http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Europe , France , Rh ne Alpes , Chamonix en-us Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:34:14 BST Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:34:14 BST Chamonix was THE town in France that I was looking forward too. In all the travel books I got my hands on and Google pictures that I saw I was prepared to be amazed. It is a mountain town located in the Alps next to the highest peak Mount Blanc. No big deal right Its supposed sister town is Aspen in Colorado but Alps vs. Rockieshellip Alps win. Before arriving in Chamonix from Annecy we wer http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-327667.html A Long Romance with FranceOnce again we catch up our dynamic duo on a ferry across the English Channel on route to Cherbourg. A calm sea greeted us as we sailed from Portsmouth and watched as land slipped from view. We were on our way to France for a much anticipated portion of our journey. We were going to get the opportunity to see a lot more of the countryside than on our previous visit in http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-323535.html After 16 months off the road a short hop to the French Alps to the town of Chamonix this time without Lily who chose to stay home...After a week of work in Germany I took the weekend off and headed Chamonix at the foot of Mont Blanc the highest peak in Western Europe 4800m. After 6 hours cruise on superb German highways viva la GPS I arrived a winding road climbing up a high mountain pass http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-315377.html After class today Marc and I decided to hop in the car and go on an adventure We ended up in ChamonixMont Blanc France. As border control was closed today it was easy to drive right across the border without a glance from the dark customs unit. We knew Mont Blanc was a famous mountain in the Alps but unfortunately we were both pretty uneducated as to what it looked like or which mountain w http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-313666.html How do you get from sea level to the highest point in the Alps Easy miss your train to Nimes. So the plan was to head to Provence Thursday afternoon friday class was cancelled. Wednesday we went to town and made our reservations for the high speed TGV train to Nimes. We had it written on a piece of paper checked it on the lady's computer screen to confirm our reservation. Well on the tr http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-292357.html GeneveChamonixGenevedriving 1 hr 30 mins Ticket is EUR3800 includ cawhen i got to Chmonix we booked for 12hrs30 for cable car but when we got there they said the weather was not very good too windy .we have to wait for next announcement if we lucky we can go up to Chamonix but every one were waiting for it they all came for skiannouncement is every 1 hour so we wait and we walked around in C http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-261739.html It seems you just cant keep me away from the place..... I enjoyed my 11 days in Chamonix at Christmasnew year so much I could not pass up the opportunity to return in February. Actually that is not quite true I would have quite liked to check out another resort it is just that Chamonix is so easy to get to only just over an hour drive from Geneva airport.This time my travel companion w http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-260309.html Salut Just 10 more days to go at my mountain home. I've been enjoying the last few fun filled weeks of the season and making the most of the sunloungers at Grand Montets for some browning blonding action. Just when we thought spring was here and summer around the corner winter has returned with a vengeance. We've had 50cms dump of snow over the weekend and Cham is a winter wonderland again http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-259335.html Train ride from Lyon to St Gervais 75 Euros ...3 nights accomadation in cute ski chalet 288 Euros ...Ski rentals for 2 days 120 Euros ...Lift tickets 124 Euros ...Stale pasta and small bottle of water 25 Euros ...Skiing sopping wet down a black diamond in the French Alps with a runny nose pricelessBienvenue back to FranceBack when we got lost on our way to Geneva we decided we'd skip Pa http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-259088.html About a week ago we took a trip to the alps and ChamonixMontBlanc.. We took the 6 hour midnight bus from Sevilla to Madrid and since we already mastered the metro there in January had no problem getting to the airport. We flew into Geneva and were supposed to be taken by shuttle right away to Chamonix but the company wasnt there to meet us... we later got an email telling us they couldnt http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-255078.html So another day off another day to keep Rosy amused We met up with Bloggs a friend of Mikey's and headed up to Brevent with our snowboards for our second snowboard tutorial. Now I dont consider myself in any way an expert boarder but these two made me feel like I have actually made quite a lot of progress. After negotiating the first chair lift successfully I gave them the only advice I cou http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-253952.html Hey there gangWell here I am in chamnix and it seems we have lived a lifetime since the last blog so perhaps the best place is to begin at the end and work from there.So I find myself here in Chamonix the famous ski town in the French Alps bordering France and Italy... and it's a cool place but not literally Wal and i think it might be the warmest place we've been since Hawaii which for me http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-248893.html One Friday Rosy and I headed down the valley to visit Doug the last member of our resort accounts team at his house in the neighbouring village of Les Contamines. He lives in a converted barn with his family who also have a chalet on the piste. We packed up some baguettes cheese and wine and set off for a brilliant days boarding on the wide empty pistes with picnic lunch at the chalet. Cha http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-248706.html Salut bloggers I have acquired quite a few nicknames this season mostly unrepeatable but my favourite is super ang. I'm not really that super its just to tease my partner in crime Rosy who I have been spending far too much time with lately in and out of work. We spend the majority of our time in the office laughing I have taken to wearing waterproof mascara as I am in tears at my desk most http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-244929.html After a quick flight across the channel we were met in Geneva by a very tanned Paul Nick's cousin obviously he had been hard at work being a ski bum. We got to Argentiere 15 mins beyond Chamonix and made ourselves feel very welcome in Paul's new apartment by delving into the sauscisson I resisted the chocolate cookies even though secretly I wanted one but