Day 7: Bonneval-sur-Arc to Val d’Isère
Saturday 15 August 2026, 14.5km or 18km, 980m up, 980m down

We  were up early, trying not to disturb others in the hotel as we had breakfast and made ready to leave. Unfortunately, in this old building, the stairs were very creaky and together we made enough noise to wake the dead. Orange juice, peaches and croissants from the supermarket made a good breakfast and we had hit the road by 6.30.

First we walked the steep stone roads of the town, then the path  ascended the steep slope of the hill above the town to reach a road to the ski fields. We resented the 1km on the road winding downwards, losing us the hard won elevation gain of the previous hour.

Then it was a left turn back up another climb until we again met a road and crossed the Pont de la Neige to a point where we could choose from 2 different roads, both leading to Val d’Isere and our hotel. With the prediction of a storm at around midday, we opted for the shorter route – over the Col de l’Iseran at elevation 2764m.

Up until the Pont (bridge) de la Neige, we had enjoyed having the mountains to ourselves. At the Pont, however, there was a carpark, and here a number of hikers were setting out on the trails. The path we chose was steep but not difficult,  and we had reached the top of the Col less than 3 hours from setting out.

After a quick snack we set off on the downhill run – some along walking tracks and some along ski slopes, to arrive at the Val d’Isère before midday. We have had lunch, bought some breakfast makings and had a relaxing bath, and still there is no sign of rain.

Apart from the farm animals – chickens, ducks, cows, sheep and horses, we have only spotted marmots today. It isn’t the first time I wished we had Gary Roscoe’s eagle eyes to spot the chamois that are supposed to be in this National Park. We are told they are shy and usually only seen from a distance.