Chalet Girl Swear Word Number 2: Shopping Day

For most girls the word shopping usually brings about a warm fuzzy feeling inside; the anticipation of spending money on much wanted goods for some means spending a little more time on the 'essentials' of make-up, hair and clothing, before showing themselves to the world. For other girls it means dressing up ready to walk the catwalk of Megeve highstreet and for some the word shopping just aids the loss of all rationale! For me, the 30 year old chalet girl, the word means one thing and one thing only: get there, get it done and get back as quick as possible!

Usually I get treated to the delightful company of the hotel chef, Charlie, but today when I arrived in my not-so-trusty steed (will explain later), he announced with a rather sheepish look that he would not be accompanying me today as he had to go on Saturday due to something he had thought was in the freezer not being there! However, being the lovely sort he is, he presented me with a very carefully drawn map of our very wiggly route down the mountain (although I'm pretty sure he missed a couple of big bends!) and gave me the magic card which, when presented at the checkout, allows me to fill the van with all my goodies without handing over any real money! 

So, back in the van and with no radio as it doesn't work below freezing, I wiggled my way down the snowy mountain, ignored Charlie's directions, took a route with a slightly wider road suitable for driving big beasts down and arrived at the chalet girl's dreamland called Metro. Now there's no point even trying to go to Metro if you can't park a van as there is usually only one space and a very small, mini-sized space at that, that you have to park in. I can do it, but how the cars either side get out is a mystery to me! After that the only vehicle you need to drive is a rather unruly trolley - forget supermarket trollies, these are another breed altogether! Mine, yet again, made a beeline for the champagne stack at the entrance as I made my way through to the rather empty veg section! 

I find the easiest way to shop here is to dump the trolley in a place that is as in the way of everyone else as possible and run up and down the aisles, grabbing things from the shelves and then running back to the trolley to check what else is needed. The trick is to leave the cold section for last or to do it in shifts so that you don't loose any fingers or toes due to frostbite setting in! Some people stop to have conversations in there, but even with hat, scarf, gloves, snow boots, thermals and ski suit, I think you'd still risk loosing your nose whilst chatting!!

Once you've got everything, (this is where Metro is worth the trip), you hand your magic card over to the checkout guy, leave your trolley with him and go and raid the coffee bar. It's all free and there's usually some yoghurts and nasty cake things to work your way through! Then it's off to load the van, no mean feat by yourself I might add! Then it's a quick stop at a real Supermarket for the bits wholesalers don't have. I might have also treated myself to a yummy little thing called a Scoubichoc this morning! Whatever it was, it wasn't healthy or nutritional, that's for sure! 

Whilst this all might not sound too bad, bear in mind that yesterday we did a full chalet changeover, dinner for 9 last night, up at 7.30 this morning ready for breakfast at 8 (and yes, the cake for afternoon tea was already in the oven!), two runs to the ski lift and to top it all off my husband got the job of guiding the new guests round the slopes, having a whale of a time skiing on beautiful new snow! That's the part that makes it the worst day!!

Anyway - it's over for another week and next week I won't have to get up to breakfast before going as we won't have any guests! And I left the rooms for him to do on his return...

As for my not-so-trusty steed...It's been good to me and I did drive past a Jeep in the ditch this morning with a rather smug smile on my face, but on Saturday night it did not behave so well for Phil. Our lucky guests had been invited for a drink after skiing at an apartment in town. (I say an apartment but it's actually the top and bottom floor of an old grand hotel right in the centre of Megeve, worth about 10 million!) They asked to be picked up about 7.15 and so Phil duly left at 6.45 only to discover that in the ast two hours 6 inches of snow had fallen. He got the van out, and slipped and wiggled his way through what can only be described as carnage to the the very big corner and decided that the van was just not going to make it back up if it kept snowing. He rang Adam, who, with a German-made heavy-duty beast picked the guests up and got them back to us no problem. Phil arrived back with hands shaking and what I think was relief that he hadn't joined the Jeep or the LandCruiser in the ditch. He was fine after a beer and some chocolate!!

So now we have two families for New Year. All I can say is that cooking for 9 is like feeding an army compared to last week! So if you need me you'll find me up a mountain, skiing the good stuff, avoiding the inevitable pile of potatoes that need peeling!

PS. The yummy chocolates that our guests gave us for Christmas that probably cost a small fortune, were delicious and as you can see did not last very long at all!

What a Difference a Day Makes!

24 little hours...

