Stage 6: Rifugio Walter Bonatti → La Fouly

19.6 km from Rifugio Walter Bonatti (2030 m) to La Fouly (1593 m), with 972 m of ascent and 1388 m of descent.

Walking time by fitness profile

Times computed with the RandoNav planning algorithm. Breaks not included.

On the trail

The big one: the highest point of the Tour and its longest day. The balcony continues from Bonatti past Rifugio Elena at 2055 m, under the séracs of the Pré de Bar glacier, and then turns uphill for the Grand Col Ferret at 2537 m — 500 m of open zigzag with no shelter, where the weather can be doing something quite different from the valley you left.

Over the top you are in Switzerland, and the change is immediate: the ground softens, the cowbells start, and the Swiss Val Ferret runs green and gentle below. The descent is long — 1400 m over the second half of the day, through the alpage at La Peule and down to La Fouly. Around 20 km all told. It is the day that separates a comfortable schedule from an ambitious one, and the day where an extra night at Elena or La Peule pays for itself.

Start / end

Stops along the way

These places between the endpoints let you split the stage into shorter days:

About this stage

Stage 6 links Rifugio Walter Bonatti (2030 m) with La Fouly (1593 m) over 19.6 km, climbing 972 m and descending 1388 m. This stage is in the eastern half of the Tour, after Courmayeur — the Italian balcony, Switzerland, and the Aiguilles Rouges finale above Chamonix. 8 stops punctuate the route, so you can split this stage into shorter days. Water is available at every stop on this stage. Along the way only snacks and meals are available — no full resupply until the end of the stage.