Tramping tales for February 2010

“ GRANDPARENT TICKET FOR 2 -
Alpine Treat in Vaujany, France
Once in a lifetime alpine break to watch your grandchildren
master skiing, have snow fights...
Mostly enjoy the wondrous beauty of the ALPS!
29 January – 7 February 2010 ”

So read the card we received as a Christmas present... we were more than astonished.

Seven up in The Green Beast for almost twelve hours had to be the means to an end!
Barely a peep out of our little trio Otto, Roo and Kiki as they were kept engrossed by a laptop video or pocket sized Nintendo games. The highlight of this long road journey was crossing the channel on a train via the Euro-tunnel for the first time. This made for a 45 minute, slick and easy crossing with a chance to stretch legs standing outside the vehicle.

We stopped overnight in Dijon. After a long day in the car we didn’t fancy climbing back in to find dinner. Fortunately the big bowls of Moules et Frites proved well worth it!

As we began the final leg next day, a call came in to warn us of heavy snow falling which made our passage through Grenoble slow and even slower going up the mountain. Being a Saturday – chalet change over day, it was startling to see the long chain of traffic wending its way down.

On cue, the curtain rose to produce a superb scene on entry to Vaujany

On the outskirts of this delightful alpine village we found our south facing chalet
“La Maitreya” with incredible views directly onto the Massif des Grandes Rousses.
It had been a somewhat disconcerting thought for both of us to think of joining a party of mostly unknown people in a chalet for a week, all sorts of connotations ran through our head. Having hesitantly made our way down a steep pathway, thickly covered in snow with icy patches into the front door we somehow knew we had arrived at a special place. A laid back homely setting with log fire burning belied the luxurious time we were in for.
La Maitreya, owned by Anna and Pascall, ran as a catered chalet with the help of a most charming young Dutch couple, who told us they were there to ensure we all enjoyed a well earned winter break and present the very best of Alpine hospitality. This was certainly no idle boast.

Every morning we’d draw back the curtains to this view from our bed.

Our first afternoon was spent roaming around the little village spellbound by the views while the skiers sorted out equipment, confirmed ski lessons and arranged lift passes. When all was done and dusted we returned to our new home to find delicious freshly baked cakes and hot drinks awaiting us – this was a mere ‘start’ to the wonderful pattern that was to end each day. Later, as 5 children ate their dinner the rest of the party relaxed upstairs enjoying icy drinks with a variety of anti-pasti, local cheeses or exciting tapas served in front of the fire, outside the setting sun progressively colouring different peaks before our eyes. Once the children were tucked up in bed we’d be summoned down into the candlelit ambiance of the 500 year old wine cellar in the base of the house.

Our chef Lesley and hostess Hilde were an element that lifted our holiday into the sublime!

Here, we revelled in leisurely cuisine, served up plate by plate by Hilde before Lesley announced what imaginative and tasty course he had prepared before us. Not for one minute had we imagined dining in such pleasurable style. This perfect match of informal relaxation tweaked by luxury quickly melded a group of unknown folk into a very contented bunch chatting effortlessly about amusing incidents of the day.
Peaceful nights passed in deep comfort until we became sleepily aware that the rest of the house, were up and about. It was the final noisy departure of all the skiers that served as the signal for the two of us to arise and start our day with a quiet breakfast!
We’d plan our day with help from Lesley and Hilde, informed by weather forecasts, as we took in the lofty scenes beyond the French-doors. Mostly, we were fulfilled spending the first couple of hours of our day writing up our January blog before dressing up in our Mr Blobby outfits, being taken up to the village, provided with relevant passes and put on the bubble cars up to Montfrais. Such personal service!

This extraordinary week was made possible and further embroidered by our family –
Otto, Daniel, Roo, Kiki and Justine up on the slopes of Montfrais (1650m) a perfect snow park for beginners.

Close to the cable car a ‘magic carpet’ transported us to another level where we’d meet up with our group of skiers as the children were finishing their Ski School lunch in the centrally situated traditional wooden restaurant, one of three tucked carefully into a landscape of beautifully groomed piste in every direction. We’d have no inclination to eat lunch having expended little energy instead we delighted in watching the children polish skills learnt that morning as we walked up and around the piste tracks, warm as toast in the outfits and big snow boots, Daniel had acquired for us.

Mrs Blobby spellbound by the awesome wonders – we often had to pinch ourselves in disbelief at all we beheld...

Perfect day after perfect day followed. Mid-week is chalet staff time-off and we were given a change of pace with Pascal and Anna coming in to provide dinner on the Tuesday night. The following morning over breakfast Pascal proposed that before the weather changed we take an all-encompassing ski-pass to visit the full extent of one of the world’s most prestigious ski areas that make up Les Grandes Rousse. Justine and Daniel’s attention to detail to our every enjoyment in the Alps once again came to the fore as Pascal produced our passes and put us on the massive 160 person Cable Car up to L’Alpette. So began a magical trip that took us over and through astonishing landscapes with majestic glaciers, spruce woodlands and snowy slopes as far as our eyes could see. That wonderful hymn Oh Lord my God, in awesome wonder... reverberated through Lea’s head as we peered down from dizzy heights at tiny tracks of man, machine and animal amidst all that glistening whiteness. Oz en Oisans captured our attention as an easy access ski resort with snow to apartment doorsteps along with a group of three year olds having a ski lesson down a gentle, snow covered road in the centre of this village. The instructor pulled the sledge, laden with their skis back up the slope, while they toddled behind holding assistants hands.

