On the Thursday before a wedding, one of our most recent couples hosted a welcome cocktail-dinatoire dance party overlooking the famous Mer de Glace glacier. First, everyone was welcomed aboard a charming red cogwheel train that took them from the valley of Chamonix at 1035 m to the Montenvers station at an altitude of 1913 meters! The 20-minute unforgettable journey has beautiful views of the north faces of the Grandes Jorasses at the end of the Leschaux glacier. In winter, you can watch as the skiers descend down the mythical Vallée Blanche from the Aiguille du Midi on the Mer de Glace. It is truly spectacular!
After arriving at altitude, everyone stepped out onto the panoramic terrace to soak in the views before heading to the classic Alps refuge and restaurant. This unique venue has jaw dropping views where you can admire the largest glacier in France as well as the Drus mountains!
The Refuge de Montenvers was originally built in 1880. It is full of history – from mountaineers making their first ascents in the Alps, travelers from afar who came to see this mystical place, writers, and adventurers who came to experience something out of the ordinary. It is a place filled with stories and culture.
The refuge exudes old-fashioned charm and offers specialty foods from the region. All of the guests spent their time mingling, sipping cocktails, eating, and watching as the clouds in the sky turned pink from the setting sun. As the day turned to night and the moon peeked over the mountains, guests wandered out to experience the stars in a whole new way. With so little light up in the mountains the stars are so clear. It can really leave you speechless up there.
One thing we knew about this guest list is that everyone was ready to party! With old friends reuniting and family coming together, the energy was at an all-time high from the start. The grooms brother was the DJ so he knew exactly what to play to keep the party going all night long. The best part? After the clock struck midnight, the groom and his brother brought out a fun surprize – exact replicas of the famous DJ Daft Punk’s iconic helmet. The groom had these created when trying to impress his then girlfriend at her epic Halloween party. They were such a hit! Everyone loved when they brought them out! The party lasted into the early hours of 3 am.
After a night of fun, some guests boarded the train back down to the valley to Chamonix city center while others stayed overnight at the altitude refuge. When those who stayed woke, there was a beautiful brunch spread of bread, pastries, fresh fruit, yogurt, charcuterie, and of course mimosas. It was really such a special event to start the wedding weekend off right! Since the party was on a Thursday and the wedding was on a Saturday, everyone had a full day to recover before starting the party back up again!
The wedding itself was a magical event with an altitude ceremony where the groom skied into the wedding! Followed by a cocktail hour at a chic Alpine hotel and a reception at a cozy cabin themed restaurant. – More on that coming soon!
