Closing Week

Hi everyone

So we are coming to the end of our adventure! Can’t believe how quickly 5 months can go! We so lucky to have done all the amazing things in that time. The weather has been up and down here. We had days and days of solid rain and then this week it’s been clear blue skies and temperatures of up to 34 degrees! However today the rain has returned!

Ant’s last guests left 2 weeks ago and mine last weekend. We have closed down the chalets ready to hand back to the owners for the summer. Doesn't seem that long ago we were getting them ready for the first guests with Christmas decorations! All 7 of us from the Host Savoie team went out for some celebratory drinks after the last meals were cooked and guests had left.

The slopes close this Sunday, with various closing party’s happening in Avoriaz. We were fortunate to go on the new Prodain Express Cable Car which was meant to be ready at the start of the season but ended up for the last week! It’s very impressive and quick! Only taking 4 minutes to get you up to Avoriaz from Prodain and you can get straight onto a Cable Car without having to wait. Where you arrive in Avoriaz is great and they have dug into the mountain so all the walls are still the rocks! Here’s us on it.

On Sunday night Sylvie cooked for us all in Chalet Chery, we had meatballs and home made potatoes, it was great. Monday night was Andy’s turn to cook and he did his famous Fondu. A lot of cheese but very tasty. Tuesday evening we had a trip down to Thonon with the guys and girls from Rolling Road who are the transfer company we use. We went bowling first and then for an Indian. Huge fun and lots of competition! Sylvie came out on top for Host Savoie followed by Ant just 1 point behind! The sports battle between myself and Andy was increased to 5-0 to me!! (Just by 1 point as well!) Indian was delicious and made a great change from bread, cheese and ham which is what you have a lot of in the mountains!

Friday we went to some Thermal Spa’s in Switzerland. They were very relaxing, some great outdoor warm spas and then also a freezing natural river from water straight out of the mountains. Apparently it’s great in the summer! Also with Saunas and steam rooms and an 8 degree ice pool to jump into straight after! 

Friday night the weather went from really warm 34 degrees during the day to snow! Woke up on Saturday morning with a foot of fresh snow on our balcony and even more at the top of the mountains.

 Last night was the last day on the slopes where we joined in the parties at Chez Flo and Les Trappures. Unfortunately it was very foggy all day but here is some pictures of us there the day before when the bands were rehearsing.

Last night was the last time we were all together as Joe left early this morning and Katie fly’s home later today. Sylvie picked us all up and we went to St Jean D’aulps for a Bar National Pizza. Sarah leaves tomorrow and then it’s just Ant and I left. We decided to stay on an extra week to have a little holiday so return on Monday 29^th. Looking forward to seeing you all then!

This is just some photos over the last couple of weeks! 

We finally got Andy on a snowboard!

Bex xxx

Update!! Photos are in!

Bass challenge and good company

Hi Everyone
So this week has been slightly different in the Alps. As in January we had 10 days of solid snow fall and freezing weather, we are now going through 10 days of solid rain as it is so warm! The slopes are still very white and when it stops will be great to ski on as high up it will be powder but town is looking very spring like and we don’t have to dig the car out anymore!
Last Wednesday we had the annual Bass Challenge Ski Race. Host Savoie put in two teams, one pink and one orange. The orange team consisted of Andy, Joe and Sylvie and the pink team was Ant, Katie and me! There was a break in the weather for the afternoon and we ended up just skiing in our t-shirts!

The orange team performed very well and came out in second place. There was a lot of competition within ourselves especially Joe against Ant and Andy against me. Ant and I tried to race backwards as well, turns out it’s quite tricky doing slalom backwards. The Bass ski instructors gave us all a great afternoon.

On Tuesday after snowboarding this was going past the front door! Ant decided to go sledging...on his board!

Last week was very quiet work wise for us all. We skied hard but also got to relax well, it was like being on holiday for us! Friday was a brilliant day weather wise and we had Man Day + Becky! Andy, Joe, Ant and I skied over to Champoussin to Chez Gabby for some goulash soup. It was amazing, served in a bread roll and we just about finished the lot!

Saturday night we drove around to our friends apartment in Abondance which is a little down on the far French side of the Portes du Soleil. There was many of us for pre dinner drinks and had a good catch up with all.
One of the doorstep ski guys who fit our guests with rental skis is a DJ in town. Tuesday night we went out to a bar that he was playing in. Had a great laugh, saw some others out and about, played some air hockey and pool.
By coincidence a friend’s daughter from back home had chosen to get married in a hotel yesterday which was at the top of Nyon, where we live! It was great to see people from back home and despite the weather they had great fun. The bride and her Dad skied down the run into the hotel dressed in their wedding dress and morning suit which was great to watch, then quickly changed their ski boots for elegant wedding shoes and enjoyed the day.

Speak soon Bex xx