Legs were super heavy on Monday morning from yesterday's run and walk and all the time we spent on our feet but I didn't want to waste the morning, so I finally got out the door at 8:00 am for a run. Ran up to Jardin de Luxembourgh and around the perimeter path and then headed back down to the Seine up through the Tuilleries to la Place de la Concorde and then back through the Louvre past the pyramid. (6.2 miles)
We headed out around 10:30 and got crepes (again) before taking the Metro up to the Arc de Triomphe and making our way down the Champs Elysees. We stopped in all the stores, and let me tell you some of them were quite ridiculous, but it was fun and Sam had a blast!
Louis Vitton
Christian Dior (with dragonflies!)
Cartier
Louis Vitton running shoes?! Crazy!
Nike store
Solomon store
We stopped for a late lunch of pizza and antipasta and then made our way down the rest of the Champs Elysees and past la Place de la Concorde and back through the Tuileries, where Sam, Ryan and Dad took a ride on the ferris wheel. Very cool views from up there!
The week in Paris went by quickly, and although I know we hit all the touristy spots and a few times the crowds were kind of overwhelming, it was still fun to take in all the sights and I think we did a pretty good job of making the most of our days. We certainly didn't do much sitting around, and Mom and Dad really held their own. A few times, Mom had more energy at the end of the day than Sam and I did 😂 I was impressed! Feeling very grateful to have been able to spend this time in such a special city with them 💗
We sent Mom and Dad off on Tuesday morning to the airport and we walked ourselves and our luggage over to the Sixt car rental location to pick up our car for the second leg of our journey out to Chamonix. Getting out of Paris by car was harrowing - the drivers and bikers were crazy - but Ryan did a good job navigating the chaos!
The rest of the way was mostly highway, with some very rural, agricultural stretches and some pretty rolling hills and the bigger mountains as we got closer to Chamonix. It was a 7 hour drive, so we didn't arrive until around 4:30. We checked quickly into our Airbnb and then went out to walk around and get dinner. Such a gorgeous spot. Very touristy though, but I can see why! We are looking forward to exploring for sure! (2.98 miles walked)
Managed to get up and out around 6:45 am on Wednesday for a run along the river and through the valley. Temps in the 40s, bright sunshine and stunningly clear views up into the mountains. Legs felt a bit rough but I was sticking to the flats and just kept stopping to take photos - it was so pretty it was hard not to!!! 😉😂 (5.1 miles)
In the Airbnb
View from our window
Town views
😂
Glace!
Managed to get up and out around 6:45 am on Wednesday for a run along the river and through the valley. Temps in the 40s, bright sunshine and stunningly clear views up into the mountains. Legs felt a bit rough but I was sticking to the flats and just kept stopping to take photos - it was so pretty it was hard not to!!! 😉😂 (5.1 miles)
Then after breakfast, we headed over to the tram for our reservation to the top of the Auguille du Midi at 9:40 am. The tram heads up to the mid-station, where we got onto a second tram to go up to the summit. I am not great with exposure, it is the one true thing that panics me, so I had to be very careful where I looked, but it was a very cool view out over the valley as we rode up.
The summit is up over 12,000 feet and despite the bright sunshine, it was pretty chilly. They have created several areas where you can walk out onto platforms, up strairs and through the summit in a tunnel with windows out into the snowfields and glaciers beyond, all to take in the views safely. And truly, the views were amazing. It hardly looked real, looking out over these jagged pointed peaks and the snow. Definitely a special place to be able to visit, even if the exposure truly did rachet up my panic!
After about an hour exploring up around the summit, we headed back down to the midpoint and disembarked to get a snack at the little bar there and to soak in the views and the sunshine. Not a bad spot for a bit of relaxation, that's for sure!
From there, we hiked out on the trail to Lac Bleu, marveling at the scenery, and then continued on the Grand Balcon Nord trail out to Mer de Glace. While we were much lower than the summit, at 6000-7000 feet for this hik, we took it very easy and just enjoyed the views, stopping often for photos and water. It was a popular trail, with a lot of people going in both directions but it was easy to see why. Truly beautiful! (4.38 miles walked)
Lac Bleu
So many flowers! A lot of this Adenostyles alliariae in the wet spots.
Couldn't stop taking photos of the views!
💗💖
We crossed multiple crystal clear streams
Phyteuma
Alpenrose
Bearded bellflower
There were a number of little fritillaries flitting around amongst the flowers
An alpine succulent! Mountain Houseleek
My first thought was that this looked like a closed gentian. Turns out it is gentinia purpurea - I was thinking in the right direction!
