Tour du Mont Blanc - Day 5

Latymer Tour du Mont Blanc complete! 66km of trekking, with over one thousand metres climbed in elevation each day. Amazing weather and amazing attitudes on display throughout. A massive effort saw these Latymerians finish earlier than any group before.

We woke in Italy, we're now in France, soon we will be in Switzerland and we hope to be back in the UK for midnight! 

Tour du Mont Blanc Day 3

The group powered through to La Croix de Bonbomme (2,443m). Very impressive! We have been away from wi-fi and a decent signal for a while. More photos will follow.

We are now headed to Col de la Seigne - the Alpine border crossing between France and Italy. If all goes well, we will be eating risotto tonight! 

Pics - Mont Blanc looking resplendent 

Tour du Mont Blanc - Day 2

The group performed excellently, especially given our late arrival due to a cancelled flight, and spirits are high. Climbing from Chamonix (1,035m) to the Col du Tricot (2,120m), we had gorgeous weather. We also reached the snowline sooner than we ever have on this trip (the beast from the east hit the Alps, too, giving them the highest snowfall in 40 years). 

 

Tour du Mont Blanc - Day 1

Easyjet cancelled our flight, giving us eight hours spare in the Gatwick area. 

Not deterred, we made new (furry) friends at Tilbury and went to the cinema. Spirits are high and we will start trekking the Tour du Mont Blanc tomorrow morning (we'll arrive rather late Monday night on our new flight!). 

 

Tour du Mont Blanc - Day 5

We have made it! All 66km complete, and all in record time. The group have been fantastic.

Celebratory pizzas were had in Courmayeur. We are now waiting and briefly learning to rock climb in Chamonix, then it's Geneva and a late-night London return. 

Tour du Mont Blanc - Day 4

Shing is up early (6am!) to take in dawn at the glacier. Stunning weather here for our final day. If all goes to plan we will go through four countries today before being reunited with our pillows in London.
We will have woken up at over 2,000 metres in the Italian Alpsand trekked 15 final kilometres through the valley before taking the tunnel under Mont Blanc back to Chamonix in France.

We will then transfer to Geneva airport in Switzerland, before flying back to the UK! Stay tuned (we now have signal again). 

Tour du Mont Blanc - Day 3

The group successfully reached over 2,500 metres, amidst the clouds and snow of the Col de la Seigne which marks the France-Italy border.

Here are some snaps of where we've been today, and of Rifugo Elisabetta, where we are staying tonight! 

Tour du Mont Blanc - Day 2

A hugely impressive performance from the group on the first stage!

We were up at 6.30am and arrived ahead of schedule at our evening accommodation 19km later. The group tackled Col de Voza, Col de Tricot and Col de Truc, with well over 1500 metres ascended today, after which some stretching was in order!

Tour du Mont Blanc - Day 1

Successful travel day, with the late afternoon spent exploring Chamonix.

The evening brought a feast of French food (and cheese) in preparation for the 5,000+ calories a day we will be burning!  Team Sky & Co won the evening's quiz. 

Tour du Mont Blanc - Day 5

We woke up next to a glacier on the French-Italian border to a beautiful sunrise illuminating the valley. Trekking a final 15km (mostly, thankfully, downhill) we reached Courmayeur in Italy, the end point of the tour. We've just eaten a celebratory - and much-needed pizza and are enjoying some long overdue showers before heading to Geneva airport. All being well, we will arrive in the UK (our fourth country of the day!) before 11pm. It's been a super, snowy trip. 

Leo and Theo attempt a jump shot

Iman and Ashleigh enjoy some well-earned rest underneath the south side of the Mont Blanc massif

Tour du Mont Blanc - Day 4

An exhausting, exhilarating day as we climbed our way to the high point of Activities Week: the Col de Seigne. At 2,512 metres, this is the border between France and Italy. There's no border control, but the risotto and foccacia at our refuge were firm confirmation of our Italian arrival!

Lunch! We're burning about 5,000 calories a day, so extra large lunches are called for... 

Marmots on patrol (this one was warning his friends about the eagle circling in the sky above, searching for a furry snack)

Heading towards Italy

Lizzie leads the charge to the top

"Latymer" group shot attempted at 2,500 metres!

What's the quickest way down..?

Tour du Mont Blanc - Day 3

The group have done amazingly well in tackling huge, unseasonal amounts of snow. We climbed up to our refuge at 2,400 metres - spent the night next to many an Alpine Ibex!


The group continues to impress with its fitness and camaraderie.

Mr Jordan's penthouse accommodation is only accessible by lift... 

Tour du Mont Blanc - Day 1

Brilliant sunshine as we completed the first stage of the TMB. We've spotted a golden eagle, a sun-bathing marmot, and a fleet-footed ibex. The group coped extremely well with a demanding day of steep ascents and descents. Tomorrow we head even higher! 

Tour du Mont Blanc Update

Tour du Mont Blanc
The group has successfully completed the western Tour du Mont Blanc (66km!).
Glorious weather continues to grace our trip. The morning brought marmots, glaciers and stunning Alpine vistas. Blisters, bruises and a bit of sunburn have been the only minor obstacles on an otherwise wholeheartedly successful adventure. Friday sees us take in four countries in a single day, but we are on schedule so far. A big thank you to the dozen lower sixth who have made this such an enjoyable week.
1. The group crossing the col du Bonhomme. 
2. The view from our window 
3: dawn.
4. The group descends after a night next to the glacier Blanche.
5-6. Lake-side jump shot and ballet...
7. Heavenly Italian hot chocolate (drunk with a spoon).

Tour du Mont Blanc - Day 4

Photo 1: Literally, the high point of Activities Week. No other trip goes higher: 2,152 metres, with Latymerians striding the Alpine border, one foot in France, and the other in Italy. It's taken us 50km to reach a point where Mont Blanc comes into view, and it was worth the wait!

Photo 2: the view from our window. We are now in Italy, staying in the Rifugio Elisabetta at 2,195m next to the glacier Blanche.

Photo 3: One of our photos made the front cover of this year's Activities Week booklet, and we're keen for a repeat performance next year.

Tomorrow we will wake up at 6am next to the glacier, trek to the Italian town of Courmayeur, get the bus through the Mont Blanc tunnel to Chamonix in France, transfer to Geneva airport in Switzerland, and be in our beds in England before midnight!