Chamonix Activity Report: 6th August 2012

It's not often I'm happy to see grey skies and rain but today it is very welcome, as it means that I have the perfect excuse not to leave the couch. This weekend has passed by in a blur and from the fragmented memories I have pieced together I think it has been a blinder.

Friday night started, as many nights do, in the Vagabond; the quaint appearance and slightly out of town location would lead you to believe that this is a sleepy little bar where nothing ever happens, but I can testify that it has been the culprit of many a messy night. It is one of those time warp bars where you think you've only been there 20 minutes and had one glass of wine whereas the clock seems to have jumped forward 4 hours and you can no longer walk straight. As we were already down that end of town we decided to venture further along the Gaillands road and give Le Vert a whirl, where we spent the rest of the night playing pool and watching the Olympics on the big screen.

Saturday was beautifully hot and sunny and I was only on day one of the hangover, so was feeling fairly fresh compared to today. A wee bike ride from Chamonix to Les Houches, followed by a few lengths of the outdoor swimming pool made me feel quite virtuous so I treated myself to a new dress in the sales for our girls' night out. It was a friend's birthday so we'd booked a table at La Moraine, the new restaurant that has opened up on the corner of Avenue Ravanel Le Rouge and Avenue de l'Aiguille du Midi. As there were a few of us they offered us a set menu, which cost just 20€ per head for an aperitif and 3 course dinner, the aperitif was a glass of kir and a platter of tasty nibbles that included different cheeses, meat and bits of salad. There was a choice of 2 starters, fish cakes or salad with crispy bacon, I had the fish cake and was really pleased with it, lots of flavour and a good texture (sometimes they can be just like mashed potato with bits in) - my friend said it was "too fishy" but if you don't like fish then why order fish cakes? The salad looked good too and was plenty big enough to be served as a lunch dish, even the boys around the table who won't normally entertain a salad were tempted by it.

We then had a choice of 3 main courses - beef skewers with Asian noodles, chicken confit or vegetable ravioli. The majority of the table went for the beef skewers, which turned out to be the winning choice as they looked and smelled amazing, I'd have happily eaten just the accompanying noodles and veg. The portions were enormous as well, especially considering we'd already had nibbles and starters. Not many plates were cleared but that was no slur on the food, everyone was just too full to finish! The chicken option looked unusual as the confit process gives it a crispy yellow coating and it was accompanied by mashed root vegetables that were very orange and a vegetable purée that was bright pea green; everyone who tried it said it tasted very good though and one of my more gastronomic friends estimated that it must have been slow cooked for about 7 hours, as the meat was so tender. I thoroughly enjoyed my ravioli dish, which was simple but delicious in a rich tomato sauce with fresh basil and shavings of strong flavoursome parmesan. By the time dessert came round we were all stuffed and a bit tipsy, but we all managed to rally round for a slice of homemade strawberry tart.

We were seated on the terrace, which is very pretty and tucked away from the bustle of the main road, but make sure you go inside for a peek at the cosy stone-walled dining room - I think this is going to be a big hit in the winter when you want to be nestled up somewhere snug.

After dinner we moved to Rue des Moulins for cocktails at Mix Bar, we got there just in time for a quick mojito before squeezing in a mini bar crawl before closing time. If you have indecisive friends then Rue des Moulins is the ideal place, there are about half a dozen bars all along the same small street so you can mill in and out of them without losing each other, especially in summer when they all have outdoor seating and the whole street becomes like one buzzing venue with lots of drinking options.

Once all the usual bars had called time we headed to a tried-and-tested late night option, Le Choucas. Open until 5am this is the place where memories become hazy, which is a good job because you'll end up seeing everyone you know in there and none of you will be looking good by this stage. The music is a bit cheesy and the drinks are a bit pricey but you're guaranteed to end up dancing and hugging everyone like they're your best friend ever.

After struggling through what felt like the longest shift in the world on Sunday I was determined to have an early night but I made the fatal mistake of popping into the Vagabond "just for one" on the way home. Fast-forward 5 hours and we're back in Monkey bar, drinking 2-4-1 cocktails and cheering for Usain Bolt. Fortunately we ate first, Monkey does a great Sunday roast as well as burgers, wraps, salads, etc, the food there is good value and always hits the spot - weekly specials include curry nights, fish & chips, mussels, all in the 10-14 euro range.

The rain might be providing a good excuse to stay indoors today but the forecast says that it is due to brighten up and the rest of the week looks sunny and warm again. I'm hoping to get back out on my bike after having recently bought a copy of the Chamonix Bike Book - loads of good routes, with descriptions, maps and pictures.

I'm surprised I've remembered as much as I have actually, no photo evidence has emerged so far and I have no inexplicable injuries so tonight I am definitely staying in! Unless...