TMB Stage 5 - La Fodze - Courmayeur - Lavachey

I have done the complete Tour de Mont Blanc anti clockwise in ten stages. All ten stages are named “TMB Stage x – From - To” if you are interested in all of them.
Day 1. Charmonix – Bionnassay
Day 2. Bionnassay – Nant Borrand
Day 3. Nant Borrand – Les Chapieux
Day 4. Les Chapieux – La Fodze
Day 5. La Fodze – Courmayeur - Lavachey
Day 6. Lavachey – Ferret
Day 7. Ferret – Val D’Arpette
Day 8. Val D’Arpette – Trient
Day 9. Trient – Le Tour
Day 10. Le Tour – Chamonix

Another long day with much altitude gain. We walked the small road down to Chapel Notre Dame de la Guerison. about 3 kms from the albergue, where we too ka shuttle bus to Courmayeur. This part is along a road not suitable for Walking and the only exciting to see is the entrance Point for the Mont Blanc tunnel.
From the main square in Courmayeur walk up to the Church and t ake the road going up to Villair Superieur and aim for Refuge Bertone. Here you haver an alternative for a longer day by taking right on an alternative route, or follow the ordinary TMB to Leuchey.
At the ruins of Leuchey you have Another alternative going down to the valley floor, with is an easier route, or continue on TMB.
Refuge Walter Bonatti is the meeting Point between TMB and the alternative route. After a long descend you come to Another refuge and a comping - don't miss to turn right over the bridge (there is a signpost, but not very well visible from this direction) and start the ascend to Refuge Elena. We chose the road in front of the trail - mainly because of lack of time at that point.
Elena is a geat refuge - except from some of the staff that you cannot blame to be service minded.