Earth Day Is Every Day!! Memories of Samoens (2000)

Most of our students today live indoor, a sedentary lifestyle, filled with television, video games, i-pods, and other technology!!! Well, it is not surprising that NATURE DEFICIT DISORDER is a common diagnosis!

I love walking!! I love to tune in to the sound of hiking boots crunching on rocks, the feel of a cool breeze early in the morning, the sound of my hiking boots on the smooth sand, and the sound of a family conversation: sharing ideas, sharing thoughts, peppered with a good, hearty laugh!!! I miss hiking!! so much!

When I went hiking (2000) with my two sons and my husband in Sixt Fer a Cheval, Samoens, Haute Savoie, I was the happiest mother on earth. The French Alps (especially Samoens) is the perfect place to go hiking: the endless trails and peaks, a gentle stroll along the banks of the Giffre, offering uninterrupted views of Mont Blanc!!

Samoens is alive with activity in the summer, especially where we were staying, Le Berouze!! a beautiful place, wonderful people, and good food: especially their packed lunches...when we were planning a long day in the mountain.

In Samoens, I have observed beautiful flowers.

In the heart of France’s Haute Savoie, at the foot of the Grand Massif ski area, Samoens is probably one of France’s most picturesque mountain villages. A far cry from the purpose-built ski stations of recent years, Samoens is a beautiful old farming village steeped in history. It retains an authentic Savoyard charm and a family-friendly, intimate feel.

I have introduced my boys to the joy of hiking and I have introduced them to the deep reaches of the forest and to the highest mountain we can reach! I have introduced them to the joys of seeing wild creatures in their own habitat, colorful birds singing beautiful symphonies, to experience the deep peace that comes with a night on the mountains with a star-filled sky and the pure silence of nature.

I wanted to teach them the healing power of nature.

We also discovered beautiful flowers. We have walked through field of flowers in full bloom, medieval villages, the Giffre Valley in the Haute Savoie surrounded by crystal clear lakes, stunning waterfalls, the botanical garden...

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I cannot forget these spring flowers!!! I cannot forget this charming alpine heritage village called Samoens! It was in 2000 but the memories are still so fresn in my mind!