After brushing my teeth in a basin that may or may not have been intended for my use in the refuge, I enjoyed a simple breakfast and was away at 7:30 am, starting the first climb of today, a head start on the others from the refuge. Although I was the only person camping at the Refuge Plan de la Lai, there were a few more tents near another refuge higher up the hill. Starting from an elevation of 1822 metres today, I was well above the tree line among grass and flower covered slopes. A patch of dock plants engulfed the path by the ruins of an old farm building. I crossed a pass and after a few alder trees in the damp ground, it was more high pasture. Cows grazed on patches of slope enclosed by temporary electric fences. Their wires sometimes crossed the path, and I had to remove my rucksack to duck under them. At one point I walked through a herd of brown cows who just stared at me, refusing to move out of the way. As I tried to avoid the numerous cow pats I wondered if they were waiting to be milked. More likely they had just been milked as a tank lorry was negotiating the rough track nearby, picking up (I assumed) milk from large, rounded, silver containers.
My long climb up to the Col du Bresson began in cow pasture but progressed to rock strewn terrain in a valley edged with high cliffs, the source of large boulders that now lay by the path. Way below was a reservoir and in the distance grey peaks with patches of snow. People frequently passed me, and a few groups of youngsters were being led down. As I made my way between and over rocks I tried to spot where the pass was. Ahead of me, in the direction indicated by my GPS, was a high wall of rock. Finally, behind a shoulder of rock, the Col du Bresson appeared and after further laboured climbing I reached it....then I went down the other side.
As I began the long descent, ahead of me on the skyline, above a deep valley, was a line of mountains, their dark slopes streaked with white snow. The path turned this way and that before reaching the Refuge La Balme - Tarentaise. My plan was to stop there for a snack and I was faced with a choice. A Savoyade Omelette was repeatedly mentioned in a book I had read, "South to the Sea", which described one man's walk down this stretch of the GR5. An omelette with bits of bacon, potato and granted cheese, I worried it would be too heavy on my stomach for the afternoon section of the walk. The alternative I considered was a nut tart, something frequently on menus which would be a bit lighter. I selected the omelette, which was lovely with its healthy salad accompaniment, but I regretted it, later suffering indigestion on the long trek down.
I still had to loose 1200 metres in height, which took place in two stages. First a relatively easy descent on a gravelly track, its gradient allowing me to stretch my legs out in an efficient stride. Then a pleasant path among flowers and by fields where tractors were turning the hay to dry it in the sunny weather. However, a steep drop then followed. Falling steeply by farms, through villages and among sycamore, ash and hazel trees, my tired legs complained and I almost did not notice the attractive surroundings. In particular, in village of Valezan the GR5 took a steep alleyway between a jumble of grey stone buildings, squashed together and hugging the hillside, their roofs overhanging their front elevations in a classic alpine way. The next village of Bellentre had another attraction, in addition to its church which had a bulbous, steel spire on top of its tower, there was a bar selling Magnum ice creams. Finally I reached the bottom of the valley, then walked beside the fast flowing River Isère to reach Landry and my hotel (there was a campsite but I felt after a few nights camping I deserved the luxury of a modestly priced hotel). Over dinner at the hotel, two of the people I met at the refuge last night came over to say hello. They live in Chamonix and have been much involved in the race around Mont Blanc. Like me they found the descent today rather long...
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