I have two goals for this trip. 1. Make all the memories as a family, knowing our big summer trips might be coming to an end before too long. 2. Eat and drink all the local delicacies.
Check and check. I almost feel like we could go home now.
Late yesterday afternoon we arrived at the bus station in Chamonix and walked the couple of kilometers through the downtown area to our hotel. After depositing our bags in the room we headed back downtown to find a drink and a small bite to eat. Brasserie de L’M had both. We decided to share a cheese plate, but our server convinced us we should get half meat and half cheese. The platter that arrived was gigantic and served as an early dinner. After dining, as we walked through town, the clouds on the mountain parted, and we got our first glimpse of Mont Blanc. It’s massive! (And we’ve been to the summit of Mt. Massive!) At over 15,000 feet tall, it towers over Chamonix which sits at just over 3,400 feet. It really did take my breath away, especially in the dramatic way the clouds presented it.
Our plan had been to find an actual dinner, but we were all satistifed with the charcuterie. We stopped in a wine store to get a bottle, found cones of ice cream (or maybe gelato), and headed back to the terrace of our hotel to watch sunset and relax from the long day.
I slept in late this morning, after the first good night’s sleep I’ve had since we were in Colorado over a week ago. It was glorious! I finally feel not anxious and well adjusted to the time.
The girls spent the day on their own, exploring the town and Zak and I did the same. We had a little family competition to see who could eat the best within a budget. Zak and I started the day at Aux Petits Gourmand, which was recommend by the NYT 36 Hours in Chamonix. We shared a basket of baguette, grain bread, and the butteriest croissant along with jams, housemade chocolate hazelnut spread, fresh squeezed orange juice, and a latte. I don’t know what the girls did for breakfast, but we won.
Zak and I spent the rest of the morning poking our heads in the little shops and wandering around the very not dingy town. We both found the hats that we knew we needed for the hike. After exhausting all the shops we happened upon a little grocery market. Oh my goodness. All the cured meats, all the cheeses, all the wine and beer, all the baguettes, all the all things French. We grabbed a couple beers made from the glacier water on Mont Blanc and sandwiches. Again, nice try girls, but we won.
After walking around some more, we stopped into a bakery for meringues and macaroons to enjoy with the rest of the bottle of wine on the terrace. As we were deciding what to order, the girls walked in, having the exact plan. That allowed us to share a few more flavors. We spent the rest of the afternoon nibbling, crafting, and sipping.
I’m definitely still in the “pinch me” phase of the trip and am not confident it will end. I’m also getting close to the “I should have brought elastic pants” phase, so am definitely ready for the hike to begin!
