Instead of hiking today, we decided to just put on running shoes and take leisurely walk through Chamonix and the valley. I’m having a terrible time sleeping at night since it is light past 10:00 p.m. with sunrise around 5:00 a.m. Breakfast and then headed towards the open area by the Sports Center where parasailers were making perfect landings. One day, I have to get up the courage to try it. Even children older than 5 can take a tandem flight.

Speaking of children. If you bring the little darlings with to Chamonix, there are: mini-clubs; baby sitters; play areas at the Sports Center; Paradis les Praz with a zip line, donkey rides, games; mini-golf; paint ball; easy hikes; junior mountaineering courses (12-17 year olds); horse riding; cycling; canyoning; and at least three companies offering multi-activity courses. Sounds more exciting than a summer camp to me.

a perfect Chamonix parasail landing in France
An about face in the opposite direction through town towards Les Houches passing one of the few historic monuments left in Chamonix, the old bridge and mill called “Rue des Moulins”…View image.

one of Chamonix’s pedestrian streets, France 

Chamonix’s old mill, France 

Chamonix bridge spanning l’Arve River in France
…continuing to watch rock climbers on the granite at La Gaillands. Busy spot with classes, children and experts, all fixing ropes, belaying and giving lessons. Shouts of allez (go),vite (quickly), au droite (right), au gauche (left) from the instructors. Words that I actually understood. It exhausted me just listening to the grunts and struggles of the “newbes” while pros zipped up the cliffs…View image…in no time flat… and rappelled down even faster.

rock climbing at La Gaillands, France
There was a group of “older” people next to the lake at La Gaillands eating a buffet lunch in the sun. We talked to the bus driver who told us they were all staying in Morzine for one week and taking day trips. It was neat the way the bus company running the tour set up tables, chairs, and a chef barbequed and laid out a lucious buffet lunch in the sun. This group was Flemish (Belgian) and clearly demonstrated that you don’t have to be young, in marvelous shape, hike, or mountaineer to enjoy the mountains. Other tourists were laying in the grass perfecting their tans.

There is another interesting excursion that discovers both sides of Mont-Blanc involving five cable cars and one gondola. This takes you from the base of Chamonix, up to the top of the Aiguille du Midi, across the glacier to Helbronner point, descends to Le Pallud/Courmayeur and returns to Chamonix by road through the Mont-Blanc tunnel. Set aside a half or full day and enjoy Courmayeur, Italy. We visited Courmayeur in 1993 by taking the bus through the Mont-Blanc tunnel and doing a day hike there.

The tunnel originally opened in 1965, is 11.6 km/7.2 miles in length, and one of the major trans-Alpine transport routes for Italy. Who can forget the horrendous 1999 fire in the tunnel? The Mont-Blanc tunnel remained closed for three years while safety improvements were made including a fire station in the center of the tunnel. I still recommend this excursion, passing right under Mont-Blanc, and gives a chance for a little Italian ambiance.

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