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2007 French Alps

Sat 2007-09-08 {19507}

Up at 3h and away ay 3h45, to Luton airport. Pink long-term car park was near full and hard to find a space, and buses were infrequent and full. But thro' processing OK, no attention to bag full of electronics but had to remove trainers (\theta didn't). No liquids, but can buy water after security and carry on. Strictly only one bag per person (we had to pay an extra 10L for \theta's backpack to go in hold) thro' security, but OK after that. Flight due at 06h40, actual 07h05 but arr near enough on time at Geneva ~09h30 EST. EasyJet, not quite full 737-700. Go into Switzerland, then go thro' a side door at the airport into France, and there pick up hire Astra diesel, a sort of boring grey. \theta drove today, and I navigated, badly. Leave French part of airport into Switz again for a bit, then back into France. Missed 1st turning and spent some time lost in central Geneva and saw the lake. Then missed a turning and went round a loop of A40 to get to A41, from then OK. Mostly warm and sunny. Found the cottage 1st after searching several of the mountain roads, a little E of where I guessed from Google. Then back to Thônes, the local market centre, and out to the Intermarché to stock up on the basics. Then some time in Thônes and then waiting in a pretty spot before Manigod before rendezvous at the cottage at 16h. Quick show-round, then announced that she stays here tonight (upstairs we assume) and final settlement will be tomorrow morning. We haven't paid our 300E deposit yet. Then sunbathing (clothed for now) in the garden, looking at the mountains. Tesco is 69p/min + 40p text [tho' a later text gave lower prices]; Orange is 38p/min (19p/min incoming) and 30p text. A couple of Pelforth Brune being consumed. Lunch was bread and cheese from the supermarket eaten in a lay-by. Owner lives a long way away, normally. As expected a stressful day, but winding down well now and should be a good week. Although this is France, the scenery and buildings are typical Alpine; seems odd to see French in this context. Lying in garden, full strength signal on both Orange France & Bouygtel. Eve invited to wine and nibbles (local cheese, bread, cured meat) with owner and son (~18 and off to uni poss in Brussels) on their terrace, then still in the sun. Lots of chat, mostly in English, with some attempts at French from me. Her husband is in Madagascar, coming back Sat. She may or may not be here on Sat, poss coming Fri eve. She didn't want the 300E dep but took 35E tax and bedding charge. We were offered 60E to have cleaning done, but \theta said we'd do it. Got chilly quite quickly when the sun went behind the mountains. They are upstairs. Lowest floor has garage and utility with washing machine, we have next floor and owner is a floor above which appears to also have an entrance at our level. The son wants to be a physiotherapist having found no work as physical education teacher. Local cheese rebluchon. GPS altitude for chalet is 980m.

Sun 2007-09-09 {19508}

Sunshine again this morning tho' it takes some time for the sun to climb over the mountains. Got up slowly, nearly 12h in bed. Walk along the road (up) to La Charmette, spectacular scenery and lots of expensive chalets. When we got back, the owners were just loading up and leaving. Took the opportunity for a few naturist shots around the garden. A little rest, then out along a footpath (#38) along a mountain stream, up into the hills. Completely deserted and quite noisy with the stream descending rapidly on a rocky bed. A couple of nude pix here, sitting on a rock in the stream. Then back to the chalet for lunch: bread, pâté and cheese with wine [1.28E special offer]. A little sunbathing then, but cloud came over so not ideal but OK. Garden is not quite overlook proof but fairly safe against casual gazes from the road or adjacent chalets. Garden has a tiny separate 2-storey + cellar 2-room house (locked) supposedly to keep papers &c safe and provide a refuge if main chalet consumed by fire; it's common here they say. Property here is expensive and esp around Chamonix, people retiring, not all French; brochure showed some at >1e6E. Now, at about 14h, the sun's intermittent and the tops of the mountains are hidden. It got cool, more so inside than out, gradually dressing. Tried a fire with the wood they left us, one log gave about 2h of subtle heat. Early tea, then for a walk W (down) in sunshine again, but low. Back inside for the eve, with 2 fleeces for a while, then it felt warmer. Perhaps it was the contrast having spent much of the morning and early afternoon naked. By late eve the sky was clear again, with lots of bright stars, but viewing is spoiled by an adjacent streetlight. Will have to go outside hamlet to get really dark. Now is a good time as around new moon.

