It's been too long...

...not the ski season, but the time since I last posted on this blog. I'm afraid Twitter gets more of my attention, simply because it's so easy to tweet from an iPhone. Blogging takes more effort; you have to have more time available and you have to be in the mood.

Well, since I last posted in December, we've had a full ski season; and an unusual one at that. Our chalet manager, Louise, handled all situations deftly; including dealing with our most difficult clients to-date. I tweeted briefly about how they thought signing a contract with us for a maximum of 12 people staying in the chalet gave them the right to stuff 19 people in. Never has Louise had to deal with such rude people. And to make sure no one else suffers the same indignity - look out for a family by the name of BLANDAMOUR from Isigny sur Mer. They booked the chalet through the Tourist Office but they're banned from staying at Chalet Kiana again; that's for sure!

Our chalet couple found there was little need for the snow tyres after January and Duncan lost the snow-blowing skills he had built up in December. By the end of the season, they were good skiers and had enjoyed a tremendous time as 'seasonaires' in 'a very friendly village'. We wish them well in their next jobs.

Our clients reported nothing but wonderful holidays, despite the snow not being its best from February on. It lasted (or at least the resort stayed open) until 11-Apr, long after neighbouring resorts (St Gervais, Combloux etc) had closed, and Megeve had but a patch left that wasn't bald.

When the snow's not good, the sunshine's normally great, and this year was no exception. We went out for a week at the beginning of April and were amazed how warm it was - warmer than Provence at the time.

The main theme, apart from which slopes to ski, in what order (from a rapidly declining number to chose from - see above) was where to have lunch. Once there, the Alpine salads and Rose flowed; friends bumped into friends and, before we knew it, a two-hour lunch had taken over the day.

My kinda holiday!

December in the Val Montjoie

Well, it hasn't taken our intrepid couple, Duncan & Aimee, very long to climb out of the valley into the mountains, now that they've bought themselves all the right gear! Here's what they saw on their last walk!

I'm looking forward to heading out there this weekend, to make sure everything's sorted before our first guests arrive from the UK on the 22-Dec (I'm sure it will all be fine, but I needed a good excuse to escape the bells and jingles of the UK at this time of year).

Just to make me jealous that they're out there in the snowy Alps, and I'm here in snowless Staffs. (the snow has disappeared from here now, maybe only for a rest), they sent me another photo from Les Contamines, this time of the mighty Mont Jolie, that towers over the valley.

I can't wait to get out there 'to help'.

We've hired!

I finally get round to updating you on our new couple for this season. Duncan & Aimee will be working with us this ski season (in fact, they're out there already), taking a break from their jobs in the UK for a late 'gap year'. I was already keen to hire them when I read their CVs stating they were graduates of Reading University, my alma mater. OK, so they didn't study agricultural economics, but Aimee's French and German, and Duncan's law will surely stand them in better stead in the Alps!

When I interviewed them I knew immediately they would be right for us, so offered them the job on the spot. 2 days later they were in their car heading down to the Alps. Now that's what I call getting on with it; no messing around!

Duncan's now got used to using the snow blower and driving on the white stuff, now that they've bought some snow tyres - don't ask him about his experiences before he got the snow tyres!

Busy Summer

It's been a busy summer, for all sorts of reasons, not least at Chalet Kiana, where regulars have returned and new clients have come, gone and re-booked. We've even taken some time there ourselves, which has been wonderful, especially gathering friends to join us. There's so much to do that nobody needs to fall into rank; everyone can return at the end of the day with their account of what pass they've climbed, what mountain restaurant they lunched at or what ascent (& descent) they've made on mountain bikes.

I'm returning there tomorrow, via LHR and BA, then catching the SAT bus from GVA to Les Contamines. I was there last weekend and took the opportunity of snapping some shots for the blog. They're posted now on Flickr, but for those who don't 'do' Flickr, here's one that tickled me.

Cycling down from the Col du Joly, with my 14 year-old son (yes, we cycled up, but not from the Hauteluce/Beaufort side, but from the Les Contamines side, with the help of lifts up to 1800m!) we happened upon a heard of mountain dairy cattle, feeding on the Alpages, to make their creamy, sweet milk for the Beaufort and various Tomme cheeses. If I knew how to post a video, I'd include that too, as the sound of the bells around their necks is magical and, somehow, peaceful...I see a button up there on the bar, so I'll give it a try.

No...it took too long to load. I'll have to go back to my iPhone and edit it there, as it's easier doing it that way than trying to use iMovie! Watch this space.

Summer time and the Alps are calling

Yes, the Sunday Times has reminded everyone again, that you don't have to be an adrenalin junkie to enjoy the Alps in summer.

I've always maintained that adults enjoy holidays with their children more in the Alps than at the beach, because one way or another, children will tire themselves out in the mountain air, leaving the adults some peace & quiet in the evening!

Now they're reminding us that there's more to do in the Alps in summer than walk, cycle, swim, rafting, climbing, tennis...you get the picture.

They've listed (some of) the other activities (painting courses in Chamonix, kite-flying in Megeve) that go on all over the Alps from June to September. Verbier has its classical music festival that is, apparently, difficult to match. Les Contamines has its choir festival in August, the last week of August this year.

Can't wait!

We've hired!

A month ago we announced that we were hiring. We've now hired!

I was out in Les Contamines earlier this month and, in the space of 24 hours, handed in my tax files to the accountants and spent four hours interviewing our new chalet manager, Louise. Since then, she has been so busy working on the chalet and the gardens, that it's taken us this long for us to get a photo of her. When she does send us one, it's of her on the top of Mt. Blanc!

That's our kind of Chalet Manager - living and breathing the exhilaration of the mountains. In fact, this came across loud and clear during our discussions - Louise is sitting her mountain guiding exams this summer and was studying to be a mountain rescuer this winter. No common-or-garden piste ski-ing for her!

It's difficult to know whether to introduce Louise as being English, French or Swiss. She speaks French and English like a native, which has probably got something to do with the fact that her parents are English and Swiss and she was brought up 10 minutes down the valley, in St. Gervais. She now lives on the edge of Les Contamines, so can be at the chalet at the drop of a hat, which is great.

Louise will be working with us this summer and, if supporting her husband's (second) attempt to set a world record rowing across the Atlantic doesn't get in the way, we hope she'll be able to manage the chalet for us this winter as well.

We'll keep you posted!