Pete's Blog - Week 4(b)
Pralognan is a pretty ski town and we stocked up on food at the local market. We followed the Chavière torrent up the valley, staying at the private refuge of Repojou ( good showers and wonderful food ).
As we left the next day we passed a cheese making chalet where a young woman ( Samantha ) was tending a large copper vat of the yellow curds and whey of Beaufort de Prioux cheese . She actually went to school in Somerset! We climbed on up the lovely valley to the modern refuge of Péclet-Polset ( 2474m ). The sky was blue for our final ascent through extensive snowfields to the Col de la Chavière ( 2796m ) - the highest point we would reach on our walk. The views from the col were stunning: we could see the glaciers of the Vanoise, our route ahead to Mont Thabor and also our magnificent first view of Mont Blanc from the Italian side. After a long stay at the col we dropped down, again through snow, to the Refuge de l'Orgère ( 1935m ) and a pleasant beer outside ( at last! ) in the sunshine. Cont - 4c