Lauratg

I just read the thread regarding traveling to Chamonix from Geneva and I became very intrigued.

I will be in Montreux next week (for the week). My 14 year old daughter and I want to visit France while my husband and other daughter spend a long day skiing at Verbier. This is mostly so my daughter can see France for the first time. Also, she has never seen real snow (we live in Florida).

The trip to Chamonix sounds perfect -- particularly after PalenQ's description. Does the MontBlanc express require reservations like the Glacier Express? Are there issues associated with crossing the border into France that I should be aware of?

Is the main attraction there the ariel tramway? Swiss pass covers the train ride -- my guess is that we wouldn't be so lucky as to get the 25% discount on the tram, correct?

Thanks in advance. I know the questions are vague and last minute -- my job has been so hectic that I haven't been able to do the preparation for this trip that I should have!

Laura

kenav

We did the Mont Blanc Express about 4 years ago. I don't remember anyone giving us a hard time at the France/Swiss border. I don't remember anything about any border crossing, for that matter. Just, we're in Switzerland, now we're in France.

If you're gong next week you probably don't need reservations. We went in mid-September and the last leg of the trip - the Express train - with 2 cars, was almost completely empty.

There are a few cable car trips in Chamonix. The most exciting one is the the one to Aiguille du Midi. (You can even get off at the top and take a cable car across the mountains and land in Italy!) <b>Are you sure it's open right now?</b> You're in France, not Switzerland, so no Swiss pass lets you on at discount.

There's also a great glacier (forgot the name) you can visit and even go inside it (tacky statues inside, but still great). This is in a different area than the Aiguille.

Don't know-how long you'll be in Chamonix.

Lauratg

Thanks Kenav - exactly the info I was looking for.

We'd only be in Chamonix for the day, so I'd probably have to choose only one thing to do.

I googled Aiguille du Midi and found winter prices, so that portion must be open for the winter. I'm going to try and find if the cable to Italy is open (it may take too long).

I wish I had more time!

Laura

kenav

Have you figured out how long the trip to Chamonix and back is? could take up most of your day.

PalenQ

there is an official Mt Blanc Express I believe but there are also hourly or so regular trains that don't even take reservations - some trains go direct to Chamonix and others require a simple change of trains at the French frontier - now that Switzerland is in the Schengen Accords there should be no border formalities - but still carry your passport.

If the Ariel tram is in France you would not get a discount with a Swiss Pass - the train to Chamonix is covered 100% because it is run in conjucntion with a Swiss train company I believe.

For others not reading the other thread check www.swisstravelsystem.com for some sweet videos of the Mt Blanc Express trains - and also for more info on Swiss trains, passes, etc www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.seat61.com. For schedules go to the Swiss Federal Railways site - www.sbb.ch

kenav

Here's a video of Aguille. The trip cable cars you will see are those that go between the top and Italy. We were there on an absolutely beautiful day yet the cable cars between the two countries was not running because the wind was too rough.

Hope you have good weather. And dress very very warmly. It's freezing up there.

kenav

Oops - here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k20Vi...eature=related

PalenQ

The cable car trip over the Mer de Glace glacier far below to me was the most awesome cable car ride I ever took - after large gondolas wisk you up to Pte Aguille you transfer to small 2 or 4-person gondolas and these often stop and dangle over the Mer de Glace (Sea of Ice) whilst folks get on and off at either end - and believe me when dangling out there with only this glacier underneath is a real unique (but perhaps frightening to some) experience - mind-boggling - the trip is really expensive but well worth it IME. This trip leaves right from Chamonix itself.

kappa1

It seems to me PalQ has described above the aerial cablecar route of Chamonix - l'Aiguille du Midi - Pointe Helbronner (Italy side) and AdM - Pte H is over Vallée Blanche, not Mer de Glace. Mer de Glace (montenvers) is reached by train.

> small 2 or 4-person gondolas and these often stop and dangle over * la Vallée Blanche * whilst folks get on and off at either end - and believe me when dangling out there with only this glacier underneath is a real unique (but perhaps frightening to some ...

I agree. And these small gondola stop often due to wind too. If you are time limited, you can skip this small gondola - vallée blanche part. Go up to AdM, have time at the observatory, warm yourself up with chocolat chaud or vin chaud and return as most do.

PalenQ

kappa - yes my mistake - but you can see why I mixed up Mer de Glace or Sea of Ice because that is what it looks like when in those gondolas that go for miles over ice. thanks for the correction. I also took the train to the real Mer de Glace, a glacier we could walk right up to, and that was great too but not nearly so extraordinary as those gondolas to Pte Heilbronner (sp? in Italy.

kenav

I believe the cable cars to Italy are not running until May.

kappa1

you are right kenav. Chamonix - AdM is open all year round (except some check-up times) but not beyond.

PalenQ

I did not carefully read the OP enough to realize that it was next week - makes sense that in winter it would be perhaps dangerous with icing of cables, etc. the first lift is a huge lift with lots more secure devices I would think. Thanks for the correction.

Lauratg

Thanks for the replies! Yep, seemsthe portion to Italy is closed for the winter, but the first part should be open. This happens a lot -- I rarely get to travel in the summer.

I think the trip is about 2.5 hours from Montreux -- long, but not too bad if we go first train. It should still leave us 6-7 hours to ride the other tram.

Does anybody know if I should get off the train at Chaminox/station or chaminox/Aiguille du Midi?

PalenQ

Chamonix-Aiguille du Midi station is right by the lift - it is I think the next station after the main Chamonix station - at least it is only a km or so if I recall from it.

Lauratg

Ah, thanks! Now need to pack and find out if the American Express office in the Geneva Airport is open on Saturday. Just found out (when I called my Visa debit card to alert to travel) that Visa has cancelled my debit card due to a returned replacement card. Just a mistake on their part, but now I must head off to Switzerland with only an American Express card and $26 American dollars.

Sigh, I really shouldn't have put that off until the last minute... Still looking forward to the trip though.

kappa1

There is an exchange counter by Amex at Geneva Airport open 7 days a week being an exchange counter on the departure level. Arrival level was UBS or Amex too, I don't remember but guess more like UBS. Anyway, it's a small airport and when you are out of the custom after luggage claim, on your left you will see the exchange counter (that you can use when you are in the luggage claim as well). If it's UBS and you really need to go to Amex, farther left there is a elevator and escalator up. Use the elevator, direct to the departure floor. Out of the elevator, you will see Amex almost in front of you.

Lauratg

Oh thank you so much Kappa1. At least I can get some cash against the Amex card (and I refuse to think about the fees!). My husband is on the phone with VISA right now but it doesn't look good.

However, he has about $100 USD so we should be OK for a couple of days if we change it to francs at the airport, even if we have to wait until a bank opens on Monday to get cash against the credit card. Now I'm going to shake down my daughters' piggybanks. . .

PalenQ

You may find that changing cash in Switzerland, unlike many other countries, gets you a very decent rate of exchange and without and fees - even in train stations

I always use my ATM card hooked to my checking account there for cash from ATMs - obviously I guess you do not have an ATM card hooked to a checking account? But at times when I am ready to leave Switzerland and do not want to incur my ATM flat transaction fee of $5 for a small amount of Swiss francs I change some $20 US bills at a train station ticket counter and have found those rates are about bank rates and no fees.

To get started at least and avoid some of the predatory cash advance fees from using credit cards for that perhaps just change US dollars -more than the $100?