Showing 1-23 of 23 results
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The mountain clothing you’ll need for treking the Tour de Mont Blanc
Blog: Heather on her travels - 30 October 2011
Forgive me if you’re a seasoned long distance walker who already has all the gear to set off on a mountain trek like the Tour de Mont Blanc. If you’re an occasional walker like me, however, you may find it useful to know which pieces of mountain clothing are worth the investment and which will [...]
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Visit the French Alps on a Small Group Tour This Summer
Blog: Video Diary of an American in France - 15 October 2011
Are you starting to think about your summer vacation? Then you have to check out our French Alps Tours. This year it will take place again in June. With enough interest, we may offer it in September too. Wander the Medieval town of Annecy, nicknamed the Venice of the French Alps, and take a boat ride [...]
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My second year on the Tour de Mont Blanc – video diary 2011
Blog: Heather on her travels - 11 October 2011
Last year when I walked part of the Tour de Mont Blanc with my friend Julia, I kept a video diary, filming at the end of each day my impressions of the things we had seen on that part of the walk. I really enjoyed putting it all together and re-living the highs and lows [...]
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My Tour de Mont Blanc diary Day 2 – Col de Balme to Champex
Blog: Heather on her travels - 11 September 2011
We awoke to bright sunshine and blue skies at Refuge Col de Balme and the dramas of the day before, our exhausting walk and the encounter with a herd of sharp-horned mountain cattle, were all but forgotten. Rather than take the route to Trient as advised by our TMB guidebook, both the Monsieur from the [...]
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My Tour de Mont Blanc diary Day 1 – Flégère to Refuge Col de Balme
Blog: Heather on her travels - 4 September 2011
We started this year’s walk on the Tour de Mont Blanc at the spot where we had come down from the mountain last year – the top of the Flégère chair lift above Chamonix. Last year we had descended in brilliant sunshine but now there was a light drizzle that we hoped would soon pass. [...]
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A tale of two Refuges – on the Tour de Mont Blanc
Blog: Heather on her travels - 30 August 2011
The mist was swirling in as we reached Refuge Col de Balme, our first stop on the Tour de Mont Blanc trail, with the clouds blowing over the high passes as dusk was falling. Our way had been blocked by a herd of sharp horned cattle, their large bells clanging from the leather collars around [...]
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Mer de Glace – Ice Cave – Near Chamonix, France
Blog: Video Diary of an American in France - 9 July 2011
This is the second Mer de Glace (Sea of Ice) video and it shows the inside of the Ice Cave. The Ice Cave is a cave that was made by humans and shows visitors what the inside of a glacier looks like. Well, sorta. I don’t think most glaciers have colored lights, ice beds, ice [...]
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Mer de Glace Near Chamonix, France
Blog: Video Diary of an American in France - 6 July 2011
The Mer de Glace (Sea of Ice) is a glacier near Mont Blanc, outside the city of Chamonix, France. You get to the glacier by taking an electric train up the mountain. You can just see the glacier, the mountaintop hotel, the Natural History Museum, and the Crystal Exhibit. Or if you are in pretty [...]
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Hotel Slalom in Les Houches – a boutique hotel for skiers and walkers
Blog: Heather on her travels - 29 October 2010
As we arrive at Hotel Slalom in Les Houches, the English propriétaire Tracey, welcomes us with a cheerful Bienvenue and we step into the breakfast room of this unassuming but stylish small boutique hotel. We’ve chosen it as a base from which to launch into our 3 day walk on the Tour de Mont Blanc [...]
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Inside the glacier – at the Mer de Glace above Chamonix
Blog: Heather on her travels - 21 October 2010
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be inside an ice cube? No me neither. But I have often wondered what it would be like to stay in one of those ice hotels they seem to love in Scandanavia. Good for a quick vodka perhaps but I’d rather have a cosy bedroom and a [...]
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Review of Tour of Mont Blanc Guide by Kev Reynolds at Cicerone Press
Blog: Heather on her travels - 12 October 2010
When searching for a guide to help plan our recent walk on the Tour de Mont Blanc trail, all paths seemed to lead to the Tour of Mont Blanc guide by Kev Reynolds published at Cicerone Press. Reassuringly, it was the book that I noticed all the English walkers clutching as we followed our 3 [...]
