7 Days Hiking the UTMB 170 Km Race Route - Day 2

December 2, 2023

7 Days of Breathtaking Views and Challenging Trails: Hiking the UTMB Route - Day 2

We had an amazing day of hiking in the Alps for our Day 2, following the route of the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) race. We started from Saint-Gervais to Les Contamines (1167m), a charming village in the Montjoie valley, and headed towards the Col du Bonhomme (2329m), one of the highest points of the UTMB course. The destination of the day was Les Chapieux (1,554m). The hike was 28 km long, with 1870 m of ascent and 1136 m of descent. It took us about 10 hours to complete, including some breaks for lunch, photos and snacks.

The hike started from Saint-Gervais, a charming town at the foot of Mont Blanc. Our car service dropped us there from our basecamp in Chamonix. The trail follows the TMB route you will see the TMB logo on some rocks and trees along the way.

The first part of the hike is relatively easy, as you walk through the valley of Les Contamines-Montjoie. This is a picturesque area with green meadows, wooden chalets, and colorful flowers. You will pass by several villages, such as Les Contamines, where you can find shops, cafes, and restaurants. I was tempted to stop at a chicken rotisserie that smelled delicious, but we have to keep going as we had a long day ahead.

The trail follows the Bon-Nant river, which is a clear and refreshing stream that comes from the glaciers. You will cross several bridges over the river, most of them are well maintained.. Only a couple them are with big gaps between planks. I remembered one of them from my previous UTMB race, when one of my friends lost his hiking pole on the bridge. It slipped through the gaps between the wooden planks and fell into the water. He was so disappointed that he had to continue without it in the race. We took a picture of the bridge and sent it to him as a joke.

We passed Parc de lousier du Pontet where is a park with lakes and playground, we can also see camping site there.

The hike gets more interesting after you reach Notre-Dame de la Gorge, a white church with a painted facade that marks the end of the road and the beginning of the mountain trails. Here you can fill up your water bottles at a fountain and use the toilets if you need to. You will also see a sign that indicates the distance and time to different destinations along the route.

We took lunch in Refuge de Nant Borrant, a cozy mountain hut where we enjoyed a fantastic view of the snowy peaks and glaciers. We also prepared for our ascent to La Balme (1706m), a small hamlet with a chapel and a fountain.

We continued hiking up the stone slate path, with alpine meadows and forests by the side. We realized that we had missed this beautiful scenery when we ran the UTMB race at night. It was worth so much to have this hiking experience instead of racing to appreciate the view.

From here, the trail starts to climb steeply to Col du Bonhomme, which is quite challenging but also rewarding. You will pass by several alpine pastures, where you can see cows grazing and hear their bells ringing. You will also enjoy some stunning views of the surrounding peaks and glaciers.

The first major landmark is La Balme, a refuge where you can stop for lunch or stay overnight if you want to.

We saw dogs herding the sheep on the slopes. It was very interesting to watch them work together. We talked to the shepherd, who told us that he had over two thousand sheep in his flock.

After La Balme, the trail continues to climb up 3.4 km to Col du Bonhomme and then 2 km to Croix du Bonhomme, which is the highest point of the day hike at 2,439 m. It was a tough climb all the way up on the footpath that zig zags over the rough terrain of the hills. This path is not for the faint of heart, as it requires stamina, balance and perseverance. You'll have to navigate steep slopes, rocky patches and narrow turns, all while enjoying the scenic views.

We had to overcome more than 1,200 m of elevation gain in 10 km from Notre-Dame de la Gorge to Croix du Bonhomme, but we were rewarded with stunning views of the Mont Blanc massif and the Beaufortain region.

Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme is another refuge where you can have a snack or stay overnight. It is located on a grassy plateau with a cross that gives it its name. From there, you can see Mont Blanc in front of you and Mont Pourri behind you.

After Croix du Bonhomme (2,439m), we faced a long descent of 900 m in 5 km to Les Chapieux (1554m), a small village in the Vallée des Glaciers. It is mostly downhill, but it also has some ups and downs along the way. The trail goes through some rocky terrain at first, then through some grassy slopes with flowers and butterflies.

Les Chapieux is a small hamlet where we ended our hike of the day. We were happy to see our destination, as our legs were very sore by then. We celebrated our long hike of the day with a couple of beers before our car picked us up.

We chose to stay in Bourg Saint Maurice for the night, instead of going back to Chamonix, because it was too far to travel. We enjoyed a nice dinner and a good rest in this town, which is also a popular ski resort in winter.

Take a look into the stunning pictures >>> UTMB Hike : Day 2