Beasts in the Chamonix Valley

From a warm and filling Thanksgiving in DC we took a terribly early post-turkey flight to Istanbul, where we had a happy reunion with Crow the Doggo. In the planning for this adventure we considered trying to bring Crow with us, but ultimately decided the cost and headache of dog-transport (which are not insignificant on both counts) would be too much. Moreover, she’s currently living her best life running around Zeynep’s parents’ garden.

After a somewhat haphazard swapping of Airstream/camping gear for skiing equipment, we were off to Chamonix, France. Chamonix sits in the middle of a very steep, stunningly beautiful valley at the base of Mont Blanc. Chamonix is ski-towny and touristy, of course, but actually mostly in a good way. We also arrived at the very beginning of the ski season, so the hordes have yet to arrive.

When I say we arrived at the very beginning of the season, I mean that we got here before the lifts opened, which was actually perfect for getting to wander around, eat döner dürüm at the local Turkish restaurant, eat raclette until we approached bursting, and go on a wonderful shoulder season hike up to the snow line. We also had a chance to get settled into our lovely apartment here, which Zeynep discovered (after we rented it, because that’s how these things work) that Culture Trip has it first on its list of “The Best Airbnbs in Chamonix.”

Today the first set of lifts opened for the season and we hit the slopes. Not quite literally, but much closer than I was comfortable with: Zeynep says it was an accident, but on our second run of the day she took us up a lift and then we’re careening down a red slope and I can actually taste the fear rising up from my stomach. To be fair to her, I can ski reds, but unlike her they’re at the top of my abilities and it was the second run of the season. In any case, we survived, did a few more blues, and then came back to do the same red with more gusto.

Tomorrow we’re off to the Italian side to explore some of the slopes there (and drive through the Mont Blanc Tunnel!), and in a day or two will need to take a break to allow the skies to dump an expected 9 inches of snow in the valley. Good problems.