There isn’t much to report around here that’s fun. Cannon is still feeling super bad but the good thing about homeschool is that you can do as much as you are feeling up to and relax about the rest.
We were able to fit in the most important subjects and some fun crafts.
And as always lots of reading.
I am starting to come down with whatever Cannon has so now I am just trying to keep everyone alive.
How often do you catch your kids’ viruses? I always do
After (sadly) leaving Switzerland we drove north to the Alsace region of France to spend the day in Colmar.
Colmar is near the border with Germany and is known for wine making and half-timbered medieval and early Renaissance buildings. I was excited to see this fairytale city and explore the cobbled streets.
We spent some time in the morning at the town square that had fountains to run through, a carousel and playgrounds.
It’s important to us when traveling with little kids that they get unstructured time to play and move their bodies freely. They do so much better walking around town, in museums and taking tours when they have had some free time. It was very hot still in France so the fountains felt nice.
We then walked around town that looked like a set from a movie, it was so picturesque.
The architecture here is incredible.
We enjoyed lunch at a little cafe and had quiche, which is a specialty of the area.
Alsace is also know for their Riesling.
After lunch we took a short train tour of old town and discovering the charming town on our own.
The mix of French and German culture is incredible in Colmar.
On our way out of town we stopped at a little playground before heading to our next destination.
After enjoying Chamonix for a few days we stocked up on groceries and drove on to Switzerland. We found a campsite in Täsch (in the dark) within walking distance of the train station. You can’t drive into Zermatt, it is a car free town so you take the train into town.
It’s a pretty short ride before you reach Zermatt.
Emmy was very excited to get a pretzel at the train station. It was very good!
We checked in at the welcome center talked about the best hikes and got a map of the mountains. Zermatt is very walkable and I wished we had way more time in town! We thought we wanted to do the 5 lakes hike from our research and it was confirmed that it was a good hike for the kids.
At over 6 miles it was a bit of a stretch for Emmy who is only four but the trail is mostly down hill, we were stocked with snacks and planned to stop for lunch along the trail. The trail starts at Blauherd. To get here, take the funicular to Sunnegga and the gondola to Blauherd.
In the town of Zermatt, the Sunnegga funicular station is located next to the Vispa River. On Google Maps, it is called Sunnegga Blauherd Rothorn Funicular. Ride the funicular to the Sunnegga station.
The Funicular is really fun to ride and inside a tunnel blasted out of the mountain.
When we got to the top we got the iconic view of the Matterhorn.
We were hoping we would get a glimpse of the peak without clouds but we never did, still stunning.
Then we took and the gondola to Blauherd.
We decided to do the 5 Lakes Hike, following the 5 – Seenweg signs.
There are many hikes here and we wished we could do them all!
It really was a dream come true to get to visit this area.
The trail was single track but nice and easy.
The kids were having a great time being out running through the mountains.
The alpine lakes are gorgeous. We went a little off our plan to eat lunch on the side of the mountain. We really need these mountainside restaurants here in Colorado.
Lunch with a view!
After lunch it was time to hike back down to Sunnegga.
The 5 lakes hike was very beautiful and we enjoyed it so much.
When we got back down to Sunnegga there is the best playground for the kids to play. There was a raft they could take across the lake, a water feature to play in and a traditional playground. We spent some time here playing before taking the funicular back down to Zermatt.
In town we grabbed dinner and (of corse) stopped at another playground. I love the playgrounds in Europe!
This one had world class views and mini trampolines! These play breaks are critical for the kids. They get plenty of exercise hiking and walking to see sights but they also need unstructured time to play and move their bodies in the way they want. Making time to play keeps us happy.
Then we took the train back to our campsite ready for some rest then head on to our next stop.
Chamonix is what all my Alpine French/Swiss dreams are made of, its’s so dreamy!
We had a few meals in town and enjoyed them all, lots of al fresco opportunities!
The town is very outdoorsy with lots of hikers, mountain bikers and trail runners around. It was so tempting to buy all the pretty outdoor gear they are selling.
