Chamonix

After visiting La Mer de Glace, we had a couple of hours free to explore the town of Chamonix, one of the oldest ski resorts in France and host for the first Winter Olympics back in 1924.

The Ultra Trail (ultramarathon) was scheduled to start the following day... we figured we'd give it a skip this year :-)

La Mer De Glace

On our 'free' day in the Alps, we went to take a closer look at the Mer de Glace (Sea of Ice), a glacier on the northern slopes of the Mont Blanc massif. The glacier is the longest in France, 7 km long and 200 m deep.

Pleasantly easy access to the glacier is via the Montenvers fenicular train, from Chamonix up to an altitude of 1913 m....

A small cable car (and 400 steps) then provides visitors with access down to a man made ice grotto that is cut into the glacier each summer....

Ice grotto

Inside the ice grotto

Inside the ice grotto

Restaurant terrace

A great spot for lunch

Views from the terrace

The glacier

Museum

Definitely worth a visit if you're ever in the Alps in summer!

Lakes and Waterfalls

Continuing with my Alpine theme...

Lac Blanc.... it was one helluva trek to get up to but well worth it!

Les Fleurs des Alpes

With my trip to the Alps planned for late summer, I had not expected to see that many flowers still out.... but given the late Spring in Europe this year, and the high altitudes we were walking at, luckily there were still plenty of pretty and unusual blossoms around.....

Had to share this pretty beetle too!

Sign in a park in Chamonix

Je Suis Retourné...

Hello!

Yes, I'm back from a fantastic week of walking in the wonderful Haute Savoie region. I've pushed myself to my limits, on steep and rocky paths...