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GR5 Part 1: Saint-Gingolph to Landry, 1–12 September 2024

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GR5 Part 1: Saint-Gingolph to Landry, 1–12 September 2024

The first section of our GR5 was a long run of hut-to-hut days from Saint-Gingolph to Landry, with a rest and resupply stop in Chamonix along the way. Over 11 hiking days, it felt like a trip of constant contrasts: heat, rain, cloud, big views, busy trails, and a few memorable wildlife sightings.

Quick Summary

We started at Saint-Gingolph and worked our way south day by day to Landry, linking refuges, crossing into Switzerland for part of the route, and joining the Tour du Mont Blanc for a busier stretch later on. Across the combined GPX track, the route covered 214.85 km with 14670.8 m of ascent.

What We Got Up To

Day 1 took us from Saint-Gingolph to Refuge de Bise in very hot weather, with cow bells all around us for most of the day. Lunch was improvised from apple on bread after finding the supermarket closed, which felt like a fitting start to a trip that was clearly going to require a bit of flexibility.

GR5 Part 1 - Day 1 photo 1
GR5 Part 1 - Day 1 photo 1 GR5 Part 1 - Day 1 photo 2 GR5 Part 1 - Day 1 photo 3 GR5 Part 1 - Day 1 photo 4 GR5 Part 1 - Day 1 photo 5 GR5 Part 1 - Day 1 photo 6 GR5 Part 1 - Day 1 photo 7 GR5 Part 1 - Day 1 photo 8 GR5 Part 1 - Day 1 photo 9 GR5 Part 1 - Day 1 photo 10 GR5 Part 1 - Day 1 photo 11 GR5 Part 1 - Day 1 photo 12 GR5 Part 1 - Day 1 photo 13 GR5 Part 1 - Day 1 photo 14 GR5 Part 1 - Day 1 photo 15 GR5 Part 1 - Day 1 photo 16

Day 2 continued from Refuge de Bise to Refuge Trébentaz, helped along by some excellent cheese made at the refuge. Day 3, from Refuge de Trébentaz to Refuge de Chésery, felt noticeably easier, with the route staying quite high and the day flowing more smoothly.

GR5 Part 1 - Day 2 photo 1
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From Refuge de Chésery to Refuge de la Golese on Day 4, the forecast looked grim, but in the end we only had about five minutes of rain. Most of the day was a really nice walk through Switzerland, and it felt like a welcome break from watching the sky too closely.

GR 5 Part 1 - Day 4 photo 1
GR 5 Part 1 - Day 4 photo 1 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 4 photo 2 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 4 photo 3 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 4 photo 4 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 4 photo 5 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 4 photo 6 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 4 photo 7 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 4 photo 8 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 4 photo 9 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 4 photo 10 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 4 photo 11 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 4 photo 12 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 4 photo 13 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 4 photo 14

Day 5 was the short drop from Refuge de la Golese to Samoëns. It was a very wet day, but we had already planned it as a shorter one, which made the timing work well for a rest.

GR 5 Part 1 - Day 5 photo 1
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From Samoëns to Refuge Alfred Wills on Day 6, things lifted again. It was the best day yet at that point, and getting our first view of Mont Blanc gave it a real sense of progress.

GR 5 Part 1 - Day 6 photo 1
GR 5 Part 1 - Day 6 photo 1 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 6 photo 2 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 6 photo 3 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 6 photo 4 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 6 photo 5 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 6 photo 6 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 6 photo 7 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 6 photo 8 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 6 photo 9 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 6 photo 10 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 6 photo 11 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 6 photo 12 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 6 photo 13 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 6 photo 14 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 6 photo 15 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 6 photo 16 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 6 photo 17 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 6 photo 18 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 6 photo 19 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 6 photo 20 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 6 photo 21 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 6 photo 22 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 6 photo 23

Day 7 carried on from Refuge Alfred Wills to Chamonix. We had an amazing sunrise, another strong day on foot, and then took the cable car down into Chamonix for a rest day and resupply.

GR 5 Part 1 - Day 7 photo 1
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After the break, we left Les Houches for Refuge de Miage on Day 8. It was quite rainy, and the trail felt much busier now that we had joined the Tour du Mont Blanc. Day 9, from Refuge de Miage to Refuge de la Balme, began in cloud, but the sun came out at lunch and gave us a much brighter afternoon.

GR 5 Part 1 - Day 8 photo 1
GR 5 Part 1 - Day 8 photo 1 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 8 photo 2 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 8 photo 3 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 8 photo 4 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 8 photo 5 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 8 photo 6 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 8 photo 7 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 8 photo 8 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 8 photo 9 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 8 photo 10 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 8 photo 11
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Day 10, from Refuge de la Balme to Refuge de Presset, was probably the standout day of the whole stretch. We started early to beat the rain, which meant a cold start but also quiet trails, and we saw loads of chamois. Then on the final day, from Refuge de Presset to Landry, the morning felt almost wintery. It made for an interesting finish, and we finally saw some ibex before the end.

GR 5 Part 1 - Day 10 photo 1
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GR 5 Part 1 - Day 11 photo 1
GR 5 Part 1 - Day 11 photo 1 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 11 photo 2 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 11 photo 3 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 11 photo 4 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 11 photo 5 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 11 photo 6 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 11 photo 7 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 11 photo 8 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 11 photo 9 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 11 photo 10 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 11 photo 11 GR 5 Part 1 - Day 11 photo 12

The photos from the whole section really show that shift in mood from day to day: hot valley starts, high refuge stops, cloud and rain around the TMB section, then colder light and a more autumnal feel by the finish in Landry.

Conditions and Gear

The main theme was how quickly conditions changed.

  • Day 1 was very hot.
  • Day 4 threatened to be soaking but mostly held off.
  • Day 5 was properly wet.
  • Day 8 was rainy again.
  • Day 9 started in cloud and improved later.
  • Day 10 began cold as we set off early to stay ahead of the rain.
  • Day 11 had a wintery start.

That mix made the usual mountain routine feel especially important: keeping waterproofs easy to reach, not assuming the forecast would play out exactly as expected, and making the most of the easier windows when they appeared. The Chamonix stop also came at a good time for a proper rest and resupply before heading into the busier next section.

Highlights and Learnings

A few things really stood out from this first part of the GR5:

  • the cow bells and heat on the opening day
  • the refuge cheese on Day 2
  • the easier high-level feel of Day 3
  • our first view of Mont Blanc on Day 6
  • sunrise before dropping to Chamonix on Day 7
  • the contrast of busy TMB trails after quieter days earlier on
  • loads of chamois on Day 10
  • finally seeing ibex on the last day

The biggest lesson was how much the feel of a long route can change from one day to the next without the overall rhythm breaking. Some days were about weather management, some were about enjoying the views, and some were just about keeping moving until the next refuge. Looking back, that variety is what made this section so satisfying.

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