Written by: Veronica Dawson
I am a college professor and an experienced mountain runner from Northern California. I used to say that I never win at raffles and online drawings, but I can’t say that anymore. This spring, I won a spot at an all-women mountain running camp with the company Run the Alps, guided by Paradis Sport-sponsored professional runner Meg Mackenzie and one other guide. It was a trip of a lifetime and I would like to share a little of the magic with the Paradis Sport family.
Veronica with with Meg Mackenzie, first day above Courmayeur
Due to a previously scheduled academic conference in Australia, I had to alter the camp schedule and leave a day early. I could go to France a few days early, however, and explore trails on my own, so this is what I did. Planning a trip and traveling alone is something I have always enjoyed. Still, I fought any raising uncertainty about where to run by my lonesome by letting Stephanie Lefferts, an organizer extraordinaire from Run the Alps, arrange shuttles and send trail maps.
Meg Mackenzie, whose email I had from Paradis Sport, provided trail running
ideas and invited me to come to a speaking event she was doing at the Chamonix Mountain Running Festival. At the fest, I met some of the other Run the Alps staff. Those first few days in Chamonix, I thrived on fest activities (for example, I took a steep running clinic), exploratory runs in the early June rain, French pastries for breakfast after, a cable car ride up to the pointy Aiguille du Midi, and dinners of stinky cheese, sausage, and delicious wine. This was the life, and I wasn’t sure it could get any better. Although, having other women to run with and a guide who would know about longer beautiful trails in the area would be nice too.
Chamonix running with Cham Run Fest. Photo credit: A runner at the Fest)
On day 4, I met our French guide, Marion Giraud, Meg, and the other 4 women runners. We made our way to sunny Courmayeur, the tiny Italian village at the base of Mont-Blanc, the highest peak in Europe, where our running adventure was set to begin the next day. After a delightful Italian dinner, everyone hurried to their hotel rooms to prep for tomorrow. I could sense the excitement and perhaps, intimidation, among some of the women. Everyone had some trail running/ hiking experience, but our comfort and training levels differed quite a bit. The higher mountain trails were still covered in snow that we could see from our cozy little town, and although we weren’t planning to go as high, the massive glaciers and expansive vistas were the definition of sublime, inciting both awe and fear.
Courmayeur from above. Photo credit: Veronica Dawson
All hotels booked by Run the Alps offer a fantastic breakfast, which help runners fuel for the trail ahead. Running snacks for the day are also included (major trip revelation: gummy candy mixed with peanut M&Ms-thanks, Marion!). That day, we got 10 miles into the picturesque Val Ferret, and ran our way back to town along the Tour de Mont-Blanc trail. In this relatively short distance, we stopped at two mountain huts-admired the first and got lunch/coffee/sweets at the second. The views the whole time were nothing short of spectacular!
Val Ferret w/ trail. Photo credit: Veronica Dawson
The Alps and France in particular, have been experiencing a very wet and cool spring and summer. All of my lone runs in Chamonix were in the rain. Courmayeur had offered a beautiful respite from the weather (the village is only on the other side of Mont-Blanc, 30 minutes from Chamonix through the tunnel under the mountain), but when we headed back to France as a group for our second long run, Chamonix greeted us with cool low clouds and fog. Rain was threatening again. Nevertheless, we were here to run the mountains and most of us had no hesitation about sticking to the plan. Those who didn’t want to join, were accommodated with alternative plans (so cool that Run the Alps does this and plans for every eventuality). Our run was through the striking ridgeline of Aiguillette des Posettes. Today, we were also joined by a professional photographer!
Posettes. Photo credit: Gaby/ Run the Alps
Our run on the Posettes ridge line would have been absolutely stunning were it not for the low clouds. We managed to see glimpses of craggy peaks jutting up from the valley every once in a while-even Mont-Blanc appeared a couple of times from its hiding place in the clouds, but overall-the morning remained gloomy in weather, but festive in spirit. We were so happy to be here! A well-known plus to hiking or running in the Alps are the cozy and well-stocked mountain huts, peppered around the mountains. You only need to go about 5 miles in any direction to find a hut perched on a high mountain pass-festooned with colorful flower pots and offering a warm drink-the huts are quintessential alpine convenience. The Posettes run hut was in Switzerland and it offered a welcome reprieve from the cold wind! It is not uncommon when traversing these trails to bop in and out of France, Italy, and Switzerland, which in this corner of the world sit very close together. Hence, why one should always carry a form of identification! (There are no border crossings, but Run the Alps will tell you that a passport in your backpack is a must.)
Swiss hut at Col de Balme. Photo credit: Gaby/ Run the Alps
The rest of our running was scheduled to remain in Chamonix, which is world-famous for all sorts of mountain pursuits and hosts Europe’s most famous ultra running event, the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc. One of our women runners was training for the 100 miler and had come to the camp because it utilized the same trails. The conditions for our run to the Loriaz Refuge were fabulous! We all got one day of great weather in the Chamonix valley and this was it-brilliant sunshine and warm temps to enjoy. The next day, when I was leaving and the group was scheduled to climb the famous VK (vertical kilometer course) under the Le Brevent gondola, was going to be stormy again. There were several cool things about my final run in the Alps. As mentioned, the weather was for once, great. We also got to the start of our run by train. The public transportation options in Europe, and even in this tiny valley deep in the mountains, are to be envied. Our run started with a visit to an enormous and boisterous cascade. I had run to a similar waterfall during a solo day in Chamonix, but this one was on a grand scale-it even had a via ferrata (steel ropes drilled into the rock for climbing) around it! Of course, there was a mountain café (duh!) and a historic cave, used by French outlaws not too long ago.
Our group in Loriaz. Photo credit: Veronica Dawson
As we kept climbing toward Loriaz, an enormous valley opened up and with it, the entire Mont-Blanc Massive glistened in the bright sunshine. The views in all directions were jaw dropping. At the hut, which surprisingly was still closed-with the cold and wet spring, summer was slow to arrive, we took some group photos and cruised back down to our starting point for cappuccinos. Because nobody wanted this run to be over, Marion suggested that we run to a nature center down-valley at the Col de Montets, and learn more about the special alpine environment we had been exploring. After an educational break, we kept running to the fantastic L’Al’pain bakery in Argentiere, for lunch. Personally, I love running to specific everyday objectives-hence, I often literally run my errands. Eating French pastries in an alpine bakery makes an excellent everyday objective in my book.
Loriaz. Photo credit: Marije Oudehergelink
Scheduled to leave the next day, and miss the final VK climb and afternoon at the spa, the group wanted to send me off well, so Marion booked dinner at a Chamonix staple-Josephine. Years ago, my husband and I had come here during our honeymoon! Meg and her friend, pro-mountain athlete Hillary Gerardi, joined us at dinner, which made for fun conversation about big mountain objectives, sharing local food and wine. After saying our goodbyes, I walked through
the town center one last time. I had had a week of fabulous trails, women connection, mountains connection, and time spent adventuring on my own. I think that Marie Paradis would approve.
Mont Blanc from the Aiguille du Midi. Photo credit: Veronica Dawson
