Where ice is nice

The scenic Chamonix valley in France is one of the world’s most visited natural sites,
writes Inder Raj Ahluwalia

IN the middle of the valley, there’s a town. Wedged between Lake Geneva and the Mediterranean, in the heart of the Northern Alps, and at the intersection of an international communication network, it is just 20 km from Switzerland and linked to Italy by the Mont-Blanc Tunnel.

But what makes Chamonix Mont-Blanc special is its famed positioning at the foot of Mont-Blanc, Europe’s highest summit (4,810 m). Listed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, its exceptional natural surroundings have made the Chamonix Valley one of the worldmost visited natural sites. And the town is its centre.

From the cable car station of Argiulle Du Midi (Euro 34 per pax), the view’s about as good as it gets. Two rides up in the world’s highest cable car and I was at the roof of Europe. The first section brought me to the Plan de l’Aiguille station at 2, 317 m, and the second one deposited me at the top station and the summit of the Aiguille at 3, 842 metres, for an incredible close-up view of the world of rock and ice that make up Mont-Blanc. It’s the next best thing to climbing the mountain.

On a clear day, it is possible to see the Monte Rosa, the Grand Combin and even the Matterhorn. Mont Blanc looked down placidly; glaciers were splayed out ahead. Below, Chamonix was straddled unevenly around its faithful river, and along the valley.

I took the cable car back to town and then did the other famous local trip, taking a ride in the red cog wheel train of Montenvers — a small rack and pinion railway that takes you through hugging cliffs, including France’s largest glacier Mer de Glace (Sea of Ice) which is 1,913 m high, 7-km long, 200 metres thick.

A cave in the glacier, the crystal gallery offers a limited but nice experience of ice and ice work. They’ve chiseled out a few sculptures and you can get your photo taken leaning against a wall of ice. Small gondolas take you to the famous ice grotto carefully carved each year into the glacier’s heart.

I lunched at Grand Hotel du Montenvers, whose origins dating back to 1880 makes it Europe’s oldest mountain restaurant. Conserving the memories of the region’s first explorers and tourists, the hotel is all wood — the walls, flooring, ceiling, furniture.

Came evening and a calm descended on the town. From my balcony at the Hotel Alpina, I had a panoramic view of three levels: the chalets, big and small, with "ground level activity"; thick, wooded mountains rising up a km high; and then the massifs of Europe’s highest Alps — gaunt, bare, rocky, craggy, piercing the skies, enveloped in thick cloud. To the right, a glacier seemed to be coming down to town level, while above it loomed Mont Blanc, the town’s claim to fame.

Kissing the side of the hotel building is an Alpine stream that pummels white water through the town, disappearing through old timber structures. Adjacent lies the high street with its cluster of boutiques and restaurants.

Blame it on the crisp mountain air, but this is a place where hunger strikes. Enmeshed in the folds of the town are gastronomic riches to suit diverse tastes. A treat awaited me at Le Hameau Albert 1 Hotel Restaurant, whose ‘Le Restaurant Albert 1’ is a two-star gastronomy outlet. Also worth trying, is the casino eatery that serves a fair complement of dishes, and Annapurna, which offers as authentic Indian food as one can expect in Europe.

Small and peaceful it may be, but Chamonix sees busy times, with eight months of activity from December through October. While some 45 per cent traffic is in winter, 55 per cent is in summer (over 100, 000 visitors per day). This is the time to partake in the Savoyard lifestyle, with festivals and holiday celebrations on throughout the season, the most popular event being the annual ‘Fete des Guiodes’ on August 15.

More than 46 different sports are alive in the valley, including hiking —there are 330 km of marked paths — mountaineering, paragliding, and white-water sports.

And if it rains, just head for the sports complex with its sports hall, indoor ice rink, 19 tennis courts, squash courts, and a swimming pool complex with water-slide and fitness centre. Golfers find an 18-hole paradise in Les Praz at the foot of Mont-Blanc, with the par 72-course boasting a combination of strategy and subtlety amidst beautiful scenery.

The Rhone Alps Region is tourist turf. According to Bernard Prud’ Homme, director-general, Chamonix Mont Blanc Tourism, being the base for Mont Blanc, the peak is their main attraction and sustenance.

The town is also a famous ski resort, thanks to excellent skiing opportunities amid beautiful mountain landscapes, and also featuring good pist runs of 20 km on glaciers right down to the town. Walkers, hikers and trekkers also find plenty of joy in the mountains.

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