Mont Gateau (I mean, Blanc)

Two years ago, my friends took me to see Mont Blanc. Mont Blanc - though the highest mountain in Western Europe and the Alps - is one of many dramatic peaks in this range. The size of these massifs is breathtaking.

Below these towering peaks lies the town of Chamonix, where the first winter Olympics took place in 1924. I've included a shot of the ski lift that shows part of the town far below.


In the range of peaks facing Mont Blanc, where skiers are dropped off by ski lift, there was a very welcome restaurant, which became forever memorable to the three of us. The reason: We ordered hot coffee - and some cake. The latter was chocolate with hazelnut, and I'm showing you the piece we ate here because although it is long gone, it will never be forgotten. I have never tasted cake that was so exquisitely, rapturously delicious!

We were amazed and humbled by the grandeur of the mountains, but I'm embarrassed to say that the cake was so present in our minds days and weeks later that forever after, we have always referred to Mont Blanc as "Mont Gateau."

It was a long and beautiful day of reveling in nature, and our last views of the day included this lovely sunset as we drove home - with memories of snow and gateau swirling in our heads....