We had a lovely Christmas Day with our fabulous guests from down under. We were treated to a leisurely start with time to open presents, chat with family in various places of the world and a breakfast of brioche eggs benedict. Sadly it was raining but the guests were determined to get a ski in and by midday were ready for the slopes. The garden surrounding the chalet was looking very green and the promise of snow just seemed to be getting further and further away...

Our fabulous boss at Ski Royale invited us down into town for a Christmas Day beverage, so at 2pm, after I'd peeled a few potatoes, watched Carols from Kings on our amazing Apple TV and dodgy free British tv link from an iPhone App and made a very traditional Pecan Pie for Cristmas dinner, we ventured out into the wet. I enjoyed a demi-peche (half a lager with peach syrup in it) and a diet coke, we played a couple of games on a lotto ticket but didn't win anything :-( nothing to do with my dodgy choice of numbers!

We arrived back at the chalet loaded up with crackers, party poppers, Christmas Puddings, and even table cloths! The guests were also back and were enjoying a roaring fire!! The turkey made a quick entry into the oven with some salt and pepper and a clementine quickly placed inside (I'm not sure hwat this actually does but I've heard it's good for it!). Whilst the teenagers enjoyed testing out their Christmas presents, the adults enjoyed some champagne in the hot tub (with specially arranged fire works) and I enjoyed a Skype with Spiderman and Rapunzel!

By 7pm dinner was well on it's way to being an ample feast for 20 (there were 7 of us!) and a well-earned glass of champagne and a couple of rounds of a dodgy Christmas game later it was time to gather round the table. After a quick starter of scallops on a pea puree the main event was up: Roast turkey (including fights over the legs), very crispy roast potatoes, honey and mustard glazed carrots and parsnips, sprouts with chestnuts, pigs in blankets, homemade cranberry sauce, turkey gravy and of course a delicious apricot and pecan stuffing.

We enjoyed a couple of games around the table. I think Phil and I managed to make ourselves very unpopular with our game as it took the parents most of Christmas Dinner to figure it out much to the amusement of the teenagers! After a delicious dessert - voted for by the younger residents - a hasty retreat to the fire was beat and so ended our fabulous Christmas Day in Megeve.

Boxing Day arrived and with it, hallelujah, came the snow - rather a lot of it! I woke up about 8.30 (it's my day off!) and had a peak outside and might have mumbled the words 'it's snowed' to my snoring husband. Of course he didn't believe me and carried on snoring so 15 minutes later I tried again: 'It really has snowed'. This acheived the desired effect and within seconds he was out of bed, giving me all the covers, and on his way for breakfast! 20 minutes later and I was skiing down the road to the lift station with Phil walking behind insisting on boarding for the day.

We've had a fab day, tried a new ski area (Jaillet) that was much quieter than Mont d'Arbois, won a battle with the French ski school kids as I managed to get a seat on the bus, enjoyed lunch at a tiny chalet restaurant called la Petit Ravine, skiied some amazing 'closed' runs through soft powder, Phil got stuck in a hole but we made it back all in one piece. So I'll leave you now whilst I just pop upstairs to enjoy the hot tub whilst the guests are out at dinner before round two of the delicious Christmas Dinner! A bientot!

All Fur Coat and No Knickers!

Anyone would be forgiven for thinking that it's Spring here in Megeve. The sun is shining, the streams are flowing and the fields are green! Phil and I took a walk into town today to purchase a little something for our guests for Christmas and to check in with civilisation. We did try yesterday afternoon but ended up in the van, in a car park with no parking in it, just a few buses, and when we tried to leave some electric bollards had come up! We did a few circles and decided to use the exit barrier and press the help button. When we explained our predicament and that we were here purely by accident a very deep, resonant, understanding 'ooooh' came over the speaker and the barrier was lifted! Having made our escape we thought it best to abandon the mission and try again today! We wandered down the beautiful track through the old mountain farms and negotiated some tricky ice, thankful we weren't in the van when the gradient suddenly became 40%!! We'd sort of guessed our way down and somehow ended up right in the middle of town by the church!

Now, the town centre of Megeve is not just any town centre, it has a pretty church typical of the Alps, a very French lay out with lots of twists and turns, a huge Christmas tree with baubles that change colour and then there's Hermes! A beautiful shop with very nice clothes and prices to match (as I've discovered most shops in  Megeve have)! Today there is also a nativity scene created out of ice.

So whilst wandering around I found a lovely little shop that smelt of chocolate so of course we had to go in! We restricted ourselves to buying for others only and purcased a little something that is only found in Megeve. I don't know what they're called but they say they're praline covered in glace icing. They're hard, white and very light so you actually get quite a few in your 100g! 