I thought it polite and girly not t http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-244466.html Where did January go Never a dull moment in Chamonix be Easter before we know it. After all the partying over Christmas and New Year we're now settled into the regular apres scene at the Chambre 9 and our fish chip Fridays and Sunday roasts at the Monkey bar. When my estate agent rang one night at 6pm he thought I was at a rock festival Last Friday had fish chips with proper mushy pea http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-238111.html We stayed in France for Christmas. The weekend before the day we went to Germany to take care of some business at the US base in Kaiserslautern and then to visit some friends who live in Wiesbaden. Unfortunately we have no photos of that Germany trip. Wiesbaden is very nice I suspect we will go back and visit our friends again and will be sure to take some pics. After we came back we had a da http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-236460.html I'm dreaming of a white Christmas. And as I was unlikely to get one in London I figured Neddy better go to the mountain and try to sort one out.As it turned out it was not an uneventful adventure but a great time was had by all. HighFirst off a high managed to book the flights from City airport my favourite airport in the whole of London. Why Two reasons. First it is very easy to ge http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-233538.html Irsquom just about recovered from all the festivities in Chamonix so about time for another blog. Christmas Eve we all tagged along on the regular Monday night bar crawl the reps organise around town. I only made it to 3 of the 5 bars as there were free shots in every bar which knocked me out about 1am. Rosy and I only managed a couple of blue runs on Christmas Day but by time we got back at 4 http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-232620.html Last blog before Christmas and I finally went up on the slopes for the first time on Sunday. It was 12 degrees up there practiced on some easy greens as its 3 winters since I was last on my snowboard. Was a bit rusty and kept falling over but cheered up on Sunday night as we found a bar serving roast dinners so we went for le ros bif Safe to say itrsquoll be a white Christmas here the fe http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-229134.html Bonsoir mes amis Check out the snow... it snowed all day Wednesday and we now have about 20cms all around town. Think I'll be able to get out snowboarding sooner than I thought as we get our lift passes next week... this week off to resort manager training in Alpe D'Huez for a couple of days with girls trip to Annecy on the way down with my boss Anouschka and new colleague Rosy who arrives tonig http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-219948.html Arrived in Chamonix with my snowboard on Monday night and moved into my new home for Winter. Went straight out to the late night snack bar for something to eat and had a complete memory blank of French but somehow managed to order and exchange pleasantries in Italian which was surreal Chamonix is quite a scenic alpine town surrounded by snowy mountains. Its snowing here and quite cold already http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-217709.html Chamonix MontBlancPure dry cold air amazing scenery beautiful high mountains where ice and snow never melt lots of fantastic rock climbing routes charming towns and small villages... Chamonix is a very special place.I camped right at the foot of the Glacier Les Bossons for 2 weeks and was surprised to be able to walk around in the morning wearing a tshirt when the thermometer showed 5C. I http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-209854.html We are a bit behind in our blogs so this will be short.Can someone please give us a few hundred thousand dollars to buy a house in ChamonixWe spent a few days in Chamonix and it was amazing. The town is at the bottom of a valley with 4500m peaks towering above.The highlight of our trip so far was catching the Aguile du Midi cable car up to 3842m. Coming from the valley in two short cable car ride http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-204653.html BonjourSo as I sleep soundly Mom is busy coming up with what we need to tell you all in our next blog. A little random thoughts to go with random pictures. 1 The first thing we wanted to share with you was an experience we had with our two friends from Israel father and son. We wandered along the trail one day and came upon them with their little stove blazing and asked us if we would like http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-203617.html Greetings from rainy Chamonix We completed the tour yesterday and used our rain gear for the first time....for only about 10 minutes. We can not believe our good fortune....it is cool now rainy and cloudy and as we look up can not even see Brevent....2500 m above us were we stood yesterday. It was a long final day....over 9 hours and 2000m down. I think we are in shock a bit that we complet http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-203379.html Without any audible noise the race has begun. I stand unmoving waiting for the runners ahead to move forward through the narrow streets of Chamonix to allow me some space to start running. There is over 2300 runners all packed into a very small area behind the start line each runner with a backpack and most with two trekking poles sticking out of the pack making it advisable not to get too close http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-199031.html Upon graduation as an Abbott family rite of passage my parents gave me the opportunity to travel to any destination within reason for an outdoor adventure of my choice. My sister Libby not one to shy away from a challenge chose to conquer Mt. Kilimanjaro at the young age of 17. Overcoming the altituderelated challenges was no small feat but she summitted. With her graduation of college http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-190186.html And the adventures continue. Chamonix and Mont BlancWednesday 1 August was Switzerland's 'Independence Day' and to take advantage of this two colleagues and I decided to rent a car and go to Chamonix Chamohnee which is at the foot of Mont Blanc the highest mountain in Europe. Besides being in the Alps and being surrounded by the coolest high mountains you can also take a cable car up to http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-189139.html I am sorry my FrenchSpanishItalianLatin is not so good. But I am getting around just fine.In Barcelona I had a sudden fire lit under me bum that made me suddenly want to leave very quickly. In my rush I thought maybe I am supposed to meet someone that I otherwise would miss. On the train I met Madeline. She is a FrenchAmerican. Meaning her father is American and her mother is French http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Chamonix/blog-188752.html