Hiking Mont Blanc / Matterhorn - Haute route
Discussion
Vaud said:
Davislove said:
Hi Vaud, hope you’re around...
Planning going well for the trip so far, but I had a question, we have one or two rest days built in and I wondered which place you would recommend we use these? Or is Zermatt at the end a good place to hang out in?
Also, I’ve heard some bad reviews of the hut ‘Cabene de Prafleurie’, how was your experience?
Cheers
Rest days - good question. Depends on your route as there are variants.Planning going well for the trip so far, but I had a question, we have one or two rest days built in and I wondered which place you would recommend we use these? Or is Zermatt at the end a good place to hang out in?
Also, I’ve heard some bad reviews of the hut ‘Cabene de Prafleurie’, how was your experience?
Cheers
Verbier would be 4 days in and has everything you need though is a bit sterile in the summer - though some bars, pizza, etc
Personally I like Grimentz - it has a laundrette (or did), supermarket, shops, restaurants, is a quite charming "chocolate box" village (though a little touristy). Otherwise Zinal (less touristy but quite nice).. but both are more like day 10. Both have regular buses down to Sierre if you need to restock on anything that has been broken, etc - though Grimentz has most things for hikers.
Prafleurie is ok in my dated experience though one of the more crowded and the service was a bit terse.
Cabane de Louvie, Mont Fort, Moiry and Europahut?????????? are the nicest. (Louvie is a minor route variation in place of Mont Fort IIRC and is a private hut but very nice with hot showers)
Depends how many days you need, the weather may have forced a day. I tended to only book 2 nights in advance for accommodation and keep options open BUT in August the hut availability may force you to plan further. The good thing is that when they are busy, they don't tend to mind you cancelling.
Davislove said:
That’s great thanks, I agree weather may force our hand anyway. I’ve just seen a route variation between Zinal and Gruben of going to Bella Tola, have you done that?
IIRC, the first time I did Grimentz > Hotel Weisshorn > Gruben > Törbel > StaldenThe second time it was St Luc > Pointe de Tourtemagne > Gruben - at least I think we took the Pointe de Tourtemagne route.
St Luc is nice enough and I think you can configure this walk into it the day.
https://www.valdanniviers.ch/tourism/planets-trail...
Vaud said:
Davislove said:
Zermatt at the end a good place to hang out in?
Zermatt is nice if a little pricey. Plenty to do for a day or two and it's nice to be in a mountain town and think "I just walked here from France". Normally accommodation available. Just got back! wow, wow stunning!
Some highlights - Mont Fort to Prafleuri via col Louvie my favourite part, we intended to stay at Louvie but pressed on to Prafleuri and were up there alone in the rocky landscape with the ibex for company, made it to the cabin at Prafleuri just before dark and a well deserved plate of dinner!
La Sage to Cabin Moiry was the toughest day with the most amount of ascent, and when you arrive at Lake Moiry the cabin looks about 5 mins away, but in reality is another 2 hour hike at the end of the day when you're on an empty stomach!
We camped where we could which I really enjoyed and would recommend despite carrying the extra weight in your pack.
Initially we only met people doing Tour du Mont Blanc, but further into the trip we met more doing the Haute route which was nice.
The ladders at Pas de Chèvre were no problem as it appears they have been changed into sections with platforms.
Some highlights - Mont Fort to Prafleuri via col Louvie my favourite part, we intended to stay at Louvie but pressed on to Prafleuri and were up there alone in the rocky landscape with the ibex for company, made it to the cabin at Prafleuri just before dark and a well deserved plate of dinner!
La Sage to Cabin Moiry was the toughest day with the most amount of ascent, and when you arrive at Lake Moiry the cabin looks about 5 mins away, but in reality is another 2 hour hike at the end of the day when you're on an empty stomach!
We camped where we could which I really enjoyed and would recommend despite carrying the extra weight in your pack.
Initially we only met people doing Tour du Mont Blanc, but further into the trip we met more doing the Haute route which was nice.
The ladders at Pas de Chèvre were no problem as it appears they have been changed into sections with platforms.
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