Wow, what a beautiful place Chamonix is! It's situated right near the Swiss border on the Alps. We actually crossed the border temporarily yesterday afternoon. We got to Chamonix early afternoon in absolutely clear sunny conditions & 20 deg, so ventured off to take the chairlifts to L'Aiguille du Midi which had an altitude of 3842m. Although hesitant Charlie agreed to give it a go. As you can see from our photos the effort was truly worth it! Absolutely spectacular 360o views & 0 deg at the top. Was also interesting as the air was much thinner & you got a little feeling of light headedness especially when climbing stairs up there. Once safe & sound back on the ground & a few beers later we had a lovely walk around the town. It was such a pretty place with alpine buildings & flowered window boxes. Great time of year to be here I'm not sure how I'd go in the thick of winter! Our dinners past 2 nights have been lovely, the 1st in a remodeled stable of an old Chateau out of Dijon. The foir gras terrine, the slow cooked pork, the chocolate mousse & panacotta were delicious. Then last night was traditional Savoy foods which had thin sliced pieces of meats, turkey, beef & duck cooked on a hot stone on our table. This was served with a selection of sauces accompanied by a lovely potato dish & tasty salad. Kind of reminded me of fondue but cooked by a different method. Dessert was a yummy, creme brûlée, the best I've ever tasted! We certainly have enjoyed the different taste sensations that we've been experiencing throughout our adventures. Right now we are winding our way slowly along some of the backroads of the Savoy region, very narrow but picturesque. We're pretty happy not to be driving! Mum's 86th birthday today, another great achievement! Now on our way to Aix-Les-Bains.