Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Europe Travelogue Part 6: Chamonix

This was a day trip from Geneva even before I started out for this week long trip of mine - but somehow never got around to post it before. So this slight anachronism, and a break from cityscape.

Chamonix is a little village in the valley just under French Alps, and the Aiguille du midi cable car takes one upto a height of over 3800 meters, from where snow covered peaks seem just so close. Just to give a perspective of that height, Mont Blanc, standing next to it, with all its majestic glory, is only around 4800 meters tall, and Mount Everest is 8848 meters, so the cable car (and a little elevator ride) indeed takes one at significant high altitude. And from there, its completely a new world, with pure white snow all around and peaks rising up from everywhere.

The other exciting ride is the Montenvers train to Mer de Glace glacier. Initially the train, climbing up through narrow winding tracks took one right upto the glacier. Then the glacier receded a bit, so they built a cable car to take one down to the glacier. However, the glacier receded further, and now one has to walk a while to get to it. This is probably the cleanest signature of global warming I have ever seen!

The photos are here.



(I would be wrapping up this trip with Paris next)

2 comments:

Dhoritri said...

Breathtaking pictures..So am I right in concluding that over little distances there are great variations in temperature ??
(post answer in orkut too)

dipthought said...

Good question! Over little distances there were great change in altitudes though...and that brings the temperature change.