Snow!

We woke up in the flatlands of central France; by bedtime, we were in the mountains. Kevin as usual took charge of the driving; my role was to amuse Jemima. (By nap time I was feeling a bit tired of "Mummy, can you...". So we both had a little snooze - I think driving might sometimes be less work.) 

When I surfaced, the landscape had noticeably changed, with hills surrounding flat sunny grassy fields, and pockets of snow surviving on the shady fringes of pine forests. Jemima and Kevin played spot the snow on the mountains as we gradually climbed them. 

We found the snow, but little else, in a car park aire on the outskirts of Chamonix; then, after tea, dark falling, decided to press on to somewhere with more life. The small town of St-Gervais-des-Bains was half an hour away, and worth the dusk drive around hairpin mountain bends: pretty candelabra street lights; amazing shops with charcuterie and cheese; wood panelled restaurants (all full of apres skiers); and general alpine charm. And we had fondue for dinner - brilliant. Another chance discovery that we will remember fondly.

Mont-de-Billy to St-Gervais-des-Bains (not including our Chamonix detour):