Mont Blanc or Bust...

And time comes for a Holiday....

Not on a beach, reading a good book and drinking cocktails like everyone else of course! A 10 day trip to Chamonix in the French Alps....

The ultimate aim of the trip was to climb Mont Blanc (above) and descend by paraglider from the summit. I have no interest in walking down a mountain like that so last time I skied down and this time we wanted to fly down.

After some flying in the valley, Susie and I spent some time up high acclimatising and climbing near the Aiguille du Midi (3842 m)

Susie enjoying the sunset at the mountain hut.

A bit of Alpine climbing to pass the time.

Then a trip to test out the lightweight fly kit and slog up a mountain for a few hours. Mont buet was the mountain, and it was a beautiful day, with fantastic views of Mont Blanc, teasing us in the distance. (even made a very little video of the day below!)

After 4hrs 17 mins and 1800m of ascent, we arrive at the summit of Mont Buet.

But, as time progressed and we were ready, the weather changed, snow fell up top and the high level winds picked up too much. And then it began to rain!

The view through my legs a few hundred metres above Vallorcine.

Oh well, as it says in the video, the mountain isn't going to go anywhere so here's to next year....