Chamonix
Impressions-
We loved Chamonix! The town itself is a very "European" ski town and has a nice pedestrian promenade to wander. Flowers are in abundance as are outdoor cafes and bars. The whole place just has a nice homey feel to it. There is so much to do in the mountains around town and that is the real draw to this amazing place. We had grand plans to do some of the high altitude hikes in the area (in particular, Lac Blanc) but we were about two weeks early and the trails were still deep in snow. Oh well...Plan B. We still found much to do as you'll see below. Having the MultiPass meant virtually unlimited access to the area's lifts and we certainly got our money's worth!
Plan Praz & Le Brevent? Yes. La Flegere & Index? Yes. Aiguille du Midi? Yes. Train to Montenvers? Yes. Back up Plan Praz? Yes. We'd come back and do it all again!
Plan Praz & Le Brevent? Yes. La Flegere & Index? Yes. Aiguille du Midi? Yes. Train to Montenvers? Yes. Back up Plan Praz? Yes. We'd come back and do it all again!
These are a few of my favorite things...
Hiking the Grand Balcon Sud- We were at La Flegere lift when it opened to get an early start to the day (afternoon thunderstorms and clouds predicted again). Starting at this end meant that we would be looking toward Mont Blanc throughout the hike ending at Plan Praz. This trail is on the opposite side of the valley from the Mont Blanc Massif and the views were incredible! The overall elevation change from start to finish is not great, but there are a lot of ups and downs in between so we took our time and enjoyed the almost overwhelming scenery. From Plan Praz, we took the Brevent gondola to the top and had a nice lunch looking across at Mont Blanc and the Glacier des Bossons. A great morning and we would definitely do this one again (adding Lac Blanc onto the front end and quite possibly, a Paraglider onto the back-end!). Edelweiss...Edelweiss...Every morning you greet me...
Mer de Glace- We rode the cogwheel Train du Montenvers to this beautiful glacier and took a while to enjoy the view before descending via lift and many, many, stairs to the entrance to the Ice Caves. It is a surreal feeling to know that you're walking inside of a constantly moving river of ice! As you exit the cave, the realization hits that you must now go back up all those stairs.
Aiguille du Midi- This is a must do. The views from the top are unmatched...anywhere. Go early. You won't avoid all of the lines, but things tend to get cloudy in the afternoon. Wear plenty of layers. You'll be at 12,600 ft and it is very cold. At the top you'll be able to look across to the summit of Mont Blanc and watch climbers making their ascent. If it is clear, you'll be able to look into Switzerland to see the Matterhorn. You'll see adventurers leaving through the ice tunnel to begin their day of climbing or skiing. You may see base jumpers in their flying-squirrel suits and you may step into the void...
Panoramic Mont-Blanc- This was not included in the Multipass but definitely worth the extra expense. The feeling of flying quietly over the glaciers with incredible views in every direction was unlike anything we'd imagined. If it is clear, DO THIS!
You should know...
- Chamonix info and Webcams
- Restaurant Recommendation: To be honest, we didn't eat anywhere that we'd recommend. But we tried Pelforth Radler Beer at one of the sidewalk cafes. Light and refreshing!
- Photo tip: If you go on the Panoramic Mont Blanc to Helbronner Point (and you should if it is clear) open the windows so your photos won't have reflections. It's cold, but do it anyway.
- The Chamonix Multipass is a big money/time saver. Unlimited access to the lifts, trains and buses!
- WOW! The Panoramic Mont Blanc. Gliding quietly over the glaciers is surreal!