ll get to a view. It’s not quite the same to climb when you’re already surrounded by jaw-dropping views (not that I’m complaining about the TMB’s insane time : views ratio!)

Partway up we saw two women guiding horses down the mountain that were completely loaded up with a tour group’s bags. One of the horse seemed like he was about to go on strike! It was actually kind of scary - one misstep and those horses could have seriously injured those women (and themselves!)

The climb up to Bertone was about 3,000 feet, and I guess I was getting used to the fact that our morning’s started with immediate hours long uphills because we made great time, peering down on Courmayeur from Bertone just after 8:00 AM.

We only stopped to put on sunscreen but as we did, a girl recognized us - we took the same shuttle from Chamonix to Les Houches at the start of our trek! We might finish the same time too. She recognized our matching tie-dye sun shirts, shocker (hi Ana from the Netherlands!)

The stretch from Bertone to Bonatti was nice and easy as promised by the blogs I had read. There were some parts with views and other parts that were woodsy and shaded which was nice because it felt soo much cooler than we were in Courmayeur the day before.

When we got to Bonatti, it was buzzin’! We were there around 10:30 AM and got ourselves some cappuccinos and cake. I went to go to the bathroom and was sad to find a literal hole in the ground that I had to squat over. My legs were NOT happy about this situation.

While we were enjoying our snack break outside, we heard two American guys and were cracking up over their Dad jokes.

“Most people know where the Big Apple is, but does anyone know where the... Minneapolis?"

And something along the lines of, “I went to the bathroom and saw a sign that said ‘Employees must wash hands’ I waited as long as I could but nobody came, so I just washed them myself.”

One of them still had a tag on his REI bag, was wearing Lifetime fitness shorts and giving off serious frat vibes. We spend the rest of the day refusing to slow down enough where they would pass us.

The mile or so after Bonatti were some of my favorite views up to that point of the trek - you really got it all. Huge, towering mountains, rolling hills, 360 degree views, easy trail. I just felt very immersed in the scenery during this part. Maybe it had something to do with Bonatti being so busy and then getting back to solitude.

The descent to Chalet Val Ferret was just rude because then we had to climb another 1,000 feet back up to Elena!

This was definitely another popular refugio - it’s the point where all 3 countries (Switzerland, France and Italy) meet! It was also our lunch stop and it was poppin’. They had a buffet for lunch, but honestly the hot food did not look all that appetizing and I went with a sandwich instead. Tomato and mozzarella for Soma and the second ham and cheese of the day for me.

The views from Elena are insane - and I had the thought that I was maybe becoming desensitized to the views as I sat there with the Pré de Bard Glacier sprawling out in front of us just eating my sandwich.

We could tell that rain was coming, so we put our rain covers on our backpacks and moved our rain gear to easily accessible spots in our packs and set out for the final climb of the day. Another 3,000 feet up to Val Ferret, the border of Italy and Switzerland and the highest point of the TMB!

This final climb of the day almost broke me. It was so difficult, so steep, never ending, and then, so close to the very tip top, HAIL! We barely got to take in the view at the time but did see a lot of green rolling hills below and luckily an easy, chill downhill winding its way down to La Peule. At this point we had on our rain gear (I went with just my jacket, and in retrospect, pants wouldn’t have hurt!) and I boooooked it down to La Peule. It was one of the few times I was ahead of Soma. The motivation to be dry and warm and done with the longest day was strong.

We had about an hour in full on hail, thunder, and lighting. It wasn’t ideal, but it was one of the first times we weren’t sweating on the trip! Apparently things got super sketchy for some people who were behind us. The trail was getting very loose and puddly. I wasn’t surprised to hear it had turned into a bit of a mudslide situation.

For awhile we couldn’t see GIte Alpage la Peule even though we knew we had to be getting close, but eventually we spotted it nestled in vibrant green hills below us.

When we got to Gite Alpage La Peule, I was prepared for the “rustic” nature of this stay. We tried to change into something dry in the tent that was packed with other hikers (mainly just stopping to try to wait out the storm - but it just kept on going!) We stashed our sticks and boots in the appropriate tent and took one of the many pairs of camp shoes/crocs they provide. There are no private rooms here, so we were shown to our bunk bed in a giant room filled with everyone else staying for the night!

Thankfully, the shower was warm, though the bathroom in general was incredibly smelly. Not human-made-smell but cow-horse-farm animal made smell.

Of course, the two guys in the bunk beds next to us were the two frat bros from Bertone! Small world out there on the TMB!

After we had both showered and laid out what we could to dry all over our bunk bed, we headed to the dining area to read / journal / drink LMNT hot chocolate (not bad!)

