It was probably during a lunch break that I decided to look at how far Mont Blanc is from Geneva. If we were at a reasonable distance, then we might as well make a little side trip. The small Alpine city of Chamonix is an hour’s bus ride from Geneva. One-way tickets are around CHF 20.00 in comfortable, air-conditioned buses. Since I had never seen snow-capped mountains, this side quest was a must.
Long story short, it didn’t disappoint.
The Water
I’ll start with water. In the Geneva article, which I wholeheartedly recommend you read, I mentioned that I tasted the most delicious water somewhere else. That “somewhere else” was in Chamonix. Their water taps give you the most refreshing water I’ve ever tasted. I wouldn’t be surprised if the inhabitants of Chamonix are among the most well-hydrated people in Europe, if not on Earth. Delicious.
Additionally, the river running through the city is also something worth seeing.
In all honesty, I just took a sip after finishing this paragraph. You should too.
Chamonix Architecture
Previously, I had only seen mountain architecture in movies and photos. The first movie that comes to mind, believe it or not, is Dumb and Dumber with Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels when they arrive in Aspen. Although they didn’t appreciate the buildings in Aspen (or anything else, for that matter, apart from the briefcase full of money), I, on the other hand, wholeheartedly appreciated the wooden and concrete buildings of Chamonix.
Wine Tasting in the Mountains
Have you ever had a wine tasting in the mountains? I have.
A small family-owned wine bar organised a wine and cheese tasting. My wonderful wife saw their ad and immediately booked it. When we arrived, we were greeted with a warm welcome, even though the lady who looked like the owner didn’t have us on her schedule. Nevertheless, we were shown a table and immediately given instructions on how the tasting would proceed.
Two types of cheese and meat, some bread, and four wines – one sparkling, one white, and two red. As Max Verstappen would say – simply lovely. A first for us was the way we had to describe our red wines. The lady gave us eight types of cloth, and while tasting the wine, we had to assign a piece of cloth to the initial taste and the aftertaste. Have you tried it? Worth it.
After our tasting, we had two hours to kill until the return bus to Geneva, so we decided to stay a bit longer and sample their bruschettas and tiramisu with matching wines.
Take me back!
The Five Faces of the Alps
If you got a little lightheaded after the wine tasting, let me refresh you with the Alps.
The snow-capped peaks probably looked quite different ten years ago.
Just a short reminder: the Winter Olympic Games of 2030 will be in the French Alps. Additionally, the very first Winter Olympic Games in 1924 were held at Chamonix.
Mountains and Architecture
In case you haven’t already had enough of mountains and Chamonix architecture, while sorting all the photos taken in the Alpine city, I realised that some of the buildings are neatly positioned with beautiful peaks in the background. I hope you’ll like it.
Have you ever had the feeling of not wanting to go home? Have you ever wanted to stay where you are? This was me in Chamonix and Geneva. I still can’t believe how delicious the water from the tap in Chamonix was. I still can’t believe how refreshing the water in Lake Geneva was. I still can’t believe how beautiful the snow-capped mountains were in person.
See you at the next watchmaking event.
Remember to read the full article on our trip to Geneva, as well as the additional articles about our visit to the Patek Philippe Museum and the MB&F M.A.D. Gallery.
Remember to drink water regularly.
Kindly,
Olaaf
