With Garrin’s car in action, we went for a scenic drive to Chamonix-Mont-Blanc and a télépherique ride up to l’Aiguille du Midi. We picked a great day to head to the heart of the French Alps; clear blue skies allowed us to have spectacular panoramic views of the Alps from the viewing platform at 3,842m. Even Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps (4,810m), seemed within reaching distance from our vantage point.
Our sense of perspective, distorted by the immensity of the landscape around us, was brought back to scale whenever we spotted alpine skiers or climbers on the glaciers and ridges below. We talked to a few climbers who had just come off the mountain and were about to head back down on skis. For Jean-Michel, a high-mountain guide and wingsuit instructor, summiting l’Aiguille du Midi seemed like an everyday affair.
After taking in the views and many pictures, we headed back to the village of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc. On the way down, we spotted a group of speed gliders as they launched themselves off a glacier one after the other, executing a few barrel rolls before touching down several hundred meters below.
We walked around the village of Chamonix before driving back to Saint-Genis-Pouilly where I was about to head up the humble Jura Mountains for the night. In celebration of the full moon, one of Garrin’s co-workers decided to get a group together to have a barbecue at Narderans (1,330m) and spend the night in a mountain hut. It was a beautiful evening to enjoy some wine, food and good company while watching the moon rise behind the Alps.
follow our feet 