Saturday, Sept. 5, 2025
- Start: Champex, Switzerland
- End: Trient, Switzerland
- Distance hiked: 15 km (9.3 miles)
- Bus travel: 20 km – Trient (Le Betty) to Martigny, Switzerland
- Elevation gain/loss: 7,746 vertical feet
- Today’s high point: Bovine – 6,726′ elevation
Day 7 of the Tour du Mont Blanc started with a long ascent up to today’s highest point – Bovine. Unfortunately, since it was Sunday, I wouldn’t be able to stop for coffee, as the only hut on the climb was closed. The route continued uphill to a cattle gate that reminded me of the many gates on the Arizona Trail, before dropping down to Col de la Forclaz. This is the northernmost point of the TMB circuit, and all my hiking from here forward would continue south toward France. As I continued downhill, I encountered the scariest bit yet of the TMB: a catwalk of metal grate bolted to the mountain, suspended hundreds of feet above the ground. Once I reached Trient, I had to ride a local bus 20 kilometers down to the town of Martigny because all the lodging in the tiny village of Trient (the last Swiss village on the TMB) was fully booked today.
Highlights
- I had beautiful weather today, with lots of sunshine. What a great day to hike the TMB.
- I made it to the north side of the Mont Blanc massif near the Col de la Forclaz and began hiking south toward France. It’s wild to believe I’m now 80% done with TMB.
- I made it to the bus stop in Trient with plenty of time to spare this afternoon. I was a bit worried because the bus only runs to Martigny three times a day after August 25th.
Challenges
- There were lots of rocks and cow pies to avoid on the ascent up Bovine – today’s high point
- Because of the lodging situation, today was a really short day of hiking. My body really wanted to hike more, but my only choices were 9.3 miles or 22 miles (with a climb over Col de Balme), so I erred on the easier side.
- I encountered my only money issue on the TMB today. I still had plenty of Euros on hand, but I was down to my last 10 Swiss Francs in cash. The bus fare to Martigny was 12,60 CHF, and the bus didn’t take cards (like the buses near Chamonix), so I had to beg the driver to accept my Euros.
TONIGHT’S LODGING
Martigny Boutique Hotel. Everything in the small village of Trient was booked when I planned my last-minute TMB trek, so I had to find alternate lodging. I chose to take the hour-long bus ride down the mountain to spend the night in Martigny, Switzerland. I made my hotel reservation using booking.com (cost: 150 CHF), and the hotel was just a short walk from the bus terminal and train station. The art-themed hotel offers rooms with private bathrooms, fast Wi-Fi, and a restaurant (which I didn’t get to try because it was closed for dinner on Sunday, and the early-morning bus back to Trient left before Monday’s breakfast.)
