GENEVA - Day trip to Mont Blanc and Chamonix

I wanted to tell you about one of my best layover's in Geneva, Switzerland . We rented a car and drove to Chamonix/Mont Blanc. You can rent a chep car for 75.00 SF at a hotel called the Balzac, located behind the Hotel Kempinski, across the street from a COOP Market (ask your concierge for directions) You get 300 free KM, more than enough to get to Chamonix and back, the drive is quick and easy. It is about a 45 min. drive, on a well indicated highway. You park the car in the French Village of Chamonix, and then you take the "Telepheric" up Mont Blanc. You can actually go across a glacier which separates the French and Italian Alps. So in one afternoon, you can hit all 3 countries, pretty cool. There are several levels and stops on the Tramway. The highest level/platform is called L'aiguille du Midi, (needle of the Midi), it is a weather monitoring device, and at that point you are about 12,000 Ft. above sea level. You are above the clouds, and the view is spectacular! . The tram ride is 24 Euros, and to go to the top,"L'Aiguille.." (which is a must!) is an additional 18 Euros.

Be sure to take a camera, and a jacket and we took bread, cheese and wine, and of course Swiss Chocolate for our ride on the Tram.
One of my best Layovers!

For additional information on Mont Blanc, the tallest mountain in the Alps and the 11th tallest in the world, click on the following Wikipidia link - Mont Blanc - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Story and photos by Laura Courty (IADSW)