Going Alpine
In August of 2016, we headed off for a proper summer break in the French Alps, basing ourselves in the spectacular town of Chamonix. No big itinerary, just mountains, fresh air, and the kind of scenery that makes you stop mid-sentence. This one was a full family outing: the four of us packed into the car for the week. We found some big mountains, cable cars, and cross-border detours. A bit of a trek, but the payoff? Immense.
A Place to Stay
We lucked out with our accomodation choice. It was a tidy and quite large apartment right in the heart of Chamonix. That meant easy strolls to bakeries and restaurants, but also meant a faff with parking, as we had to park in a public park a few hundred metres away. The flat was cosy, central, and a good size for the four of us. After long days out, having a proper base to crash in made a difference.
Getting There
We took the car, crossing the English Channel by ferry and pacing the journey with a couple of well-placed stopovers. We stayed in Reims on the way down and Dijon on the way back. It made the drive a lot more manageable and gave us a chance to see a bit more of France along the way. Motorway miles, service station snacks, and just enough road trip vibes to keep it interesting. No dramas, no breakdowns, just steady progress toward the mountains.
The Highlights
Chamonix is basically an open-air postcard. One standout was heading up the Aiguille du Midi, where we found ourselves looking out over the Mont Blanc massif with mouths agape (partly from altitude, partly from awe).
Another day saw us dipping into Italy via the Mont Blanc Tunnel, and then winding our way through the Aosta Valley and into Switzerland over the Great St Bernard Pass. Switchbacks, stone chapels, snow angels and the occasional marmot sighting. Top-tier adventuring.
Yet another day saw us ascend to the Vallée Blanche by train and then wander into the annually cut Grotte de Glace.
Extras
This wasn’t a trip packed with ticking boxes or chasing schedules. It was more about seeing where the road (or cable car) took us. Plenty of café stops, plenty of just looking. We did sneak in a few geocaches here and there (couldn’t resist), but mostly it was mountains and meandering. And of course, pizza. Slightly more Alpine. Slightly more cheese. The geocaches we did have made me eligible for all the “high altitude” challenges. Aiguille du Midi is 3,700m high, and there were two up there.
Individual Posts
Here’s the day-by-day account of our week based in Chamonix in summer 2016, featuring mountain highs, cross-border rambles, and one very scenic balcony.
