Chamrousse sunset romantic walk - Arselle plateau
Presentation
I tested for you: the romantic walk at sunset
"Take some fresh air, breathe and enjoy this special moment for two"
December 2020, Chamrousse 1600, hike, coupleEric, bearded lumberjack with a big heart
Penultimate day of the year 2020, the cloudy ceiling has been low over the Grenoble valley for several days. We naturally turn to the summits to reach the sun. After a sleep in, it's the holidays, we decide to go up to Chamrousse after a quick check of the cloud sea level on the resort's webcams.
We are not the only ones to have had the idea, we tell ourselves that we will rather go there in the middle of the afternoon, but not too late because in this season the sun sets early, very early, 17:03 according to the Internet.
We are not the only ones to have had the idea, we tell ourselves that we will rather go there in the middle of the afternoon, but not too late because in this season the sun sets early, very early, 17:03 according to the Internet.
The idea is to go up and enjoy the good weather, to have a good time walking a little with my lover. Get some fresh air, breathe and enjoy this special moment for two.
So we go up by the Luitel road and there are already cars coming down, that's a good sign for us.
We arrive at the lower road that leads to the Plateau de l'Arselle, it's full but people start to leave so we easily get a place.
The path that leads to the Nordic area surrounded by trees is a good introduction, before arriving on the magnificent snowy plain of Arselle. It's alive, there are people on cross-country skiing, sledding, on foot and on the restaurant terrace.
So we go up by the Luitel road and there are already cars coming down, that's a good sign for us.
We arrive at the lower road that leads to the Plateau de l'Arselle, it's full but people start to leave so we easily get a place.
The path that leads to the Nordic area surrounded by trees is a good introduction, before arriving on the magnificent snowy plain of Arselle. It's alive, there are people on cross-country skiing, sledding, on foot and on the restaurant terrace.
We decided on the Clairières snowshoe trail, because we had already had the opportunity to do the Crêtes trail with my family.
Here we go, we are gradually moving away from the nerve center. We can hear the skiers behind us and we even cross a cross-country ski trail. The sun warms our backs and hearts.
Immersion in the heart of the forest, the snow is still fresh on the pines and the trail is naturally groomed so we do not need snowshoes.
We take advantage of this magical and intimate moment, to discuss, bicker, let snow fall on one another by pulling on the branches, we hear the noise and we discover the stream, we marvel and we take photos...
And there we land in a clearing, the famous one that gave its name to this route, the horizon opens up to us. It is beautiful, the snow, the pines, the impression of immensity, the feeling of inner peace and well-being. It is the bewitching power of nature.
We meet a family with two children having fun in the snow and stepping over the stream without falling into it.
Here we go, we are gradually moving away from the nerve center. We can hear the skiers behind us and we even cross a cross-country ski trail. The sun warms our backs and hearts.
Immersion in the heart of the forest, the snow is still fresh on the pines and the trail is naturally groomed so we do not need snowshoes.
We take advantage of this magical and intimate moment, to discuss, bicker, let snow fall on one another by pulling on the branches, we hear the noise and we discover the stream, we marvel and we take photos...
And there we land in a clearing, the famous one that gave its name to this route, the horizon opens up to us. It is beautiful, the snow, the pines, the impression of immensity, the feeling of inner peace and well-being. It is the bewitching power of nature.
We meet a family with two children having fun in the snow and stepping over the stream without falling into it.
We begin the return of the loop, and there... we no longer find ourselves back but facing the sun, which we can distinguish between the trees. A wonderful light shines between the branches between yellow and orange for a magical atmosphere. So obviously, we try to capture this moment and this exceptional luminosity in photos. The famous "golden hour". This incredible moment when the sun sets is imbued with wonderful colors, before giving way to semi-darkness and darkness. An in-between that belongs neither to day nor to night. It is sometimes so short but so intense, that is what makes it so beautiful and so rare. These rays bring us warmth that warms the body and the heart.
We take the path back to the car, at nightfall with the last skiers taking the tracks to return. But we also meet the first cross-country skiers with their headlights on. Parents drag children in sledges ...
We are grateful for this unforgettable experience, this privileged moment imbued with magic and poetry, this moment out of time with my lover.
Thank you and good evening, see you next year.
Eric - a city dweller from Grenoble in the mountains.
More information on walks in Chamrousse: Snowshoe and pedestrian routes
We take the path back to the car, at nightfall with the last skiers taking the tracks to return. But we also meet the first cross-country skiers with their headlights on. Parents drag children in sledges ...
We are grateful for this unforgettable experience, this privileged moment imbued with magic and poetry, this moment out of time with my lover.
Thank you and good evening, see you next year.
Eric - a city dweller from Grenoble in the mountains.
More information on walks in Chamrousse: Snowshoe and pedestrian routes
Photo credit: EM - Chamrousse
