On Day 9 of the Tour du Mont Blanc, the trail winds past the jaw-dropping Trient Glacier. It’s no surprise that the Swiss glacier offers magnificent views, but what about the flora and fauna in this area? Are there any interesting animals or flowers to be found? Yesterday, I decided to answer those questions and explore what this area has in store. So, I packed my bivouac bag to spend the night next to the impressive Trient Glacier. I’ve just got down from the mountains and I am so excited about all that I’ve seen, that I can’t help but write about it immediately!
Colourful flowers
At that start of the hike on the Col de la Forclaz (1527 m), I immediately admire the flora right next to the trail. Although it’s still quite early in the season (mid -June) a wide range of flowers are in full bloom. At lower elevation it’s the iconic yellow globe flowers that stand out the most, but a bit higher on the mountain it’s the violet-blue flowers of primroses that are stealing the show. To top it all up, butterflies are frolicking around in the sunshine. It’s simply stunning!
Grazing together
I soon totally forget about the beautiful wild flowers though. At an altitude of about 2100 meters the views of the Trient Glacier ask for my full attention. It’s just so breathtakingly pretty, that I decide to stop hiking. Instead I roll out my bivy bag and lay down to soak up the views. It turns out that even the glacier doesn’t hold my attention for too long. While the sun slowly sets behind the mountains, a true wildlife spectacle starts. It begins with the arrival of a single alpine ibex; he calmly starts grazing in the meadow right above me. Soon, two other ibexes join him, and shortly after two chamois add some variety to the group. When a massive alpine marmot emerges from its underground burrow, it turns into a situation I’ve never seen before: Ibex, chamois and marmot all grazing together, side by side in the same meadow. A wonderful image to fall asleep with!
Birds singing
Rain drops on my face wake me up in the morning. I quickly pack my stuff together and head back down to the Col de la Forclaz. Although I follow the exact same steep path down as I came up yesterday, it is a totally different experience. The colourful flowers from yesterday are closed, due to the rain, but the birds are singing. They’re noisy today, despite the bad weather. It’s not hard to recognize the different songs of chiffchaffs, European finches and chickadees. As I’m descending, I’m letting it all sink in, the bird sounds, the colourful flowers, the magnificent views, and of course the ibexes, chamois and marmot; three of the most iconic mammals of the Alps, all together in one spot! I just can’t believe how much flora and fauna I’ve discovered during this little trip. There is no doubt: the Trient Glacier definitely qualifies as an absolute nature highlight of the Tour du Mont Blanc!
Links to other nature highlights on the Tour du Mont Blanc
Aiguilles Rouges Nature Reserve – May 5, 2019
Lac de Goillet – April 28, 2019
Lacs des Chéserys – April 21, 2019
Links to learn more about alpine ibex, chamois and alpine marmots
Ibex or Chamois – January 14, 2019
If you step into the natural world with Simone, her passion for all living things—wild flowers to lichen, birds to mammals—can’t help but rub off on you. She’s excited to meet you on your Tour du Mont Blanc and share the amazing natural wonders in the Alps.
- The Alps: A Biodiversity Treasure Trove - December 10, 2020
- Flora in the Alps – Spotlight on the Alpenrose - June 25, 2020
- Tour du Mont Blanc Hightlight: The Contamines-Montjoie Nature Reserve - May 21, 2020