A Short Tour of the Vanoise – Saturday 1 September 2007 - Day 7 – Refuge de Péclet-Polset to Modane

Here’s Martin’s diary record for Stage 11:

Saturday 1 September 2007

Cards given to Richard, who is 43 today, then a good breakfast - usual ingredients but no rationing - before leaving on a cloudy morning.

The refuge was in cloud all last night, with Brocken Spectres showing in the light from the refuge. Today the cloud slowly clears and when we reach the Col de Chavière - 2796 metres - at 9.30 after walking for an hour the cloud had gone and we had fine views towards Mont Blanc and also to the nearby peaks and those to the south - the Ecrins Massif and Mont Thabor.

The view NorthBrilliant.

Four Shadows out for a stroll

Polset Peaks

Sue with Mont Blanc

We linger with a brew for 40 minutes. Sue goes higher, which she says is calmer - up to the east. But Andrew has had enough and clearly won't go up any further, having reached the col first (others had cameras). We enjoy the moment. Nobody else is here. Self-timed photo tradition at cols lives on!

On Col de Chaviere

This is the highest col of our trip, and the highest col on GR55 - the highest GR col in France.

Eventually we reluctantly leave and head down towards Modane.

Jenny descends from Col de Chaviere

Gentianella campestris, or Field Gentian

First steeply down, then across a lovely flat section with glacial debris. Pass sheepdogs with the now familiar warnings. A waterfall drops out of cloud to our right. We eschew the path to Refuge de l'Orgère and continue on down GR55 towards Polset, passing a spring at 2100 metres.

Descending to Polset

There's a sign to a goat's cheese farm here. A bit lower, before Polset, we stop for lunch - 12.00 to 12.40, before entering the forest. It's a lovely location, and a very pleasant final brew - the gas runs out here.

The last lunch above Polset

Amanita muscaria or Fly Agaric

Three men from last night's refuge pass - a group walking GR5 in sections - one English, one German, one South African. Later, in the forest, I chat to these three, before a long wait for my party. I then get ahead again and we reconvene at the bridge to the south of Modane centre, which the others have visited and have declared 'shut'.

So, after the motley three book into Le Perce-Neige and are given two of our three pre-booked rooms, we (must have sorted out that problem - Ed) adjourn to the square for a few beers in the sun.

Modane's Hotel Le Perce Neige

Celebratory Beers

Very chilled, very pleasant, all very relaxed, before stumbling back to the hotel for a bit of R&R before staggering out and finding a pizza restaurant where we consume more beer until the cook arrives at 7pm.

Everything slips down wonderfully.

Martin

[Stats: 8.30 to 2.00 including 1.5 hours breaks = 4 hours walking, 14.0 km with 350 metres ascent.]

(Anquet: 15 km, 1124 m ascent)