Chamonix Snowshoeing

Who can resist?

Just across from Argentière the snowshoeing is amazing at the top of Flégères!

Top of the Brévent, not on snowshoes, but in the summer it can be done on foot. 

Some fun wildlife!

Oh la la! Mais oui, mon chéri!

Hopefully this guy is in his warm hole in the ground dreaming of summer wildflowers!

And some fun locals too!

Hahaha!

Mont Blanc and the village of Chamonix right below the clouds. Lots of Alpine Yellow-Billed Choughs flying all over the place. I guess they like the views and our picnic crumbs!

Lac Léman Walk

This is such a great spot with the  lake & mountains, all the best Switzerland can offer. You can go into France as well as change cantons and hop from Vaud into Valais. This is also the start of a hike up and over mountain passes to Chamonix.

There is even an outdoor art exhibit

A nice flat walk for a change! 
At the end of the lake, there is a bird sanctuary with wild reeds and dragonflies and flat paths. 

Geology in the Chablais

First part of a majorly intense geology course started in the Chablais in France. It was a fun surprise to see the Dents du Midi hugging the side of the Grand Combins massif!

We spent the first day figuring out how to make a geological map - wow! I don't think these guys could ever be paid enough for the minute work they do! Not sure that I will ever make anyone do this type of exercise, unless we are stuck somewhere for days!

We went out searching for fossils in the recently melted snow around the limestone of the Mont Chauffé near Ubine one day. These little stars are not star fish, but a plant's stem which fossilized in the shallow warm seas which were where the alps now are.

By the end we walked in an area I have only explored covered in snow with skis, where one can walk on the continental crust & the oceanic crust simultaneously!

Another successful Cham to Zermatt trek!

What a great summer I have had! Thanks to all who joined up for all my tours, I really enjoyed myself! I mean look at the picnic spot here! Who can top that?!

Tour du Mont Blanc

 

Day I Argentière to Trient

 

Started off with a bit of rain on our 10 day hike to Zermatt! Funny that as soon as we crossed the mountains into Switzerland the sun was shinning...hmmmm...!

CherriesWalks in the city!

A week of fabulous weather in Paris, cold but sunny. It was interesting to have 41 kids to keep an eye on. The metro system has never seemed quite so vast... And crossing streets with lights can get exciting too. It is definitely easier to walk looking behind me in the mountains, here I was walking into happy Parisians.

The Only real guiding that required my Mountain Leader knowledge was when I climbed down the 700 steps of the Eiffel Tower!
Very odd looking vegetation in Paris!

Hiking in the Aiguilles Rouges reserve

Starting in the col des Montets we did a tour up and around the cliffs of Chéserys. The views were just crazzzzzy over onto the Aiguille Verte, Les Drus, Mont Blanc, and the glacier du Tour, Argentière and Mer de Glace (to mention the BIG ones). The ladders are part of the Tour du Mont Blanc, and are definitely the more sane way to get your knees up to the Flégère area than climbing up the way we went down, by the lake of Remuaz. Although the trails around here are kept in tip top shape.

But thanks to the way down we got to see some bouquetins (ibex) up close. We also got to listen to the mothers and children calling each other. Was exceptional!

Roussillon

La Fin: sunrise on the Mediterranean!

Targasonne - Eastern Pyrenese

Almost in Spain, almost in Andorra, but not quite..wild granite bolders as far as the eye can see spot the terrain. In winter you can snowshoe or ski at Font Romeu in the mornings and climb in the afternoon! Magical!

Pont d'Espagne - Pyrenese

Right near the resort of Cauterets the wild valleys open up to a plethera of options for hiking.

Cirque de Troumouse - Pyrenese

Amazing geology in these parts! Wow! Just wait, the GR10 is right around the corner for things to do. Who wants to join? It only takes 60 days...

Gorges du Tarn

Climbing, Canoeing, Hiking, Good food...The Gorges du Tarn have something for every flavour!

Le Bouveret / St. Gingolphe

I am not kidding, we literaly had flowers up to our armpits! This walk is not for people with hay fever!!

Dune de Pyla

This was an amazing trip, thanks to Andy MadMarmot Forrest!
I am still trying to get the sand out of everything. This Dune is unbeleivable! It is a kid's greatest dream - the biggest sand pile ever imagined! I definitely recommend this place to everyone. And don't miss out on the oysters! yum & fun!

Verbier to the Mediterranean on foot!

To begin with, as soon as I finished my last Mountain Leader exam I left the front door key with the neighbors and walked from Verbier to the Mediterranean Sea! 30 days of walking! It was tougher than I expected!