We took this little tour train around town when it was raining to see more sights.
Usually we love these little town tours but other than keeping us out of rain I don’t think it was worth it. You can walk Chamonix easily on your own.
We found a little playground.
Then made our way over to Le Brévent.
Brevent and its great panoramic view of the Chamonix Valley including a stunning view of Mont Blanc. From Chamonix, you can take the gondola/telecabine lift to Plan Praz (1,999m), then the cable car to Le Brévent (2,525m).
We had already eaten lunch in town but I wish we had waited and eaten here, the views are stunning!
We explored around the top and read up on the history of mountaineering in the area.
We did a little hiking as well before heading down and back across town to our RV.
We loved Chamonix SO SO much but it was time to move on to Switzerland next!
On our second morning in Chamonix we decided to ride the cog train up Montenvers to the Mer de Glace glacier.
We had a gorgeous walk to the train station in the morning. We found Chamonix very easy to get around by walking we didn’t move the RV once while there.
It rained overnight but we had a nice day for visiting the glacier.
You take the cutest little cog train up the valley to the Mer de Glace refuge. There is a store, restrooms and restaurant at the station there. Again you can hike up if you have the time and don’t want to pay for the train.
The Mer de Glace (Sea of Ice) is the largest glacier in France, 7km long and 200m deep and is one of the biggest attractions in the Chamonix Valley.
The Montenvers Railway was the first custom built tourist attraction in the valley. It started operating in 1908. The funicular railway departs from Chamonix and makes its way up the sides of the Aiguilles de Chamonix to an altitude of 1,913m.
From the train stop you take a gondola part way down the valley to see the glacier.
The hike down is long, with many steps so leave the stroller behind and bring a carrier if you have a little one who can’t do lots of stairs. Emmy and Cannon did fine going up and back at four and six. There is so many steps because when the gondola was built the glacier was near the end, now it has receded so far they add to the steps each year. They are building a new gondola to make the glacier more accessible to more people.
When you get to the glacier, you can explore the ice caves (no additional ticket needed).
You can enter a man made ice grotto that is cut into the living glacier. The grotto has to be dug out every summer since the glacier moves about 70m every year.
Inside there is information about the ice, glacier and ice sculptures.
It is the most amazing blue color I have ever seen.
Once you are done in the ice grotto you get to climb the 400 something steps back up to the train station.
The hike down and back was nice with all the views but a little sad seeing all the markers for past years where the glacier used to be. I am glad we got to see it before its gone.
The ride back on the train is also very scenic.
We all enjoyed this visit so much!
Cory and the kids pretended to sleep on the way back.
We got the kids their puffer jackets right before leaving for our trip and I am so glad we did! They pack down small, are light to wear and are very warm. They work great for travel and life in Colorado!
If I had to choose one place that I loved visiting the most from our trip it would be Aiguille du Midi in Chamonix, France. The views here were unreal. The pictures look like paintings and it was even more stunning in person!
We started our day at 5am in Annecy and drove a little over an hour to get to Chamonix. We parked at the base of the Aiguille du Midi cable car, where you can also stay the night.
These are the faces of kids who are pretty tired and aren’t sure about their parents anymore.
We wanted to get up the mountain early before it became super crowded and we did catch the first cable car up the mountain.
Aiguille du Midi is the highest mountain peak served by an aerial lift system. The name translates literally to “Needle of the Mid-day”.
We stopped at Plan de l’Aiguille, the mid point, to got out to look around a bit. Also young children (and anyone really) can get sick when ascending so quickly up the mountain, so we thought a tiny break might be a good idea.
The morning sun on the mountains was stunning!
We walked around a bit then got on another cable car to ride to the top.
You can see in the photo above to pointy peak, that is where you ride to.
It is a two-stage journey. The first leg brings visitors to the Plan de l’Aiguille (2,317m). The second stage, without any support pillar, traverses Les Pelerins glacier before rising up the North Face of the Aiguille du Midi at the top station (3778m). A footbridge connects the cable car top station with the Central Piton terrace. An elevator inside the rock rises the visitor the final 42m to the top terrace at an altitude of 3,842m.