As we criss-crossed snowfields and climbed ever higher via the different ski-lifts we were enthralled by the ever unrolling and most beautiful snowbound landscapes we have ever seen. An ominous bank of cloud closing in on the highest peak we were steadily making our way towards, had us anxiously pulling scarves a little tighter and wondering if we’d make the summit in time...

We failed! Freezing cold we could see no further than a couples of metres and made do with a photograph below the only point of reference that we’d reached the top.

We struggled down a stairway covered in snow hoping to get a chairlift down. In our ignorance we didn’t realise they were one way - to the top only and the controller on duty certainly made no effort to come out of his observation box to advise us. Fortunately it soon became obvious we’d not manage a ride down and we clambered all the way back up the slippery stairs with faces well chilled that we didn’t loiter up there too long.

We returned to 2700 only to be amazed to find many people sprawled across the snow enjoying a well earned rest no doubt from their snowboarding or skiing exertions. While others, happily ate and sunbathed on a massive terrace amidst all this spectacular scenery.

George enjoying a warming Chartreuse verte et chocolat chaud at 2700.

It was while we were indulging in a hot chocolate with a “dop” of chartreuse that we noticed the heavy cloud on Pic Blanc had miraculously moved off and we rapidly made our way back to the ski lift with many like minded folk and returned to the summit. Squeezed into a cable car Lea became aware of a familiar accent that seemed to stand out from the rest of the gabble going on. With George drawing her attention to The Tunnel that was now visible, she heard the man remark – “a South African” giving her the opening to turn round and say not really... “Zimbabweans by birth but we spent twenty years there”... They were from Somerset West and like us, making their second trip up Pic Blanc that day hoping to catch the breathtaking panoramic views from the top of the world


3,330m we could see forever... giving us views across France, Italy and Switzerland towards some of the most beautiful mountain ranges in the region- Mont Blanc, Grand Paradis, Massif Central, Meije, Ecrins... as we looked around.

The Alpine village of Vaujany is one of eight resorts in the Isere region of the southern France Alps that make up the ski area of Les Grandes Rousse. The more famous resort of all is Alpe d’Huez and we continued on our way to visit there. Obviously the most popular, as for the first time we found queues everywhere and although there were huge expanses of piste – we certainly were not taken by the crowds and the scary whooshing sound of ski and snowboards arriving from all directions that we made a fast getaway... A bird’s eye view of Formules Promeneur stood out with its 30km of paths, clearly marked and packed especially for walkers and we had to smile at seeing a few dogs out walking with their owners on all that coldness. Even benches to catch your breath or to consider a wondrous outlook! We fancied taking a part of that walk but as usual time had marched on and we began retracing our steps back to L’Alpette observing all the activity going on beneath us or around us on some of the 240km of piste available - not to mention quite a few adventurous adrenalin junkies doing some hair raising things in what seemed inaccessible places.

The sheer joy of snow!

After an incredible day out at high altitudes we were more than happy to baby-sit that night. Pizzas were ordered in for the children, always exhausted after their strenuous day of activity on the ski slopes, ice rink or swimming pool. And once those little heads touched pillows – all was calm for the night. The rest of the gang went into Vaujany for dinner and had a good night out.

Another glorious day dawned. Lea was horrified when George declared we wouldn’t need our blobby suits for going up the mountain that day! Taking no notice she donned her kit leaving her jacket zip open to acknowledge the good day. Fortunately he had a change of heart and slung his jacket over his shoulder and Lesley took us up to the bubble cars for Montfrais. Aware this unbelievable holiday was drawing to an end we found ourselves desperate to soak in this compelling scenery.

La Maitreya’s gang joined up in force to salute a successful day over lunch. All the beginners had turned the ‘corner’ and the children were now such confident skiers - there was much to celebrate.

Our Ramsden Family
A striking reminder of their amazing competence gained
in a matter of days along with the joyousness of skiing together.
Families that play together stay together

Did this photo bag the exultation of an alpine holiday that surpassed all expectations?

Returning to the village that evening we found the snow was ALL GONE! With all the dripping going on from rooftops and slushy dirt along the roadsides a kind of drabness was setting in. How could we be ending on this slightly depressing note? Fortunately Chef Lesley’s divine abilities within the kitchen proved the best distraction and Bananarama took care of the rest of the night.

The skiers were all up on the slopes for their final day as snow began falling. Over breakfast we delightedly watched the dance of snowflakes, observing the steady re-creation of another wonderland. By lunch time the white-out made us a little uneasy about our skiers out there. Chains had to be affixed to the wheels for the first time when the call to collect our crowd from the village eventually came through. In the meantime Hilde and Lesley insisted we join them for lunch. These two amazing young people had such a natural poise and connection to hospitality that contradicted their youth.

Our curtain fell ... We’d had it all and more!
THANK YOU Daniel and Justine we had the time of our lives

On Justine’s birthday we had our La Maitreya group over for Sunday lunch. Despite best efforts we didn’t quite match up to Lesley’s cooking but it SNOWED on our African Summer child’s birthday setting a perfect scene for the reunion lunch.

George made her a frog and Justine insisted it go up on her wall immediately- never mind the weather!