First Ever 3 Day Family Hike
Do you ever have those moments when you feel like life is just passing you by?
Years seem to pass by at an ever-increasing rate. Before I knew it I have lived in France for 8 years and I haven’t explored ½ of what I thought I would have done by now.
There lies the problem….
You think you have time!
If there are things you want to do in life, make the decision, make plans and do the things that you keep on having dreams about doing one day.
I took my husband and two kids on a 3 day pilgrimage. To disconnect from the world and reconnect with each other and with nature.
You can also see our route in the video below or read on for more detailed info plus some of my favourite beginner hiking recommendations too.
Talking like I planned and set this all up. But it was actually my husband’s idea after he decided he also needed a time out, a little more focus on his health and a break from alcohol. Do something other than just have a few drinks at the weekend which we can easily get into the habit of.
With two boys, one of which is just hitting teenage years, we had been feeling the need, not only for some adventure, to do something different. Also to reconnect with our kids who are spending way too many hours on screens and phones.
Whilst navigating social media and screen time is something we all have to learn how to parent the best we can, this mini adventure really highlighted just how much these tiny screens can transform the malleable minds of our young ones.
As we set off on our journey with limited phone signal and wanting to save battery it’s clear how impactful nature is and the ability to disconnect from the online world.
We were able to unplug, decompress, be in the moment, but seeing the kids transform into being just that, kids again. They played, relaxed and allowed themselves to engage, jump on rocks, notice bugs on the ground and just immerse themselves in the outdoors. I was pleasantly surprised at the lack of moaning, which is something that I had been mentally preparing myself for.
Walking for 6-7 hours a day, averaging around 18km a day for 3 days is no easy feat but they literally took it in their stride.
They are competitive sporting kids in both trampoline and snowboarding, so it wasn’t a question of their physical fitness but more of their mental strength to get through the walk.
No ads, no social media noise, no news, division, hate, anger – just us, the open trail, and the sound of our footsteps, birds chirping, the rustle of the wind through the trees.
I kind of noticed this almost strange shift with time It was as though time almost slowed down, where I could be immersed in some conversation, usually about something quite random or at other time, just alone in my thoughts letting them flow. So although time seemed to slow it never for one moment dragged, it just expanded.
Day 1 – Lac Mines D’or To Samoens
Day one, which I did feel like the easiest of the 3 days. The first section from Lac Mines D’or which is about a 20 minute drive from where we live and is just outside of Morzine we set out and it was mostly across or down for this first section.
We stopped for our packed lunch at Refuge De Bostan which was very kind of them to allow us to sit in, though we did buy drinks.
Then from Refuge De Bostan we continued what felt like mostly downhill to Samoens. We stopped in the middle of town for a well deserved panache (and ice creams for the kids) to celebrate the completion of day one. Only to realise that the accommodation was another 2km uphill. After sitting for a little while, it was tough to get back up and going again, though I did forget to track that extra 2km. But my watch was telling me I hit around 40k steps on that first day.
The accommodation was very basic but it did have running water for a hot shower which was very much appreciated.
Day 2 – Samoens To Refuge Alfred Wills
After a solid night’s sleep we set out for day two where we would walk from Samoens to the refuge Alfred Wills even if the first few steps did have the legs feeling a little stiff, we all soon warmed into day two.
This day started out a beautiful and fairly flat walk along the river before heading towards a gorge.
Enjoying the changing scenery along the way as each day having varying terrain and views from the day before.
After the gorge, we came to a magnificent waterfall. This was the opportunity to cool off from the 30-degree heat, eat the sandwiches that we had stocked up with from the boloungarie in Samoens and get my feet down into the ground.
Even in the heat, this water was COLD!!! Not only refreshing but a relief for the heavy feeling legs, knees and ankles.
Have you ever noticed how good it feels to walk barefoot on the earth? That’s not just a coincidence. Grounding, or “earthing,” is the practice of physically connecting with the earth’s surface. And science shows that it can have profound effects on the body.
The earth carries a natural electrical charge, and when we make contact with it—by walking barefoot, touching a tree, sitting on the grass, or immersing yourself in a river—it helps neutralise free radicals in our bodies, reducing inflammation and improving sleep.
It’s a kind of energetic reset, a reminder that we are not separate from nature, but part of it.
It was really the energetic reset that was needed as the second half of the day was about to get tough as it was up, up and more up.
