We went up the cable car to a mountain in front of Mont Blanc to view the Mont Blanc massif. Even from the top the mountain soared above us. The air is thin and zaps my breath, temporarily.
Sequoia puts her hand in snow for the first time. Then throws it vigorously in a ball. Whack. Seems to be the most natural thing to do.
We watched as mountain climbers returned who had started to walk from their tents on the glacier at 2 am to make the summit and back. I was transfixed as they climbed their last steps to catch the cable car down at 6 pm, faces unmoving feet shuffling. Such fatigue and bliss in their faces.
We are in the French Alps to visit our friends Bruno, Monique and Marie who live on a side of a mountain in a narrow valley. The drive to their Chalet is a series of hairpin bends with steep slopes on either side, which continues for an hour. Forests of Pines and Birch speed by, chalets, empty chair lifts over lush grassy mountains. Cows munch, with huge bells around their necks clanging. All of this is overshadowed by more sheer rocky mountains.
A big windy drive took us to Tigne where my sister Vetty lived for years as a professional snowboarder. Its beautiful here sister, though the mountains look so scary to snowboard down. We walked around the lake. Then continued to drive through the valley to the pass and stopped in Val d'Isere for ice-cream. The day was hot and sunny and at 27 degrees hard to imagine it's usually -20 in winter.
Another day we walked along a ridge for three hours, my eyes spinning with the lushness of the landscape; there was a feeling of untouchability though Bruno tells us he has climbed every peak in the area. I am inspired to come back and ski and feel the speed and freedom that it promises. Blisters cover the soles of my feet.
We eat mountain cheese made from these cows only with three meals a day and food from the garden–blackberry and goose berry tarts. Sequoia is adamant that we should buy a house here and visit Monique every day.
Oui!
For sure we will return, there is an unlimited amount of nature at hand to be enjoyed. A culture and a language to learn. French seems to be the easiest for Sequoia and myself. Très bien and au revoir.
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Angela van commented on 29-Sep-2009 01:20 PM
Tina commented on 20-Aug-2009 08:42 AM
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