Montreux to Chamonix
We caught the 10:43 train out of Montreux. This allowed us time for breakfast, take a bus to the train station and make a stop at the Freddie Mercury (lead singer for the rock band Queen who died in 1991) statue on the shore of Lake Geneva.
The train ride was the best yet as it climbed steeply up through the cloud shrouded mountains, through one tunnel after another, and passing scenic little Swiss towns with many very old log homes. Couldn’t help feeling like a kid on a ride at Disneyland!
When we arrived in Chamonix it was raining steadily. We donned our rain coats and navigated by phone gps to our Airbnb that we would be staying at for the next several days while we explore the mountains of Chamonix (home of Mont Blanc, the tallest mountain in Europe).
After a short rest, we headed into town to get information on some of the cable cars and train we wanted to travel. From info gathered at the local Tourism Office, we decided on the Mont Blanc MultiPass. It would cover all that we wanted to do with one pass.
We then grabbed a typical American dinner prepared by the French of burgers and fries. Then on to the local grocery store for supplies for the next couple of days and take advantage of the refrigerator in the Airbnb and try to keep the dining costs to a minimum.
Back at the Airbnb we planned out our next day and reserved our spot to go up the L’Aiguille du Midi and did some needed laundry in a washing machine that sounded like it was going to rattle right through the floor! As the evening approached sunset, we were able to watch the spectacle from the balcony. The clouds began to break, we got our first views of the glaciers just above town as golden light filtered through and then the moonrise over Mont Blanc!
Tomorrow should be an incredible day as we get up close and personal with Mont Blanc and L’Aiguille du Midi!
