Having organised the trip before Christmas, the time had come for me to head to Gatwick. With no one around to drop me at the train station, I jumped in a cab for the short ride. Rachel had arranged her own adventure at the same time, heading to Iceland with Mum, complete with a list of fantastic excursions.
I arrived at the station early to avoid any last minute stress, but it’s been a while since I’ve taken a UK train. I hadn’t realised that once the doors close, they don’t reopen, and the train leaves regardless of who’s left standing on the platform hurling abuse at it. Fortunately, they run often, so it wasn’t a big deal.
Christien and I met up, and after dropping our luggage, we boarded a full but uneventful flight to Geneva. With bags in hand, we picked up the car and headed off. After about an hour and forty five minutes, we arrived at my cousin’s apartment in Crans-Montana. It’s always great to see her and catch up with the family. I learnt to ski here, and so did Seb and Christien.
After a delicious risotto that Sansan had kindly prepared, and a good catch up, we turned in for the night.
The following morning, after breakfast, we set off for Les Violettes and took our first ride up to around 1700 metres. We started with a short run to loosen the legs before heading further up to Plaine Morte at 3000 metres, which is as high as you can go here. Lunch on the mountain has become a bit of a tradition. While there are plenty of places to eat, the Cabane des Violettes remains a favourite for both the food and the views across the Alps.
After a relaxed lunch, the afternoon light had started to fade, and I’d left my whiteout goggles at the apartment. We took it easy, knowing Seb was arriving from St Gallen later that evening. After picking him up from the station, the four of us headed to a great little restaurant that specialises in Valaisan cuisine.
I really enjoy the skiing, but I also love spending time with the boys, and watching them enjoy each other’s company as well.
The next morning brought clear blue skies, which made for a fantastic day as we skied from Cry d’Er across to Aminona. It was one of those memorable days on the slopes. Seb had been talking about raclette all day, so that evening we went to Château Villa, known for its five-cheese raclette with cheeses from the Rhône Valley. Christien went for the meats. It was a great meal and a lovely atmosphere.
Sunday followed a similar pattern. The three of us were completely in our element, with Christien leading the charge down the mountain. I’m still more comfortable at the back of the pack, but I don’t mind. We finished with a final top-to-bottom run, legs burning and feet completely numb from the ever uncomfortable ski boots. I had some custom ones made years ago, but they still hurt.
That evening, we joined my aunt and cousins for a family get together in Montana, followed by a lantern-lit walk around an icy golf course.
On our last morning, we had one final ski in perfect sunshine. The slopes were quiet, the snow was fresh, and it was a lovely way to end the trip. A few wonderful days, full of good skiing, good food, and great company.
Dream Chasers 