Chamonix Activity Report: 13th June 2012

Most bars, restaurants and cafés are now open again and pretty much everywhere is showing the football (apparently there's some sort of popular tournament on at the moment...).

A new feature on the Chamonix landscape is the skate park in the Bois du Bouchet, which had its official opening party on Saturday. Follow the footpath that starts beside the Galerie Alpina in the centre of town and runs alongside the river past the sports complex, it bends round to the right after the tennis courts and the skate park is right opposite the builders' yard. Alternatively, head to the big field opposite the MBC and the skate park is tucked behind a grassy bank at the far end. It is already proving popular and looks to be the venue for many a BBQ or summer soirée.

Although the lifts don't open until this weekend (Saturday 16th June), there is still plenty of good walking to be had as long as the weather holds out. Sunday was forecast to be pretty dismal but actually turned out nice until late afternoon, which was lucky for us as we spent most of the day doing marathon training on the exposed terrain of the Domaine du Balme.

We took a section of the Marathon du Mont Blanc as our route, starting out at Montroc train station. The little path that leads up and over the railway tunnel takes you to the Col des Montets from where you turn right and pick up the little path that runs along the side of the road through the nature reserve (Reserve Naturelle des Aiguilles Rouges). There is a short section of road at the end of the path before you branch off to the right and head through the meadows to Le Buet and then alongside the river to Vallorcine, you'll come to a small bridge about halfway along which you need to cross over and continue along the right-hand side of the river. This is a beautiful path that makes for a nice gentle hike; flower-filled pastures with grazing cows and stunning views all around. You can then stop for a drink at the Vallorcine train station café (tried, tested and highly approved) or you can test-drive the new Café Comptoir at the Plan de l'Envers, which looks lovely but I've not had chance to try out yet. Instead I'm usually stood outside looking longingly at it while I slurp some tepid water from my camelbak and scoff down a cereal bar before slogging up the hill opposite.

Those who are up for a pleasant stroll need read no further - enjoy your coffee, admire the view, then return at your own pace. From here we headed through the stile opposite the restaurant and marched up the steep footpath along a trail that squeezes round the back of a stone building and then disappears into the woods. Then it goes up, and up, and up. Eventually you emerge onto a 4x4 track which is less steep and a glance over your shoulder will reveal a picture-postcard view of the valley over into Switzerland with the Emosson dam in the background. Keep on trucking and you will find yourself at the top of the Vallorcine gondola – of course, in a week or so you will be able to skip this stage and just hop on the lift... There is still a fair bit of snow up here so decent shoes are advised. Carry on past the lift over the brow of the mountain to the Le Tour side of the Domain du Balme. From here you can bear left and pick up the path that takes you down to the Charamillon gondola, which is a nice meandering downhill path that goes through open pastures and gives wonderful views of Mont Blanc and down the length of the valley. Or you can pick up the narrower path that twists its way up and right to the Aiguillette des Posettes – this is the route that the marathon takes, so is worth a practise-run if you have signed up to take part. The ascent is a bit too steep and knobbly to run up, so get those poles out and get marching. It actually doesn't take that long and the views from the top are spectacular with the mountain dropping away on both sides to give you one of those top-of-the-world moments. From here you can head straight back down to Le Tour if you wish, or you can follow the marathon route towards the Col des Montets. Only take the marathon route if you are feeling sure-footed and sound-of-knee as it is very rocky and vertiginously steep in places. Eventually you'll come to a pine forest, which gets a bit gentler underfoot, from which point you should pick up the next path that is signposted for Le Tour. From Le Tour you just follow the road out of the car park for about 5 minutes to end up back at Montroc train station. And then you head straight to Elevation for essential carb-replacement, I find a fishfinger-filled baguette works wonders, with chips of course.

The entire circuit takes around 3 to 3:30 hours if you run the flattish parts and march the ascents; longer if you go at a steady hiking pace, click here to see the area on Google Maps.

With the weather alternating between drizzly, sunny and proper rainy it is best to keep hikes short and sweet so that you don't find yourself miles from civilisation and soaked through to the skin. This week I discovered the Chalets de Charousse in Les Houches; we hopped on the 01 bus from Cham Sud and got off at Le Prarion, then walked along the Route des Chavants that leads off from the roundabout beside the lift station. Follow signs for the Ecole Physique until you reach a small junction with a number of hiking signposts, from where Charousse is marked, turn right along a path that takes you all the way there – there isn't much opportunity to get lost and you can find the route here on Google Maps.

The walk from Le Prarion to Charousse took about 45-50 minutes and was uphill but gentle enough to be classed as an easy stroll; although it is mostly alongside the road there are plenty of flower-filled meadows and picturesque chalets along the way and it is incredibly peaceful. Charousse itself is a plateau filled with lupins and other wild flowers and scattered with charmingly rustic old chalets and barns, you can potter around here for as long as you like – we took a picnic lunch and perched on a row of rocks during a fleeting sunny moment. Considering I've spent a fair few summers in Chamonix I can't believe I've never been to Charousse before, it is so beautiful and considering it is so easy to get to it feels like you are a million miles away from anywhere.

The weather looks set to improve from Friday onwards so it looks like some climbing may be on the cards this weekend, perhaps at Les Gaillands. It is the standard option for most sunny days as it is easy to get to and non-climbers can enjoy chilling out by the lake, or can make themselves useful and get the BBQ fired up. It is also right next to Le Vert for post-climbing beers and/or rosé.

Keep reading for more ideas on what to do and where to go this summer, on and off the mountain. All upcoming events can be found on our What's On Calendar.