CHAMONIX

Also known as Chamonix - Mont - Blanc, it's one of France's oldest ski resort and also the site of the first Winter Olympics. 

(This is why I love Wikipedia, makes me look more knowledgeable.. than I already am HAHA)

To make the most out of our trip that winter, we decided to pop by where Mont Blanc is. Because the cold just wan't cold enough.

Please excuse the dirty windscreen. The journey from Annecy through the highway was around one hour. During which, snowy mountains were our only view. At the first sight of a snowy mountain I thought I saw the Mont Blanc. My excitement then become indifference  because  as we drove almost every peak of mountain was covered with snow.

A cable car can be taken up to the Aiguille du Midi (Reading this in my head sounds like I'm casting a spell) mountain, at 3842m altitude. From there you get a panoramic view of the French, Swiss and Italian alps, Mont Blanc being the highest mountain.

The view? BREATHTAKING. 

And I do mean both figuratively and literally breathtaking. The air was so thin that I had difficulty breathing and felt dizzy after standing a while in the lookout deck. I had to rest in the cafeteria for about 15 minutes to get used to the air.

In this picture I've taken below someone is hiking in the mountains, can you see? Try looking at one glance, don't spot. In the next picture I've marked where the hooman is.

If you missed him, he is here:

This is why hikers/skiers wear bright coloured apparels.

Alright now back to breathtaking view again.

To be honest, I don't even know which peak is Mont Blanc because they all look the same LOL.

There were a good amount of people with ski/snowboard/hiking gears. As much as we would love to try, unfortunately our fitness level just wasn't there. Next time hopefully! *munches on Cheezels

We checked into our accommodation to get our much needed rest. The view from the balcony?

SPOT ON.

The town itself has nothing to shout about but come on, that scenic mountain view? I think we can all agree it's like a giant painting. 

When looking at what to eat I read an article that traditional mountain staple foods also known as Savoyard cuisine typically involve lots of cheese and potato. A quick search in Tripadvisor gave me this restaurant which is known for its fondue.

Le Tremplin (takes bookings)

11 Route du Tremplin

Les Bossons

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc 74400

04 50 53 23 08

If you're thinking fondue for dinner? Who eats chocolate for dinner?

Oh please don't be juvenile. We are talking about the mothership of all fondues here - the best.  type. of fondue. ever. 

CHEESE FONDUE.

We had this fondue called Fondue aux Cepes (mushrooms). Traditionally fondue is served only with cubed bread. I thought it was a little strange to only eat bread with cheese but it makes sense. Why dip things which will mask or affect the taste of the cheese? Dipping something as plain as bread allows you to fully appreciate and enjoy the taste of the cheese. 

Not that I knew much about French cheese but IT WAS TO DIE FOR. 

Out of all the traditional French food I've tried the fondue was my favourite and a definite must if I ever visit France again. If you love cheese (like me!), you need to try this. 

This was the restaurant's menu:

I wanted to try EVERYTHING! Unfortunately there is only that much 2 stomachs can take :( and we definitely did not want to over order, waste food and appear rude so we only had the amazing fondue and some desserts which were forgettable. 

Ugh so delicious I wanted to lick my screen as I'm typing this.

Also put together a little video of the fondue dipping in action. Click here if you're interested.

It was definitely a worthy visit even though we did not get involved in any snowy sport/activities. The view at the lookout and the fondue completed our French alps experience this trip. 

After this we are headed towards a suburb of Paris - Versailles!