The salopettes are out from the attic after a year and a half in cold storage (sorry) as the invites snowball ahead of the renewed ski season. And we climb every mountain and ski down them
Enough snowing and winter analogies already!
But then having set up Ireland’s only weekly skiing column in a national newspaper during my time there with the help of the award-winning Catherine Murphy, it’s hard to shake the habit.
Sloping off for a ski day?
Like an Alpine skier: In the Austrian Tyrol
Regular readers will know that I am a big fan of the Ski Club of Ireland and Topflight for what they have done for ski tourism.
Salzburgerland were in town last weekend (that town being Dublin) but your Bandanaman on the slopes unfortunately couldn’t meet with the Austrians.
Drawn away on a family mission to Liverpool and the Lake District to see the Son and Heir.
But I will continue to share their news and those across the board both here in Europe and around the ski world.
For today though I’ve been clipping in the binds and talking to les skieurs de France.
And reconnecting with old friends who only know me on dry land, walking and getting into misadventures in a walking trip in Interlaken in Switzerland..
Bienvenue
More on my rescuer Rosie in a mo but firstly let’s pop in on Les Menuires & Saint Martin de Belleville.
The Gateway to Les 3 Vallees, the clue is in the name with social distancing never a problem across that range!
For those taking a first holiday in a couple of seasons space is a key consideration and Les 2 Alpes too offers plenty.
Whoever goes up must come down which is the whole point of skiing really.
And when you do you’ll want authentic old skiing village life which is exactly what you’ll get in La Clusaz, just an hour from Geneva.
And for gastronomes it really is the big cheese with its farmers markets and that distinctive nutty Reblochon fromage.
Get on your bikes
For those who like to extend their winter fun beyond skiing Le Grand Plagne offers electric moon bikes.
All of which I got the lowdown on from Rosie the Rescuer with whom I trotted around Interlaken on the trotti bikes.
Just time too to check in on Tignes before turning to the Apres, and those miniature schnapps in my globe drinks teolley.
Enfin
So we’re ready enfin to climb every mountain and ski down them.
Although technically we’ll be taking gondolas and ski lifts!
