A Great Hike up to the Col du Rocher Blanc . . . and on the other side of the col.
The Col is on the Italian border, and the Italians have their fair share of spectacular scenery too! It always amazes me how each valley is so different and has its own characteristics. On my map, the Italian side is labelled as Vallée du Rocher Blanc but I think that is because it’s a French IGN map. On the ground, it is much steeper on this side of the col, giving the effect that the valley floor has been cut deeper into the earth.
My lunchtime destination was the Rifugio Bezzi, (lead photo), at 5 km and some 600m below the Col. On the way, you can see the valley split and the photo below is looking to your left and north, a valley running parallel to the national border.
The path is evident and clearly marked, and a young family coming towards me were very happy with the night they had just spent at the Rifugio Bezzi. The children were particularly excited to tell me all about it, and the parents seemed delighted to have got a room for four people to themselves.
There were still one or two patches of winter snow at the top and the air smelt super clean and fresh. Breathing this clear mountain air and taking in the spectacular views makes you feel on top of the world! The trail descends towards the refuge at a comfortable rate, but it is quite steep across the path and poles make a useful contribution to the feeling of balance.
Yellow arrows have been painted to rocks along the way, in this photo pointing back up to the top of the Col.
Refugio Bezzi is nestled by a fast flowing mountain stream well off the beaten track, and only accessible after a good hike from lower down in Italy or after crossing the Col from France. The guardians are very friendly, speak French, English and Italian, and cook very tasty, rustic Italian dishes to refuel hungry hikers. I couldn’t resist a big bowl of polenta with a side of mushrooms, which I imagined had been picked by the great chef Carluccio himself.
I skipped dessert as I was making the return trip home, and going to treat myself to some cheese from the fromage shop in Le Monal on the way. Some fellow hikers were hanging around for a longer lunch with pudding and to take in the scenery, before enjoying an evening meal and taking refuge overnight in this most welcoming of mountain retreats.
Thankfully, when I arrived at the cheese shop, they hadn’t run out!
Please be mindful that it can get very hot under the mountain sun at altitude, so remember to take plenty of water, sun screen and a big hat, especially when setting out on a longer hike or run. And here’s my top tip on keeping cool and refreshed:
Top trail running tip: (also works for hikers). When you’re hiking in the mountains, and you see a cool mountain stream full of refreshingly, cold water, walk into it and either standing, kneeling down or sitting in it (calves and thighs in the water), stay there for as long as you can! When you get out, you will feel totally reinvigorated and your recharged leg muscles will have many more kilometres in them! I promise you, this is the very best way to take an ice bath.
Read other articles about Sainte Foy on the Time to Ski blog page
