I'm meeting up with Cassandra Overby,
author of "Explore Europe on Foot"
and an expert on Europe's long-distance hikes.
We'll join her for a couple of days
as she hikes the classic Tour du Mont Blanc.
Before any serious hike in this region,
it's smart to drop by
the mountain guide center in Chamonix
to review plans and be sure you know all the latest.
You can get an individual consultation to tailor
your hike to your time frame and ability.
Europe has many iconic long-distance hikes,
and one of the most popular is the Tour du Mont Blanc.
While the Mont Blanc massif
offers some of Europe's most demanding mountaineering,
this accommodating trail is flexible --
enjoyed by hikers with a wide range of abilities.
It's like a huge park --
part in France, part in Italy, part in Switzerland --
and it's busy June through September.
-Tour du Mont Blanc
circumnavigates Europe's highest peak.
So you go around it in about 10 days,
each day about 10 miles for a total of 100.
Each day you see a different valley,
a different glacier, a different view of the great mountain.
-The Tour du Mont Blanc is partly in wooded farmland
and partly above the tree line in the company of glaciers.
The appealing thing about it for American hikers
is the delightful mix of nature, history, and culture.
The people you meet on the trails
come from many lands,
and your days are filled with cheery greetings.
We're in France for this section, so it's "bonjour."
-"Bonjour."
♪♪
-Hikers here have plenty of options.
You can hike as little or as much of the route as you like.
But you must reserve your beds well in advance.
One thing I really appreciate: You can hire a transfer service
to take your luggage to the next hut.
That frees me up to hike
with just the essentials in a small day bag.
And with Cassandra's help,
I've chosen a route I'm comfortable with.
A typical day on the trail is about 10 miles
and around six hours of walking -- and the route is never dull.
This bridge actually dates back to Roman times,
and for much longer than that,
its river has been carving this gorge.
-So one of the really interesting parts about
this route is that it used to be an old Roman road.
And there was a Celtic settlement just down the way,
so in addition to Romans and Celts,
these paths were also used by shepherds
taking their stock to different fields.
-Mountain huts -- called "refuges" --
are placed conveniently a day's hike apart.
Our first night is at Nant Borrant,
a mountain lodge dating back to the 1800s.
Huts are basic -- like hostels for adults.
Hikers share coed dorms
and follow the mountain hut etiquette:
Bring your own sleep sack, no boots inside, and so on.
Personal chores are done upon arrival;
then it's time to relax.
While very simple, up here
the little things feel luxurious.
A refreshing beer after a day on the trail hits the spot.
Dinner is rustic.
There's no menu -- hikers enjoy whatever's served.
And here, way up in the French Alps,
I'm happy to consider this "high cuisine."
Soup with mountain cheese,
tasty sausage with potato "au gratin,"
and, to compliment it all, a hearty red wine from Savoy --
that's the region we're in.
The culture of the Tour du Mont Blanc
is one of respect for nature, a "joie de vivre,"
and an international camaraderie.