Precious moments;
quality time with Otto and Roo.
School term was coming to an end and
many school activities were going on. Lea happily involved herself in these
along with an afternoon to attend Year Three’s very modern pantomime production
of ‘Cinderella’ with Christine
Ramsden. Paternal and maternal grandmothers sat together expectantly waiting
for Kiki to do them proud. So much for that! As a member of the school choir
she had more of a distracted air about her and was more intent on tussling with
the boy next to her until ‘Gang man
style’ had her up and dancing with much animation. According to her father
it is not ‘gang man’ but Gangnam
style – a viral phenomenon from North Korea that swept the world with its
catchy tune and actions. Our English grandchildren are very taken by it!
Between school and Christmas
shopping to find ‘onesie' – the peak
of fashion at present for all ages that in our mind is simply a footless ‘babygro’
of the seventies, the days of December galloped by as we prepared for a Christmas
abroad! The preceding weekend we socialised... the ‘rellies’ from next door
come for Christmas Curry dinner. In
Justine’s inimitable way for a predominantly vegetarian meal - she provided a
labour intensive variety and her mother became kitchen-hand chopping, peeling
and washing up. A most interesting combination of flavours made for a fine
evening meal with Mathew, Sue, Jack & Natasha Ramsden, John Ramsden and
Sue’s parent’s John and Ann Leslie. Sunday took us all to Sheffield to attend
the 80th birthday celebrations of John Ramsden’s brother, Bill. Lea had her hair cut for the occasion by Andy,
her hairdresser from Weelsby School days. He was amazed by the length of her
hair- he ‘ain’t seen nothing has he!
During introductory
small talk between strangers – our nomadic lifestyle utterly fascinated and a
plea for more ... had Lea sitting with a just as interesting, well travelled
couple-Ann and Ed Peat, himself a local farmer, children’s author and metal
sculptor!
20 December- term ended and as
the doors opened at the end of the day we swooped up the children and headed
for the ferry in Hull. The Ramsden family were taking us on their annual ski
trip over the festive season and we were certainly not being dragged kicking
and screaming. On the contrary we couldn’t believe our incredible luck at returning
to the French Alps with them. A most comfortable night followed a buffet dinner
where we were joined by Martin and Elaine Lenard, her son Sean and
grand-daughter Sophie- Kiki’s close friend. They had surprised us with their
last minute decision to forgo a traditional Christmas at home and ‘wing it’
with us, booking the same ferry and the same apartment block in Vaujany. The little girls had no idea until they saw
each other on board, so much girlish excitement! A nine hour, virtually non-stop journey along
the motorway up to the Alps was broken by a siren as Gendarmes signalled Daniel
to pull over! Their polite and skilled policing impressed us. Speeding? “Ah Non! Non!” Proclaimed Daniel... Their
photographic evidence was available and Dan had to pay up on the spot. In
Australia or England he’d probably have lost his license.
Sadly, we missed
Daniel’s suitably mortified expression as soon as he realised his wife was
surreptitiously capturing the moment on camera!
Justine had loaded a minute i-pod
with George’s favourite music and given him head phones to block out children
and wife for the long confinement. Noises! Every now and then a strange
guttural murmur or caterwaul would emanate from George’s corner along with lots
of nodding! On approaching Grenoble during
the evening rush hour we were slowed up but all knew we were less than hour away
from Vaujany and felt all the more energised as we began crawling up the
mountain waiting for Grenoble traffic to steadily fall away and then we were
‘free’, taking the hairpin bends with growing excitement that our destination
was close at hand.
VAUJANY
The ski resort of Vaujany is
situated in the Oisans area of the Isère department in the Northern Alps
region. It is part of the Grands
Rousses ski domain. The name, Vaujany, has its roots in the Latin
Via-Janus which signifies an access or crossing point; in this case it is on
the way to one of the principal mountain passes linking the Dauphiné with the
Savoie. Until relatively recently the village was heavily reliant on agriculture
and included sheep crofting. Following the Second World War there was some
small scale ski development in the villages of the l’Eau d’Olle valley. Drag
lifts were built at Oz, Vaujany, the rivier d’Allemont and l’Enversin, all
within the attractive narrow valley. This allowed
Vaujany to benefit from winter
sports tourism. Adding financial weight, the state owned electric
company (EDF) decided to build a dam and reservoir under the col du Glandon.
