Day Four of the Tour du Mont Blanc

Rest Day in Courmayeur, a Peaceful Town in Italian Alps

Aug 8, 2009 Lyda Phillips

Courmayeur is a quiet town high in the Italian Alps and most Tour du Mont Blanc hikers choose to rest one day here.

Courmayeur in the Aosta Valley facing the Grandes Jorasses of the southern Mont Blanc massif has a resident population of 2,800. However, this popular winter and summer resort feels much larger and has a wide choice of hotels and pensions, as well as restaurants where hungry hikers can load up on pasta, pizza and more sophisticated fare.

Unlike Charmonix, Courmayeur feels homey, sedate and authentic. It doesn’t buzz with the energy of Charmonix, but after Day Three on the TMB that comes as a relief.

Hotels in Courmayeur

Courmayeur has many cozy hotels favored by TMB randonneurs. One of the most popular is Hotel Berthod, only a few blocks from the bus station at Via Mario Puchoz 11. Even closer to the bus station is Hotel Walser at Strada Margherita 8/A, but it is in a less charming location, right over the expressway that leads into the Mont Blanc Tunnel. However it does have a wonderful view of the wild south face of Mont Blanc.

Restaurants in Courmayeur

While the menu of the brassieries and cafes run to carbs, some of the more upscale restaurants offer more traditional northern Italian fare, such as polenta, wild-game and local Fontina cheese.

Farther from the bus station in the central stone-flagged squares, cafes and bars serve aperitif, coffee and ice-cream. As in most of Europe, dinner is served late and an aperitif around 7:00 pm in the historic bars in the center of town is a good way to prepare for it.

Courmayeur also provides an opportunity to bag a lunch for the next day’s hike in the groceries crowded with fruits, vegetables, sausage and cheese. The town also has wonderful craft shops and art galleries for items to ship home. And of course, Courmayeur has a number of outfitters for extra socks and bootlaces.

A Spa Day in the Italian Alps

Since 1700, thermal waters have been part of the history and traditions of the valleys of Mont Blanc, according to the Comune di Courmayeur Web site. At the spa at Pré-Saint-Didier, located about five kilometers from Courmayeur, warm water seeps up from the heart of the mountain. With a temperature of around 37°C, the waters are famous for healing rheumatic and muscular disorders, skin ailments and blood circulation problems. The spa also provides a broad range of spa treatments including a swimming pool, sauna, steam bath, and massage.

If the TMB is Too Much, Take the Cable Car to Charmonix

The rest day in Courmayeur is a chance to take stock of whether you really want to, are able to, finish the TMB. If you decide the answer is no, you can take a cable car right over the peak of Mont Blanc back to Charmonix. No harm, no blame.

For those determined to proceed, a rest day revives the body and soul for the next stage, two or three nights from Courmayeur into Switzerland and on to Champex, the next best opportunity for a rest day.

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