July 31, 2024

Refuge d’Arpont, 2,309m

We wake up at 5.15am and leave at 6.30am to try and avoid the thunderstorms forecast for the middle of the day.

I feel I haven’t fully recovered from the day before, I’m tired and the climbs and descents of this balcony stage are heavier than usual. Fortunately, I have a shorter stage planned for today.

After a few kilometers, I can’t see any path, I look at the map on my phone, I see that I’ve strayed from the track, I try to cut back to join what I think is the right path, but I can’t find it. I end up doing a complete half-turn to the point where I’ve lost the trail. Then I see another path that climbs steeply to the right. The Vanoise is very poorly marked, on the rest of the GR5 there were regular signs, but since I entered the nature park, there are hardly any signs or markers.

The rest of the route is fairly straightforward, a single path along the side of the mountain.

I arrive at the Plan Sec refuge a little after noon.

Refuge du Plan Sec, 2,310m

Bivouac possible (6€)

I’m happy to be able to stop at last, order an omelette, and also indulge in the blueberry tart.

As soon as I finish eating, the sky begins to cloud over, the drops start to fall and the storm approaches. I take the opportunity to take a shower. After 30 minutes/one hour, the weather improves and I pitch my tent.

Great place to spend the night, beautiful views, flat terrain, small, human-sized refuge, and very clean sanitary facilities.

Around 11pm the thunder rumbles, and the deluge begins again, lasting for hours. A second night of not really sleeping, as spending my nights above 2,300m really doesn’t suit me, and the storm continues to follow me.