Day 26: Annecy to Chamonix

Day 26 · Chamonix

Said goodbye to Annecy this morning after a poor night’s sleep (all that food and wine) and headed along the lake to start to head into Chamonix – the ski town at the foot of Mont Blanc. This is also a former Olympic host town, I think that puts me at 4 for the trip so far?

The roads in were not very technical or interesting, but along Lake Annecy was still beautiful, as was a little bit of twisty through a gorge somewhere between there and here. And Mont Blanc was visible much of the day as I wound my way toward the base. I knew this part of the trip would not have spectacular riding – my goal for this last French section was to squeeze in a little bit of France and I figured I’d be ready to spend more time off the bike (wise, and needed). I’m still seeing sport bikes and the touring crowd out as I move through the region, so I suspect there could be some more interesting roads not far out of the way, but I choose ease.

Chamonix is another one of those base-camp style towns where a majority of the business cater to tourists here for day excursions (hotels, cafes, restaurants, active wear stores). I signed up for my own day excursion tomorrow, when I’ll be taking the cable car up to the top of Mont Blanc! If the weather is good, I’ll also be taking a secondary cable car up there that will take me to the Italian side of the mountain. They probably won’t have a bidet in the bathroom up there, which is the part of Italy I miss the most.

Mont Blanc is the tallest peak in the alps, and the cable car gets up there in about 30 minutes at a very steep angle so I am preparing myself emotionally for some altitude issues. I’m planning to wear shoes that are more glacier-appropriate this time (squirrel-ish ones, even), and bring my yet-unused puffer jacket since this one is all outdoors. This is the last week they do these tours before closing up for the winter season, so I’m excited to have a chance to head up the mountain.

Chamonix the town is cute, but – there’s not much is going on. For lunch I again chose veggies (with pink hummus?), this time to counter the overindulgence of last night. Again there are a ton of paragliders, and the sheer numbers of them I’ve seen on this trip has me wondering if I have missed out by not doing it at ANY of these locations. I’m going to have to assume I got my kicks on the motorcycle – I don’t have time for two excursions tomorrow!

After my afternoon restful period I headed out for dinner to a well reviewed spot a little outside of the tourist center. Switzerland may be the most expensive country on this trip, but France is where I’m making the most expensive choices as it turns out. I can’t help myself! It’s so hard to get things like a fillet rossini in the US!

I regret nothing and I look forward to eating top ramen for the next several months while I rebuild my travel savings.

I also truly cannot capture in photos how this mountain LOOMS around here. You come around the side of a building and it’s like “oh, excuse me. I didn’t see you there ma’am.” Or you turn a corner and BAM. Icy mountain looking down on you.

Excited to turn the tables tomorrow and loom over this town myself!