Funiculaire

We have been waiting for the Funiculaire to open this year, which is a pair of small, slow trains attached by a cable; as one goes down the steep mountain, the other goes up, etc. It is near our house, and we spot it every time we drive to Grenoble. Summer and I went there today and enjoyed the views on the way up. We shared our seats with a French gentleman, who was wearing winter clothes for the ascent and was carrying a large backpack. We noticed other people dressed similarly as we got off the train, and all were carrying large backpacks. I assumed that they were going on a long day hike. I was a little embarrassed because Summer and I looked like typical tourists in our short sleeves and flip flops, and I was hoping that we wouldn't be too cold at the top.



Summer was excited to discover a park at the top, where she played alongside French children for half an hour or so. Only after that did we come upon a large, grassy field that hugged the side of the mountain. It was there that we discovered that the people on the train were paragliders. Summer and I sat there for several minutes and watched the long process of getting the parachutes untangled and straightened, and waiting for the go ahead from the instructor. It was amazing to watch the paragliders run off the side of the mountain and then to see them come back up once their parachutes caught the wind. Summer was begging to go, but I don't think she understood what it all entailed.



As we were walking to catch the train back down the mountain, I noticed that Summer had caught some butterflies.



Our descent was quiet, as we were the only passengers traveling back down before the train was closed for a two hour lunch break.



I mentioned before that we could see the Funiculaire's tracks cutting into the side of the mountain from the highway. We also noticed a very tall waterfall to the left of the tracks, which we wanted to find a way to get closer to. Shortly after our descent down the mountain began, we heard falling water and realized we were the closest that we could get to the waterfall.



Even though we have been here for only three months, I am happy for all of the beautiful and different places that the girls are getting to see. Samantha probably won't remember much from our time here, but I think Summer will remember most, if not all, of it.