Moi and TPjr enjoyed a truly spectacular ultra-long weekend (six days from Thursday to Tuesday :-) in
Chamonix, celebrating the opening of the 2014 summer season. Actually it was his first visit to the
Vallee du Trail, but certainly not the last!
Mid-June is a great time to visit this Mecca of Mountainheads because:
- Most of the hotels, restaurants, lifts and public transportations will be open (not all though).
- It's less crowded (but as everyone knows this by now, June is getting more popular).
- The weather is generally pleasant (with frequent thunderstorms, and snow above 2000m).
- There are events like Arcteryx Academy (we just watched them in awe - maybe next time ;-)
- The prices are generally way cheaper with all those 'special offers' (ha ha, just kidding :-)
It's impossible to put in words how extraordinary it was. There's a 100 selected pics below. I guess Kashmir by Led Zeppelin sums up the Chamonix experience best:
"Oh let the sun beat down upon my face,
Stars to fill my dream,
I am a traveller of both time and space,
To be where I have been...
My Shangri-la beneath the summer moon,
I will return again,
Sure as the dust that floats high in June,
When movin' through Kashmir Chamonix!"
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| Step Into The Void: standing in a glass box at 3842m - awesome! |
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| A morning visit to the Boulangerie for some Alpine bread! |
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| Exploring trails near Montenvers (80km du Mont Blanc course). |
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| Place du Triangle de l'Amitie where most trail races start/finish. |
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| New Hoka One One Stinson Trail ultra trail running shoes. |
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| We found this geocache above 2000 meters! |
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| Snow and cloudy at the top of Le Brevent 2525m - the wingsuit wall on the left. |
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| Standing on Brevent 2525m - Servoz town down below |
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| Logging yet another geocache in a nice forest near Chamonix. |
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| "J'aime l'été à Chamonix" - I love the summer in Chamonix! Hard icy snow above 2000m. |
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| Trailrunning at the Grand Balcon Sud. |
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| Fantastic clear views to Mont Blanc area. |
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| Climbers in Les Gaillands. |
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| We loved the boulders of Les Gaillands. |
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| Aiguille du Midi with Step Into The Void on the right side. |
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| Nice view to East from Aiguille du Midi. |
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| Guides preparing for Arcteryx Alpine Academy. |
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| Chamonix and Vallee du Trail. |
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| Pas Dans Le Vide 3842m - what a thrilling experience! |
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| At Aiguille du Midi, with Aiguille du Gouter behind. |
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| Mont Blanc. |
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| Climbers with skis. |
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| Glacier des Bossons. |
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| More climbers on their way up. |
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| Various Aiguilles seen from Montenvers. |
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| Hanging at Montenvers, above Mer de Glace. |
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| Hotel Le Faucigny interior detail. |
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| A small momentary window in the clouds at Nid d'Aigle 2380m. |
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| Nice house and views on the way up towards Planpraz. |
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| Aiguille du Midi, Arcteryx Academy preparations. |
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| Another great view of the Mont Blanc massif from Aiguille du Midi. |
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| Climbers and a glimpse of Mer de Glace in the back. From Aiguille du Midi. |
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| Nice wall art about Aiguilles Rouges natural area at Brevent. |
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| Pas Dans Le Vide & Chocard à Bec Jaune (Yellow-billed Chough). |
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| This view of the valley never gets old. |
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| Vallee Blanche views. |
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| Avalanches waiting to happen. |
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| A Small Tortoiseshell butterfly. |
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| Climbers beside Aiguille du Midi. |
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| Sighseeing the Chamonix way. |
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| Mont Blanc 4810m. |
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| Vallee Blanche. |
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| Hokas on snow - dangerously slippery! |
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| Vallee Blanche warning sign. |
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| Nice trail in the snow. From Aiguille du Midi. |
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| Climbers between Aiguille du Midi and Cosmique hut. |
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| Climbers close-up. |
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| Alpine wild flowers. |
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| A jet plane right on top of Mont Blanc. |
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| Montenvers flowers above Mer de Glace. |
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| Aiguille du Midi and Mont Blanc. |
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| Flegere-Planpraz Traverse. Le Grand Balcon Sud trail. |
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| Cloudy valley below us, sunny skies above. Flegere-Planpraz traverse. |
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| Aiguille de la République 3305m (left) and Aiguille des Grands Charmoz 3445m. |
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| A beautiful view from near Charlanon. |
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| Wild alpine flowers. |
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| Grand Balcon Sud trail between Charlagnon 1812m and Flegere 1877m. |
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| Aiguilles Rouges nature reserve. |
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| Breathtaking views on the Grand Balcon Sud. |
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| An old locomotive near Chamonix Railway Station. |
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| Bouldering high above Chamonix. |
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| Paragliders are everywhere. |
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| Another paraglider over Chamonix. |
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| "There is no wealth but life", John Ruskin wrote. At his memorial. |
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| A jet over Aiguille Verte. |
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| Another great Mont Blanc view. |
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| Not a great time to visit Plan de l'Aiguille 2317m: it's cloudy and the bar is closed. |
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| Les Gaillands forest/lake scenery with ruins. |
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| TPjr on Le Grand Balcon Sud. |
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| A big stone wall in Le Grand Balcon Sud. |
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| Enjoying the views on Le Grand Balcon Sud. |
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| The best trail ever! |
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| Trailrunning is fun, especially on a trail like this! |
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| A view point worth a pause between Flegere and Charlanon. |
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| Trail above the clouds - running in heaven! |
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| Aiguilles Rouges cliffs. |
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| The 4-wheel road to Planpraz/Brevent. |
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| This is awesome, fantastic views! |
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| One more paraglider. |
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| Another Mont Blanc shot. |
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| Another paqraglider. |
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| TPjr enjoying the marvellous weather and scenery. |
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| A marmot at Plan de l'Aiguille 2317m. |
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| Exploring a cave in Les Gaillands. |
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| Watching climbers on the wall - TPjr is the small blue dot up there. |
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| TPjr bouldered almost all the way up. |
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| Watching climbers at Les Gaillands. |
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| Bouldering at Les Gaillands. |
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| Lizard high on a sunny cliff at Les Gaillands. |
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| Climbers at Les Gaillands. |
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| Les Gaillands. |
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| Lac des Gaillands. |
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| Best ice cream in town. |
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| View to Refuge des Cosmiques 3613m from Aiguille du Midi. |
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| Aiguille du Midi ice tunnel for climbers. |
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| The first tunnel after Mer de Glace ice cave entrance. |
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| Mer de Glace ice cave is decorated with colorful lights. |
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| Mont Blanc Tramway up at Nid d'Aigle. |
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| A clear Mont Blanc view from Grand Balcon Sud. |
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| Inside the old Chamonix church - we heard some great organ playing there. |