Thursday, May 29, 2025 – Basel, Switzerland to Auberge du Manoir – Chamonix, France
Well, this was the day to bid farewell to our new friends and fellow Viking travelers. And a night where neither of us slept very well. But regardless we had to disembark our boat, the Gersemi, at 9:00 am, after having left our luggage in the hallway at 8:00 am to be taken off the boat by people stronger than us. (Thank you, Viking.) When we got off the boat, there was a taxi waiting for us to take us to Basel airport. (Again, thank you Viking!) The taxi driver dropped us off at the car rental area and proceeded to wheel our luggage trolleys (that’s what they call rolling suitcases here) right to the Avis check-in desk. Then after a few signatures here and there, and more money spent, we walked only a few yards to our car. A Skoda Scala (Andy named it “road scala”.) (Later re-named “Rhoda Scala”.)
Then it was on our way to Chamonix, France.
Everything went smoothly until we hit a huge back up where we had to turn to go through Bern. Complete stop. Nothing moving. So, we decided to take a different route, and boy am I glad we did. Because the traffic coming from the other direction also headed for Bern was backed up for miles.
So instead, we drove around Luzern (Lucerne), then on to Interlaken, then drove up a side road which took us through the town of Zwisimmen, which is home to the famous Gstaad Ski Resort. From there we descended to the town of Aigle which is on the Rhone River upstream from Lake Geneva.
A few pictures of our drive today.
Back on the autobahn we went South to Martigny. We then proceeded West over a high pass on a secondary road into France. And from there we went steeply down towards our hotel in Chamonix, Switzerland gasping at views of Mt. Blanc all along the way.
One of the more picturesque sites along the way was the abundance of little, dark wood huts located all over the hills. I later learned that long before the Swiss Alps became known as a skiing and hiking destination, ingeniously designed stilted barns sustained entire communities.
Blackened by the sun, stilted pitched-roof barns seemingly floated above the flower-strewn meadows, framed by the Matterhorn, Switzerland’s famed pyramidical peak. I also learned that the barns’ facades were festooned with weather-worn scythes, pitchforks, and even a toboggan-like contraption used to transport hay.
These centuries-old stadels (grain-storage barns) are an intrinsic part of the landscape and still dot this landlocked country’s high alpine valleys. Many are located in Zermatt, a resort town located in southern Switzerland’s Valais region, and the barns have borne witness to the monied ski and hiking destination’s humble beginnings as a farming community. Beyond their rural romanticism, these monuments to the past served a very practical purpose: to feed self-sustaining mountain communities.
The hotel Auberge du Manoir.
From our hotel.
Another view of Mr. Blanc from near our hotel.
After checking in to our hotel, we promptly went in search of dinner.
On our walk to dinner.
When we returned at about 8:30 pm, I went straight to bed. I was totally wasted. Andy steadfastly stayed awake until 9:30.
Friday, May 30, 2025 – Chamonix, France
Well, it isn’t every day you get to see the Matterhorn and Mt. Blanc both on the same day. But that is exactly what we were lucky enough to experience today.
After a nice breakfast, we jumped in our trusty Skoda and headed up valley back toward Martigny. After going around Martigny we drove up the Rhone valley hoping to see glimpses of the Matterhorn.
Driving in the Rhone Valley.
Finally, we stopped to ask Google where we could get the best view of this magnificent peak. Google told us we needed to go to Zermatt by way of a short 3-mile train ride. Which of course, appealed to us since Zermatt is a “no car” town. So, we parked in this huge 2100 space underground parking garage. And please note, the parking spaces were basically large enough for a motorcycle, but everyone was parking their cars in them anyway. (Thank you, God, for little cars!) Then off to buy our tickets for the train ride. This could not have been easier. (I mean really, if we can figure it out, anyone with even half a brain could figure it out!) Anyway, after about a 10-minute wait, we hopped aboard the train and set off on our arduous journey. Uphill all the way and through tunnels galore.
Now before I go any further writing about today’s adventure, I want to talk a bit about tunnels. We have never driven through so many tunnels before on any of our previous world-wide adventures. There are roughly 1300 tunnels and galleries with a total length more than 2000 km to be found in Switzerland alone. And new tunnels are continuing to be built. BTW, a gallery is one of several tunnels driven sequentially and in parallel.
Now of course, we didn’t drive all the tunnels and galleries Switzerland had to offer. But just enough to be genuinely impressed. And of course, the French and Italian Alps are replete with tunnels and galleries too. But back to today’s excursion.
After we got off the train in Zermatt, we decided to try and find a view of the Matterhorn. I had assumed we would just get off the train and there it would be. Hardly. Zermatt is a booming tourist, ski resort, and mountaineering destination. But before we tried to find a viewing place, we needed sustenance, because by now it was 2:00 pm.
