Col du Bonhomme and Mountain Breezes: A Second Day of Climbing, Community, and Alpine Life
The day began early with a 6:30 AM wake-up. Thanks to last night's strategic packing, we managed a silent, lightning-fast exit from the 28-person bunk room. Fuel was simple but essential: coffee and bread with butter and jam.
The first hour was a lovely descent through the woods towards Les Contamines-Montjoie. Our smooth exit was briefly interrupted by a worker from the place we had stayed at. Turns out we'd forgotten to pay! Debt settled, we arrived in town just as a 'Fête Village' farmers market was coming to life. It was absolutely adorable. We stocked up on protein bars at the market, though we had to skip the pharmacy for extra sunscreen as it wasn't opening until 10:00 AM.
Leaving town, the trail followed a flat, pleasant stretch along the river, passing 'family fun' zones for golf, tennis, and soccer. Then, the real work began.
The climb was steep, though thankfully not quite as brutal as day one, winding through more beautiful woods. Eventually, we reached the long, shadeless ascent to the Col du Bonhomme. The lack of cover was tough, but the gorgeous wildflowers and a quick chat with an older couple from Buffalo kept our spirits up.
We finally reached the Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme. This massive stone structure can house over 100 people, but we're tucked into a cozy room for six.
The post-hike routine was a whirlwind: all of it is currently hanging out to dry. A single coin buys four minutes of warm water. We let the mountain breeze dry our hair while enjoying some cold blonde beers and reading.
Dinner was a lively, international affair. We sat with six Israelis, enjoying a vegetable dinner of pepper pizza, carrot and beet salad, and soup. Half the table was vegetarian for Kosher reasons, and the sun blazed on our backs and necks as we ate, still sweating from the day's effort.
The evening ended with a long political and travel chat outside until the mountain air turned too cold. We headed to bed, surrounded by the damp smell of laundry drying on the bunks. Ready to do it all again tomorrow!