Chamonix Activity Report: 24th June 2008
The Fete de Musique has been and gone, and summer is just getting hotter up here in the coolest valley in the Alps. I wasn't in town for Saturday's Fete - had tickets for the Grand Prix in Magny-Cours, dontchaknow - but reports of a 'great time had by all' are everywhere, no doubt helped along by the excellent dry, warm weather. Even the apparently severe approach that the Cham police adopted to certain bars' noise levels dampened no enthusiasm whatsoever.
Weather-wise, the temperature gauge in my car nudged thirty-four celcius the other day. Fantastic! The heat in Chamonix has always been one of the things I've loved most about this place; it's hot without being sticky, and humidity is always low thanks to the breezes that follow the glacial waters of the Arve. I have yet to meet anyone who hasn't got goosebumps as they've felt the chill from the river as they've crossed the bridges outside the Terrasse.
There are tons of exciting summer events going on over the next month or two. 'Off season' doesn't exist in Chamonix, of course. I'm particularly looking forward to the International Climbing Competition in mid-July that was last year backed up by a semi-official beer festival and the chance to get into many different grades of inebriation through drinking many different flavours of beer. Would one prefer a cherry hangover, or would Sir perhaps prefer a lighter honey-vanilla flavour? Check the What's On In Chamonix? Calendar to stay up-to-date with the goings-on as they're announced.
The first one will be the opening of the Vallorcine gondola this weekend. Tucked away over the back side of Le Tour, the village has become something of a focal point for the valley's two-wheeled activities (not forgetting Les Houches, of course...see last week's report). The two Vallorcine downhill tracks - new this year - are eagerly awaited given the CMB's refreshing new attitude toward mountain biking. Le Vert Hotel, Gaillands' finest, will be in attendance with lashings of BBQ and drinks, whilst Cham bike shop Zero G will be bringing a truckload of downhill and freeride bikes, plus lots of body armour and helmets to lend, for those who fancy giving it a go. The hospitality and tests will take place at the Vallorcine gondola base from 10am until the lifs shut - well worth a visit, if only for a cheap look at what all the downhill biking fuss is about.
To get back into the mountain spirit after a weekend of flatland motorsport, I took my bike up to Flégère today and headed off on one of my favourite routes down, via Brévent's Charlanon Bowl. It's a long, knife-edge traverse with hundreds of metres of exposure, which loosely follows the line of the Liaison cable car between Brévent and Flégère. Now I remember what summer is about in the mountains - buzzing adrenaline, stunning views and good times with good friends.
Until next time!
