Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025
- Start: La Fouly, Switzerland
- End: Champex, Switzerland
- Distance hiked: 17 km (10.6 miles)
- Elevation gain/loss: 6,851 vertical feet
- Today’s high point: Col de Champex – 4,975′ elevation
Day 6 of the Tour Du Mont Blanc was one of the easier days of this hike. The majority of the morning was spent descending a nicely groomed trail or passing through several charming Swiss villages. I stopped for coffee in Les Arlaches, before the big climb, but decided it was still too early to eat lunch at 11:30. This would turn out to be a mistake because all the restaurants were double the price when I got to Champex-Lac a few hours later (and the village’s grocery store is closed from 12:00 to 15:00 daily). During the steep ascent toward Champex-Lac, the trail was lined with some interesting wooden sculptures, and I took a little detour into a small cave just off the trail. As the afternoon warmed up, I enjoyed a walk around the clear lake, then ate a late lunch at a restaurant where the menu prices were shockingly high, even for Switzerland. However, I couldn’t be too bitter because the hospitality at Chalet La Grange this evening would make Champex-Lac my favorite stay on the entire TMB!
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Today was a super easy day of hiking. The distance was short, and the first half of the trek was almost entirely downhill. It was like walking the Camino in Switzerland.
- The TMB went through several quaint Swiss villages today, and I loved sitting in the sunshine on the banks of Champex Lac after lunch.
- Tonight’s B&B was absolutely wonderful. It was cozy, modern, and the food was just superb. I loved watching Delphine work in the open kitchen as she made a giant stone-fruit-and-berry tart for dessert.
CHALLENGES:
- The terrain was more exposed and less forested today, which meant fewer discreet places to head off-trail when your bladder comes calling after multiple cups of coffee.
- Just before the big climb to Champex Lac, I stopped for a quick coffee (and bathroom break) in a small restaurant in the village of Les Arlaches. In hindsight, I wish I’d ordered lunch there, too. The food looked great, and it was much cheaper than at any of the restaurants in Champex-Lac.
- The grocery store in Champex closes from 12:15 to 15:00, leaving many budget-conscious hikers in a lurch. Be forewarned, the restaurants in Champex only offer very pricey lunchtime fare, with meals easily costing upwards of CHF 40 ($50!)
TONIGHT’S LODGING
Chalet La Grange. Tonight’s stay was my favorite on the entire TMB. A husband-and-wife team runs the chalet, and it’s the perfect blend of a bed-and-breakfast and a hiker’s gîte. I booked my reservation on Montourdumontblanc (cost: 85 CHF), which included a bunk in the 8-person room, showers, wifi, a fantastic garden to relax in, and delicious breakfast and dinner meals. The location is just outside Champex-Lac, which made for a quiet, relaxed experience. The chalet is limited to 12 guests, making it feel like a cozy group adventure on this busy European trail. The hosts, Daniel and Delphine, were so welcoming and lovely, and the food was utterly fantastic. My sole regret was that I didn’t have Delphine make me a sack lunch for my departure. The food was THAT good.