After a shared focaccia and a beer for me and some wine for Andy, we started walking toward the mountain through hordes of people. I was about to give up when just around the corner we came to a place that looked promising. And what a view we found. And just a perfect day. No clouds, which is quite unusual. Apparently, this amazing natural wonder likes to hide from the viewing public and is often shrouded in clouds. But not today. The God of beautiful mountains obviously understood that we had come a long way and took pity on us.
The booming town of Zermatt, Switzerland.
We found the Matterhorn!
A little closer view.
Wonderful view of the Matterhorn from the graveyard attached to the Parish Church of St, Mauritius.
So, after grinning ear to ear at each other, we decided to walk back to the train. But first gelato to help us stay cool on our way back down to the train. Because yes, it was quite warm.
So, back on the train and back in our car for the reverse trip. Nice sights along the way.
And then once again, coming into Chamonix, Mt. Blanc was out in all its glory to welcome us back safely.
Another thing to know. There are more bicycles on the roads than cars. Not really, but it seems like it. And these are narrow, windy roads. My fear was that we would come around a bend and run into a bicyclist because there is absolutely no shoulder and many with cement block walls. Crazy. And many riders without helmets. Even crazier!
But we made it back safely and without injury to ourselves or any others.
Picture from our walk to dinner.
Another view of Mt. Blanc from close to our hotel.
Once back, it was off to enjoy a fabulous caprese salad and four cheese pizza. Then a leisurely stroll back to our hotel. What a wonderful day in the Alps.
Saturday, May 31, 2025 – Chamonix, France
Today we decided to go through the Mont-Blanc tunnel into Italy and see if we could find the valley that we had loved so much on our first trip to Italy in 2000. And of course, neither of us could remember the name of the valley.
But first, some information about Mont-Blanc tunnel. The Mont Blanc Tunnel is a little over 7 miles long and costs E54.80 one way. YIKES! Connecting France and Italy, this very pricey tunnel has been dubbed “the most expensive” toll tunnel in Europe. Ya think! Holly Molly! This unique driving experience links Chamonix, France with Courmayeur, Italy.
The road through this amazing tunnel is one of the major trans-Alpine transport routes, transporting as much as one-third of Italy’s freight to Northern Europe. So, were there lots of trucks? You bet your sweet bippy. I’d hazard a guess it was a one-to-one ratio. One truck to one car. And no bicycles. So, now we are on the other end of the tunnel, and now in Italy we headed North up a side valley.
Just a lovely road along the way.
And then road construction which looked a bit dicey. Oh well, grin and bear it!
Oh, how I wish we could park our trailer here. Of course, no such things as hookups. Not even electricity or water. Much less septic. As I was taking a picture, a lady walked past me in her bathrobe. Towel wrapped around her hair. She had obviously just taken a shower and was headed back to her trailer. Oh, the joys of roughing it!
But, oh the vistas.
Takes your breath away……..
After much uphill and winding road, we eventually reached the small commune of Bionaz where we stopped for lunch. Since we were basically at the end of the road, we turned around and decided to take the Grand St. Bernard tunnel leading to Martigny and back to Chamonix. It may sound like a quick little adventure, but we left at 11:00 am and didn’t get back to Chamonix until after 6:00 pm. You simply can’t go quickly from place to place when you are in the Alps. All the roads except for the main tunnels are slow, steep, two lanes, and very, very windy. And you are always being passed by motorcycles and slowing down for bicyclists. But this entire area is overwhelmingly picturesque. It’s like every way you look; a picture should be taken. Impossible of course, but hundreds of postcards could have been made from just our drive today.
When we got back to our room, we decided to head out immediately for dinner. We found a nice little café and shared a warm sandwich. It was basically a thick piece of toasted country bread about 9-inches long and 4 inches wide, topped with cream cheese, thinly sliced ham, rounds of warm fresh Chevre cheese, and kalamata olives. This lovely sandwich was served with a small green salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and topped with different types of raisins. Amazingly delicious. And a perfect size for the two of us to share.
Then back to our room for me to write and hopefully stay awake long enough to plan tomorrow’s adventure.
All and all, another great day in the Alps. And today was amazing in the fact that we were in three different countries. France, Italy, and Switzerland. Bring it on is all I have to say!
Sunday, June 1, 2025 – Chamonix, France
After another fine breakfast we were in our car by 10:00 am. Today we were heading west out of Chamonix towards Geneva, Switzerland. We wanted to get off at Cluses but couldn’t get off there so continued to Bonneville. From there we backtracked and then drove up into the hills to the north to the town of Taninges. We then turned east and proceeded to Sixt-Fer-a-Cheval. And all along the way, steep sided mountains and many waterfalls.
Andy stopping to check out waterfalls.
Waterfalls every way you looked.
Lunch by a river.
Yeah pizza! And beer of course!
And while dining, happy rafters coming ashore.
Then back in the car and on to Cirque du Sixt-Fer- à -Cheval.
