Alps White Water Holiday – France 2026 – Thursday Day 06 Glacier Blanc

2026 08 06 Glacier Blanc

9 of the group woke early to beat the hot temperatures and walk up from the Pré de Madame Carle car park (approx. 1,874 meters) to the Refuge du Glacier Blanc (2,542 meters). We took our time and headed northeast/northwest across the flat glacial bowl, crossing footbridges over the Torrent de la Momie and the Glacier Noir meltwater stream.

We followed the well-worn, polished rock mounds until we reached a clearly signed split in the path. We took the right fork heading for the Glacier Blanc (the left path leads toward the Glacier Noir).

Here the path steepened to ascend a series of well-graded zigzags and stone steps up the side of the valley. Once at the footbridge over the Glacier Blanc torrent, we took the annual photograph to document the retreat of the glacier since 2008 when we first trekked up the trail. It has now become a tradition, only missing out during Covid when no international travel was allowed.

We followed the path up the rocky hillside past the historic, older Tuckett Refuge site. From here we crossed the snow-melt streams of the cauldren and continued up the final slope into the high mountain hanging valley where the Refuge du Glacier Blanc (2,542 meters) sits proudly overlooking the glacier and surrounding peaks like Pic Sans Nom and Mont Pelvoux. Walking trips in the high mountains are measured in height gain and time rather than horizontal distance.

After enjoying a relaxing lunch break and cold mountain spring water from the fountain outside the hut, we descended back down our route in significantly less time. Late in the afternoon heat, we still passed many people starting their climb up the steep south-facing hillside. We were really glad we had made the effort with an early start.

On reaching the Pré de Madame Carle car park, we enjoyed a cold drink in the shade beneath the tall trees and cafes’ sun shades.