Told you it was stupid!

Three of us are heading over to Chamonix next year, for a week, with the road bikes. We don’t intend to cycle everyday, although a day mountain biking is planned.

We also wanted to head off and bivvy up a proper mountain for a night (or 2). Was just wondering if it was allowed?

Sorry for the stupidity of the question 😳

Usual rules apply. Stop late and leave early, avoid fires, take everything out that you took in.

You should be more than an hour’s walk froma road too.

National parks there are limitations I think – maybe bivvy zones in some areas, banned in other areas. Depends on the country as well I think

Climbers do, all the time. Take warm gear though, there are glaciers for a reason.

Any opportunity to show off. On the Glacier Blanc, Ecrin Park


As unsponsored says, dusk till dawn policy, then stash your gear to collect later or carry it. Bivving is done extensively and acceptable done sensibly, it’s wild camping that’s more frowned upon, to the extent that the authorities have used helicopters to flatten the tents on the Midi Glacier.

Know that Glacier well – bivied on the Glacier Blanc a few times.

Would a one-man tent be classed as wild camping?

Thanks for the replies chaps.

If the tent is up before nightfall or after dawn then yes.

Thank you
😉

As an aside there are a few exceptions to the generally tolerant attitude in France: dangerous places with a history of abuse. If you bivvy on the banks of the Ardeche you will probably get caught (regualar patrols) and given a fine of about 80e. Mont Blanc tourist routes are another – you’ll get a bad headache if you bivvy up there anyhow.

I’ve been moved on by a pre-dawn patrol in the Ordesa parc in Spain but lots of apologising in Spanish and decamping as we spoke avoided a fine. Those slower to move had to pay up.

I bivvied my way round the Tour de Mont Blanc September 2009 no problems. It’s just how you go about it. Rolling out your Alpkit Hunka on a rock ledge adjacent to the creaking Argentiere Glacier to watch the late evening alpenglow on the surrounding peaks steeped in mountaineering history and settling down to share your crisp sarnies with cute baby bouquetin is one thing. Spreading a massive tarp and all your cooking gear out just below Chalet du Lac Blanc and partying into the night is another. Be prepared to wake up inside a thundercloud at least covered in six inches of hailstones if not frazzled like a badly barbecued sausage and watch out for the Pyrennean mountain dogs, they’re well hard and don’t take any shit.

Patous are only there to protect the sheep and as the sheep are in their pen at night they’re no problem to people bivvying. Keep away from the sheep!

Patous are only there to protect the sheep and as the sheep are in their pen at night they’re no problem to people bivvying. Keep away from the sheep!

Are Patous what those massive great sheepdogs are called then? The sheep must be in a bloody great big pen ‘cos I could hear the dogs barking and sheep bells moving around all around the shop during my recent alpine bivi (when they weren’t being muffled out by the sound of the louder cow bells)

Slugwash Flickr – September Alps Bivi

I bivvied my way round the Tour de Mont Blanc September 2009 no problems….

I tried a bivi TMB in early June 2009 but decided that the weather was too treacherous (too early in the season) to do the whole thing and rolled back down into the Chamonix Valley for a weeks mountain biking and hiking instead. I’ll be back in 2012 (September this time) to give it another go. One thing I did learn from dragging the bike and equipment up some of the steeper climbs was to not carry anymore gear than absolutely necessary. Ultralightweight next time 🙂

Not sure where we’ll be bivvying, we thought we’d just get a late cable car out of town and find a nice spot somewhere. Watch the sunset etc, some food, some wine, some sleep (hopefully), then wander back to town the next day. We’ll not being leaving anything behind, what goes up will come back down to the bin.
Repeat another day if we survive the cold/wet/thunder/big dogs!!

Or are we being silly? 😐

You’re not being silly. I sugest somewhere on le plan des Aiguilles. Not too high, not too many people around and a great view of the lights along the Chamonix valley, le Brévent and the rock spires.

Sweet, sounds like the place we’re looking for Edukator, thank you.

Also consider using the refuges scattered around the mountains. Some are free to stay in (make sure to bring a little more wood than you use and replace anything else you use) and some are staffed and will feed and water you (for payment obviously).

http://www.massif-mont-blanc.com/randonnees/plan-montenvers.php

Sorry I can’t link it, the buttons have gone AWOL again.