We're staying in a very big kennel..... (Sunday 11 July 2010)

Today we take a leisurely drive down to Chamonix, stopping at a few French “Aires” (motorway stopover areas for you untravelled doggies out there – I am now so cosmopolitan!) We finally arrive at our fab chalet with the most amazing views of Mont Blanc, covered in snow. We also see loads of other snow covered peaks and our very own glacier snaking down towards the road. I can’t wait to get out in those mountains. It’s a lovely wooden chalet, four bedrooms, four bathrooms, laundry room, computer area, two wraparound balconies, Bose sound system, an outdoor hot tub, a sauna and a gym (though I can’t imagine that will get much use....). Poor Daddy Ant and I drew the short straw with the big but low attic room, it was ok for me apart from the steep wooden steps, but Daddy Ant couldn’t stand up properly!

Does your camera not have orange eye reduction?

The gang outside our very big kennel.....

And across the road is a big tub of freezing water which is continually filled with fresh glacial spring water – great for my poor paws after days in the mountains, but even better to drink. Alfie had the run of the house and garden where you can get out to the road but just because I am more adventurous (and I would have liked a little escape to see what was going on round there....), I had to stay behind the child gates upstairs, but it was ok, I could wander around the balcony, go up to my own room for a bit of peace and quiet and snooze happily on the sofa. And I could see the amazing view all the time, so I was very happy. But yet again, we hadn’t been there more than a few minutes when those grown ups had to get out again and wander down into Chamonix for yet more beer and wine.... But we shopped for a bit of French nosh and returned to the chalet for a nice tea and planning for the next week.