Chamonix, Mont Blanc - Day Three

June 16, 2012

Today is hiking day J  Our Rick Steves' France guidebook told to take the bus to the next town and take the chairlift up and hike back along the ridge and take the chairlift at this end back down.  As we explored the valley last night, we saw a sign that said the next town was a 45 minute walk.  So this morning we set off for a nice walk along the river.  As we were walking along, we saw some rafters going through town.  You’ve just gotta love the views those rafting trips have…

It seems as though everything is very well maintained in Chamonix.  Everything seemed really clean and well cared for.  A lovely morning walk…

When we reached Les Praz, we took the gondola up to La Flegere, 6,158 feet.  

This is where the hike begins.

 However, before we began the hike, we decided to take the chairlift to the top of the mountain.  Jason is still not so sure about going up these things…

Once at the top, we had a great time exploring…

Then we took the lift back down…

And walked down to the trailhead.

We set off on a great trail…

With interesting twists and turns…

We’re going to cross that???

Danika leads the way… 

How awesome is this?

My mountain man…

This is supposed to be a two hour hike, so we stopped for a little break.

Danika wanted to taste the water.  She said it tasted like honey…

We just came from there…

The red dots mark the trail…

We did a few skree runs…

Isn’t this just amazing?   I still think it is unreal.

I let everyone go ahead because I’m about to bust out singing “The Hills are Alive, with the Sound of Music”.

Then it started a really long uphill.  The kids and I were really tired.  It was turning out to be a two and a half hour hike and the last half of it was in full sunlight with no shade spots.  It is about noon, so we are tired and hungry.   Fortunately we had plenty of water.  But, our energy was waning, so David forged ahead.

Finally we made it, and it was time for lunch.  Let’s be serious now, for me it is ALWAYS all about the food.  And did I mention that I was starving???  So we end up at the most awesome place for a most awesome meal of ham and cheese baguettes.  Some really happy campers…

Can you believe the view of Mont Blanc?

After lunch we decided to take the gondola to the top of this mountain, Le Brevent, 8,284 feet,  before going back down to Chamonix.

More spectacular views…

Could this one be the Christmas picture?

Trying to learn the names of all the peaks…

Jason teaching me a thing or two, or three or four or five…

We checked the whole place out.

Then we headed back down to Chamonix for yet another view of Mont Blanc.  It was ever changing with all of the different cloud formations.

We were so tuckered out, it was all we could do to get back and fall into bed. G’night…

~Mary