SwissTour Alpine Tour - Switzerland Chamonix - Alpine Adventures

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2006 Date: 9/27/2006

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Breakfast at McDonald's - 2 Euro (about the same as just the tax portion of the breakfast at the Hotel Albert 1er).	Ticket for the A. du Midi cable car transit.	Ticket for the A. du Midi cable car transit.	Ticket for the A. du Midi cable car transit.

Wednesday Morning - Sunshine in Chamonix	Map of Chamonix
We awoke Wednesday morning to fog, which lifted to reveal the Sun mid morning. I chose to have breakfast at McDonald's instead of the pricey Hotel Albert 1er breakfast. For 2 Euro at McD's we could eat for the same amount of just the tax on the Albert skimpy breakfast.

Pancakes	Breakfast at McDonald's
The meal at McDonald's was quick and good. We wanted to get in and out in a hurry so we could scoot up to A. du Midi - the peak next to Mt. Blanc.

A workbike in Chamonix.	The real entrance to the Hotel Albert 1er. The tunnel below the busy road is covered in ugly graffiti.	Ag. du Midi - the peak next to Mount Blanc.	Mount Blanc on a clear day.

Front Entrance	Hotel Albert 1er
As shown in the photo above, the entrance through the tunnel is less than glamorous. The Albert property is beautiful and well maintained - unfortunately it's the property around the Albert that is not so attractive.

Cable Car to Ag. du Midi	Mount Blanc
After breakfast, we got our packs and headed for the station to go up to Ag. du Midi, the peak next to Mt. Blanc. It's a two stage ride up to the top which is almost in the stratosphere above Chamonix. The Midi cablecar carries you from 1,000 m to 3842 m (or approx. 11,500 feet). The first transit is from telepherique Chamonix to Plan de l'Aiguille 2317 m. The next lift is from Plan de l'Aiguille - Aiguille du Midi.

Interesting helical artwork on the way to the cable car station.	Mid station.	Cable car to the peak.	On the peak.

Map of the top.	Snow capped peaks.	Peaks in the distance.	Looking over 8,000 feet down to Chamonix.

Mount Blanc.	Mount Blanc.	Lower observation platform.	The peak of Ag. du Midi.

Jagged peaks.	Climbers finishing climb to Midi.	Observation platform.	Cable car which goes to Italy.

Upper cable car station which goes to Italy.	Upper cable car station which goes to Italy.	Walk going through snow tunnel.	Over 11,000 feet.

Mid station - utility cable cars.	Main cable car.	Another view of main cable car.	On way down to Chamonix.

Panorama view of last stage of cable car - notice how cable ends almost vertical.	View of Chamonix in valley below.	Utility cable car.	Paragliders.

Cable car on way down to Chamonix.	Paragliders.	Paragliders.	Paragliders.

Utility cable car.	Mount Blanc in background.	Cable car.	Pizza for lunch.

Lunch and Shopping	Sausage Shop
After spending time on the Ag. du Midi, we headed down for pizza lunch and shopping. We stopped in a local sausage shop, and it looked like the drying sausage was growing mold - the smell was awful.

Variety of cheeses in shop.	Champagne and wines.	View of graffiti in tunnel at entrance of Hotel Albert 1er.	View of graffiti in tunnel at entrance of Hotel Albert 1er.

Late Afternoon Mount Blanc	Mount Blanc
As the Sun slowly descends through the alps, the shadows slowly engulf Mt. Blanc.

View of entrance to Albert.	View from Hotel Albert.	Hotel dog, Opium.	View from porch at Albert.

Road next to Albert.	Unique chair in room. Arm up.	Arm down.	Flower on room balcony.

Afternoon in Chamonix	View of Mountains
After lunch and shopping in Chamonix, we came back to the hotel room to relax and enjoy the Sun as it slowly hid behind the mountains.

Dinner	Downtown at Night
For dinner, we went to the Chinese restaurant for a good dinner. Not as fancy as the Albert, but good none the less.