THE ALPS: Stage 2 of the European Trip

Chamonix, also known as Chamonix-Mont Blanc, is the French city that hosted the first-ever Winter Olympics, and is known for Europe’s tallest mountain (15,777 ft). From atop the summit of Mont Blanc, one can see into Italy and Switzerland, each with stark needle-like peaks and breathtaking views that define the Alps. This area is a winter wonderland and a hikers’ mecca. Spectacular vistas draw visitors from all over the world and the town has a vibe familiar to ski areas around the world, with gingerbread trimmed chalets and A-frames. After a 4-hour bus trip from Milan, Chamonix seemed a world apart from the “old world” Italy we had experienced for the previous 10 days.

Instead of ascending creaky towers to look down on bustling piazzas or twisty, narrow streets, we spent our days in Chamonix hiking ever upward to majestic natural scenery that begged repeated camera shots. We rode lifts and hiked to dizzying heights, peered inside a receding glacier, trekked to waterfalls and Alpine lakes, climbed into snow fields and even tried paragliding high above the town. Incredibly, each day was more fantastic the one before.

We also saw the Olympic Torch paraded through town and spied some of the finishers of the Mont Blanc Marathon.

[NOTE: We packed a separate suitcase for the week in Chamonix, one with serious hiking boots, trekking poles, a first aid kit and winter layers, all of which were uncalled for in sunny Italy.]

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CHAMONIX _{(click here for additional photos)}

In addition to the staggeringly beautiful mountain views, everything else about Chamonix came as a pleasant surprise. We had seen pictures of the chalet John Hula rented for our group, but we did not realize just how perfect it would be until we arrived. It was super comfortable and easily managed the practical needs and privacy of 13 adults. Its location was ideal; we ended up walking to many of our trailheads, gondola rides and most stores or cafes we visited.

We shared cooking and cleaning chores, save for Saturday, our first night in Chamonix. Since we all arrived at different times, the practical solution was for us to hire local chefs to prepare our initial meal. The kitchen was fully equipped and the automatic espresso/cappuccino/latte machine got a thorough workout all week. We usually had breakfast and dinner in the house and caught lunch on the trail or in town. The bedrooms were quiet and dark so sleeping came easily….

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AIGUILLE DU MIDI _{[click here for additional photos]}

On our first full day in Chamonix, our group opted to travel by gondola to the snowbound summit of Aiguille du Midi (12,605 ft), a prominent peak in the Mont Blanc massif. This was an eye-opener for many of us, who had never experienced this elevation before nor had seen such a majestic Alpine landscape.

It required two gondolas to reach the top. We started from an overcast gondola station, rode upward, piercing the clouds, then emerged in a magnificent scene typically reserved for calendars and movies. We shared the lift with serious climbers and skiers who want to begin their journeys at altitude….

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MER DE GLACE _{[click here for additional photos]}

The group consensus on our second day in Chamonix was that we should journey to Mer de Glace to experience a first-hand look at a receding glacier. We had been looking up from our chalet towards Mt. Blanc and seeing what we thought was a glacier, but none of us could fully grasp the enormity of this endangered geological feature until we had the opportunity to actually visit one.

To get to the glacier we took a cog railway up to a vantage point above the Mer de Glace and then a gondola down to the edge of the glacier, where a tunnel had been dug expressly for tourists. Because of the melting of the glacier, workmen had already started digging a second tunnel for next year’s visitors….

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CASCADE DU DARD _{[click here for additional photos]}

After a steep trek down from Mer de Glace, not everyone was eager for another hike on the third day. Most of our group took the train to visit a nearby town, but Jani and I joined John and Mary Lynn Hula for a hike to a nearby waterfall named Cascade du Dard. We walked to the trailhead and climbed a well-marked trail upward in search of the fabled waterfall….

The hike up was of moderate difficulty, reminiscent of some of our Connecticut woodland trails. There were no blazes, but the footpath was easy to follow. The intermittent signage was clear and helpful….

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COURMAYEUR (Vanoise National Park) _{[click here for additional photos]}

We engaged a professional guide, Nadia, to help select the routes for our final two hikes. After meeting across the border, in the Italian town of Courmayeur, we proceeded to a nearby National Park for an exciting trek to Val Veny, a lateral valley of the Mt. Blanc massif. (It was formed by two glaciers: the Miage Glacier and the Brenva Glacier.

We hiked up a road past Alpine meadows and streams swollen with melting snow pack. This was a more difficult hike than we had done previously, but the ever-changing dramatic views made it worth the effort. We reached a refuge (cafe/hut) , stopped for some refreshment, and spotted some mountain goats for the first time. Mary Lynn managed a wonderful photo (below) of two of them, before we pushed on to the off-road trail and our goal ….

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LAC BLANC (Réserve Naturelle des Aiguilles Rouges)

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Our final day of hiking proved to be the most arduous, but with the most stunningly visual dividends. After a gondola ride above tree line at Flégère, we followed a gravel and loose stone path upward , all the time with epic mountain views across the valley towards the Mont Blanc side. This was one of those unrelenting climbs with many switchbacks and even more “false summits”. It seemed like there was always more to climb, even after the trail meandered into snow fields. Finally, we reached the refuge (cafe/hut) for a welcome meal and well-deserved rest….

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PARAGLIDING _{[click here for additional photos]}

On Friday, our sixth day in Chamonix, we took another gondola ride above the tree line to Planpraz (6000 ft), but for a much different purpose. I had decided to try paragliding and Jani accompanied me to record the setup and takeoff. We were joined by other members of our group, Liz and Joe. Liz took one of the videos of my takeoff and Joe took the paraglide ride as well. (Maria D. took the video of my landing which can be seen on the additional photos page.)

I am not sure I have the words to describe how wondrous the paragliding experience was for me ….

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GENEVA _{[click here for additional photos]}

We took a bus to Geneva, Switzerland on the Saturday we left Chamonix, planning to spend a night there before we flew back to the USA the following day. Unlike our Italy trip, we had done no research about Geneva and did not know what to expect.

We found our room, which was teeny, but overlooked the Rhône, then did an initial walkabout to see if we could get a feel for the city. We were unimpressed by what we saw. Geneva, with its broad boulevards, lined with elegant-looking hotels and buildings that displayed the names of business giants and watch manufacturers seemed very corporate and sterile. But before we left for the airport, we learned that first impressions are not always accurate ….

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