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Montgenvre Skiing 2010
Boullay - Belfort - Switzerland Italy - Montgenevre - Annecy By Linda Thalman
We're off for a three country visit: France, Switzerland and Italy with a full
week of skiing in France at Montgenevre.
Two hours south of Boullay the snow was gently falling.
The autoroute was clear but being salted and snowplows were removing snow along
the sides of the motorway.
Our GPS lady navigated us into the center of the Belfort as the snow
continued to fall in big flakes for our lunchtime halt.
A quick walk round the small city center to get the lay of the land as we looked for a warm and toasty
place for lunch.
And our choice was just delightful at Le Pot au Feu. What a wonderful lunch prepared by
Chef Annette Denis. The welcome, service, our meal and wine were all perfect.
We loved the special touches such as the bread served in a bag and the presentation for
all the dishes was so original.
Out into the snow to walk off lunch so up we went to the top of the
Vaunban designed fort with a view obscured by snow and clouds.
The approach to the fort took us directly below the Lion of the
Territory of Belfort. Our jaws dropped as we rounded a corner and
saw the size of the stone beast.
Huffing and puffing when we finally reached the ramparts we were the only
tourists leaving prints in the snow.
In the history museum with military memorabilia and archeological displays
we warmed up again.
Then off to Switzerland aiming for a small village north of Zurich to see our
friends, the Wanner family, and it wasn't snowing too much.
At the border crossing we bought our 30 euros vignette - required for driving on Swiss freeways -
and our GPS lady led us straight to their village.
Off we went south through Switzerland on the Autobahn heading for Italy. The St Bernard Tunnel
was empty of cars, truck and buses. Just love traveling in the off season.
Lunch was in Nus, Italy in a pleasant restaurant with "white crusted" pizza. Delicious and gigantic
portions.
Onwards and upwards to Montgenevre arriving early enough to get in some warm-up skiing on
Saturday morning before moving into our lovely apartment on the 6th floor with a perfect
view of the mountains and sun all day long and all week long.
Perfect skiing... we chose the right week. Azur skies, no clouds, chilly but
not freezing unless you sit on the Thibaut chairlift where you'll freeze
your backside and face.
The wind whips you as the lift reaches the top. We prefered to wait for the
cabines which are warm and toasty, with nice cloth covered benches, warming ourselves up
for splendid descents.
Pierre gets the week's prize for the most spectacular fall. Heading down the
black piste, called Tetras, as if it were a gentle blue slope... headphones on
listening to the Doors "This is the End" song and "crash and burn" it was.
One ski flies off to the left, flipping about. Then the right ski skating down the hill and Captain Pete
himself tumbling about 100 meters further down the slope.
I watch all this from near the top of the run, holding my breath. Plus de peur que de mal as they
say in French.
Skiing very slowly down a 60% slope, I pick up the scattered
skies and slip and slide to Pierre's side falling on my bum as I draw near him.
Ouuf, nothing broken, no scapes or scratches. He's just got a lot of snow
inside his jacket and ski trousers. And he even had time to take a photo of me trying out a
new Olympic sport of carrying skies and skiing at the same time!
We signed up for a Grand Tourisme ski class. This was new. You must be able to ski well
enough to do all kinds of slopes. There was just the right amount of instruction to help us all
improve our ski skills and lots and lots of skiing: on groomed slopes, off track, in gulleys, in the
bit of powder that was left in March, up and down the slopes of 'pipe' like tracks, down a competition
slope and more!
Wednesday morning class was off-piste skiing. The sounds of silence of the
route we took partially along a small river was stunning. We didn't see any wild mountain goats
but we had a most lovely hour in beautiful scenery.
Everyone was in fine feddle all week long and we swooped down the red pistes in a
lovely ribbon of skiers, carving wide angels across the groomed slopes
as if we were a symphony in a Mozart concerto.
Wednesday afternoon is down time. We're relaxing now before the full-day
excursion to Italy and the Voie Lactée - the Milky Way on Thursday.
We can see Italy from the balcony of our flat... it is that close.
The ski pass for the Montgenevre ski resort includes runs and lifts that
are in Italy... so coffee or lunch across the border is easy.
So off to Briançon we go to have lunch at Le Rustique with such a charming
mountain decor. We were seated at a table that was made from a sleigh.
Pierre had a Tartiflette - a potato dish, and I had mountain trout. Hmmmm, good.
Local wine and attentive service. Just perfect for our half-day away from the slopes.
Our ski teacher, moniteur, in French, David from the ESF (Ecole de Ski Française),
has promised us a full day of skiing including an hour lunch stop at a typical Italian restaurant on
the slopes.
And he came up trumps - a fizzy white wine to get things started, followed by antipasti, pollenta
with two different sauces, small sweet cakes for dessert, tasty red wine to go with it all.
Oh my oh my oh my it was good. And we all skied so well after lunch!
I've been working hard at improving my technique, which was ever so flatteringly
described by David: "Linda, you look like you're driving a Mac Truck!"
Oh well, my upper body was too rigid on the first day, but I think it's gotten
a bit more flexible and I'm bending down more and keeping my shoulders aimed at the
bottom of the slope.
56 years of skiing means I can get down any slope, perhaps with
little grace but almost always without falling or making a total fool of myself.
But, yep, guess I ski like a truck driver!
Thank you David for a most memorable week of skiing and to the group: Cristina, Jose, Maurice,
Mathiew, Paul - and Brigitte who joined us for the Thursday Italian excusion - for the best
ski group in Montgenevre in 2010.
We skied and laughed and skied some more and had a fantastic week. Merci David and the group!
Why have we never visited Annecy? What a beautiful city and the old town is magnificent.
We headed straight for the Tourist Office around 16:30, got brochures, made a quick phone call
and booked a room for the night in the old town, Quartier Centre ville Mairie
at the two-star Auberge du Lyonnais.
Wandering - with our chins on the ground in awe - staring at the buildings, the river Thiou, the boutiques,
restaurants, bars, cafes, shops, the people, the colors. What a discovery le vieil Annecy was.
This is indeed a 3-star town and we'll be back as we didn't even have time to walk, drive or take a
boat ride around the Lac d'Annecy that became a tourist favorite way back in the 1880s nor visit
the castle.
At an Irish pub we, along with about 200 other folks, whooped it up as France, barely, beat England in
the 6 Nations Rugby match, pulling off a Grand Slam by winning all their matches. I even won
a 5 euro bet on that match. What a hoot!
So this year's ski adventure is over. We're ready for next year!
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Hills and trees and fields were stunningly white. The temperature
hovered around zero degrees centigrade.
We were so glad to be out of the snow and by a cozy fire, with a wonderful
dinner and evening with Hans, Ruth, Theo and Edu. Vielen Dank!
Tomorrow we'll be in another part of the ski resort that is
exclusively in Italy and our 6-day ski pass gives us that one day option for the Italian resorts
connected to Montgenevre.
Regretfully, we left Montgenvre and headed through the Fregus Tunnel on our way
to Annecy. Messing up by following the lake by Aix-les-Bains, we headed up a small
mountain pass to get to Annecy; it was closed. U-turn. We arrived much too late in Annecy.
General Information
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Linda Thalman
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Email – Linda@wfi.fr
Web Address – http://www.parisinsites.com/
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