We thought about taking the Panoramic Mont Blanc cable car, that spins 360 degrees while taking you to Italy. We decided not to because the day was cloudy so we wouldn’t be able to enjoy the views, but I am dying to go back and experience that.
We did the “Step into the Void” which is a glass room with a glass floor, situated off the uppermost terrace of the Aiguille du Midi at an altitude of 3842 meters.
It was very cold at the top but the views made it worth it.
I think Cannon would have liked a nap.
I love our Colorado Rockies, but the Alps forever have my heart.
We took our time exploring the complex at the top, which is very impressive! Then rode back down to the mid-point.
We went for a little hike from Plan de l’Aiguille
It is so stunning here!
We hiked down to the cutest mountain side restaurant.
Can we PLEASE get some of these in Colorado?!?
We stopped and for our lunch and enjoyed some regional specialties.
Many hikers were actually stopping here after hiking up from Chamonix.
That hike is beyond our current ability with a 4 and 6 year old but it’s goals for the future.
I think this was one of my favorite meals ever.
We then hiked back up to Plan de l’Aiguille to catch the cable car back to Chamonix.
You can also hike from this area to Mer de Glace and take the cog train back down. That hike is also on the bucket list for when we can hike further.
Most of the hiking signs in France are labeled in time instead of distance which I dislike because everyone hikes at different speeds. If you tell me how far it is I can figure out how long it will take us. You can see on the sign that Mer de Glace is 2 hours and 40 minutes away, I think it would take us much longer.
We loved this visit, and we think it is a must see when visiting France! Please go and then tell me how much you love it.
We woke up in the morning in Annecy France, right at the base of the French Alps.
This place is seriously stunning, with lots to explore.
The town sits right on the banks of lake Annecy and features lots of canals.
We walked down to the historic part of town and took some time to say hello to friendly French cats.
Emmy especially loves cats.
The color of the water here is unbelievable.
We walked along the canal into old town until we found a little cafe to stop at.
This was definitely what I dreamed of doing when planning our trip to France. We tried the Tartiflette, made with local Reblochon cheese, potatoes, lardons, and onions. It is one of the dishes famous to Annecy that has a lot of Swiss influence.
After eating we continued to walk around old town.
We walked up and explored the famous Annecy Castle then back down to play at a playground in the shadow of medieval churches.
It was a fairly warm day so we needed to stop for ice cream after playing.
Then we made our way back down to the lake where we found a historic carousel.
And then more time at playgrounds, because we are asking a lot of patience and good behavior while we travel and the kids deserve time to play.
French playgrounds are pretty great.
Can’t beat the views either!
We spent the rest of the evening at our campground because we had some chores to do.
The kids played on the playground and a few rounds of put-put golf while we cleaned the RV and did a few loads of laundry. Often while traveling in the USA or Europe we will just “wild camp” where it’s allowed but since this was near mid trip we needed some services to refill water, dump tanks and do laundry. This little campground in Annecy was so fun and a perfect place to refresh.
We had pizza from a little food truck and tried to get to sleep early because we were getting up before the sun to drive to Chamonix in the morning.
I was so excited to drive a little south so we could explore the Gouffre de Padirac. The Gouffre de Padirac is one of the largest cave systems in France, I saw a travel channel on YouTube visit and I knew I waned to add it to our list. It almost got cut but I am so glad it didn’t we loved touring the caves.
The opening is a giant circular sink hole where you climb down many flights of stairs.
We had purchased tickets online before arriving and there was a small line when we arrived. It was easy to park and navigate our way in. There was also an audio guide you can take with you and listen to as you go down into the cave.
Everything was so beautiful.
Walking down into the caves was really fun and we all loved it.
I didn’t take the time or have the equipment to take good pictures in the dark caves.
There are beautiful pools and cave structures to explore.
One of our favorite parts was that there is a river through the caves that you take a boat through. You have a guide on the boat that will tell you all about the caves and answer any questions.