Giant pumps lift water from a lower reservoir up to the Grand Maison dam
overnight when there is less load on the grid. This water is then released
during the day during peak demand. The compensation paid by the EDF enabled Oz
to construct the Poutron 1 and 2 links in 1987 and Vaujany the Dome des Petites
Rousses cable car in 1989. The lift service area extends from 1250 metres to
2800 metres and there are 236 km of lifts serving the runs. Not to mention 50 km of cross country trails. Vaujany is linked by cable cars, and also
separately by a gondola lift, to the Alpe d'Huez ski area.
Lenny (Martin) has been here thirteen times over the years and he has seen
development simply steam ahead. Even we noticed the changes since we were here
in 2010.
The amount of luggage packed into our van had to be seen to be believed
and yet Dan still found space for the Lenard’s Christmas tree! As soon as we
had lugged all the boxes, cases and ski equipment up to our apartment we walked
up the mountain side to Stiefs’s Bar Resto
in the Galerie Marchande du haut – a little shopping precinct that we never
even saw last time we were here. Christmas card perfect; a mass of white lights in Christmas shapes glistened
across the snow and as tables came together for the eleven of us the spirit
of Christmas descended and the party
started...
Les Balcons de Vaujany was a perfect location for us. Very central with
easy access in whatever weather conditions to the Galerie Marchard on the
mountain slope above us and the ski terminus
just below us; taking skier in which ever direction they chose. Our
bedroom faced onto the road and at odd times we’d have a huge refrigerated
truck parked outside our window or hear the snow grader clearing the road as
its warning lights flashed. An historic looking home on the other side of the
road with carillon type bells that gently tinkle out the time without being
intrusive and we’d nod off happily to the last ones we’d hear at
11 p.m. until the earliest we were groggily aware of at 8 a.m. The process of gearing up for skiing was time
consuming so we lay low in our beds each morning waiting for an ‘all clear’ in
the form of stomping down the stairwell followed by silence. Lea awoke the first day to an ‘allergy
eye’ which wasn’t helped by the white glare off the snow and Justy ended up
bringing Kiki back to our care mid-morning as she was running a temperature so
it was as well the bright sunshine on white snow was evil for Lea’s eye and we
were content to hang out in the semi dark of the apartment.
A view from our Les Balcons de
Vaujany
George took a panned shot of the
mountain range directly opposite our balcony avoiding the roof tops!
As it isn't possible to ski down to the village, Daniel was able to get
well priced grandparents ski lift passes from the Ski School which took us up
to the Montfrais sector enabling us to watch the family for brief periods
before the children had their afternoon ski lessons. Aside from the fresh
mountain air and some exercise we gain much pleasure from the piste and glorious
mountain views in all directions.
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Christmas Eve began with an
eerily quiet Decente Aux Flambé – a torchlight
descent by instructors of the French Ski School winding their way down the dark
mountainside opposite our balcony.
Adding further to the atmosphere, familiar tunes of Christmas Carols wafted upwards and soon we were able to see a group of carollers singing outside the ski and bread shops beneath us. For a second night in a row we returned to Restaurant Le Mas des Neiges, a Savoyard Creperie also up on the Galerie Marchard for Christmas eve dinner as the previous night we had particularly liked the waitress perhaps even new owner and our bleu steaks served with mini soufflé of veg and a potato gratin were just delicious! This time round, we were the party of eleven again. A little episode worth relating... By chance, during momentary quiet at our long table, we overheard a young lad at a table behind us say ‘The Lion sleeps tonight’ in his very English accent and without thinking our table broke into Wimoweh, wimoweh, wimoweh, wimoweh followed by ‘In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight’! A stunned reaction from the neighbouring table until the young fellow said- “You see everyone knows it”! Chuckles broke out and we explained we originated from Africa!
