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!