Whilst wandering around we noticed that Megeve has suddenly become a lot busier and it's easy to see where the reputation of lots of fur coats, sunglasses and rather wealthy visitors comes from. However, I'm not sure I'll be joining in with the Megeve fashion as for most young ladies (and those dreaming of a few decades ago) the fashion is to wear skin tight jodphur-style trousers with a bum-skimming fur coat, leaving nothing to the imagination as to what sort of knickers are required with this outfit, and then the ugliest 'moonboots', snow boots or, even worse, wedge-heeled 'moonboots' with, of course, as much fur as possible! Top this off with sunglasses, gold jewellery and some furry ear muffs and you're bang on trend for a walk through Megeve!! 

Having seen enough, we decided to get the ski bus back up the hill as we didn't fancy the ice climbing required on the road. Our guests this week are lovely and are enjoying some good skiing in the sun as well as trying out some fabulous mountain restaurants. Yesterday's lunch, from what I can gather, was a whole wheel of Reblochon cheese! The forecast for the next few days is snow on and off so hopefully we'll have good runs for our day off on Boxing Day. Christmas dinner is all under control and I've even made the cranberry sauce!

We had a visit from our handsome chalet owner this morning as we keep running out of hot water. Turns out he had only got us running on one tank, not both. So, with the problem sorted, we wished him a happy Christmas and sent him off to teach his skiing with a pocket full of Amande Croquante, yesterday's afternoon tea!

Chalet Girl Swear Word Number 1: Changeover Day

The two words 'changeover day' are the two words most chalet staff dread to hear. Most of the time we just pretend it's not going to happen, bury our heads in the snow, carry on skiing and avoid mentioning it until the last possible moment! Phil and I are no exception and it certainly was a hectic day, but with understanding guests and a bit of organisation, we made it through!

We started off by doing breakfast for our departing guests - who had promised to be out of their rooms by 10 - at 1015! We finished this about 1045 and by 1100 some packing was done and I could start in the first room. At 1130 Phil took the guests into town, via the ski shop to return skis, and then returned to find the new guests just arriving! I'd finished one room and started the second, so after a cup of tea they were able to change and head off to the ski shop with Phil and then ski for the afternoon. Phil came back again (I'd done the thrid room) and loaded up the departing guests luggage and the linen and took it to the 'mother' chalet. On his return I'd finished the fourth room and decided that once he'd hoovered his way upstairs we'd have some lunch (a quick sandwich and some chocolate and pear cake from yesterday). I've been given a new gadget for the shower doors, mirrors and windows. You spray the glass with cleaner, give it a quick rub with the soft cloth and then use the battery powered gadget to vacuum away all the dirt, water, soap...It apparently leaves it streak free but I still had to clean the bits around the handles and the bits it missed!

We then did a joint effort on the living area: Phil made a fire, I dusted, Phil wiped all the chairs, I hoovered, Phil mopped the floor, I laid afternoon tea - lactose free lemon and raspberry cake (yes we have one those weeks) that I made this morning during the slowest breakfast ever and I then I decided to have a shower and read a magazine. 

Phil collected the new guests from the slopes at 4.30 and made sure they were ok. Afternoon tea was enjoyed and swiftly followed by a hot tub experience! Luckily for them ours is lovely and hot unlike the one above we found on the slopes yesterday! Champagne and canapes (endive tips with Roquefort, walnut and honey as well as mini amoked salmon toasts) were served at 7.30 and dinner just before 8. 

Tonight we enjoyed Wild Boar Terrine with fig chutmey, Poached Salmon with Lemon and Pea Risotto and a Coconut Panna Cotta with red berries. 

I've discovered that soya milk does not like to be set with gelatine, it just splits and curdles, but almond milk makes a delicious chilled rice pudding.

I've made my menu for the week and can't wait for Christmas day. We even have presents under the tree now and lots of Christmas music and movies on the oh-so-cool Apple TV! 

As you can see from the above picture, I've now met Mont Blanc (that's him just to the right of the tree, I think)! As each area opens in resort Phil and I go up there, ski around and then find our way back. It's been good fun so far and I've now skiied some nice red runs (something I wasn't overly keen on 3 years ago) and have even been down my first black run of the season! I was rather put off doing it again though as on our return up the slope on the chairlift we saw a young man about to be given a lift in the sledge with a leg injury! I can't tell you the words I actually heard to clarify that his leg was the problem!

So for tonight we've left the new lovely guests relaxing and dozing by the fire, digesting dinner and planning tomorrow's adventures on the slopes of Megeve. 

A Topless Tree!

