Hiking the Mont Blanc Massif, Day 3 -Chamonix 勃朗峰山脉徒步游第三天

July 29, 2024: Today, we each had different plans: Chenggang went hiking alone, while Connie and our daughter opted for a more relaxed day, making use of their cable car passes.

Chenggang set off early, walking about 1.5 miles to the La Flégère valley station in Les Praz. From there, he took the cable car up to La Flégère and then transferred to the ski lift heading to L’Index. The mountain was incredibly peaceful in the morning. As he slowly ascended on the lift, it felt like he was the only person on the mountain, with only the gentle breeze and the distant sound of cowbells keeping him company—a scene straight out of a dream. After a brief stop at the top, he took the lift back down to La Flégère.

From La Flégère, Chenggang hiked to Planpraz, covering 3.3 miles (5.6 km) with an elevation gain of 1,100 feet. He completed the hike in less than two hours. At the 2000 Alt restaurant, he enjoyed an espresso and sparkling water, along with a ham and cheese sandwich he had brought for lunch. Afterward, he took the cable car back down to town, wrapping up his day of hiking.

Meanwhile, Connie and her daughter planned to visit the Aiguille du Midi again in the morning, as they hadn’t had time to visit the glass box at the top tower yesterday. However, just having a pass wasn’t enough—they also needed a timed entry ticket, and the earliest slot they could get was at 2:30 pm. With a few hours to spare, they took the bus to Les Praz, then the cable car up to La Flégère, and the lift to L’Index. By the time they arrived at La Flégère, Chenggang was long gone to Planpraz. They also saw the herds of cows and sheep grazing on the slopes, with patches of snow still on the mountains. The stunning scenery made the cable car ride worthwhile for the mother and daughter, who preferred not to hike. They had lunch at the Refuge de La Flégère midway up the mountain, then returned to town to prepare for their visit to the Aiguille du Midi.

At the cable car station, they watched a 20-minute 4D movie about Mont Blanc, which made the audience feel as if they were flying through the sky like birds, taking in the majestic views of Mont Blanc and experiencing the sensation of lightning, thunder, and snowstorms. Both found it to be a fascinating experience.

The glass box at the Aiguille du Midi, known as the “Step into the Void,” is the highest attraction in Europe. After taking the cable car, they had to take an elevator to the topmost level. All personal belongings had to be stored away, and they had to wear special slippers before stepping into the small glass box. Connie said standing there made her knees weak, and she didn’t dare to look down much. Groups of two to three people were quickly ushered in and out, with staff helping to take photos. Of course, the quality of the pictures wasn’t guaranteed.

After descending from the Aiguille du Midi, they returned to Chamonix town center to meet Chenggang for dinner. The town has countless restaurants, and we let our daughter pick one she liked.

We have spent several days in Chamonix, but tomorrow it’s time to move on to their next destination.

2024年7月29日: 今天我们各自安排了不同的活动：Chenggang去徒步，而Connie和女儿则继续使用缆车通票来个轻松游。

Chenggang一大早出发，步行约1.5英里到达Les Praz的La Flégère缆车山谷站，然后乘坐缆车上到La Flégère，接着换乘滑雪用的升降椅前往de L’Index。早晨的山间非常安静。坐在升降椅上慢慢往山上去，整座山仿佛只有自己一个人，伴随着微风和远处的牛铃声，宛如置身梦境。来到在山顶上稍作停留，便又坐升降椅返回La Flégère。

从Flégère开始徒步到Planpraz，全程3.3英里/5.6公里，海拔上升1100英尺。Chenggang用了不到两个小时完成了这段徒步。在2000 Alt餐厅喝上一杯意式浓缩咖啡和气泡水，再加早上买了带着的火腿奶酪三明治作为午餐。之后乘坐缆车回到了镇上，结束了这一天的短程徒步。

与此同时，Connie和女儿计划早上再去南针峰（Aiguille du Midi），因为昨天没时间去最高塔里的玻璃屋。但坐这缆车光有票还不够，还必须拿时间段的票，结果她们只拿到了下午2:30的票。于是她们乘公交车也去了Les Praz，然后也乘坐缆车到La Flégère，再坐升降椅上到de L’Index。沿途山坡上有成群的牛羊，山上还有雪。这么漂亮，对不愿爬山的母女俩来说光是坐个缆车来上面看看景发个呆也蛮不错。她们在半山腰的Refuge de La Flégère吃了午餐，随后返回镇中心准备上Aiguille du Midi峰。缆车站有放关于勃朗峰的4D电影，二十分的4D短片让观众像鸟一样在天空中飞翔，看勃朗峰的雄姿，同时也感受到电闪雷鸣，风雪交加的滋味，她们俩都觉得是一次蛮有意思的经历。

南针峰上的空中玻璃屋(Step into the the Void)是欧洲最高的景点，除了坐缆车，还要另外再坐电梯上到最高层面。必须将所有的随身物品存放掉，换上专门提供的拖鞋慢慢走进小玻璃屋。Connie说站在那里让人腿发软，不怎么敢往下看。二到三人一组快进快出，工作人员帮忙拍照留念。当然照片的质量就不能保证了。

从南针峰下来回到霞慕尼 (Chamonix)镇中心与Chenggang 会合吃晚饭。镇上饭店不计其数，女儿找了家她喜欢的饭店。

来霞慕尼好几天了，明天要去下一站。