Adamanda's Chamonix, Feb '02

The snow reports were a bit worrying, but we found enough to keep us happy. There's not much comment here, just pictures of stunning mountain scenes - and hopefully stunning pictures of mountain scenes :-)

Journey

We drove to Chamonix this time, rather than fly to Geneva and get a bus (or rent a car). It was easier in some ways, but it was more expensive and took longer: we got a Dover-Dunkirk ferry at 1.30pm on Friday; left Dunkirk at 4.30; slept in Dijon at midnight; got to Chamonix 3pm Saturday. We didn't travel at maximum speed, but neither did we hang about. On the way back we left Les Contamines about 5pm and slept in the car at services from 4am-8am. Luxury :-)

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Doesn't look like great snowboarding weather!
(it was 8° when we arrived in Chamonix) 		img 1111
... but Amanda found some to her liking :-)

Chamonix

Robin & Elaine booked a chalet near Flégère, between Chamonix and Argentière.

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Us 		img 1121
The chalet
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The view South from the chalet - Aiguille du Midi 		img 1101
The view East to Robin's Rock
(not the official name, I think)
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A wider view: South ... 		img 1119
... and East
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It snowed! 		img 1122
We had about a foot of snow altogether

Aiguille du Midi

We arrived in Chamonix on Saturday afternoon, too late to go skiing but with just enough time for a trip to the Aiguille du Midi. We learned (from a bloke on the cable car) that the name ("Needle of Midday") means that in Chamonix at noon, the Sun is behind the Aiguille.

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Northeast: Chamonix and the valley
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Le Tour & Le Brévent

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Amanda: up 		img 1127
Amanda: down :-) 		img 1087
Amanda in the corner, Robin's Rock in the background
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Robin's Rock 		img 1095
West from the top of Brévent 		img 1099
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One of the glaciers making Chamonix Doomed :-)

Les Contamines

On the way home on Saturday, we stopped at Les Contamines. We'd been for our first skiing holiday in '93, and Amanda had a score to settle with one particular red run :-)

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My snowboard, Amanda, and Les Contamines 		img 1170
We have a picture just like this, from '93

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