Whilst I don't intend to write a daily blog I'm making the most of a quiet chalet. Our first guests arrive this evening, well, tonight at 10pm and would still like dinner! Not a problem - I've revamped the carrot soup and we'll be having chicken (now down to 26 pieces!) in a delicious homemade tomato sauce with a green salad, finished off by Mrs Ginger's Chocolate Brownies (recipe here) and homemade ice cream!

Talking of dinner, last night's went down very well with the lovely Ski Royale owner, manager, staff and family. We impressed with some yummy canapes - I didn't even get one - and some yummy vin chaud. The soup was tasty, the chicken worked well (I still have 30 odd more to use!) and the Tiramisu was such a success that one dinner guest managed 2 and a half and another was 'forced' into enjoying a second! It's all part of my determination to not gain the chalet girl pounds but give them to guests instead...I'll post the recipe next time I make it.

Luckily for our guests our tree, which, until yesterday afternoon, was feeling rather naked and bare with no top part (it's a three part fakey) was found a top and some decorations and now looks beautiful!

We've been for another little ski today on the very limited amount of lifts open. This is partly due to the resort not being officially open until Saturday but also in due to the lack of the white stuff - snow! The Megeve snow makers have been busy and they are keeping the open runs in a really good condition. I've certainly got my ski legs back and am very much looking forward to skiing the rest of the resort.

I am certainly not the fastest skiier and whilst I'm negotiating the second bend of the run Martin, the guide from Les Cimes, is already back on the lift ready for his seond run!! Today Phil took is board up and I thought I'd have more chance keeping up but he's like Mr Daredevil himself and was hurtling down the hill! I'm not sure what level of control he had over the board but he didn't look too bad! We took our sandwiches up to the top of the open hill nd enjoyed lunch with a view - the only thing spoiling it was the delicious smells of BBQ and chips with vinegar coming out of the horrendously expensive restaurant!

So now we're back at our chalet hoping for the return of the powdery sparkly stuff tonight - it is forecast and all the French say it's coming and they're NEVER wrong!

PS Alex (the rather handsome chalet owner/mountain climber/ski instructor...) came by this morning just to empty our fire ash on the garden?!

Hot Tubs and Sparkles

For those of you who don't know me and probably found this by accident let me tell you a little bit about myself... I'm Kate, married to Phil, and am quietly refusing to grow up, settle down and attach myself to one particular region, town or even worse, a house! We can usually be found somewhere at sea on a rather nice yacht called First Essential. You can find out more about that here: Essential Sailing

Currently our lovely yacht is taking a well-earned break having done 36 months non-stop. She's in the lovely home for yachts called Port Napoleon sleeping in her cradle until April when she'll be coerced back into the water! 

So, I hear you ask, what are you doing if your boat's not in the water? Well, sticking with France and refusing to grow up, I'm currently employed as a chalet girl! We have a beautiful chalet to look after in Megeve with 4 rooms, a fab kitchen and an more fabulous hot tub. Check it out here: Chalet Megeve

We arrived on Friday with more luggage than ever before, courtesy of a very generous brother-in-law and the odd snowboard... We were quickly whisked up to our new home and with the moon shining and the snow sparkling it looked magical. I'm a sucker for pretty places and this one is pretty high up there! 

We've made the obligatory trips to Metro-a French Mecca for chalet staff buying in bulk desperately trying to stick to budgets but miserably failing as the biggest tub of Nutella in the world hits the trolley (I resisted) and enough chicken to feed a small army is bought by mistake (I failed!). We've also done the necessary cleaning although we have been very lucky and only had to hoover and dust an already pretty clean chalet! Beds are made in readiness for the imminent arrival of those oh-so-inconvenient guests (who without you would have no job!). The oven has been tested by making a cake of the delicious caramel and pear variety. Phil and I tested it out and admitted defeat after a quarter had gone so took it to the other chalet where cheeky Charlie ( the chef!) claimed it as his own and served it to us for dinner!! 

We've also met the owner of the chalet - the oh-so-handsome French ski instructor/mountain guide/artisan builder Alexandre. I think I'll be needing some lessons this Winter!! I've already impressed him with my snow-plough position...

Tonight we're trying out all our kitchen as I'm cooking dinner for 9. On the menu is carrot and coriander soup, chicken breasts stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes, basil and ricotta served with crushed new potatoes and braised peas and spring onions and for dessert a delicious amaretto and date tiramisu. 

Easy peasy! 

The highlight so far of being a 30 year old chalet girl has been sitting in the moonlit hot tub, surrounded by snow-capped mountains and sparkling snow drinking a coke zero siting next to my husband!!