A rendezvous with Mont Blanc at Chamonix

Take 1. Take 2. Take 3...between film recordings in Switzerland set rolling by Raj Kapoor with Sangam in the 60s and the destination’s popularity supercharged by Yash Chopra's Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ) in the 90s, did the French massif really stand a chance of being noticed? I don't think so. What Bollywood did by showcasing Switzerland's natural beauty, our ICSE curriculum and later Cartoon Network did by introducing us to life on the Swiss Alps through the book-turned-TV show Heidi, the affectionate story of an orphan girl sent to live with her aloof grandfather in his wooden cottage on the mountains. He grew fond of her, and she of him and his home-made cheese, which most foodies who've read it would argue is the  book's true protagonist. While Swiss tourism was quick to cash in on all this, Atout France, in partnership with Cox and Kings, officially introduced Chamonix to the Indian masses only about a decade ago.

The devil looses its horns

Ironically, it even took locals centuries to warm up to the majestic range, including the Mont Blanc peak, Europe's highest at 4,807 m. Infamous for its troublesome glaciers, landslides and avalanches, which ensured daily life was fraught with difficulties, the massif was much like the Cape of Storms to Chamoniards. They believed glaciers were 'the house of demons. Several other superstitions surrounded the mountains, until 1741 when two Englishmen—William Windham and Richard Pococke—returned alive from their expedition of the valley and its glaciers. They narrated the sights they saw and Mer de Ice (Sea of Ice, the Alps' second longest glacier), in such glorious terms that England’s rich and famous followed suit, marking the beginning of Alpine tourism in the valley. It's another thing to imagine them being taken up on sedan chairs and mules; you don't know whom to pity more, the tourists or the mules! It took natives, Michel-Gabriel Paccard and Jaques Balmat, another 40 years to reach the top of Mont Blanc.

This fresco, in the centre of the town, painted by Patrick Commecy is dedicated to Chamonix's best mountaineers and creates an illusion with its 3D effect

From building a rail line, cable cars, luxury hotels and an entire eco-system around tourism to hosting Winter Olympic Games and snow sports, Chamonix has come a long way. In fact, it's one of the most prominent ski destinations with a variety of slopes (spread over 10 areas) for beginners as well as thrill seekers.

Cozy chalets of Le Hameau Albert 1er

Today, it’s unthinkable for visitors to leave Chamonix without taking the Aiguille du Midi cable car to terraces at 3,842 m for stunning views of Mont Blanc and the Swiss, Italian and French Alps. But it's more exciting to take the furnicular to the Montenvers site and gaze at the Mer de Glace from the sit-out chairs of its century-and-half old hotel, sipping on wine cocktail and digging into fondue. The nearby ice cave may not wow you if you've been to one, but for how it looks from afar—like a rock-cut cave; it's resculpted every year as the glacier keeps moving. The descent is 400 steps.

Fondue with salad, bread and wine at Grand Hotel du Montenvers

As for ski instructors, Chamonix has quite the best. They go step-by-step. Like when skating, first put one foot in the ski and push ahead with the free leg. Next, wear both—walk, walk, walk. Then, slide, slide, slide. "Don't lean back, lean slightly forward". To stop, form an A, "Toes together, heels apart". To stop in standing position while skiing downhill, "dig your sticks in front for support". Going up a slope is tough—so ascend sideways: side, together; side, together, bending the second knee. You feel like you're learning how to walk all over again, but when you get it, you feel free like a baby! A ride on the Luge Alpine Coaster, in the middle of the town, is just as liberating. What’s more, you manually control the speed all through its jumps, bends and spins. Hair-raising crazy!

You can manually control the speed all through the jumps, bends and spins of the Luge Alpine Coaster (Pic: Pierre Raphoz)

Eclectic flavours, electric nights

After all that weight training you're bound to be famished. And at Chamonix, you're spoilt for choice. This little town, smaller than Kullu, has close to 180 restaurants (including two Indian and several Asian), offering a variety of cuisine. La Maison Carrier serves the local Savoyard food, based largely on cheese, potato and meat—like their tartiflette that combines all three. But what’s divine is their dessert. It’s part of hotel Hameau Albert 1er, home to Chamonix’s only Michelin star restaurant. La Télécabine does a lovely steamed artichoke dish and cocktails, Le Bistrot’s flavours are as amazing as its MasterChef-like presentation. You must try their choux and cheese pastry gougère. But a place that boasts vegetarian and dairy-free on its menu as comfortably as it does meat is L’Impossible—family-run by chef Auro Bucci, his wife and son. Auro himself turned vegetarian a decade ago, serves natural (read, no-chemical/organic) food and believes in cooking the traditional Italian way with local/European produce only. Then again my partiality towards L’Impossible is but obvious—I'm vegetarian.

A Savoi specialty pasta, crozet served with ratatouille at Hotel du Montenvers

Most places mentioned have meat and fish-heavy menus, but gladly preprared vegetarian dishes for the tourism board’s guests like me; you should try them out too. While these are all high-end, Chamonix has just as many budget options—like is the case with their accommodation consisting expensive chalets and villas as well as service apartments, hostels and B&B’s.

Flee market stall selling paintings by local artists

Music streams onto the streets, you can party till 4 am and shop till you're  heady at the town center or flee market, which has everything: green grocery, meat, cheese, pickled eats, macaroons, clothes, paintings... For many from other parts of the world all this activity takes away from its quaintness when compared to Swiss towns. But for most of us Indians, the buzz would make it the right mix of au naturel and happening, and the population of 10,000 (Kullu's is 3 lakh) and a lakh tourists at peak season would make it easier to feel at home.