A day on the bike

A cracking day on the mountain bikes today. All the more satisfying for finding something that Jodie and Sam could really get stuck into and enjoy. With so much “gradient” in the Chamonix valley, it’s easy to satisfy body armour clad, long travel gravity junkies but slightly harder to find something that even the littlest braking fingers can cope with.

Jodie with Mont Blanc and the Chamonix Valley beyond.

Sam on the French/Swiss border, ready for the 1000m back to Argentiere.

But not before a spot of lunch - and a twister.

Leaving the van on the Col des Montets, we took the VTT trail down to Le Buet and on to Vallorcine. This section is just great, Excellent trail, brilliant scenery and a gradual gradient. Once at Vallorcine we jumped aboard the gondola for a bit of uplift. The top of the uplift isn’t quite the top of the hill, and there’s a short (and unpopular) ride to the Col Des Possettes. And then a sweeping downhill on a broad but still quite challenging track to the top of the gondola from Le Tour and the 4 man chairlift to the Col De Balme.

Jodie at the start of the long descent.

Leaving the top of the chairlift, it’s a short and relatively flat ride to the refuge on the col – the perfect spot for a bit of lunch, with your toes dangling over the Swiss border. After lunch it was downhill all the way. First back to the Col des Possettes and then the Le Tour Gondola again. Kids whooping with delight!By now little braking fingers were in need of a rest, so we hopped into the gondola for the descent to Le Tour. Fingers rested, we then the off road again. Down by the river to Le Moulin and then taking the back way into Argentiere. And ice creams at the Rencard.

Nearly there - approaching Le Moulin

There was still the small question of getting the van back from the col, and I came up with the perfect route to go an tackle while the kids hit the pool. Road ride back to Le Tour. Gondola and chairlift back to the Col de Balme. Over to the Catogne descent on the narrowest of trails and on to Trient – all 1014m of it! Oh, yes!


By the time I hit the road climb back from Switzerland to the top of the col, through Chaletard, Vallorcine and Le Buet, my ass was getting a bit sore and my legs a little tired. But that’s what I call a day of mountain biking!

Fun in the sun

Well, the whole point of the blog was to try and keep a record of some of the many things we get up to whilst in residence in the Chamonix Valley. That, and to perhaps inspire you to do the same, and maybe even book a week in the apartment so that you can. But as we seem to be so busy each time we visit, there never seems to be much time left in the day for writing about our exploits.

Family portrait at the Grand Montets

Take this last week for example. The temperatures have been creeping into the 30's every day, and the pool has seen much action. But every day we've been out and about doing something. The list includes gondola accessed downhill mountain biking out of Vallorcine, biking on more relaxed gradients down past Le Buet, walking in the Grand Montets, both uphill to see the Argentiere Glacier and downhill to our favourite at Cafe Lavancher.

Sam, not far from the final descent to Vallorcine

Jodie, finding her stride in the woods below the Col Des Montets

Get used to it! Playing catch up.

Sam. Le Buet in the background.

The bike friendly train - and it's free with your Carte D'Hote!

Sam. Below the Col des Montets and ripping it up on the Foret Verte

Near the Col de Dalme chairlift - entering the Foret Verte

Taking in the view at the Argentiere Glacier.

Then there was the trip to the Emosson Dam on the worlds' steepest funicular. at 87% it was steep. And long. But while the nerves held out, the views were stunning, though it is a bizarre place to be riding on a narrow gauge train. And I did think that having paid the not insubstantial fee to ride up there, it would be some time before I would be there again. But funnily enough, the road bikes came out at the crack of dawn this morning and we climbed just shy of 1000m to the dam - before breakfast!

The first of 3 stages - up from the frontier village of Chattelard

Next it's round the cliffs of the precipice hugging steam train.

Another rather steep ride to the top!

And finally, the Emosson Dam.

And speaking of silly bike rides at the crack of dawn, there was also that first train to Martigny and the ride back over the Col de Forclaz and Col Des Montets. Another 1000m straight up - but more before lunch rather than breakfast, as it did take quite a while to get both there and back.

So, busy, busy... With so much to see and do you'll excuse the lack of posts!

Trains, gondolas and luges

The market comes to Chamonix on a Saturday. Has to be said it’s a bit bigger and a fair bit better than the one that comes along to Fort William! If strange sausages wrapped in hairnets and stinky cheese, made even more stinky by the near 30 degrees heat, are your bag, then you’ll love the market.
Apart from just wondering around, it’s a fine spot to head to if you’re looking to buy fruit and veg (be warned, its easy to spend a small fortune), rotisserie chickens, herbs and spices, fresh fish, bread, flowers, honey, jams… and the list goes on. Just choose a cooler Saturday.


Being in town for a change, we popped across to the Parc de Loisirs and had a bash at the summer luge amongst other things. Have to say that having seen this on numerous visits over the years I’ve always wondered quite what the craic is. However, I can now tell you that its 5 Euros well spent. Being a bit of a hit all round, we found ourselves there again the following day with a multiple ride ticket. Me & Sam were definitely fastest over the 1.8km course.


Back to the hills today for another walk. Took the train from Argentière up the valley this time and through to Vallorcine. Great spot, although Le Buet probably has the edge. Right outside the train station there’s the new gondola to take you up to the Balme (Le Tour) ski area. Check out the mountain bike downhill course that runs under the gondola. Looks good.


Once at the top of the gondola its just a short walk to the Col des Possettes. Big view down the valley, a few cows in the meadow (just follow the bells) and an Alpage for a very civilised refreshment. Nice spot! From there its an easy and steadily downhill walk to the Charamillon gondola (more beer and ice cream opportunities). Being hardy folk, we continued on down towards Le Tour, taking time to stop and break out the sandwiches in a suitably scenic spot. Then on down to Montroc where hot feet, a need for ice cream and a convenient passing bus meant that the walk was cut short of Argentière but that the terrace at Hotel Le Dahu was reached much quicker. Mmmm!


Feeling quilty after a bit of (over) indulgence I headed out onto the Petite Balcon Nord for a blast on the mountain bike, while Caroline and the kids booked their place by the pool. An hour later I was in there cooling off with them. Another fantastic day out for the family in the Chamonix valley!