Mont Blanc is there in all its glory.

I took the chairlift up the Jaillet, then walked up to a stone cross. My Blackberry, for once, worked here and I could read the Mass readings for 31 July, the Feast of St Ignatius. I walked slowly back to Le Cuchet. I had taken the last lift up the mountain. All was quiet. A lovely castle, dark, situated against the vast bulk of glistening white. Mont Blanc, 4,000 metres up in the sky. Occasionally irritated by other walkers but otherwise alone with the readings.

The walk took me three hours and I arrived back exhausted.