Day 7 - July 4, 2024 (Switzerland; to Hôtel de la Forclaz, 16 km, +700 m -700 m)

Breakfast was yogurt with muesli and toppings, and bread and jam. 

We started out going down through the forest. After a couple of hours, we started up, with some fairly steep sections where the donkeys went slowly. It was probably our clearest, sunniest day yet, but not too warm - low 20s, and not humid.

We finally stopped for a late lunch on the hillside above Alpage de Bovine, a hut in an area of Valais known for its Hérens cattle, one of the smallest cattle breeds. They all wore traditional cowbells, which created a musical cacophony, especially when two of the females would fight to be "queen" of the herd - the females are known for their aggression. 

Our picnic lunch was bread, sausages, carrot and corn salad, and not quite enough of a tasty sheep's cheese. It's remarkable how the same pattern of lunch (bread, cheese, meat, salad) varied each day, particularly the variety of salads. The variety of cheese did not, of course, surprise us - we would need to stay many months longer to run out of new cheeses to try.

We summited the Col de la Forclaz mountain pass (1,527 m) not long after lunch. On our downhill stretch, Miles had a mishap when he was leading Rhubarb, who stepped on his foot. We paused for a break, and Florence whipped out her pain meds and most soothing doctor's bedside manner. Miles limped a little, but persevered through the last hour to our destination for the night, Hotel de la Forclaz. 

Rhubarb got jumpy with Mark as well at the end of the hike and almost bumped him off the path - she was scared by the sound of the cowbells from the herd by the hotel. All of the donkeys had been frightened earlier by a backpack that had been set down at the side of the path - but barking dogs and being passed closely by faster hikers never phased them - it's all a matter of what they're accustomed to.

We were in an attic room that had low windows at floor level that opened wide with no bars or screen - Miles joked about the "child safe" design. The showers had unlimited hot water, and it was glorious. Dinner was lovely - chicken (a welcome change from pork), ratatouille, very good frites, and we ordered an expensive but truly delicious bottle of red wine for the table (a chance to finally use some of my Swiss francs). There was an English-speaking tour group at the table beside us who looked like they might be an extended family (we would end up encountering them on the trail the next day multiple times). It seemed odd to hear so much English spoken - we've really been thoroughly immersed in French on this trip.

Morning sunshine on the flowers (I believe this is a lupin)

Oscar and Miles spraying water as we stop for a refill before our long ascent

Finger-sized slug

Smiles

Lush vegetation

Flowery mountain meadow - Martigny is visible in the valley to the left

Cows at pasture (we would occasionally pass through gates on the path which keep the cows enclosed)

Crowds of hikers at Alpage de Bovine

The sound of cowbells (Sébastien told us that farmers can identify individual cows from the sound of their bells)

Triumphant queen cow

Final ascent to Col de la Forclaz

The view back down to Martigny

The view behind to Alpage de Bovine

Yet another beautiful Swiss mountain meadow

Descending (as Miles would say, "We gained all that elevation for nothing?!")

Happy to be done for the day




































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