Les Alpes: Chamonix and Mont Blanc

Peter and I decided to end our French driving tour the same way we did last year, in the world famous French Alps. This time, though, we planned to stay 4 days so that we could take advantage of all that the area has to offer.
We took 2 big hikes. Here are some pictures from the first one. It was a great hike because the entire day we were presented with the most amazing views of Mt. Blanc, the tallest peak in the Alps.



The wild flowers were in full bloom and made even more beautiful against the blue skies.

Here is Mont Blanc in the clear blue mountain air.

From across the valley, the summit seemed so close, but actually we were so far away that our camera zoom couldn't even capture the climb teams that were summiting that day.



We ate lunch with an amazing view of L'Aiguille du Midi, which is the starting point for most mountaineering expiditions to summit Mt. Blanc (quite a feat considering it is 15,771 feet). We would visit "Midi" later in the trip.

Million dollar view with a 3 Euro sandwich. That's what I call living!


After lunch, we decided to take advantage of the rare sunny clear afternoon and take the gondola up to l'Aguille that we had been admiring from our picnic.
Here is Peter in the cable car on the way up. It wasn't a fun ride because they stuff around 60 people into the same car and some of them are loaded down with mountaineering gear and you feel dizzy from the fast elevation change (when you arrive at the top, you are 12,600 ft.) and the sheer height of where you are going as compared to where you just left.

I should actually clarify that it requires two separate gondola rides to get to the top. So here I am waiting for the second one. Mt. Blanc is behind me.

Finally, after over an hour of lines and 2 very claustrophobique/panic-inducing gondola rides, we arrive at what feels like the top of the world.

I will have to admit, being up this high really has a different feeling. Even in August the temperature doesn't get above 32F and the thin air is very noticable to those of us who spend out time around sea level.

I even felt a little giddy from the lack of oxygen and wanted to dance a few steps of the "Halfway to Heaven Tango."




One of the coolest parts of being at the top was watching the hikers who were out on the glaciers, trudging their way to the summit of the tallest peak in the Alps (Mont Blanc).



This is the ice cave inside L'Aiguille du Midi where all climbers and skiers exit to start their adventure. We loved watching them put on their cramp-ons and packs and take their first steps onto the snow. It was a rush just watching.


Stay tuned for more hiking and our walk inside a glacier.