Haha – another market- This time a short stop from our hotel at what used to be Charles local. From bedspreads, shoes and clothes to vegetables, flowers, masses of exquisite cheeses and salamis. The smell of the many rotisseries cooking chickens, lamb and pork was so tantalising and so was the delicious looking potatoes dripping in the meat juices. If we didn’t have a lunch planned up in the mountains this would have been too far too good to resist.
Stephanie once again produced a wonderful mountain lunch. Sitting at the base of a ski tow in the town of Le Bettex we had sheep grazing around us this year eating the lush grass. I loved their electric fence poles – disused ski poles – that’s pretty good recycling . We had no trouble enjoying the Venison and crispy potatoes followed by macaroons and the view is completely outstanding .
Winding down the road we had plenty of opportunities to take photos of the beautiful wooden chalets, they are mostly holiday houses used for the skiing in the winter and walking in the summer. They looked immaculate with decorative wood stacks lining the properties and masses of geraniums hanging below the windows.
A 3o minute drive along the valley floor took us to Chamonix . This is a busy smart town and home the first Winter Olympics in 1924 . We briefly acquainted ourselves with the main shopping area before our exhilarating ride up the gondola and further on in a cabin to a high vantage point with terrific views of the surrounding mountains and of course Mt Blanc. Cyclists , mountaineers , rock climbers and day walkers were up this high enjoying the stunning environment. But.. The most amazing sight was watching two base jumpers drop themselves off a ledge in their bat suits to career down the mountain and land in a field in Chamonix 1/2 minutes later !!!
Yikes … No thanks to that crazy sport.
