July 1 – 9, 2013
Since they had already made the journey over for the wedding in Sweden, Alex and Emmet decided to extend their vacations and come back to Grenoble with us.
We wanted to show the guys just what the Alps had to offer in the summertime. We had recently been introduced to “Via Ferrata”, which is a combination of hiking and rock climbing, so figured that might be a good way to get their adrenaline going. We ventured along the Via Ferrata of St-Christophe-en-Oisans, which takes you along rock faces and over the rapids of a canyon below.
It was an exhilirating way to get out into the mountains and everyone had a great time… except of course for those moments when we thought we may plummet to our deaths!
For our efforts we were rewarded with some spectacular views of the Valley.
Since we worked up such an appetite, we decided to indulge in a delicious cheese fondue!
The next day we wandered the streets of Grenoble and checkout out the famous Musée de Grenoble, which had many impressive pieces and took us through several centuries of art evolution. Here we are in front of the iconic statue outside of the gallery, with the Bastille looming overhead.
The guys took off for a couple of days to check out the nearby region while Paul and I stayed behind to work. They made their way back to Grenoble at the end of the week and at the same time we had a new arrival - Hawk! All the guys came by the old Family’s Pub to pay me a visit while I as working. I offered them the house speciality that only a group of the best of friends could enjoy… “La Verre d’Amitié” (The Drink of Friendship). This tasty delight is a mixture of Chartreuse, Kahlua, Vodka and Jamieson, all lit on FIRE, then filled with beer! YUM!
The next day Paul took the guys on a hike up the Bastille, while I stayed behind to do some surprise baking since it was Paul’s birthday!! After a delicious dinner and some carrot birthday cake, we ventured into the night to celebrate!
After saying 'au revoir' to Emmet and Hawk, we had one more day to show Alex the beauty and bounty of the Rhone-Alps. We had heard about a beautiful spot in Grenoble called “Les Cuves du Sassenage” and we weren’t disappointed!
This magical area has pools of water pouring through the forested canyons, making for a serene spot for a picnic and a VERY refreshing swim!
This would come to be an area we would visit often!
We had so much fun hanging out with the guys in Grenoble and showing them some of the reasons we love this city! Thanks for the awesome visit!