.JPG)
Tartiflettes ruled our Christmas Eve menu! A group photo shows Kiki with her
Cheshire grin, Sophie, Elaine, Lenny, Justy and Roo (feeling dreadful) on the
left with Otto, Sean, Daniel, Lea and George down the right.
A leisurely Christmas morn began with ‘Mom-mom’ making breakfast hot cakes for
the party of 11 in the non-stick frypan without any correct implements! The
children were far too excited playing with presents to think of eating though.
Otto highly tickled at this
improvised ‘flip’ captured it on his i-pod! It worked very well.
Some of the gang
pause at the Cable Car, all togged up in readiness for a Christmas Day ski prior to lesson time. Poor Roo, very hot and feverish was heavily medicated to
cope with a long afternoon.
Weatherwise, Christmas was a magnificent day. Lea’s
eye was back to normal and we took a good walk up at Montfrais before returning
to the village.
A collage
of scenes up on Montfrais
Daniel had
told George about the Vaujany Gondola Car Tragedy and a memorial to ‘all
the dignitaries killed at the opening ceremony’. George was keen to find the Memorial and with
much of the ice having melted it seemed a good day to work up an appetite for
our dinner in the apartment. We steadily wound our way down the mountainside
roads to the base of the l’Eau d’Olle valley
The Gondola travelling across the
valley above us.
We eventually found the Memorial
Contrary to the word
of mouth history Daniel and Justine had been given, we discovered in the week before
the planned opening ceremony, the huge Gondola slid and fell 200 meters
from its cable on the 13th of January 1989,
tragically killing eight technicians who were in the process of conducting the
final trial of the biggest cable car in Europe, at the time.
In some instances what
goes DOWN unfortunately has to get back UP - in our case, the walk down the
mountainside. Lea’s toes were feeling scrunched and her knee hadn’t taken
kindly to the braking! George indicated walking further to catch the La Fare ski lift plying its way back and
forth across the valley and took the road towards the Hydro Dam and found the
La Fare Bubbles. It was, with a sense of relief, the method we successfully
returned to the top and the doorstep of Les Balcons de Vaujany.
A 1,000
piece jigsaw puzzle was started our first day here and many evenings gave us
dreadful backache as we compulsively
bent over a large cardboard box – the only flat surface large enough on which
to put the puzzle together in the confinement of the apartment. Regrettably it was
an unstable surface with a dangerous sway when accidently knocked. Nerves were
strained whenever the box threatened to cause a major upset, as the puzzle detail
was frustrating enough! Justine became very possessive over a particular
section she had developed. Otto had a good eye for identifying particularly
difficult pieces – it was a fine way to involve everyone between bath schedules
and dinner. George and Lea compulsively did many ‘bits’ throughout the days
until finally two missing pieces were found while Lea cleaned the apartment on
Boxing Day AND....
Bugle Call - Tarun too rah! With the puzzle on the dining table, out of harms
way for cleaning purposes, George ceremonially finished the puzzle over a sip
of tea and an audience of one! The kids were keen to start the next one, on
their return from the piste but we needed respite until New Year’s Eve at least!
Snow fell heavily in the high
altitudes with poor visibility that Dan and Otto sms-ed for all to stay put in
the village and shortly after, came down themselves. It rained and sleeted all
day never-the-less come lesson time we all geared up to face the elements even
George, with some grousing. “We need to experience some bad conditions and get
out for a bit” insisted his spouse! Wind, snow dust and mixed fragments of hail
and sleet soon had us take refuge in the Alpine restaurant - Le
Vaujaniat, across the main speedway (or so it seemed us) from the
Ski School area, while parents checked
the children in. Lea took a slip on an upturned signboard that looked like a
black mat and landed flat on her back as soon as she had safely crossed! We
were soon beckoned to head up the piste to ‘Les Airelles’ as they had a good fire going.
Hot chocolate and vin chaude brought inner warmth! One bad-dish day to end our first week was more
than fair.
