This might be our last outing before the school year lets out in France, so Laura and I (while driving to the Alps) decided to go for Pointe d'Arbennes at 2460m. We couldn't reach Vallon for the normal parking because construction blocked the road, but our detour took us to Chartreuse du Reposoir, a monastery beside a lake, dating to 1151, and a beautiful surprise to start our run. First through the woods and thick, high vegetation after crossing the river, and reaching to the clearing at the Chalets Mery.
I lost the trail (same as last time) as we left the chalets, and so started straight up a grassy wall 500 meters high until we reached the saddle where we could, for the first time, see the summit, and continued on the correct route.
We arrived at the summit, and I had not warned Laura about the surprise view across to Mt. Blanc.
Time to come back down. I managed to keep us on the standard trail, which wraps behind a lower point to La Guele a Vent on a fast trail with easy footing.
We rejoined our up-route at the Chalets Mery and continued back down, pausing briefly to enjoy a look back at the monastery across the lake. 19km and 1500m+ logged for the day.
