I will describe the hike later but need to describe our experience in an aubernage. I did google the word at one point while registering for the tour but we both think we have stepped back better than 100 years, and in the words of my Texas resident roommate: "I am not a princess but seriously......"
Ignoring the definition, an aubernage, is in the reality I am living as I write this, an inn, in the middle of absolutely nowhere. Our guide described this valley as rather agricultural, so I am not sure how 14 very westernized citizens got plucked here for the tonight. We are lucky, we have rooms, with about 18 inches between the beds, a small sink, and a shelf. Our considerable luggage, after all, we are girls on an adventure hike, sits at the foot of our beds which means that we cannot both stand up in the room with beginning a game of twister. Despite the fact that both my cell phone and blackberry have been configured for international access, there is no signal to be found anyplace on the grounds. There are three donkeys to be found outside the front door but no way of letting the outside world know we are alive. Bathroom and shower is outside in separate rooms and you need to push the shower button repeatedly if you want hot water. Otherwise it turns itself off. Oh, and we get to share those facilities with about 30 strangers, including many bunked in a dorm room down the hall. Thank goodness we head to Courmayeur and 21 st century civilization tomorrow.
Now for the hike. I can officially say I have hiked a higher elevation gain than ever before, 4,318 feet. We were dropped off at a very pretty church; notre dame de la gorge. An old church built on a pilgrims site and as my sister has said when we have traveled, I have never met a war memorial or a church I did not need to investigate. This one was in the baroque style with lots of primitive art and a painting of the Austrians defeating the Turks. It also provided a welcome respite from the wind which kicked up this morning. We began our hike along a forest train over a Roman road as this town was a stop on the path from France to Rome. The ground was very steep, about a 45 degree angle and we started the climb to a remade Roman style bridge. There was a very pretty waterfall and our guide assured that the steepness would level off. We spent the entire morning climbing, sometimes along stone trails and sometimes along steep inclines.
We had been shown the pass we would take yesterday but it seemed much longer today as we kept climbing and I kept falling back. We finally summited and began slight decent for our lunch break.
Afternoon was a slight climb and a 2 hour descent-whatever did I do before walking poles!
We stopped at a mountain hut, where we watched a shepherd move a flock of sheep from one field to another. We were at a slightly higher elevation so we had a great view of the dogs rounding up the sheep into a circle, each dog with a different task before they headed to the new field. We finally ended up at the aubernage where diner was communal but not bad, leek soup, stew, potatos, and berry pie. We look forward to the ascent and descent which has us crossing the border into Italy.
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