French Alps - Tips and landscape photography experiences
Hey guys! All right? In our last post, we talked about the Swiss Alps and some peaks for you to enjoy trails and nature photography with lots of quality. In this one, we will continue the series and enter the French Alps that are right there on the other side and are also incredible.
On my roadtrip, after leaving Switzerland, my next destination was France, in the city of Chamonix. The city is famous for winter and its ski slopes of the highest quality, but we were really interested in the landscapes of early autumn.
What caught my attention in the first place in the city is the mix of organization, good places to stock up (markets and stores) and budget prices for accommodation, since I was out of season (in October).
I mapped Chamonix on my way, as it is a capital of incredible trails and mountains. There you can find Montblanc, the trail of White Lake (Lac Blanc), the Sea of Ice (Mer de Glace) and the Aiguille du Midi (Central Needles). All these points are very accessible for those who have a good physical condition, and willingness to walk at a light altitude.
I booked an apartment that would fit a couple of families, for less than hundred dollars a day. Considering the European standard in a high-level city, it was very affordable! We stayed for three days, but with more time, I recommend at least five days to a week for you to enjoy the trails without rushing.
The city is incredible and is the perfect combination of comfort and adventure. Excellent cuisine, peace and a lot of nature in incredible views of the mountains. Going into details for the trails, I made the Lac Blanc circuit for the incredible views of the peaks, glaciers and the lake itself, which makes an almost perfect mirror at altitude.
The climbing is about 570 meters, culminating in almost 2400 meters of altitude. Here, there was a secret before leaving for the trail: I had a nice matcha tea to energize at breakfast and it seems to have worked.
The start of this trail I took was by the parking lot of La Flegéres cable car station and takes you from the valley floor to a point where you can start the climbing that is signposted all the time.
Some parts are a little steep, but is essential to respect your pace. Round trip is approximately 4 mi, so it's not that challenging if you're up to date.
Who wants some… ice?
A little bit dryer than normal, but… Lac Blanc!
If you are more adventurous you can try the Tour du Montblanc that starts in Chamonix. It is an incredible hike of more than a week, circling the mountain through the territory of Italy, France and Switzerland. It's already on my to-do list!
In addition, if you like French cuisine, the city is full of excellent restaurants. I preferred to go to the local markets and stores to buy lots of wine, cheese and cold cuts to eat at night. It’s super economic and gives that cool vibe of resting while enjoying the place like a local in your own home.
That's it, guys! Share it with at least one person who will help us a lot to continue putting these contents! We will be back soon with more. See ya, and bye bye!