UKC

It's about twenty five years since I was last in Chamonix and I'm thinking about it as a holiday destination for me and Mrs. She does not climb or walk but we would hire a car at Geneva.

Could anyone please remind me what attractions there are in and around(circa thirty mile radius) Chamonix for a non climber/walker.

Thanks for any suggestions.

In reply to mypyrex:

A day trip to Annecy?

In reply to mypyrex:
Cable car to the midi. Funicular railway to the Montenvers. A lively cafe culture. Riverside walks in the valley. Trunclement shopping. Japanese tourist watching. I imagine the plastic toboggan run might be too exciting.

Other than that, it is pretty dull.

In reply to galpinos:

Noted, thanks.

In reply to ByEek:
Noted(If I can get her to step into the gondola!)
>Funicular railway to the Montenvers.
Noted
>I imagine the plastic toboggan run might be too exciting.
Definitely

Mrs is not noted for her sense of adventure

In reply to mypyrex:

Tramway du Mont Blanc from St Gervais to Nid d'Aigle, where you get up close and personal with Mont Blanc, with stupendous views, and you can watch everyone returning from their Mont Blanc ascents or failures.

Alternatively get the cable car from Les Houches (lovely village for lunch) to Belle Vue or Prarion.

Its a nice walk from Nid d'Aigle back down to the Belle Vue or Priarion, but with some steep steps down.

http://www.compagniedumontblanc.co.uk/en/site-overview/tramway-du-mont-blan...

In reply to mypyrex:

I must admit, if I were you, I would take her to the lakes of Northern Italy or Switzerland. They are stunning. Malcesine on Lake Garda in particular would no doubt appeal as there are lots of handbag shops and for you, there is a cable car.

Going to Cham as a climber and not indulging yourself is like going to a chocolate factory and not sampling the chocolate. Your Mrs will no none the wiser and won't appreciate the mountains of Cham anyway so you are on to a losing battle before you even start.

In reply to ByEek:


Yes, you have a very valid point and Como is on her list of possibles so it's back to that list I think.

In reply to mypyrex:

The spa in Pre Saint Didier, through the tunnel and just past Courmayeur, is pretty damn good, but the buffet is crap - it's all biscuits and yoghurt and wheatgrass juice. For the entry fee, I'd expect at least some charcuterie or sliced exotic fruits, but no, they give you a paper bowl of muesli.

There are lots of castles from various ages up and down the Aosta valley, and the Roman architecture in Aosta is incredible if you are into that. There are also various other bits of Roman builds dotted around the place, in both France and Switzerland.

A short walk (if you walk, it's a long walk if you don't) from the Emosson Dam, twenty minutes drive from Cham, drops you at some fossilised dinosaur footprints, which are absolutely mind-blowing if that kind of thing blows your mind. You can even see the ripples in the sand on the beach that they were walking along. It's ridiculous, yo.

In reply to mypyrex:

Take the mrs on a trip to Annecy - bout an hour from Cham. Venetian style city, next to a huge azure blue lake, cafe culture, shopping. Plenty to keep you busy for a day. Otherwise Geneva also offers similar interesting places and beautiful architecture plus there are museums. Not forgetting the musee d'alpin in chamonix itself when its open..

If your wife likes animals its not too far to go to visit the St Bernard monastery and nearby theres a museum and kennels with all the dogs.

Ive been to cham multiple times with non climbers and theyve always had a great time.

In reply to jepotherepo:

I would suggest basing in or around Annecy somewhere like Camping Lac Bleu on the lakeside, camping or studios, steamer rides, Annecy town, many walks etc and going to Chamonix for the occasional day, a reverse of your original plan.

In reply to mypyrex:

More than 30 km but about an hour away by car is Martigny with the Fondation Pierre Gianadda - an art gallery which has a small permanent collection but frequent major exhibitions (I've visited for Chagall & Monet). Oddly, there's also a collection of old vintage cars and of Leonardo da Vinci's drawings plus models based on his drawings of tanks, flying machines, bridges, etc. All set in a nice park.

In reply to mypyrex:

30 min drive out to Servoz village, and there is a low key gorge walk to do, then drive back up and park at the bar opposite the big crag you noticed on the way down. Buy wife dinner and beer, then pop across the road (you have harness and boots secreted in rucksack) and hitch a ride on a rope (there are usually loads of Brits around).

Take a lovely walk through the Bosson woods, taking in font style problems as you go

In reply to mypyrex:

Another strong recommendation for Annecy. It is exactly what I did this summer for a change. Lots of cragging within a few miles, tons of restful activities.

Strong recommendation for Camping La Chapelle St Claude, outside Talloires, with its own access to swimming in the lake.

We went for an overnight trip to Chamonix & stayed at the Lac Blanc hut. This is no more expensive than a modest hotel, & is a spectacular location for civilians.

In reply to mypyrex:

Eat some very good French food in a restaurant such as Le bistrot (very interesting for lunch !!..), or la maison Carrier.
Go to les thermal baths of Saint-Gervais.