You’re not allowed to take pictures while on the boats so here are some from the website
Riding a boat on an underground river was an amazing experience. We all loved this visit so much!
Our tickets to the caves were first thing in the morning so when we were done we had time to drive all the way to the French Alps to kick off the mountain section of our trip.
5.5 hours is a long(ish) drive but the views were amazing and we stopped in a lovely little French town for lunch at a park where we stretched our legs.
We arrived in Annecy after dark where all we had to do was park, and move the sleeping kids from their car seats to the beds. Traveling by RV is really my favorite.
After leaving Mont Saint-Michel, we drove east towards the very heart of France. The Loire Valley is know as the Château region of France where thousands of Châteaus can be found. It was hard to choose which one to visit! We finally settled on Château de Chenonceau because we liked how it was built over a river.
I mean….look at it?!?
From Rick Steves:
“Château de Chenonceau is a 16th-century Renaissance palace arching elegantly over the Cher River. Nicknamed the “château of the ladies,” it was the home — and work — of many famous women over the centuries. Most of the design decisions for the main building were made by the wife of the original owner, as he was so often away on the king’s business. A later resident, King Henry II’s mistress Diane de Poitiers, added a bridge across the river to access the hunting grounds. Diane enjoyed her lovely retreat until Henry was killed (pierced in a jousting tournament) and his vengeful wife, Catherine de Médici, unceremoniously kicked Diane out into the nearby château of Chaumont. Catherine added new gardens and rooms to the palace, including the three-story structure atop Diane’s bridge that has ever since given Chenonceau its unique river-spanning charm. Catherine died before completing her full vision, but not before turning her château into the local aristocracy’s the place to see and be seen.”
The grounds are so grand and the history is so rich.
The kids loved the hedge maze, and all the gardens.
We enjoyed lunch beside the moat and had really good weather. My only complaint is that the coffees are tiny.
Diane de Poitiers garden was so beautiful and a great place for the kids to spin and play before going inside the Château.
You can also rent boats to take on the river during the summer months!
We had tickets to tour the inside of the Château after lunch.
The interior was so interesting and beautiful. We all liked the servant areas best, especially the kitchen where they would unload food shipments directly from boats on the river.
After the tour we enjoyed the rest of the gardens.
They were all so beautiful and different from each other.
We really loved the flower and vegetable gardens.
But we particularly loved the Donkey Park as we were leaving for the day.
After exploring most of the day we were very happy to get back to the RV, relax and drive to our next destination, the Gouffre de Padirac.
After leaving Paris we drove towards the coast to visit Mont Saint-Michel.
This location was out of the way of the other places we really wanted to see but it was near the top of our must see locations in France.
And it was definitely worth the extra driving to see.
You can walk across the bridge and enjoy beautiful views of the island but it adds a lot of walking and the kids were already going to be walking a bunch and we wanted to save our steps for exploring. So we parked and took the shuttle out.
We loved walking around the island, It’s hard to wrap my head around that this was started in the 1500s
We got out to Mont Saint Michel on one of the first shuttles because we had heard that it gets busy fast.
Wandering around the ramparts and climbing up to the Abby was almost unbelievable. The kids loved it and so did we.
There are lots of uneven pavers and stairs so this is not a stroller friendly place. If your little ones aren’t able to walk at least a couple miles it would be best to use a hiking pack or baby carrier.
It’s amazing what was built out on this rocky island. It was beautiful and intricate. We toured the Abby but opted to do a self guided tour because we do better going at our own pace. One day we will have kids with attention spans that can handle a guided tour, but not yet.
After exploring the Abby we headed back down where we could grab lunch and enjoy the beautiful weather.
We were glad that we came early as it was very busy in the afternoon. We grabbed some gelato then took the shuttle back out to the parking area.
We spent the evening driving inland towards the Château de Chenonceau. Driving the French countryside was a big plus of planning our road trip.
I had high expectations of Mont Saint-Michel and it blew them out of the water. What an amazing historic place to visit. The kids loved it as well, getting to visit a “real life castle” was fun for them to explore.