Christmas 2008

It was great to be back at Chalet Balaena where the snow was deep and crisp and even - a positive start to the ski season.

Chalet Balaena


Chalet Balaena with the mountain towering behind...


... and the chapel in the old village, just down the road from us.


While Wink took her new tenant, Will, to show him the slopes I warmed up with a few gentle skis at Outalay


before pausing for a vin chaud!



The next day was Christmas Eve so we went down to the market in Grand Bornand to buy vegetables,


ham and saucisson (I'm not sure about that one in the middle),


as well as gazing at the seasonal specialities of foie gras, snails and Grand Bornand smoked salmon.


As always the cheery M. Bozon jnr looked after us.


To Champion supermarket, where we appreciated their best wishes for the season.


We enjoyed the cornucopia of shellfish


and bid farewell to this fine lobster.


To complete our trip to Thones we visited the Christmas market


where we were warmed by the 'ritual burning of the pallet'


before enjoying a vin chaud, warmed above this unusual log fire. Using a hollowed green log, the fire consumes it slowly throughout the day.


Cheerily served - everyone is imbued with the Christmas spirit.


Back home, we decorated the Christmas tree and strewed presents around it.



Christmas Day and the forecast was promising after a cloudy start.


We set off for the slopes and, having arrived at the top,


fortified ourselves with a hot chocolate and rum!


We skied and snowboarded till lunchtime which we enjoyed up high with Will and Hazel.



Boxing Day was even brighter and we set off again to enjoy the snow, sun and blue skies



as well as great views



with Wink in front of Pointe Percée


and me!



We rounded off our morning with lunch at La Taverne with a bottle of Apremont, the essential mountain frites, endives au gratin



and the company of Yvonne and Juliette as well as Phil.

Au Clair de Lune

We'd just returned to Le Chinaillon where it was a delight to see the green mountains and valleys, complemented by a few remaining patches of snow on the heights of the Aravis. And it was in the shadow of these mountains that we went to enjoy an evening en plein air, in La Clusaz.

The street lights and most of the other shop lights in the town centre are extinguished during the evening - the streets and squares are illuminated by myriad candles.

As dusk fell the entertainers started to wander the streets (here's un chuchotier whispering I know-not-what to a reveller), and the bands started to play. There were four in different locations, sufficiently distant from each other to avoid any cacophony!

We first joined the crowds listening to a Spanish trio but continued to the town square to reach the Blues band we were looking forward to see. And we were not disappointed! Indeed we watched their complete set - 1 1/2 hours.

All the way from Chicago they were Maurice John Vaughn, guitar, keyboards and vocals, and B.J. Emery, trombone and vocals.

The music was great with a fine selection including a song I'd not heard before, a very up-to-date blues: "Computers lost me my job"!

There was other entertainment as well with stilt walkers, one of whom did a very leggy jive in front of the band, and the fire eaters.

And what of the full moon? Although we 'danced by the light of the silvery moon' we never actually saw the full moon! Hidden be the Aravis we only got to see it when we returned home to Le Vieux Village, Chinaillon.

The next Balade au Clair de Lune in La Clusaz will be on Saturday 16th August 2008 - don't miss it!