Dinner was fun because we chatted with two guys from Michigan - Ben and Levi. Ben saved the day with Lactaid to accompany my THIRD ham and cheese sandwich of the day - raclette! It was good, but the bread was pretty hard and difficult to cut and I was tired and lazy and made Soma cut it for me. They also gave us homemade ice cream for dessert!

Getting ready for bed was yuck because of the smelly, tiny bathroom, but it was a beautiful spooky sunset after the storm and surprisingly slept pretty well for a room full of like 40 people!

mileage: 16.12 miles

elevation: 7,215 feet

trail: via wikiloc

Tour Du Mont Blanc Days 3 and 4 - Refuge des Mottets to Courmayeur

If you missed the start our our Tour du Mont Blanc adventure - you can read about:
Day 1
Day 2

DAY 3 - Refuge des Mottets to Gite le Randonneur

Breakfast at Mottets was just meh - which, to be honest, was the case most mornings. It was really just oatmeal and cereal with the addition of prunes. Soma took a massive scoop and I was like CAREFUL with all those!

We started hiking around 8 AM with the climb up to Col de Seigne. My research had prepared me for quite a few false summits so they didn’t bother me too much. This was much more gradual than the climb out of Refuge de la Balme and I was in much better spirits. Especially once we passed the cutest little mountain goats being herded by two dogs living their best lives.

Once we reached the Col de Seigne we officially crossed over from France to Italy! Mont Blanc was now Monte Bianco. The next little bit was quite pleasant, we saw and heard some marmots and saw lots of cows and lamb being herded.

Our first stop of the day was Refugio Elisabetta. The views are absolutely stunning, it has a wrap around deck with views of 2 glaciers and looks down into Val Veny. The climb from the trail up to Elisabetta was pretty steep - it had me questioning if I realllllly needed the stop. But it was definitely worth it to enjoy a cappuccino and “fruit of the forest” tart with those views! And we got to hear our first “ciao” and “grazie mille!”

Next up was about a mile from Elisabetta to Cabane du Combal - it wasn’t a terribly steep downhill and there was quite a bit of flat. The walk up to Cabane du Combal was beautiful with lakes and wildflowers. But Val Veny is definitely a popular tourist spot and so it was more crowded than a lot of other areas.

Cabane du Combal was definitely one of our nicer lunches - a big full menu. I had polenta with ratatouille and Soma had tagliatelle ragu and a mid-hike glass of wine!

After we ate we went to do a side quest to Lago del Miage. We took a very steep route up (sans backpacks, though) and I wouldn’t say it was overwhelmingly worth it. That being said, later in they day, we came to a lookout where we were towering over it and it did put things into perspective!

After Combal, you know we had to do another biiiig climb up! At this point in the day it was HOT and we were fully exposed to the sun. We passed a creek and it was time for a fullll hat and sun shirt soaking.

It was probably about 45 minutes of climbing before we got to one of the most stunning views of the trip. More glaciers! So many more glaciers than I expected to see. The highlight of the day for me were the views at the Mont Favre spur (2430m)! I don’t know why more people don’t talk about this photo op in their recaps. It felt well-earned and was one of those viewpoints that makes you feel like you’re on top of the world!

From this point on, the trail was pretty easy going - not a ton of elevation change and fairly smooth as far as the trail goes so that you could look around in awe instead of staring at your feet to avoid tripping. Very beautiful part of the trek, but I will admit at this point I was ready to be done for the day and any time we started going slightly downhill I got cranky.

The last mile or so we were more in the woods It was not one of the worst descents by any means but I was hungry, hot, tired, my feet hurt, etc. etc. There was a beautiful lake we passed that I seriously considered side-tracking to for a dip (and to lift my spirits)- but I was really ready to be at our refuge.

When we finally make it to Gite le Randonneur du Mont Blanc, we were surprised with ANOTHER private room with our own bathroom and shower. The lodge also had free Wi-Fi and I really nice deck with picnic tables and a view of the cable cars down to Courmayeur. We had a beer and played rummy before showering (I was so covered in dust and dirt this day). This was another place where they do not allow bags inside, even in private rooms.

For the most part, this refuge was really nice. But the dinner was probably my least favorite of the trip. Because they were serving beef, I had the vegetarian option which was an omelet that wasn’t great and was served with frozen vegetables. Best part of dinner were the really great placemats that were maps of the TMB with all of the different huts. I wish I could have found it at a souvenir store!