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Visit to Chamonix and Mont Blanc in the French Alps: Tour of the French Alps
Blog: Video Diary of an American in France - 9 October 2010
If you read my blog, you know I just led my first French Alps Tour in September and we already have five sign-ups for our June 2011 tour too. So if you’re interested, don’t delay. We’ll lead a tour in September 2011 too.
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Fondue, Raclette and Tartiflette – Savoyard specialities to make you fat!
Blog: Heather on her travels - 6 October 2010
If you’re undertaking hearty outdoor activities in the Alps, whether it be walking in summer or ski-ing in summer, you’ll be tempted by these Savoyard specialities that involve plenty of cheese and charcuterie. There’s the classic fondue made with melted Gruyère or Emmental cheese with a splash of white wine and chunks of country bread [...]
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Day 3 on the Tour de Mont Blanc – Flégère to Lac Blanc
Blog: Heather on her travels - 4 October 2010
Following our night at Refuge la Flégère, the morning of day 3 of our mini Tour de Mont Blanc found us debating two alternate plans. We could either descend to Chamonix and then take the lift back up the other side of the mountain to the Aguille du Midi or continue a little further on [...]
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What I packed for my mini Tour de Mont Blanc walk – video
Blog: Heather on her travels - 26 September 2010
I’d like to share with you what I packed for my 3 days walking above Chamonix on the Tour de Mont Blanc Path, as you’ll want to pack light but take the right things, especially if you’re walking the full 11 day TMB circuit. Although we were only walking for 3 days I don’t think [...]
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Video diary – walking the Tour de Mont Blanc path above Chamonix
Blog: Heather on her travels - 19 September 2010
On my recent 3 days walking in the mountains of the Chamonix valley on the path of the Tour de Mont Blanc, I kept a video diary each day to record my impressions of the walk. It’s a little longer than most of my videos that I keep short to cater for the nano-second attention [...]
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Day 2 on the Tour de Mont Blanc – Refuge de Bellachat to Flégère
Blog: Heather on her travels - 16 September 2010
Day 2 of our walk along the Tour de Mont Blanc path above Chamonix started with breakfast on the sunny terrace of Refuge de Bellachat with the sun peeping over the top of the Mont Blanc range opposite and the Chamonix valley below in shadow. You can read about Day 1 from Les Houches to [...]
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Day 1 on the Tour de Mont Blanc – Les Houches to Refuge de Bellachat
Blog: Heather on her travels - 9 September 2010
Our first day of walking above the Chamonix Valley on the path of the Tour de Mont Blanc or TMB started in a rather more leisurely fashion than most serious walkers would allow. Our boutique Hotel Slalom in Les Houches was so pleasant that my friend Julia and I lingered over the croissants and meusli, [...]
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Views from the Top of Mont Blanc, France
Blog: Video Diary of an American in France - 17 August 2010
Now that you’ve seen how we got to the top of Mont Blanc, here’s what the views are like once you get there. It is truly a magnificent place with awe-inspiring beauty. It makes you feel very small.
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Taking the Auguille du Midi to the Top of Mont Blanc, France
Blog: Video Diary of an American in France - 14 August 2010
My husband, my family who was visiting, and I took a day to visit Chamonix, specifically to take the Auguille du Midi cable car up to the top of Mont Blanc. The last part of the first cable car was a bit scary.
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A Look at Extreme Mountain Sports of the French Alps
Blog: Video Diary of an American in France - 4 August 2010
My sister, her husband and their son and his family came to visit this summer for 6 days. The two days that I enjoyed the most included a trip to Mont Blanc and Chamonix, which involved a cable car ride up to the top of Mont Blanc; and a trip the mountain on the St Hilaire du Touvet funicular to watch [...] Related posts:Taking the Auguille du Midi to the Top of Mont Blanc, Fra
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Southeast France Overview
Blog: Video Diary of an American in France - 3 July 2010
If you have already visited the charismatic glamour of the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre Museum in mainstream France, southeast France is waiting for you with its humble enchantment. Southeast France is heaven for green tourism.
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Aigues Mortes, French Cowboys and the Camargue Marshlands in Languedoc, France
Blog: Video Diary of an American in France - 26 June 2010
I had never heard of Aigues Mortes but since it was located in the middle of the Camargue marshland reserves, we decided to visit it. The town turned out to be a Medieval fortified city dating back to the 1200s. Today it caters to the tourists but the ramparts are still interesting to see.
Showing 1-23 of 23 results
