Molins in the Mountains: Hike to the Bonatti Hut

Fuelling up before the hike

So it's been a busy few weeks, with some great trips, some great visitors, and now counting down to our departure on Tuesday. I can't believe it's been a year already, and that our French adventure is drawing to a close. I think I will have to do a post just on the things that we will miss when we're gone, but in the meantime, we are ticking off a few last 'desires' before we go. Ever since doing the TMB I've been hankering after a night at the Bonatti hut with the girls, and when Toby's sister, Sophie, came to town with cousins Ruby and Mo, and an old friend, Melissa, with her two boys, we decided to go for it.
We booked a few days ahead, and kept our fingers crossed for the weather, and we did get a gloriously sunny day for our hike up, although there was a very strong, very fresh wind blowing. Our hike back down the next day though was equally sunny, but without the wind.
It would have been far too hard for the kids to do it the way I did it (a very stiff climb to the Bertone hut and then a 2 1/2 hour traverse to the Bonatti) so instead we drove as far as we could up the valley, then did a more gentle up (we only had to go up about 400m) and then a traverse back to the Bonatti. The kids were great - they are pretty fit after their ski season.
And the hut was all it promised: lots of games, great cappuccinos, a yummy dinner and a very comfortable dorm that we had all to ourselves (which meant Sophie's two dogs, Lily and Wiley, could be in with us). Then we had a last pizza lunch down the valley in Entreves before we left Italy the next day. I do think the Val Ferret valley is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen! What a hike.