Happy Anniversary

Monday 28th January 2013

Today was our 24th wedding anniversary and we had managed to 'engineer' an evening off to celebrate. Having cooked day-in day-out for the past 5 weeks for an average of 18 guests a night the opportunity for us to have someone else cook us a meal was one not to miss.

There are a number of restaurants in Les Carroz and we have had feedback from clients about the cost, service and standards of food at a few of them. The Bistro Du Gron came highly recommended by one of our groups and as it is tiny with a maximum of 20 diners we had already booked our table over a week ago.

It's really a place for meat lovers and the owner and chef Philippe brings your raw meat to your table for 'approval' before slapping it on the open fire and cooking it to your liking. Dave had the Cote de Boeuf and I plumped for the Cotelette d'Agneau, both were served up with an oven roasted jacket potato and salad. We also shared a Salad Savoyarde starter and a Tarte Tatin pudding.

At  €80 for the meal with 2 glasses of wine and a juice it's not cheap but the quality of the food was very good, the atmosphere of the bistro is very intimate and it was for a very special occasion!   

Annecy

Thursday 24th January 2013

We had driven around Lake Annecy on our way to Les Carroz  in December but hadn’t spent any time in the town itself. Arriving late (9.30pm!) at the Aire on the lakeside wasn’t a problem and we quietly reversed into one of the 10 campervan parking spaces at this Aire in amongst another 4 vans already parked up. A ‘rules and regulations’ sign indicates vans can only stay 1 night here - I imagine spaces are very hard to come by in the summer months. 

After a nice lie in we walked the mile or so into the town along the lakeside passing various rowing and sailing clubs. With the temperature hovering around freezing we were surprised to see one solitary and hardy rowing crew out on the water. Sticking our noses into one of the rowing club buildings we had earlier noticed an indoor training pool complete with an ‘integrated’ rowing boat  – seemed like a much more sensible option to me!!

The old town of Annecy reminded me the Mailbox area of central Birmingham with a myriad of shops and restaurants lining the two ‘canals’ and pretty bridges criss-crossing the area. We’ll probably go back in the spring and spend more time walking around the town when it livens up a bit.

We drove on around the western side of the lake taking a circular route back to Les Carroz - sadly we will soon have exhausted all the places we can manage to get to on a day off! We always enjoy ‘getting out’ of the resort in the campervan though just for a change of scenery – looks like the ladies in this old photo of Lake Annecy aren’t too impressed with their mode of transport around the lake!!

Sixt, Samoen & Morillon

Friday 18th January 2013

With an empty chalet, 2 days off owing and my poorly leg we decided to head off in the campervan whilst our colleagues in resort stayed behind to enjoy the fresh snow and peace and quiet before our next groups arrive. Early evening on Tuesday Dave put on the snow chains and we gingerly made our way down the valley only for him to have to ‘whip them off’ again at the bottom where the roads were snow free. I say ‘whip them off’ like it’s a doddle – it’s not and I hope never to have to do it myself!

 

We parked up in the centre of Cluses, our nearest main town, and found the Turkish restaurant we had spotted on a previous drive through and enjoyed a lovely Iskender kebab (sliced meat on bread with a yogurt and tomato sauce). Back in the van we settled down for the night – waking up to yet more fresh snow the next morning. 

The main roads are normally kept really clear and once the sun and traffic had cleared the remaining slush we ventured over to Sixt-Fer-a-Cheval. The name refers to the huge limestone amphitheatre which forms the eastern end of the Giffre valley with steep 700m cliffs. The area is also famous for its abundant waterfalls of which there are over 30 in the area.

Sixt is a pretty little village, surrounded by these high mountains and is also the end point of a 14 km blue run called Cascades (waterfall) which starts at the Les Grandes Platieres at the top of the Grand Massif skiing area. Probably one to aim for once I am back on my skis and more experienced. Dave got out on a few of the lifts from Sixt while the sun was shining – it’s a quiet area but served well by a free ski-bus back to Samoen and Morillon.

We stayed overnight in the Telecabine car park at Morillion (along with 3 other hardy campers). It was a very cold night but with the heater on full blast, extra duvets and bed socks we were snuggly and warm. The view was amazing but the downside of stopping in an otherwise empty car park is that the local youngsters use it as a skid pan normally at about 1am in the morning – and tonight was no different! They always sound really close and you pray that they are experienced enough to do whatever it is they are trying to impress their friends / girlfriends with and avoid sliding into the van!

Ouch......

Saturday 12th January 2013

Fridays final skiing lesson ended rather abruptly and the result is I am now hobbling about with a damaged calf muscle and can't go skiing for another 30 days according to the doctor!

Thursday afternoon and evening saw heavy snow falls and the pistes we had been learning and progressing on for the past four days had changed beyond all recognition. The snow was still falling, it was very deep, soft and, as at 9am, had not yet been skied on by hoards of excited (and more importantly experienced) skiers and snowboarders. It was very difficult for me, as a beginner, to put what I had learnt the previous days into practice. Our instructor took us to the top of a blue run that I was very apprehensive about going down. I really should have listened to my instinct. The first two falls were disconcerting but I managed to get up and carry on, but I landed awkwardly on the third fall, felt my muscle 'pop' and struggled for some time to get my ski's off in the deep snow. I finally managed to get up and hobbled down to the bottom of the Combe run.

I got a Bronze badge and a signed test logbook from our instructor - hopefully for my efforts Monday - Thursday not for my disastrous fall on Friday!