We then drove to the end of the road which brought us to the Cirque du Sixt-Fer- à -Cheval. (A cirque is a half-open steep-sided hollow at the head of a valley or on a mountainside, formed by glacial erosion.)
The Cirque du Fer-à-Cheval gets its name from the shape of its cliffs which resemble a horseshoe (fer à cheval in French). Due to the impressive height of these cliffs (6,500 feet), there are a multitude of waterfalls, the number of which varies depending on the season. In June, there are more than thirty waterfalls gushing down the cliffs. This entire area is easily accessible by car.
Very similar to the Cirque de Gavarnie in the Pyrenees, it is the most visited and most famous site of Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval. This huge amphitheater of limestone closes the eastern part of the Giffre Valley, stretching over about 3 miles, with steep cliffs up to 6,500 feet. It is the largest Alpine mountain cirque.
This was one of the most amazing places we had ever seen. If you continue past the cirque (which of course we did) up a narrow road, you can actually drive over a bridge that crosses right over the middle of this long and beautiful waterfall.
View of Cascade de Rouget from below.
Cascade de Rouget from where our car is parked.
Up close and personal with this magnificent waterfall.
The bridge over this waterfall is located about halfway up the falls. And on a truly hot day, I’m sure the mist would be thoroughly appreciated.
Downstream of the falls.
Then we turned around. (We had no choice. We were at the end of the road.)
On the way back to Chamonix, we took a side excursion hoping to get a glimpse of Lac Leman, the lake the city of Geneva, Switzerland is on. But after about 15 miles, we decided it was getting late in the afternoon and turned around. We will have to see this famous lake some other time. But what an amazing day. Beautiful vistas everywhere you looked. Then back to our room to do a bit of reading before heading out to dinner.
Tonight, we decided to have fondue. And in all the restaurants we came across, the minimum was “fondue for 2”. And the choice of fondue we ordered (there were 5 options), came with a large basket of torn bread, a small bowl of olives, 6 large (count them 6) boiled potatoes (baked potato size), a charcuterie plate that could have easily served 6, and a small bowl of cornichons.
Notice the bowl of potatoes. Really?!
We ate until we couldn’t eat even one more bite. And still there was enough meat left for a huge sandwich and potatoes that would happily feed 6 hungry adults. Ridiculous amount of food.
We had learned after ordering our first meal in Chamonix that we would have to order just one entrée to share from now on. We decided that we could always order more, but ordering less, after the fact, is simply not acceptable behavior. And that had been working fine for us. But with this order, we had no choice. And I really wanted to taste real French fondue. And yes, it was very good. But it truly was a ridiculous amount of food.
But what a wonderful day we had shared. And more adventures to come. Life is goooooood!
Monday, June 2, 2025 – Chamonix, France
Today’s driving adventure started once again at 10:00 am. From Chamonix we headed southwest to exquisite Annecy, which is purported to be France’s most beautiful lakefront town. Of this I have no doubt.
The drive took us through an incredible region with exceptional landscapes, fairytale towns, and natural wonders galore. Absolutely perfect for nature lovers like Andy and me. And along the way when driving through narrow gorges, we were in the company of Goat’s Beard, a flowering herbaceous perennial.
This part of the French Alps is a popular destination during the ski season, and it appeared that every little village had its own lift and ski runs. But we were lucky enough to visit it in the Spring, when the mountain flowers were in full bloom and there was no snow on the ground. Frankly I would have been scared stiff if there had been snow. Because like everywhere else in the Alps, the roads are narrow, twisty, and only designed for horse drawn wagons, not little cars with more horsepower than needed to get the job done. Absolutely no one can go very fast on most of the roads. Too many twists and turns. And drivers are different here. Yes, they drive fast on Autoroutes (motorways) with a default limit of 130 km/h. But drivers aren’t rude here. They have manners. They don’t have to prove they are macho by cutting people off or in any way showing that they are in some way superior. And even though there is sometimes graffiti, there is no trash along the road. People take care to make things nice.
When we got back to our hotel, we had time before dinner to do some reading. When it was time to go for dinner, the heavens opened, and we were tempted to get in our car and go look for a restaurant. But it isn’t the same in towns that have been around for centuries. Parking is a problem. And many parking lots cost money. And almost always, they are full anyway. So, even if you can get a parking space, you still must walk some distance.
So, we put on our raincoats and headed out to see what we could find. And if it seems like it might have taken a long time to get to the restaurants, it only took no more than 10 minutes to walk to any of the restaurants we visited. Since we had already been to 4 different restaurants, (Josephine Restaurant, L’ Atelier, Casa Valerio, and Le Monchu), why not make it 5? We settled on the Rose Du Pont. Very beautiful building and as we had learned the hard way, we split a delicious green salad and fish and chips (frites). Perfect amount for us.
Then back to our room to read some more and for me to write up today’s adventure.
Tomorrow, we leave this beautiful alpine town, and head into the interior of France.