Autumn in the French Alps has been beautiful. Now, as the season changes, the leaves start to fall, the nights get colder and the smell of fresh paint fills the air from last minute maintenance, it means only one thing; the rapidly approaching winter season is in sight.
Winter workers have started returning, filling the quiet streets that will soon be the lively, bustling alpine town of Méribel. The ski season is coming and although everyone has started preparing it has seemed so faraway when looking up at the grassy pistes. That is until last week, that saw the first snow of the year, sprinkling everything with a little Christmas card magic.
It started at just a few centimetres, but the snow kept coming.
We got the shovels out, folded away the deckchairs and dug out more appropriate footwear. It snowed more than a foot in Méribel Village in a complete white out over the next three days.
But just as we wondered if it would ever stop, the clouds disappeared and the sun came out for the weekend revealing a perfect bluebird day. Now, this is what winter feels like in the alps; sitting on our sunny terrace with a glass of wine, soaking in the warm sun, admiring the snow covered mountains. Suddenly the cold toes and the icy roads are all worth it.
The countdown has officially begun! With less than a month to go now before the chairlifts open, the excitement is in the air, more snow is forecasted and it’s set to be a great start to the season. The Golf chairlift, just 100m from our La Terrasse reminds us everyday of the fun that will be had in the next six months. The anticipation for its opening grows more everyday.
Here at La Terrasse we have had an exciting month ahead, with the arrival of our new team and the launch of our new winter menu we certainly have enough to keep us out of mischief.
Watch this space for our new exciting menu for winter 2016/2017!!