Day 6 - Refuge Entre le Lac to Roc de la Peche

Distance: 42km, Ascent: 2060m, Descent: 2280m, Time: 11h50

GR5 - Day 6

A simple breakfast at Refuge Entre le Lac at 6am, and then away by 6:23am as the gardien was filling pails of fresh milk from his cows. Today's stage passed right through the heart of the Vanoise National Park taking in some fantastic mountain scenery. The going was pretty straightforward as far as the Col de la Vanoise, but on the descent to Pralognan the sky turned black and it looked like we were in for a soaking. The rain showers passed, and in Pralognan I hurried to restock supplies and have a quick picnic before promptly heading out of town in the wrong direction.

It took my brain some convincing to follow the compass and head out of town in what felt like the same direction I'd come in. But eventually I found the track leading towards Les Prioux. And just in time for it to start absolutely pouring down with cold rain. I put my Goretex jacket on, but couldn't be bothered with overtrousers. The next section was along a water-logged forest track.

 A few criss-crossings of the river, and eventually I was on the final climb up to Refuge Roc de la Peche. By this time the rain was really battering down and I was completely soaked and cold, so I was relieved to arrive and discover they had space, albeit a shared room with a French guy and his young daughter. That evening I had a good social meal with 2 Swiss couples from Brig who were hiking the Tour de la Vanoise.


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Stage 6 - Refuge Entre le Lac to Roc de la Peche