I’ve never liked snow on the streets or walking through it. Staying at home, warm, and watching the snow fall—that’s fine! I also can’t stand the cold, nor do I enjoy dressing in heavy winter clothes just to go somewhere, but…
Every rule has its exception!
And my exception is Chamonix and almost climbing Mont Blanc! A place that feels like a magical fairytale, where you are left speechless by the abundance of snow and the breathtaking views. A place where everything is endlessly clean and white, quiet and peaceful! A place where it feels like you’re both in the air and on the ground, and where time seems to have stopped.
It was the end of October, and my trip to Switzerland was my third for the month, after spending a week in Egypt and then a weekend in Athens. To be honest, I was a bit tired and had become overwhelmed with travel and emotions, until one day, my friends and I decided to head to Chamonix in France. We had rented a „rent a car“ and could go wherever we wanted.
You can also get there with an organized tour from Geneva, and you can check out the options for that here:
So, we headed to Chamonix, and in the car, the mood was on cloud nine! Laughter, fun stories, silly selfies and videos, great music, amazing friends! This was just the beginning of an awesome day!
As we traveled, the Alps majestically appeared – towering mountains covered in white snow, with some of the peaks hidden behind the clouds, making it hard to tell where the mountain began and where it ended. There was definitely a lot of charm in these views, a charm that was hard to resist, but somehow, they also prepared you for a meeting that I personally didn’t want to have.
A meeting with winter, with snow, with cold. A meeting where the chill gently caresses your hands, and the first snowflakes land wet and friendly on your face. And a voice inside me said, “Let winter begin now!”
And so, with jokes and laughter, we arrived in Chamonix. We parked, and the moment I stepped out of the car, I felt that winter was already here, and I was completely unprepared for it. Especially in terms of clothing – summer sneakers and socks that didn’t even cover my ankles, thin pants, and well, at least I had a slightly thicker sweater and a leather jacket, plus a bit of wild luck – I had brought a scarf 🙂 . But what could I do – I had come from warmer places and wasn’t ready for such a winter fairy tale!
But this didn’t stop my friends and me from strolling around the town, and we headed towards the cable car station leading up to Mont Blanc. Unfortunately, for some technical reasons, we were told that the cable car could only take us to the first viewing platform! But still, it was something. We waited for the cabin, got in, and started ascending. As we climbed higher, the view below us changed dramatically – deciduous trees disappeared, some rocks appeared here and there, and suddenly everything turned white, covered in snow. Chamonix grew smaller and smaller, and the view was truly unique, and it’s hard for me to describe it!
After I got off the lift and took a few steps in the snow, I realized a lot of things, but the first one was that it was incredibly cold! Cold, in some strange way. There was no wind here, and at that moment, I realized just how silent it was—you could only hear your own footsteps or those of the people around you. You could also hear your thoughts, your breath, and your heartbeat! Everything was so white that your eyes couldn’t quite believe what they were seeing. Tall, snow-covered rocky peaks and a white sky, where it was impossible to tell where the sky ended and the snow began. In the distance, you could see a small patch of blue in the sky, and somehow that ruined the view, because everything around you was just so white. It was majestic, but somehow mysterious and frightening—all those snow-covered slopes, you’re so high up, and all sorts of thoughts rush through your mind at first. But then, it’s like everything around you is on pause, and you’re intoxicated by what you’re seeing! And you can’t stop looking at it. To be honest, as cold as I was, I didn’t want to leave.
I will never forget this place, because the white paintings energized me and told me I was in the right place, at the right time. A place that helps me keep my head held high and face challenges, no matter what they may be!
I didn’t expect to be here, surrounded by so much snow, so high up, and with such a unique view. I felt just like a young man in love – exactly when you least expect it, love appears, almost like snow falling on your head! Why did I feel this way? It was a sensation – like snow that was about to fall right onto my head. 🙂
As we descended back down with the lift, I was already craving something warm and delicious. We got off in the town and took a stroll to find a cozy little restaurant for a bite to eat. The atmosphere in the town is typically Alpine, and everything reminds you of winter and winter sports. It’s no wonder Chamonix was chosen to host the first Winter Olympic Games in 1924. Long before it was crowned the best resort in Europe for advanced skiers and experts, Chamonix was already a serious mountaineering hub and the summer capital of climbers.
Summer here is definitely much more pleasant, as there is plenty to see in and around Chamonix. From here, you can take the Bellevue cable car, which offers a unique view with Mont Blanc on one side and Brevent on the other. If you take a short walk, you’ll be able to see the other side of the mountain with St. Gervais, Sallanches, and the Bionnassay Glacier.
Two more cable cars depart from here: the Mont Blanc Railway from St. Gervais Le Faye, which reveals beautiful views of the valley, and the Le Tour Railway, which heads to the French-Swiss border in the mountains. From its last stop, you can take another lift up to the Le Tour Glacier.
How do I know all this? I read it on the information boards in the town, and it definitely made me want to come back here in the summer!
We also managed to find a nice restaurant, where we had onion soup and fondue, both of which were incredible! I can still taste the cheese! But I won’t talk about the food, because someone might get hungry! 🙂
It was time to head back to Geneva, and as I was leaving, part of me felt like I hadn’t fully left the snowy peaks behind. It was as if my fears and worries had stayed there, with the rocky land covered in snow. I could feel that they were buried deep beneath the snow, and that’s exactly where they should stay. Against the gray rocky backdrop, the snow-covered land appeared more inviting and brighter, and I was happy that I had started walking on it!
