We had a very peaceful night where thousands have slept safely before after far more trying ascents. We get jam and bread and coffee at 8am and start our descent. The statue of St Bernard who founded the rescue abbey on the pass on the edge of the lake shows against the light of the rising sun on the mountains to the west. We start down there are snow patches even now where the route is tricky in summer shoes and lower down a not easy footpath. But we descend again through the high alpine meadows surrounded by mountains past numerous little streams feeding the rivers in the valley. We are crossed by several local parties of walkers coming up to escape the heat in the valley and eventually end in Etroubles. A place with a name that may resonate with many UK people. We have a pizza there at a reasonable price. No more excess Swiss prices and continue down though forests following irrigation channels on the path 103. These eventually lead us to Gignod and a good café and little store with a campsite that has seen better days but is very welcome.
Tomorrow we head back into expensiveland to go home from Geneva. More posts next Spring.
Well done reaching Italy without elephant! Look forward to the instalments next Spring!