Mon 2007-09-10 {19509}

Again a clear morning. To Thônes Intermarché for light bulbs, bin bags and bog rolls; tourist info for maps, and shops for IGN maps and another small French dict, then to la Clusaz and around the 2h advertised and well-signed Tour du Village path. Lots of ups and downs with views, took 2h with 1/2h lunch stop. Then back via D16 and Col de la Croix Fry, pretty fairly low pass 2 lanes wide throughout. More sunbathing in the garden. Sun stayed with us to sunset, so a good session today. Dinner at a table set in the sun on the lawn, then watching the sun set, suddenly over the hills opposite. The circuitous walk was described as easy but the final descent was very uneven and steep with sheer drops. Part of the loop was an "ecology path", with a steep rocky section where we had our lunch; five trail motorbikes came past us bouncing up this. Sitting here eve writing this the silence is absolute. With the doors open you can still hear the crickets but inside pins dropping would be noisy. There are cow bells but none audible from here. Possibly one car per half-hour goes past. A few pedestrians and cyclists.

Tue 2007-09-11 {19510}

My right side is covered in small bites. Sun out again. To bakery in Manigod for croissants. To Annecy. First by the lake at Plage de la Brune, where had to pay to park and there was no accessible beach, the small scrap that there was being closed for maintenance. Then to Annecy itself, parking by the plage at the N end of the lake and walking into the centre. Walk around and lunch al fresco, \theta having moules. Back by a circuit of the lake, stopping at a much better beach at the S end near Doussard, la Nûblière with a good free car park. Sat here in the sun for a bit. Then back to chalet just as the sun disappeared. Lunchtime beer Desperados with tequila. Eve eat in, after a little reading on the balcony, with only a few fleeting rays of sunshine; balcony only viable lying down.

Wed 2007-09-12 {19511}

Baker closed today, got one loaf from the little supermarket in Manigod (she asked if I had reserved any). To the end of the road, then upwards on the track to lunch at very pretty spot which from map is about 1550m (GPS 1562m). Superb peaceful, beautiful spot, with just a few walkers about. Some naturist shots near a hut part way up and at the lunch stop. Later walk down for some more shopping at Thônes and a look round Manigod (which is closed on Wed). Mobile worked well on the mountain. Out in garden later, on a deckchair this time in case of more bites. Hot in sun but cool when it goes away. Ascent today was about 380m. \theta really pleased to have achieved this. It was a good climb. Gazole is ~1E/l, petrol about 1.2E/l. Chalet is at about 970m. Later eat al fresco, timed for the sunset, when cooled and go inside.

Thu 2007-09-13 {19512}

To the baker, open this time but none of the éclairs I nearly bought on Tue [bought a coffee one Fri]; no visible croissants either, so pains au chocolat instead. Tree cutting opposite started at around 7h. To Col de la Croix Fry, park and walk up to Beauregard. Several restaurants up here, with ski lifts and cabin lift, clearly a major skiing centre. A few dozen people around, most walking, a few run up for lunch in cars. Supposed to get a view of Mont Blanc from the plateau walk, but the circular walk went up and down too much for us. Saw Mont Blanc from the path down instead. Walled around at the top and had lunch. Mountains more rugged than yesterday's walk, but walking mostly on motor tracks with electric fences both sides, few places to sit down and admire the views (and nowhere to strip) but higher than yest, up to 1640m tho' the car park was already 1400m. Then a circuit around thro' Col des Aravis and back via Flumet, Ugine and Faverges to the D12 and back towards Thônes and home. All but a few km of this on narrow, winding roads hugging the sides of the mountains, only the shirt section of the D1508 was wide and level in the valley. Maps show N212 and N508 here, on the ground the signs were D1212 and D1508. Gloriously sunny again all day, aft again soaking it up in the garden. Eve tried at the restaurant in Manigod, but offhand and not open for eating till 19h30, so on into Thônes where we had a fondue in the Hotel du Midi. 3 courses (starter and essert buffet) + bottle of water + glass of wine was ~37E. I drove. Odd, up the mountain roads in the gloom; would not have been keen to do it in total darkness. I have a golden colour all over, which I hope will show in the photos. And a blister on my right big toe from too much walking downhill.

