“Look, that bright dot above the Aiguille du Midi is Jupiter, there’s Betelgeuse, and those are the Pleiades,” Benjamin tells me. If it weren’t for my neck pain, I would have spent the night with my nose in the air, because I’d never seen such a spectacle in my life, except when I was sleeping on a sailboat.
But this time it was different, I was definitely higher, facing Mont Blanc, 600 m above Chamonix.
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Chamonix, a place that defies definition
I wouldn’t call it a city, much less a village. It’s hard for me to define Chamonix other than “a unique place in the world.” As you stroll through the streets of the center, you encounter a truly diverse array of characters: wealthy French businessmen’s wives on vacation with their heirs in strollers, Arab families in Gucci outfits, trail runners sipping coffee on their breakfast break, skiers and mountaineers on their way to or from a recent adventure. And above, a dome of colorful paragliders circling silently, as if to remind you that in Chamonix, sport is at a higher level than elsewhere.
I’ve been to Chamonix several times. I’ve gone mountaineering, ski touring, and climbing here, and I’ve slept in the village and in a refuge, but I never thought I’d spend my first night in a tent here in winter. So when the offer came, I couldn’t help but say, “Okay, let’s do it.”
This year’s weather conditions fully reflect the ongoing climate change, and terrifying snowfalls are followed by sudden increases in temperatures. So much so that while I’m on the road to Chamonix, the authorities raise the avalanche danger to 5 out of 5, an extremely rare condition in the Alps. We reschedule for the following week, and this time, crossing the border, the conditions seem truly ideal.
Why you should be accompanied by an Alpine Guide
The Compagnie del Guides de Chamonix, where I await my Guide, is the oldest Alpine Guide Society in the world, founded in 1821. It has around 200 members and is an international point of reference in the field of safety and training for mountain professionals.
Benjamin is a smiling Breton boy, he will be the one to accompany me on this new adventure.
The idea is to experience an outdoor adventure in its entirety, that is, travel independently to an ideal location, set up basecamp, eat dinner, and sleep in the wilderness. Okay, first of all, my backpack is too small to carry everything, so we’ll transfer my personal belongings into a larger backpack. It will also need to accommodate a sleeping bag, tent, air mattress, and a shovel. In addition to these items, Benjamin will bring food and a gas stove.
We set off towards Les Houches and then climb the switchbacks to the hamlet of Le Bettey. Here, in the parking lot, Astrid, my contact from the Chamonix Tourist Office, will be waiting for us; she will keep us company throughout the hike.
The slope we’re on is particularly suitable for this type of activity. Benjamin chose it based on several factors: it offers a spectacular view of the entire Mont Blanc massif, it’s relatively safe from avalanches, there are areas sheltered from the wind, and there are no infrastructure such as ski lifts.
In short, wild but safe. Ideal for a base camp, right?
Just before entering the forest, we come across the last huts. Today, they’re holiday homes for a few lucky tourists, but they were once inhabited by local shepherds. The interlocking wooden structures were designed to be dismantled, moved, and reassembled depending on the availability of pasture. Incredible human ingenuity!
Benjamin points out a lot of details to me, relating to flora and geology. Relying on guides not only dramatically increases safety, but their training also ensures they’re able to provide a wealth of information about the area, from geology to flora and fauna, to history, of which he is particularly passionate.
As the altitude difference flows beneath our snowshoes, we pass several hikers descending. It’s mid-afternoon, so if you’re not aiming to bivouac at high altitude, it’s clearly time to descend.
We take a break in a clearing in the woods, a flat area among the trees covered in fresh snow. We’re at a sort of pass, and from here we can see the peaks of another mountain range. We recharge our batteries while sipping hot tea and munching on some butter biscuits.
We’re halfway up the climb, about 300 meters, so we strap our backpacks back on and start climbing again. When Astrid and Benjamin speak quickly in French, I find it hard to understand, but my mind is absorbed in everything around me. The woods are magical places, and letting my imagination run wild is both relaxing and soothing.
At around 500 m altitude the forest opens up, the view suddenly opens up and we cover the last 100 m of altitude difference that separate us from the plateau we have chosen for our bivouac.
A tented camp facing Mont Blanc
Benjamin gives me instructions on how to help him set up basecamp. Wearing snowshoes (we’ll only take them off to go to sleep), we clear two pitches, compacting the snow. Then we quickly set up the two tents and throw all our gear inside. Using a shovel, Benjamin digs into the snow to make a bench and a table for cooking. Then, after saying goodbye to Astrid, we’re left alone.
Peace. The silence is broken only by the cawing of a few high-altitude birds and a couple of times by the roar of avalanches on the opposite side. The Mont Blanc massif begins to turn pink as the sun gradually sets in the west. I’ve never been in a place like this, at a time like this. Usually in the mountains at sunset, I take refuge in a closed, safe, warm place, but here we are in nature, to stay there, to experience it fully. This is the outdoors, the true outdoors.
Benjamin has thought of everything, and while I snap photos and video clips, he prepares an aperitif of salami, cashews, and local white wine. A toast and lots of chatter while the mushrooms begin to cook on the stove. Then, once drained, the trio of cheeses for fondue, one of my favorite dishes, ends up in the pot.
A perfect quarter moon shines at its zenith, amplifying the light from our headlamps, and at every pause, we look around, fascinated by so much beauty.
It’s around 9:00 PM when we turn off the stove, dinner is over after a couple of slices of plum cake. We get up from the table, taking in the view once more, then, with the help of an app, Benjamin points out stars, planets, and constellations.
It’s a blanket of diamonds that we have over our heads.
“A sky full of stars.”
Like the title of that Coldplay song, says Benji.
Yes, and I might add addressed to a place like “I’m gonna give you my heart”.
Having removed our snowshoes and a few layers of clothing, we crawl into our sleeping bags, waving goodbye through the thin synthetic walls of our shelters and wishing each other goodnight.
Tomorrow morning we’ll retrace our steps, delving into that magical forest, encountering two deer, a large black squirrel, and the tracks of a wolf. But we don’t know all this yet; for now, we can only dream about it under this star-filled sky.
Experience the thrill of a tented camp
If you love the mountains in winter, you enjoy snowshoeing and you want to try an all-encompassing experience like this, all you have to do is book with the Chamonix Guides Company 😉
