Travel Stories - France

Just before we arrive in the centre of the ski village "Montgenevre", which lies on the border with Italy, we get out of our lift (car) and walk to the information office. Then you know immediately that you’re in a Western tourist area; we can’t put our big bag there and a map from of the area cost 10 euro. Both answers are not really satisfying for us; we are told that maybe it’s a possibility to leave our big packs at the post office. We ask again if that’s correct because everythings stands with the possibility to put our big packs away. We can’t hike up a mountain with our packs on our backs.  

At the post office we are waiting in a short but very slow line until we hear that it is possible but that we have to be back before 12:00. They are closing early because it’s Saturday today. But that’s impossible for us because that leaves us only for 2 hours or so. We can try it at supermarket “Sherpa” next door. We walk in there and luckily here’s it’s possible. We buy some snacks fort he day and people look at us in a very strange way because we have to change, re-pack and make ourselves ready for the day-hike. At a bakery we buy bread, we fill our water bottles with fresh spring water and try to buy a map and up we go. 

On the eastern side of town we walk out of the village where a lot of ski lifts are waiting for winter-customers. I’m happy that it’s still summer; everything is built of wood. We walk past two Alpine lakes still on the road side. On the left we leave the road, up the hill, on a small path, into the mountains. It is a wide forest path through pine forests and we enjoy the beautiful weather and the wonderful fresh pine scent that comes from the trees. Everything is still fairly flat and despite the fact that the hike would take about 4 hours, if we walk fast it’s do-able in three. We arrive at a wide riverbed which is nearly dry we have a view of the entire landscape. A large Alpine meadow field with green hills on one side and on the other side more pointed, higher and more rough gray mountains with rocks and even some snow on the peaks. Again there is a cable car (which is again out of business) and suddenly we see a large marmot passing by. With a bit of whistling, the creature stops and follows us with his eyes on its hind legs. We can get close to him before he sets of again. After we have crossed the riverbed it is straight uphill. The route is well signed and we are glad we did not buy that expensive map earlier. Through a partly stone-laden path we arrive at the first ruin - this seems to have been an outpost of the Italian army. We also meet the first hikers who come back and tell us that it is going to be a pretty tough trip; the man we speak is exhausted which is not very promising

The path becomes more rocky every step we take and also steeper the more we get higher. We pass twice the glacier which currently only consists of stones and rocks and it is occasionally difficult to follow the yellow flag as there is not really a path anymore. We walk and slide back and we hear from people coming down that the hike is still three hours away, uphill. We look at each other and wonder how that’s possible – what did go wrong? Occasionally we stop to catch our breath and eat our muesli bars while we just have a few left. The view is getting better on the contrary and we see the Alpine meadow where we saw the marmot getting smaller and smaller and the number of peaks getting more intensive. We climb further and after some hours of hiking up we arrive at the saddle - a ridge where you can see France on one side and Italy on the other side. The ruins that we saw are just a bit further up the road but that is not the fort we came to see unfortunately – that one is still 500 meters higher and we can see it well from here. But that hike up is even getter more harder. We doubt whether we should have lunch here and enjoy the beautiful view over the Alps at 2674 meters altitude or continue walking up.

The wind blows and the sun burns on our faces but we have to continue to make it all-in time. We are already glad that it doesn’t pour rain like yesterday. At a first bunker, we stop for a moment and see large pieces of rusted barbed wire lying on the ground which only consists at this height of soms grass and stones. The bunker is one that once consisted of stones and is now totally destroyed. We see another one and in the distance we see one of the towers of "Chaberton"; we can see clearly but it is still far, far away. A large group of Italians comes down and tells us that it is still an hour's walk. Even more barbed wire and other pieces of iron wire is scattered over the hill and in the distance we even see people with their bikes going up and coming down. The zigzag route that we still have to make is clearly visible. We have to catch our breath and put more suncream on our faces. It is steep here and we occasionally slide back over the many stones and rocks that lie here. We pass a guard post, more barbed wire and another abandoned bunker. Another turn, and another and then a bit through the snow where it is very slippery. Eventually, after 4 hours of walking, we arrive at the plateau - and what is our surprise - dozens of Italian children are having lunch here! The plateau is slightly slanted and we now see that it is not a tower, but seven round towers built on the Italian side behind a large piece of rock. On top of the towers you can still see the metal construction that most probably contained big guns once. We descend through a large piece of rock to the lowest of three plateaus and see a number of stone army quarters now without roof and full of snow built against the Italian side, where the enemy could not see them. Unfortunately you can not go there and we decide to sit against the stone triangle that is filled with plaques in honor of soldiers and the builder take place to have lunch here.

Between large pieces of barbed wire and other metals and iron things we take place and enjoy the beautiful view - it is very clear today and because of it we can look very far. After we have eaten our bread we take a look at the barracks behind us. All are full of snow and from the door frame the ice water drips. A plateau higher up the seven towers. In one of them, the iron staircase is still intact and we climb to the roof via two small iron shelves. Here the view is even more beautiful; the snow between the rock and the towers, the mountains, the clouds and seven light gray towers an unique sight. A salient detail is that the stairs look really classic Italian again, made with style and class. From the roof we see that most people left already because it’s getting chilly and late. We are practically alone in the fort. It is only a shame that there are no cannons or information about the fort. Finally we take a look at the highest plateau - here is some informationpanels about the Alps (we are really at 3131 meters altitude) and the surrounding mountains and a large wooden cross. Since it is already four o’clock we have to go back which is a shame. 

The border pass: