French Ski Trip and New Friends.

     Happy New Year!

     We just returned from a great trip. 

     Our friend Anne invited us to spend the holidays with her and her family and friends at a rented chalet in the Alps.  We accepted!

     We left Vaison on the 27th of December.  On the four hour drive to our destination, we passed through Albertville (site of the 1992 Winter Olympics) and Grenoble.

     We arrived that afternoon in the strange, tiny town of Notre Dame du Pre.  And we do mean tiny!  Less than 300 people live in this town, which is at the end of a long windy road high in the mountains.  It is a real throwback to the old days and way off the beaten path, hardly visible on any map.  (You can mapquest it if you happen to have a computer.)

You Can't See Notre Dame du Pre

 on This Map Even if You Squint! 

Look 20 miles to the left of Italy, 75 miles below Switzerland and you still can't see it!

(Okay, on this map it would be between Chambery and Bourg-Saint-Maurice.)

Notre Dame du Pre in Real Life

     Our "chalet" was a converted barn.  The "houses" next door are still more or less barns.   A pleasant odor of animal dung and wood smoke permeates the town.  The town has one foot in the 1920s and the other foot in the 1980s.

Front of Barn Chalet (we stayed in back)

Edifice Next to Our Barn Chalet

     There were just a few of us staying in the barn chalet:  Our nuclear family, Anne and her two children, Anne's brother and his wife and their three children, their friends and their three children, their other friends and their four children, their other friends and their three children, Anne's mother and her gentleman-friend who were departing on our arrival, some young adults (relationship unclear), a variety of friends-of-children's-friends, our dog, two kittens, and a small black rabbit in a cage in the corner of the kitchen.  All told, there were roughly 25 people at any one time including approximately 14 kids ranging in age from about 8 to 16 years old.

    The first full day, the four American interlopers went skiiing at a very large resort called La Plagne approximately 20 minutes away by car.  It was great skiing, surprisingly economical and BIG!  There are about 30 lifts.  The sky was bright blue all day long.

        Everyone at the barn chalet was very nice and welcoming to us.  The French kids were as helpful and jolly as could be, and very mature.  In the evenings we had great meals, thanks to the organization and cooking of Anne's sister-in-law Catherine.  One night we served American chili, which they were familiar with as chili con carne.  We think they kind of liked it.  We are certain our chocolate chip cookie bars were a big hit with the kids.  You would think they might simplify with so many to cook for, but it was always several courses and home-made desserts.  We ate in two shifts since there were so many of us.

Kids Eating

     The next day two groups went to ski La Plagne.  The older kids (teenagers led by 16 year-old Lucy) skiied by themselves all day.  Ford was invited to join this group and was in heaven without parental guidance. 

     Anne and Averil led a group of younger skiiers which included Asha.  Ed explored La Plagne on his own for most of the day (having deftly separated himself from the teenage skiiers after only one run).

    That night it snowed a lot!  We had 8-12 inches new when we woke up.  Ivy was in doggy heaven.  She liked to submarine through the powder.

After Snow Romp

     That day, Anne's brother Pierre took a group of us on a Randonnee' ski.  In Randonnee, an artificial skin is attached to the bottom of the ski and special bindings are added that allow the heel to move freely.  This allows one to ski cross-country style on downhill skis and walk upslope.  It was a long (3-4 hour) tour through deep powder with a particular emphasis on going uphill.  At the end the reward was a long downhill run right to our doorstep.

Setting Out (Pierre Consults Topographical Map)

There Was a Cascade (Waterfall) at the Top of the Tour

Anne's Brother Pierre

     Anne's brother Pierre is very skilled in the snow and outdoors.

     In the evenings, the kids played games.  Here, Asha, Naomi, Paul, Jane and young Pierre are involved in a high stakes game of "Guess Who?"

Here the kids are watching a movie:

 

     That night it snowed another foot at least!  The teenagers decided to go back to La Plagne for another day of skiing and invited Ford again since he apparently did not slow them down.  Our 4wd South Korean Hyundai performed amirably even in deep snow (and with 9 teenagers packed in like sardines).  There was so much snow that several small avalanches were to be seen on the short drive to La Plagne.  Ford was again in heaven skiing with his new teenage friends.  (One of the things you will notice about French children is that they are always very kind to younger kids.)  Asha and Averil took a snow shoe with Anne and Alice.  Asha loved to tromp through the powder, mostly in circles.

        On New Year's Eve there was a party in the barn chalet with music and dancing.

 

    It went on until 1:30 a.m.

    Here's a picture of Averil and Anne celebrating the New Year:

     It was sad when we had to say goodbye to our new (and old) friends the next morning (January 1st). 

     We were forced by circumstances beyond our control to stop at "Quality Burger" in Grenoble on our way back to Vaison.

"J'aime qu'on me Supreme!"

When we arrived home that evening, we listened to and read nice messages from family and friends.  Thank you all for cards, calls and emails.  They bring us much happiness.  We received nice congratulations also on our 18th wedding anniversary as of January 1st!  Ford opened the champony. 

18 years!!

     We hope you have a good 2012!  Happy New Year!

     Postscript:  We believe Ivy has acquired fleas from the barn chalet, school starts up again tomorrow, we received a certified letter from our car insurance advising us that they did not receive the check Averil hand-delivered to them two months ago, and it's raining so hard our lawn/walk is a lake.  But we say: "Vive la France!"