Chamonix Sep-Oct 2015

After our rather hectic trip around North America, we were really looking forward to spending an entire month in one place. We'd never been to Chamonix in Sep/Oct which is the off season, we hoped for some decent weather and that some things would still be open.

First day in Chamonix and the view is fantastic (as usual).

I've been going to Chamonix since the age 5, it feels like home.

The huge white Massif du Mont Blanc completely dominates the valley.

Even when in the centre of town between tall building, you turn a corner and there's the snow and ice

We got pretty lucky with the weather during our stay, when the sun was out it was really pleasant. 

Although it did occasionally rain.

The valley floor offers loads of easy outdoors activities, here we're at the Moraine d'Argentiere. Moraine is the term for huge jumbles of rocks deposited by glaciers as they retreat, in this case the glacier retreated some time ago and the area is a local government owned park/forrest.

The rocks are great fun for the kids (big and small)

They've also set up a full on kids play area, but we spent most of our time on the rocks or damming the stream.

Pretty much all the lifts were closed until the winter season but we did manage to get up to les Houches.

The valley has gone/is going through a huge construction boom but you can still find the old farm houses dotted around.

Climbing rocks was definitely the favourite activity of this trip, broken up by long walks to give us some exercise.

The views are just amazing, you don't have the sheer rock walls of Yosemite but you get a much greater jump in height. It's late summer in the valley all the way to mid winter 3,800m higher up.

Talking of views, even the local Carefour (tesco's/walmart) has great scenery.

Halfway through our stay Granny and Grandpa came for a visit

They occasionally got off their phones...

... to join us on nice walks.

By far my favourite photo of this trip! Looking towards the Grands Montets ski area as the afternoon shadows cross the valley.

You get pretty sunsets here too. This is the Glacier du Bosson

L'Aiguille du Midi - you can visit the top by cable car, takes around 20min, 2,800m up. It's quite a view!

Les Drus