A trip to the Alps is something I’ve never considered, simply because I’m not interested in skiing or, for that matter, have never been keen on snow.

After spending a few days in the valley towns of Chamonix, Megève and Annecy, I must admit to a change of heart. No, I’ve not been seduced by the white stuff, but by the mountains themselves.

I found it impossible to take my eyes off them. Sometimes shrouded in wispy clouds you are allowed a brief enticing glimpse before an impenetrable veil slips across them retaining a mysterious air.

chamonix pix

On cloudless days they shimmer seductively against the bluest sky you can imagine, demanding complete admiration.

When you can move your gaze from the mountains of Chamonix, you’ll discover a cosy, friendly town with much to offer in the spring and summer months.

A mountain railway makes its way through dense pine-forested hills to Montenvers and a surreal light show in a cave bored into the Mer de Glace, Europe’s largest glacier.

While there, make sure you try the delicious tartiflette in the Grand Hotel restaurant. You’ll need a healthy appetite, so the climb of 400 stairs down to the cave and back will ensure just that.

The hills and mountains offer much more with cycle tracks, rock climbing, paragliding, trail running, walking and even golf. For photographers it’s a dream come true.

If you fancy getting closer to Mont Blanc wrap up in a windproof jacket and take the cable car to the Aiguille du Midi where, at 3,842m, you can enjoy stunning views across to
Switzerland, Italy and, of course, la dame blanche herself. You may even witness one of the crazy few who dare to fling themselves from the top of the Midi in a wingsuit and fly back to town. I wonder if they get a refund on the cost of their 50 Euro round-trip ticket?

A 40-minute drive away the bustling town of Megève offers pretty much the same, but here you can choose a horse-drawn carriage ride around town or a breath-taking journey in a four-seat Aérocime plane for a bird’s-eye view of the Mont Blanc massif. With prices at 99 Euro for a 30-minute flight it’s worth every cent.

Just an hour away is Annecy and its beautiful lake. This is an ideal place for the family. On a sunny Sunday morning the old town is packed with shoppers at one of the markets, held three times a week and the lakeside buzzes with joggers, walkers, cyclists, people excitedly queuing for boat trips
or those simply enjoying the beaches.

Back in the centre of Chamonix a statue of Dr Michel-Gabriel Paccard who, with Jacques Balmat was the first to scale Mont Blanc in 1786, depicts him gaziing longingly at his conquest. I found myself enraptured in the same way. There is no doubt that it was love at first sight when I saw my very first Alpe – the magnificent Aiguille du Dru. This could be the start of a beautiful friendship.

Jeff Fuidge travelled courtesy of the Rhône-Alpes tourist board www.rhoneaples-tourisme.com

He stayed at Le Morgane in the centre of chamonix and at Le Pré Carré Hotel in Annecy. He ate at La Cabane des Praz, the Grand Hotel Restaurant Montenvers and La Calèche in chamonix. La Ferme de Joseph and Le Puck in Megève and Le Clos Marcel in Duingt, Annecy.

For information on chamonix – at www.chamonix.com; for Megève – www.megève.com; and for Annecy – www.lac-annecy.com