26th. August, St.Oyen – St.Rhemy, 1600m – La Cantine d’Aoste, 2263m (lunch) (ca 3 h.) – Grand St.Bernhard, 2473m (Total 4 h.)

We had mostly good weather for six days but this changed dramatically soon after we left St.Oyen and St.Remy so that we sought refuge in the Cantine d’Aoste. This unattractive but historic building on the South side of the Grand St.Bernard pass was supposedly visited by Napoleon before his battle with the Italian army. It now offers some accommodation and refreshments and we were kindly given a sumptuous meal by the lady owner. After which in view of the snowfall higher up the pass we abandoned our plans to walk any further. The final day would have taken us via the Fenêtre de Ferret (2698m) back into the Val de Ferrett in Switzerland. There one joins part of the Tour du Mont Blanc which we completed much later in 2014.