Day 3 Statistics

MILEAGE: 13.44 MILES

ELEVATION: 4,255 FEET

TRAIL: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/france/savoie/tour-du-mont-blanc-les-mottets-maison-vieille-variante-etape-3-4

DAY 4 - Rest Day in Courmayeur

Day 4 was our day to rest up before our biggest day of the trek. Originally, I had us just staying and hanging out a full day at Gite le Randonneur. We could have taken the gondola down sans bags and had lunch/explored.

The problem was that the next morning, we would have had to go down on foot (the gondola doesn’t open until way later than we would have been able to start) - it is a steeeeeep decline for 2 hours on top of our already planned 16 mile day. It seemed like a bad idea. At the last minute, I pivoted and got us a (very expensive) hotel in Courmayeur so that we could start bright and early on Day 5 with no descent necessary.

We slept in a little later and strolled in to breakfast as it started. We took our time packing up and getting ready after breakfast, and we weren’t in any sort of a rush so we sat and read on the deck for awhile.

Eventually, we started the downhill to the cable car which would bring us into Courmayeur.

We took a look at the mountain pool and considered hanging out there, but thought it might be too crowded with kids. In retrospect, hanging out up there at the pool might have been preferable to how our day unfolded (ok that sounds dramatic, everything was fine - just homeless and hot).

There are two gondola options down from the Plan Chécrouit ski area and we somehow ended up on the wrong one - which technically brought us to Dolonne instead of Courmayeur. Regardless, it was a fairly short walk from the station to our hotel.

When we got to the Villa Novecento Romantic Hotel we got what seems to be the standard answer for France and Switzerland - “check-in isn’t until 4 PM.” Not, “check-in isn’t until 4 PM, but let us take a look and see if anything is available.” Nope. Just, “We can take your bags but come back in 6 hours.”

We were very dirty and dusty and definitely felt out of place in this fancy 1900’s hotel and handed our bags over and skedaddled. We strolled into the main downtown blocks of Courmayeur and Soma beelined it for the gelato shop. I must say, the lemon sorbet was incredible in that moment. It was HOT. The towns at the bottom of the Alps might have stunning views, but they also act as giant heat traps and we were sweltering.

We walked up and down the streets deciding what we were in the mood for - all I wanted was a mortadella sandwich (hello, Italy!) but unfortunately there were none to be found. We ended up being the first people seated at Pizzeria Ristorante du Tunnel where we split some ‘za and Soma got tiramisu! I would say it was good, not great.

After that we still had hours to go until we could get into the hotel. And I couldn’t even shop! Because anything I purchased would need to be carried on my back for another week. No thanks!

Instead, we sat out under a tent in the town square and I had a glass of champagne, Soma had a cocktail from “Gou.” They don’t have a website, but they have really great reviews on Google!

After that, we made our way back to the hotel in the hopes that they might take pity on us and give us a room - but nope. We asked if we could just use what I thought was an indoor pool and sauna, and they basically said yeah you can do that at 3:30. So we moved from table, to chair, to bench, to swing in the outdoor area of the hotel, trying to find a place that had some sort of a breeze or shade or didn’t feel like we were slowly melting.

Eventually, it was 3:30 and they said they would show us our room before we went to the wellness area. Hallelujah! We dropped our stuff and put on our robes, excited for the indoor pool I had been talking up.

Well, pool would be an incredibly generous terms for what we were greeted with. It was a hot tub, though luckily it was cool water which we did still enjoy! Neither of us could bear to go into the sauna. It was a nice space to have to ourselves for an hour - I did some yoga, flopped around in the room-temperature tub, and by then we had to start thinking about dinner because we had an early morning and BIG day the next day.

To our dismay - almost no restaurant started serving dinner until 7:30 PM. We asked probably a dozen places and struck out at all of them until we finally found one spot that was willing to serve us. As you can expect, it wasn’t the best meal to be had in Courmayeur by any means. But, it got the job done.

My tip would be to make a dinner reservation in Courmayeur (or, if you have an early morning too, book a late lunch reservation!) at Ristorante Cadran Solaire - it was recommended in all of my research and when we passed it, it looked wonderful!

After dinner it was bed time - in our incredibly hot room with no fan and, obviously, no AC. Ah, euro summer!

At least the view from our room was amazing!

TLDR; Our rest day in Courmayeur was probably our least favorite day of the trip. In an ideal world, we would have used the day to get to either Bertone or Bonatti, but they’re incredibly popular and we couldn’t get a room at either of them. I think we made the best of the situation - and going from Gite le Randonneur to La Peule in one day would have been brutal.

This is definitely the part of the itinerary I wish I could have a do-over on!

MILEAGE: 1.45 MILES to the gondola

ELEVATION: 46 feet (lol)