Molins in the Mountains: Holiday fun

So, we've just finished yet ANOTHER school holiday - a four-day one, this time, that started with Ascension Day on Thursday. We stayed local for the four days, and rediscovered some of our favourite Chamonix warm weather activities.

Thursday was gorgeous, and we went for a picnic down at the lakes in Passy. Then on Friday we were supposed to do a hike to the Bonnatti Hut in Italy with some other families and stay overnight, but sadly the weather was so poor that we aborted those plans and had everyone over for a BBQ at ours instead. Staying at a hut as a family is not exactly cheap - with dinner and breakfast and a bed in a dorm it comes out to about 35-40 euros a person, so you really want to go when the views are going to be good and the sunset guaranteed. Then Saturday I did a great hike with the kids just up behind the chalet. (One of the main motivators for the kids on a hike is telling them a really long story, and they get to choose a few elements to be included. What does this tell you about their personalities? Zoe asked for a unicorn, a princess and a witch. Oscar wanted a jedi knight with a light sabre, a magic pond and a magic tree. Indie - wait for it - asked for a disembodied voice, evil magic stinging nettles, and a ghost. And yes, I did manage to include them all.)

Sunday we went climbing with the girls at les Gaillands. The foehn wind started to blow again yesterday, so it was pretty tiring. But it's now official: the girls can now not only out-ski me, they can out-climb me too...

Pete planted his garden on the week-end - with a lot of help

Anna's worm collection

Ah, the lakes at Passy. As beautiful as ever.

Happy to be here. AND, Zoe is now officially riding her bike without training wheels! We had a real break-through at Passy cycling on the hard-packed sand and the grass.