On to Chamonix and Mont Blanc

After an amazing day in Zermatt, hopped in the car and drove to Chamonix, France.  When we initially booked the lodging, it looked like an easy drive across the beautiful Swiss Alps.  Little did we realize that there were about a billion sharp switch-backs and that it would take some time to make the drive.  Still, completely worth it.  This is what we woke up to the next morning!

 We walked through the town to find some breakfast and snacks for lunch, then made our way to the tram for our ride to the top of Mont Blanc.

 Mont Blanc, meaning "White Mountain", is the highest mountain in the Alps and the European Union.^[1] It rises 4,810 m (15,781 ft)^[2] above sea level and is ranked 11th in the world in topographic prominence.

The mountain lies in a range called the Graian Alps, between the regions of Aosta Valley, Italy, and Haute-Savoie, France. The location of the summit is on the watershed line between the valleys of Ferret and Veny in Italy and the valleys of Montjoie Valley and Arve Valley in France. The Mont Blanc massif is popular for mountaineering, hiking, skiing, and snowboarding.

The three towns and their communes which surround Mont Blanc are Courmayeur in Aosta Valley, Italy, and both Saint-Gervais-les-Bains and Chamonix in Haute-Savoie, France — the latter being the site of the first Winter Olympics. 

Beautiful and sunny here on this level after getting off the cable car.

The clouds were swirling around the mountain

Then we took an elevator up even higher and it was sunny but cold!

See all those tiny people down there, that's where we were!

A little scary being out on this ledge!

The fog rolled in just as we were snapping the photo.  

We were so lucky to get a few pictures of Mont Blanc.  It was completely covered by clouds for the rest of our visit.

There were people climbing the mountain today.  It was amazing to see them moving so slowly, single file, up the trail.

 

We even got to see a helicopter rescue!

Just had to look over that ledge again before leaving!!

Pretty cool ice tunnel

Back down on the lower level enjoying the sunshine.  

We rode the cable car back down the mountain, but got off half-way to hike around and stop for a bite to eat at the little cafe.  I rested on a rock and took some photos of the kids and Colby while they hike around and climbed all over the rocks.  This is boy heaven!

Look!  That's where we were on the cable car.

 

the Glacier

Wild Burros live up here, amazing