Showing posts with label christmas in chamonix. Show all posts
Showing posts with label christmas in chamonix. Show all posts

"Requet laments that the moon isn’t bright enough tonight to pull the traditional single-blade wooden paret sleds down from the restaurant’s rafters for a hair-raising run into the village. " ~ Terry Ward

Chamonix was the site of the first winter Olympics,

back in 1924,
when the paret was one mode of transportation through the snow.
We decided to try our luck at this 'extreme' sport...
with our very own photographer...



and boy, did he capture amazing footage of 'the foodie' gracefully losing complete control while hanging on to her paret as she gave the sled a rest and slid for a bit on her backside.

Meanwhile...
I was waaaaaay behind him taking my time down the mountain learning the hard way that there is no way to steer 
and your feet are your brakes.
All that was sinking into my psyche about the time we approached the first challenging descent, 
which means...
 I was looking down a 45 degree angle run.
Did I mention there is no steering 
which means I cannot move from side to side easily...
which is how I roll when skiing.

Fortunately,
you are not far from the ground so any fall is harmless.
By the time we made it to the bottom,
 it was dark as we celebrated the fact that there were no broken bones 
and we had all managed to keep up with our paret which earned us a hot mug of soup kept warm in a huge pot over a roaring fire. 
Memories in the making.

Our welcome into the yurt...
was enchanting...
as we were seated for a traditional Savoyard meal...
always consisting of three key ingredients.
Cheese, incredible cheese...
ham, smoked or cured...
and potatoes.
Our meal began with a nice green salad, followed by scalloped potatoes with bits of ham and other delicious...
for our chilled to the bone bodies.
For the ultimate warmth in the alps...
every meal ends with génépi,
the local liqueur made from the wormwood flower.

This entire wilderness experience was envigorating and cozy...
 and something Evolution 2 can make happen for you...
 when visiting Chamonix.

Another outfit in town provides the
traditional sledging party but I can't speak to their coolness.

Happy Tuesday.

“And if these mountains had eyes, they would wake to find two strangers in their fences, standing in admiration... These mountains, which have seen untold sunrises, long to thunder praise but stand reverent, silent so that man's weak praise should be given God's attention.” ~ Donald Miller

Waking up Christmas morning completely surrounded by mountains glistening in the sun-kissed snow was something to savor.

And what a day to climb every mountain...
in a twenty minute ascent...
 safely and comfortably inside the Midi Cable Car.
Even the man-made restaurant and, of course,
souvenir shop...
could not spoil the impressive views of the French, Swiss and Italian Alps.


Ren Man took his mountain climbing photo op...
much more seriously than me...
before making our final ascent...
to view Mont Blanc.
As we stood in wonder...
 our weak praise for such a glorious day did pale in comparison to those mighty mountains. 

Have a wonderful weekend.

"It has always been a marvel to me -- that French language; it has always been a puzzle to me. How beautiful that language is! How expressive it seems to be! How full of grace it is!" ~ Mark Twain

Chamonix is just as you would imagine a French village...
 nestled near the peaks of the Aiguilles Rouges and the Aiguille du Midi.

Its reference as a commune does not translate well with my vocab, while the quaint term 'village' most definitely is exceeded by the 9,800 population count.
Still,
it has a small village feel...
accompanied with the added bonus of ample choices for entertainment.

Our Christmas Eve began with a cultural mix of...
Crepes (fancy French word for pancakes)
 and the English invention...
followed by a memorable stroll up the candlelit walk for a... 
singing hymns simultaneously in English and French.

Absolutely beautiful.

Have a wonderful Thursday.

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