By the time we reached the tram station at Le Brevent Al was in a bad way because of the very stiff Peuterey climbing boots he had brought for the hike. They proved to be so stiff, on the hiking trails, that his feet were rebelling and demanding relief. He decided to take the tram down to Chamonix and buy some new boots and rest his very roughed up feet. Katherine and I continued hiking down through the boulders and heather to the Ref. du Bellachat where we stopped for a cold beer. On leaving the Refuge we dropped, in a series of switch backs, down the steep flank of the Aiguille de Brevent. The trail descended into patches of forest and angled around to the right to the Vouillards ravine which has a stream running through it. This was gained by several metal steps with handrails. Across the stream the path took us into the forest again and along the edge of the Parc Merlet mountain zoo. Soon we came to the turnoff for the trail leading back to Chamonix. This trail mad a long descending traverse (about 7km) through the woods and was pleasant, but after a long day of hiking, seemed never ending. It was late afternoon before we reached Chamonix where we met Al and his new boots. That night we enjoyed the last dinner we would have in Chmaonix until our return at the end of the Tour.
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- Descending from the Le Brevent tram station
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- The trail down to Refuge Bel Lachat
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- Rock garden above Refuge Bel Lachat
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- On the way down from Refuge Bel Lachat to Chamonix
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