Grand Balcon Sud, 2023

The Grand Balcon Sud is a trail along the Aiguilles Rouges range, facing the Mont-Blanc massif, a popular day hike from Chamonix we've done several times. One takes the La Flegere tele-cabin to Praz and then walks the 4-5 miles along the trail to Plan Praz, where another tele-cabin takes you back down to Chamonix. On a good day, the views of the Mont-Blanc massif are stupendous; on a lesser day, like this one, they're still impressive.

The camping rules haven't changed since we did the Tour du Mont-
Blanc in 2005; tents only between sunset and sunrise; in Italy, only
above 6,000 feet; in Switzerland, no way, no how...

There is trail signage, but not always where you need it, nor completely
unambiguous

Forcing smiles as we embark

The flowers, particularly the azaleas, at their height

Across the valley, the Chamonix Aiguilles

As much as we would see of Mont-Blanc that day; the foehn was
blowing...

Click to enlarge and see the cables...

Ever in search of greater thrills, the French have
invented new ways to hike the Alps

Evettes, they're called, cables between outcrops you
walk across...here, two persons together; hopefully clipped
on to the cable

Eastern end of the Chamonix Aiguilles

Dru (the pointy thing)

A hiker behind us took a tumble and required a heli-evacuation
(so we later learned)

A few snowy patches to cross near the end

Smiling after another great Chamonix hike

Chamonix Scenes, 2023

Chamonix is one of our favorite places, going back to the 80s. We've visited many times, done the Tour du Mont-Blanc, and also many of the day hikes in the region. Just enter Chamonix or Mont-Blanc in the search box and much will come up. We hadn't been back since 2013, and so, apart from a hike, we wanted to spend a couple days just walking the town to see what had changed in ten years. We were there four days overall, an administration day, a hiking day, a shopping day, and an inclement weather/planning  day. We stayed at Camping les Arroles, June 19th-22nd, in south Chamonix, not far from our old friend Ile des Barrats, chalets now instead of a campground. One wonders how much longer there will be any campgrounds in Chamonix.

View of the mountain from our campsite

It never got much better than this, due to the foehn winds and then the
storms

Sculpture on a home nearby

We're no longer Amorino fans, but thought the gelato truck outside
the store was interesting

Restaurant not visited...but we thought the fruit floating
on coconut milk and ice cream sounded interesting

Among our favorite stores in Chamonix, always impressive French
kitchen stuff

Favorite Art Nouveau in Chamonix, the Rose du Pont

Pointing the way

Mssrs. Balmat et Paccard

Obligatory tourist train pix

Obligatory fondue, quite good this time

Stormy weather

Baume-les-Messieurs And Bourg-en-Bresse

It was not our best touring day: somehow we failed to note that it was Sunday, that religious buildings and their art would be occupied and that restaurants would be fully booked, sometimes weeks in advance. Thus, our visit to Baume-les-Messieurs included its (abundant) natural features, not the abbey, and our visit to old friend Bourg-en-Bresse included a Bresse chicken dinner in a bar/resto that was memorable for the wrong reasons. Our main goal for the day was to work our way closer to Chamonix and the Alps, so the disappointments were not all that great. Previous visits to Bourg-en-Bresse are here and here.

In the Jura now, driving into the box canyon that Baume-les-Messieurs
occupies

Steep limestone walls on 3 sides

Caves

Springs

And waterfalls; oh my

Our major cave experience of the trip would occur a couple weeks
later; these caves have been long exposed, and there is no cave art

In the village; it is indeed among the plus beaux villages de France

Sweetie poses for scale

At the bar/resto in Bourg-en-Bresse

The sauce was so heavy you could barely taste the chicken; but 
it was verifiably Bresse chicken

View of the abbey church from our table

Where we have eaten in the past

Now on toward Chamonix, happily avoiding the viaduct of Vicki's
worst nightmares

The camping-aire at St. Pierre en Faucigny was full, but we were
directed to the adjacent parking lot of the Bio1 supermarket, which
was closed: Sunday! At least the parking lot view was nice, and 
we were only an hour's drive from Chamonix