Col du Mont Tondu

The second day after our arrival in Courmayeur we left it for the Miage Glacier with a view to ascending Mont Blanc the next day. But again we were balked by the weather, which grew so bad towards afternoon that it would have been sheer folly to continue in the direction of a great peak. We, therefore, changed our plans and arranged to return to Chamonix via the Val de la Seigne and the Col du Mont Tondu, spending that night at a mountain inn called Les Motets. Stationed near it were several companies of the Chasseurs Alpins of the French Army, soldiers of fine appearance. One of my guides had served with them three years and he had some things of interest to relate concerning them. The inn was well filled with guests, amongst them a Frenchman and a German who, being seated at the same table, agreed to „split“ a bottle of vin ordinaire, there being no half bottles. As the Frenchman was an ex-officer, I thought the transaction not without interest.

Early on the morning of August 25 we left Les Motets for the Col du Mont Tondu, the top of which we reached in three and a half hours of easy walking. From here we looked down on the other side upon the great Tré-la-Tête Glacier, which I had never seen before. Then descending to it, we crossed it and reached Contamines three hours later. We proceeded thence to St. Gervais and Chamonix and upon arriving at the last named place had, incidentally, completed the tour of Mont Blanc.