For Elaine
and Lenny’s last day - ski-ing was superb. Otto passed his Bronze and even
though a fevered Roo didn’t quite manage his Bronze he gained our full
admiration for demonstrating amazing strength of character all week! The
weekend brought more spectacular weather by day with good snow falls at night and
vehicles poured into the village as skiers and snowboarder took to the Alps to
make the most of it. Incredible clarity along with lack of wind decided the two
of us to make the trip to the highest point- Pic Blanc with awe-inspiring panoramic views that we recalled so
well from our first visit in February 2010.
Collage of our day trip to the top of the world via
Gondola, cable cars, Bubble lifts and footsteps that had Lea’s toes and finger
tips turning blue... fortunately a shared ‘Green Chaud’(Chartreuse laced with
hot chocolate!) and Panini Raclette sorted us both out at the AlpD’Huez 2,100
Cafe after leaving the Peak!
A quiet Sunday relaxing in the flat
learning to make the above collage on his new Christmas present kept George
happily occupied while Lea cleaned the flat and made soup before we walked up
to Galerie Marchard to resupply with basics and pay a visit to Espace
Patrimoine (Heritage Museum) – where we found a fascinating hundred year
history of Vaujany as related by its inhabitants. Particularly
the harsh life and the number of welfare children sent here to help with
agricultural duties; one devastating fire remembered above all others was
started by German soldiers as a reprisal against Freedom Fighters two days
after the allied troops landed in Provence in 1944. Within a generation, the
loss of agricultural traditions led many to leave for jobs further afield. It
was the Hydro Electric Pump Storage scheme and the skiing industry that brought
Vaujany surrounds back to life. Not only winter but summer sport too; as we
discovered Vaujany has
been a mountain-top finish in the Grande Boucle Féminine bicycle race (the equivalent of
the Tour de
France for female
riders) on 13 occasions from 1992 to 2003, and again in 2005.
For last day of 2012 we caught the Gondola up
to L’Alpette and a Bubble to Oz before walking through the small but
picturesque hamlet of Oz en Oisans we enjoy so much as you can literally ski
out your front door in most instances. Presently, the streets all look and feel
as if they are paved in a very thick carpet of white sugar and it great to see
the tiniest little kids skiing or sledging down the main thoroughfare. A voice
unexpectedly blared out and we discovered a slalom competition was taking place
just beyond our next lift station that would take us up to Alp D’Huez 2,100
altitude before yet another cable would take us down to the hectic village of
Alp D’Huez – we don’t find it at all appealing BUT it’s surrounds are an
amazing open expanse of piste and off piste which is alive with skiers and
lifts in all direction and we spotted two para-gliders creaming it down one of
the many slopes. The family had invited us to join them for lunch, after their
second day of skiing down from Pic Blanc
at an unknown venue for us up on Signal Hill which required catching a chair
lift (timing of the essence if we weren’t to do ourselves an injury). We found
Justine, Roo and Kiki waiting at the top for us with changed plans. We needed
to go further afield with yet another chair lift while they skied down the
mountain just below us – it tickled us as African landlubbers to watch our
skier daughter haring down the mountain with grandchildren in tow! Villard
Reculas appeared within a very pretty setting although we didn’t go into the
hamlet itself, as the little alpine restaurant Dan and Otto had come ahead to
‘boogs’ a table inside, was perched on the steepest incline up from the ski
lift. Access generally for skiers gliding in! We definitely needed ski-poles to
aid and steady us up the lethal icy slope. Up top, we found Otto ‘bubbling over’ having skied ‘The Tunnel’ up at Pic Blanc with his Dad and, Kiki bleeding after chez le chat,
sunning itself on the snow, scratched her! 
Pictures tell more than words?
