Summer is starting to fade now and autumn is definitely in the air; it is still plenty warm enough to enjoy sunny afternoon hikes and al fresco lunches but the mornings are getting a bit nippy and there have been a few more rainy days of late than we've been accustomed to recently.
On Tuesday night we had one of those fantastic storms that we often get here in summer, hot sultry weather giving way to almighty crashes of thunder and torrential rain that clears the air and leaves a dusting of fresh snow on the mountains. Damp grey weather may not be everyone's idea of fun but for me it's perfect trail running weather; the ground is softer, the air is cooler and a bit of rain never hurt anyone (it also disguises the extent to which you are sweating so you can pretend that you are cruising along effortlessly).
One of my favourite routes is the Promenade de l'Arve woodland trail from Les Gaillands to Les Houches, bringing you out just behind the train station. You can time it so that you can get the train back, or you can run back the way you came or loop round up to Les Houches centre and run back alongside the road. It is only about 5km each way but the path undulates almost constantly so you get a good old leg workout without having to do much uphill or too much downhill in one go; it also changes underfoot, starting off with a nice springy carpet of pine needles, before turning loose and rocky, then getting a bit muddy, then finishing up on a short tarmac stretch that brings you to the train station.
It's very popular with runners, hikers, mountain bikers and dog walkers so you often see the same folks out for their daily constitutional and it feels like quite a sociable little trail. Running at a reasonable pace (bearing in mind my little legs) it should take around 45 minutes in each direction, obviously longer if you are strolling it.
You can make it more of a challenge by diverting up to Merlet or the statue of Christ Roi (Christ the King). I did this on Wednesday and was very glad of the cool air and drizzle, as you'll built up a fair bit of heat going up the steep twisty trail! It's a lovely stomp through the trees though, with the occasional stream running across the path and fantastic views of the valley below. I ran to Les Houches along the Promenade then on the return took the path about 1/3 of the way back that leads up to the left, signposted for Merlet, Christ Roi and Bel Lachat. Keep climbing up for about an hour and you'll come to the tarmac road that leads to Merlet, from where it is about 1km to the park entrance, keep looking up to the left and you'll probably see deer grazing on the other side of the park fence. Just before the park entrance is a path on the right that leads back down to Les Gaillands, it says 50 minutes but if you're running it'll probably take more like 30 minutes. Take is easy though as it is steep, rocky and narrow with lots of tree roots waiting to trip you up - and it's a long fall back to Chamonix!
Wednesday was the perfect weather for this type of run, I went in the evening once the heavy rain has stopped and by the time I was on the road up to Merlet I was above the clouds and could see how far the snow level had come down the mountains, the Les Bossons glacier was pristine white and looked beautiful. Unfortunately I run light and didn't have a camera or phone on me to take photos... It was incredibly peaceful up there, just me and the deer! Coming back down the steep trail to Les Gaillands was eerie as I descended through the white mist, there is a bridge fairly near the top and the waterfall that runs underneath it was quite fierce with all the extra rainwater. There is still enough of summer left for the plants to be in colour and I felt like I was in a shampoo advert for a moment next to the crashing waterfall with deep green leaves and bright pink flowers emerging through the low clouds that looked like steam coming off the water. Then I tripped over a rock and remembered that I should look where I'm going instead of imagining I'm in a rainforest.
However, the weather looks like it is picking up again in time for the weekend, which is especially fortunate as this is the last weekend that you can take the Brevent and Flegere lifts this summer. There are loads of walks to do from both sites, as well as walking in between them from one to the other, a return ticket is just €14.20 and you can use it to go up one lift and come down the other (or to go up and down the same lift, obviously...), you can see all lift pass prices here.
Coming up this weekend we have a special offer at the Cinema Vox - all movie tickets just €5 each, with many films being shown in English with French subtitles - see here for the programme.
There's still plenty of live music to wrap your lugholes round as well, starting tonight with Kahiki & The Things playing their own blend of reggae/roots/rock at La Yaute in Argentiere. Tomorrow we'll be starting the evening with a few civilised aperos at Elevation while Charlotte & The OG's do their funky thing on the terrace, then we may get a little less civilised as we amble towards Rue des Moulins for the return of our favourite DJ Sugarleg at Bar du Moulin at 10pm, if his infectious love of all things disco doesn't get you dancing then you officially have no soul. Then it'll be on to the White Hub where Chamonix's newest and biggest nightclub has a guest DJ playing until the wee hours. Kicking out time is 7am, I hope I'm not still there at that time...
You can find all these events and more on our What's On Calendar, bon weekend tout le monde!