Fri 2007-09-14 {19513}

The French here seem to like Fiat Pandas, there are loads of the old shape 4x4s looking battered but serviceable, and the new type as well, inc the diesel 4x4; have seen several in guacomole green. To Chamonix, mostly mountain roads with a bit of fast N road at the Chamonix end, so ~2h journey for 38km direct distance. Up on the cable car from ~1000m to Aiguille du Midi at ~3800m. Here it's cold with ice around, but out of the wind and in the sun quite pleasant (in 2 fleeces). Air is thin tho', and feels hard work climbing stairs to the terrace. Superb views towards Mont Blanc (4808m) and down into valley. 2 stages to get up there, big cars (70 people) on running ropes with balanced hauling rope (two cars). Only 30 mins at the top then came down to about 2400m from which we walked out a little way to Lac Blue, which was green. GPS fix at high point was 3783m at 32T 0336 048 / 5082 689. Phone had max signal at top and middle stations. After return to base station, start journey back and stop at a pretty lay-by, after St Gervais les Bains, for lunch. Chamonix was a mix of languages and types, elsewhere majority is French, even in the mountains. Stop at Col des Aravis and walk up to La Tête, some pix from there of Mont Blanc as well. Not continuous sunshine today, but mostly warm. Back home for dinner of leftovers and cleaning up. Leaving this morn we followed a huge lorry-load of logs, with rear-steering pony truck, that barely made the corners and bridges on the road to Manigod; coming back we met one coming the other way just outside the chalet and barely passed it. The edges are often nearly sheer and there is nothing, not even a few sticks, to give sight of it when passing.

Sat 2007-09-15 {19514}

Last day, and it's sunny and warm again. No sign of owner, so leave a note, 5E for the broken glass, and the key where agreed. Dump the last of the refuse and bottles in the skips, then off to Thonon les Bains on the shore of Lac Léman. Walk along the front with fishing port, pleasure boat port, and (closed) plage; pretty; mostly closed of course. Lunch open air by the lake at a restaurant, then off, via Geneva following the lake, to the French part of the airport; passports not looked at on Swiss or French entry, but at least the Swiss post was manned and waved you through. Car dumped and key handed in, then auto-print boarding cards and luggage labels and drop bags in French area. Then you take hand baggage thro' into transfer area, which is Swiss. Just to confuse you there are ABCF departure areas, with F being French zone (which seemed to be used by French planes only); there is one lounge for A and C which we went into at first, thinking it only departure area, but our flight was from B so had to go out again and back thro' security for B34. Not a problem as quick, and we were at the front of it. Off pretty much on time, uneventful to Luton. Aged senior cabin woman Pat. M1 was closed N-bound at J10, lost the diversion in Luton, but found our way to the A5 and home from there, via Chinese. We have about 800 pix, just fits one CD. Geneva was pretty, but route not the eaiest to follow: the French entrance being scruffy, via a tunnel under the airport to France then back in thro' a parallel tunnel to the French zone of the airport. There were masses of cyclists on the alpine passes, esp Col des Aravis, all in tight lycra and going very fast, even uphill. It was ususual to see any local cyclist.

2007-09-20..2007-09-20

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