A lazy lunch didn’t leave much time for further
exploration and we ‘raced’ the family back to Vaujany with hordes queuing for ascending
Bubble and Cable cars which we had to contend with – Ramsdens grabbed drag
lifts and skied home only to be astounded to find us waiting on the Vaujany
Station stairway for them! A very physical day
out had us all content to stay in
on the eve of New Year. A delicious ‘Dusty Road’ soup with a savoury seed
brittle from Sarah Lilford’s book went down a treat for dinner followed by a
family game of ‘Cluedo. It ended in good timing for an excellent view of the
Vaujany fireworks from our balcony before bed with our books at 9.30! Never the
less, adults were aware of midnight when another short round of booms from
fireworks brought in 2013 and sporadic yells and laughter or heavy boot
footfalls for yet another hour and then silence.
BONNE ANNEE!
2013 (we will stay with this blog until we are back
in England). Up and away early, Dan took the boys snowboarding – a first time
for Roo while Justine and Kiki were a little more leisurely getting off for a morning
ski. A heavy snowfall had been forecast instead ice was melting and grubby
runoff was occurring and, it wasn’t until the late afternoon that heavy clouds
moved in with bouts of sleet, rain and finally snowflakes that gently wafted
down as we prepared to walk to La Table
de la Fare, for dinner on a lower level from our apartment. We recalled
passing this busy traditional French restaurant that spilled out onto the Cable
Station Square or Place du telepherique
as the French call it, often enough, en route from our 2010 chalet in lower
Vaujany to the Cable station. Now we were to eat in it and had a delightful
night, each of us having a different speciality of the house. Yet again, an excellent
waitress added to the enjoyment of the meal. George’s ‘modern’ raclette had him raise his hairy caterpillar brows somewhat horrified when
an electric table-top grill with small pans, known as coupelles, to heat
slices of raclette was placed in front of him. Despite being a tad agitated at
doing his own ‘cooking’ when the sliced cheese came to the table accompanied by
a platter of boiled potato, salad and charcuterie. He ended up thoroughly
the experience. Lea’s
Mont d’Or cheese melted in its box provided another type of delicious raclette
dining. Oh Daniel and Justine how will we ever get back to earth after all
this!
The closest Lea came to skiing
was on the back of Daniel’s skies, hanging on for dear life and yelping!
Two days and two nights were left in this heavenly
place and with the family out enjoying the fresh snow; Lea began packing up in
readiness for a good clean of the apartment on the last day. Not much had
fallen in the village itself and we enjoyed walking the tiered streets enjoying
the crisp mountain air, even found the run down farm house with chickens in a
front room and a wire mesh door keeping them in that we recalled from our stay
in lower Vaujany in 2010. The
penultimate evening was spent down at the magnificent new ice rink with Dan and
the children entertaining us with their antics on ice. Finally, as evening drew
in on our last day we had an unexpected skype from Keith, Colleen, Ella and
Finn. From their voices and broad smiles we easily detected their sheer joy in
the new Greyton home. In fading Cape
light, Keith gave us a bird’s eye view of the house and garden before we were
forced to take leave for our last dinner out at Le Mas des Neiges. We hadn’t booked as we normally eat far earlier than the French and generally have no
trouble with a table. This time the restaurant was full with one table to
spare. Never-the-less, our front of house ‘lady’ (sadly, we never did learn her
name) and the only waitress too, promptly shuffled things around and squeezed
the seven of us in very comfortably. Her charming, relaxed manner even under
immense pressure and a meal as delicious as ever combined to finish off our
Vaujany stay on a high note! But wait, there was more... she brought us each a
glass of "Génépi" (a digestif made from herbal Alpine plants of
the region macerated for 40 days in a litre of alcohol with 40 sugar cubes!) on
the house, in farewell and explained this digestif was a convivial French
ritual to end a rich meal. Moments after, another delightful and very petite
lady arrived at the table. She turned out to be the lady chef... Tchin!
Tchin! Au Revoir – Dining experiences
like that do not come round often. We happily departed for beds in readiness the
long road ahead and a very early morning get away.
.JPG)
Bientot Vaujany!
A pleasantly uneventful journey brought
us safely back to Westfield Farm with a mountain of laundry to bring us back to
reality! Alas, we now go into countdown mode for our remaining days in England.
We fly out of Heathrow on the 21st January and en route to Perth,
Australia we are visiting San Francisco and Hawaii as part of our round the
world ticket. So until February -