Trifolium alpinum
More bellflowers
Prairie smoke - I always thinking the Dr. Seuss flowers when I see this type of plant
Just amazing!
Firepink as we headed towards Mer de Glace
Refuge at Mer de Glace
We stopped for a snack and to use the bathroom at Mer de Glace, and took the cable car down to the Ice Caves. Very cool side trip that we hadn't known about, but also depressing as they had signs as you descended down to the glacier on the stairs after the cable car exit showing glacier levels from prior years. The glacier has shrunk so much 😌
Cable car ride out to the glacier
View out over the glacier
Ice cave entrance
Then, after we climbed and cable-cared back up, we took the train back down into town. It made for a nice cars, trains and automobile style loop for the day, except it was tram, hike, train! 😉😂😊
We stopped back at the Airbnb and took quick showers before heading out into town for dinner. Went to a delicious taco restaurant - yum! A good end to a fun day!
Cheers!
Very yummy, but very spicy, chicken tinga and roasted savoy cabbage veggie tacos for me
We were all tired and decided on a quiet morning, heading out around 10:30 for a late breakfast and then up to the gondola up to Planpraz, and then the tram up to the Brevent summit. From there, we hiked along one of the ski trails and then veered off onto one of the singletrack trails that circled around to the Col de Brevent and down to the summit tram. Passed a number of people out doing the full Tour de Blanc route. And yes, I sound like a broken record, but boy was it beautiful! Gorgeous views across the valley to Aiguille du Midi and the entire range, as well as out the other side of Brevent to all the hills and mountains on that side. Spectacular. Oh yes, and many flowers! And an ibex 😍😍 Very cool. (2.1 miles walked)
Breakfast view
Tram up to the summit
Amazing views across tthe valley to the Mont Blanc range
Thyme
Veronica Fruticans
Field scabious/widow flower
Field mouse-ear (I love these names!)
💗💗
Veronica Alpina
Starry Saxifrage
Large-leaved Leopard's Bane
Alpine daisies
Views off the back of Le Brevent
Yes, the trail went down (in our case) these ladders. I was not a happy camper!!
More mountain houseleek
Mossy Saxifrage
Such a cool stretch of trail
Bellflower in the high alpine
Col de Brevent
Just so pretty, we could not stop taking photos!
Forget me nots
Looking down into the valley as we descend from the Col
Prickly goldenfleece
Ibex!
Taking in the views
Looking down on the midpoint
Back at the midpoint, we had lunch and then took the gondola back down to town. After a quick stop back at the Airbnb to shower and change, we headed back out to wander the streets and check out some of the stores before dinner.
Friday morning, I headed out at 6:30 am for a run up to La Floria. Such a pretty morning! I swear the French are not early risers - town was super quiet and I only saw one person out on the trails. It was humid and a bit warmer than the past few mornings as I ran on the streets up to the access trail up to the the hut, with some beautiful views as I got up on the wide gravel road out of town. From the hut, there was a short stretch of mostly flat singletrack and then some very steep, tight, loose switchbacks down to the ski area gravel road, which was very steep. And I suck at steep loose trail stuff so the way down took me way longer than it should have 🤪😂😬🤷♀️🤦🏼♀️ Once off the hill, I took the trail back to the Airbnb along the river. It was fun to get up into the mountains for a short bit! (5.0 miles)
When I got back, Ryan headed out for his own run adventure while Sam and I got packed up and the Airbnb organized for our depature. Then we all did a short mellow walk down along the river and back before stopping at Rose du Pont for a delicious lunch. Hard to imagine ever getting bored of these views! (1.8 miles walked)
And with that, we said our goodbyes to Chamonix and hit the road for the 8 hour drive back to Paris, where we arrived at the airport hotel all feeling a bit loopy, tired and hungry. Had a late dinner down at the bar and then headed to bed. Travel went smoothly on Saturday, with no real lines, no delays and no hassles, but it was a long day with the time change. We were all happy to get home to our own beds, but truly, this was the most amazing vacation. Feeling so grateful to have had such a great trip, and be able to spend time in Paris with my parents and get to experience the beauty of the Alps in Chamonix with Ryan and Sam 💗💗
With the long weird travel day on Saturday, I didn’t sleep great but I got up and out around 7:15 for a run on the powerlines. I was happy to get out and feel ok, even if I did keep the pace very chill. It was a berry trifecta type of run with a lot of berry stops. (10.0 miles)
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