It was steep, it was hot and we had to take regular mini breaks and keep the hydration topped up. I think we all ran our water and electrolyte stores up on this section.
My favourite electrolytes are Tailwind. They give complete nutrition, are all natural and don’t give you gut rot. Which of course is the last thing you need when you are out on the trail and don’t have easy access to a toilet. At times when fatigue sets because of dehydration and lost salts, they really can give you a noticeable boost and they were essential on this trip. ** Note this is not an add, sponsored or affiliate. I just really like their product.
But boy was it worth it!! When we got closer to our second bed for the night at Alfred Wills and set our eyes on the first sighting of Mont Blanc.
20.7km on day 2, 6.40 hours moving and 1250m of elevation and arriving in camp just before the sun slid down the back of the mountain.
I can’t say I am a huge fan of staying in a refuge. Sharing a room with 15 other smelly strangers means you never really get a good night sleep. But you do get fed with a 3 course meal, breakfast and a packed lunch for the following day making (costs extra) But it’s an experience and something you will remember that’s for sure. And as far as refuges go, this was a great one.
Having a wipe wash because the que for the shower was huge and paying €4 for hot water just seemed like a little too much. I used these compressed towels that I have used for Spratan races for years. They are super compact and perfect for a hike like this when you are wanting to travel light.
I decided to make use of the charging bike to try and charge up my watch a little so I could track the final day after we took the wrong leads for our batter pack, doh! Beginner error for sure. As my watch uses up a lot more battery when using the GPS on it. So having a good charging bank and the right leads is another top tip to keep your phone and watch topped up throughout the trip as there are no charging ports at the refuge as everything is run of their solar panels.
Day 3 – Alfred Wills To Chamonix
Heading into day 3 feeling good but also knowing that the end is also in sight, but also a little sad knowing that it will be over soon.
Setting out the day starting with a dip in the lake to make up for not having a shower.
Imagine a lake so fresh and cold that you can actually drink the water from it.
Then as we set off for a section of downhill whilst spotting some young marmotts playing and rolling around in the grass.
Having lived in France for 8 years and having never seen one and certainly not this close up was a real treat.
There was then a slightly disconcerting amount of downhill as we knew we would have to finish the day at the highest point. So what went down had to go back up again, and some.
Heading on keeping going with one foot in front of the other, really absorbing the vastness and stillness that surrounded us and never ceased to look up in awe at this incredible place.
We had one river pit stop before our final ascent to the top of the col du Brevent. We thought we had given ourselves plenty of time as we had fair warning from friends who had done it in the past to NOT miss the last lift down in Chamonix. The descent takes an extra 2 hours and is incredibly steep and is not fun at the end of a 3 day hike on tired and achy legs.
It was a long and uphill slog, passing a couple of Ibex (which was the second animal on my hiking bingo card ticked off) of course we needed to stop and take pictures and video’s of. Only to reach the top of the col with just over an hour to go. Only to see a sign that said it was another 45 minutes to the Brevent lift.
With slight panic setting in it was a steep scramble, with ladders, loose rocks and very shaky legs on my part. We made it to the top of the lift with just 10 minutes to spare.
Completely elated that we made it there in time and just looking back on how far we had come was an incredible feeling.
This experience has been one of the best things I have done in years and has just fulled the fire to keep on striving to have more adventure in our lives. There is a great big world out there and I want to see it.
3 days over 56km and 3507m elevation, we did it!!
After those 3 days, we all felt lighter, less distracted, and more in tune with each other and ourselves. Not just playing in nature—they were rediscovering ourselves, the mountains that we love and relishing in a few days free from the constant digital distractions.
“Your life is right now. It’s not later. It’s not in that time of retirement. It’s not when you have moved into a new house. It’s not when you get a better job. Your life is right now. You might as well decide to start enjoying your life right now, because it’s not ever going to get better than right now—until it gets better right now.”
Abaham hicks
We spend so much time waiting for the “right” moment, for everything to line up perfectly. But life is happening right now. It’s in the moments you choose to spend with your loved ones, in the decision to pause and breathe, to disconnect and reconnect in the ways that truly matter.
So, if there’s one takeaway from this adventure, it’s this: You don’t have to wait for the perfect moment to reset, to unplug, to start enjoying life. Nature is always there, waiting to ground you, to bring you back to the present. Don’t wait for “one day”—create that space today, right now.
I hope this inspires you to start dreaming about what your next adventure could be! Thanks for reading, if you made it this far, I love you!
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