WINTERS END

April 2013

Hibernation is coming to an end after 5 long months and I must say, Im pretty pleased to see the sun again. Although don’t get me wrong, it has been an AMAZING first European winter.

I learned how to snowboard, found a new job, spent Christmas and New Year in the back country of Ireland where I held a lamb and learned to drive a tractor, drove 7 hours to the middle of France, made tons of new friends, but the cherry on top has to be my last ski weekend in Val d’isere.

A couple of weeks ago I took a trip with Brandon, Courtney and Gilo to a place called Clermont Ferrand which is literally in the middle of France. That’s when I first met JB. Picture a surfer guy, now picture a French surfer guy sense of humour, now picture a French surfer guy who is engaged but had a thing for lady-boys, now picture a French surfer guy who can’t actually surf and that’s JB. Seriously a character if I ever met one, invited us to stay in his home town and have a tour of the surrounding ski slopes. He took us around the slopes, we drank at the local bars, ate out at an amazing beef restaurant and ate biscuits for breakfast.

So after we all hit it off with JB, he invited us to stay in a chalet in Val d’isere 2 weeks later and of course all of our calendars were wide open.

View from the room

Friday after work we pack the car and off we go. Countless farts (from the boys) and 4 hours later we reached the snowy end of a very isolated road. Upon further inspection we found that the road was closed and quickly got the eff out of there because it was starting to feel like a horror movie with wolves howling and abandoned buildings. So we stopped for a meal and directions and found out the road was only open for the summer and we had an extra 3 hours to drive, ahhhhhhh!

So EVENTUALLY we get there at 1am and get a tour of the chalet. I was quite sleepy at that stage but walking into this place woke me up chop chop. We walk into the entrance and were facing an indoor pool, Jacuzzi and steam room in front of which are 2 buddahs imported from a monastery that cost who knows how many euro’s. Not only that but the pool in lined with gold plated tiles and the walls are

decorated by Christian Lacriox. To the left is a lounge filled with the fluffiest couches I have ever seen and the most kitted out cocktail bar you could imagine.

Its so fluffy Im gonna die!!

We were then led up the stairs to our beautiful rooms with balconies looking out onto picturesque views. We then headed up to the top floor where there was a private kitchen, dining room, lounge and another bar. Finally we got into the lift – yes there was actually a lift – to the ground floor, where there was a gym, a games room and a SPA with waterbed massagers, eeeee! We were in heaven.

We had a glass (or 2) of delicious Rose and then went to rest up for the next day. We hit up a great breakfast and then headed off to the slopes. The conditions were perfect, powder off-piste and the sun was beating down. We had an expert on the back slopes take us all around the off-piste tracks until our legs were aching. When we couldn’t take it anymore we went to the famous La Folie Douce which is basically a club, in the middle of the day and in the middle of the slopes.  The music was pumping and people were going off, it was amazing. We partied for a couple of hours and then headed back to the chalet.

La Folie Douce

From the snow to bikinis and boxers we jumped in the pool for a swim while watching the snow falling outside, then it was time to hit the Jacuzzi. By the stage the chalet crew had joined us and Mojito’s and finger food were on the way. Before we knew it, it had turned into a full on pool party. Drinks were flowing, champagne was popping, we were snow bathing and steam rooming, it was like a dream. We then went out to Dicks bar and got silly.

The next day was sadly, our final ski day. After scrambled eggs and toast (cooked by the private chef) we headed out to yet another perfect day. Hours of boarding, a lost ski and a lunch at La Folie Douce made up the day. JB, Jeremy and Antoine were endless entertaining and as usual the conversation turned to lady-boys and threesomes (?). When we could ski no more we headed back to the chalet, dropped off our stuff and hit the shops. Afterwards we had one more pool and Spa session, ordered pizza, watched a movie and went to bed at 10 to prep for our early start.

Activites ensued and we chilled with a pizza and a movie. Off to bed at 10 o clock preparing for an early morning start.

12:40 we woke up and took to the road. Driving like beasts for 6 hours I got to Cannes train station just in time for the train back to Monaco and the rest headed back to St Tropez. Thanks to demon driving we all made it to work on time albeit a little worse for wear but it was totally worth it for the craziest weekend in the snow.

A special mention has to go to Brandon Rowe who made this all happen, you are a legend!