Méribel In August

Hi everyone and welcome to another post from your favourite blogging Méribel ski instructor. This time last weekend, the Méribel Valley celebrated the annual Fête à Fanfoué, an event that highlights the heritage of the valley. It's effectively a village fete with a float procession, stalls, exhibitions, and also a jolly good firework show on the Saturday evening. I get to see several fireworks in Méribel during the winter, but these normally coincide with me taking part in the torchlight descent skiing down in the dark. So I very rarely get the chance to watch and take photos with my big camera. So last weekend I was determined to dust off the tripod and head down to Les Allues and find a spot to shoot. As ever on these blog posts, all photos have been taken by me.

As always, this Méribel firework display was very impressive, I'm so glad that I made the effort. Plus, I was also relieved about the weather, for much of the day it had been raining and feeling quite fresh. This wet weather didn't stay for long, and it's been sunny all week since then. Ideal for some sunset photography.....

This year I'm trying to be a little more adventurous with my photography and find alternative viewpoints to my usual 'go to' spots. And the great thing about Méribel is that there's so much choice. I'm guessing most of you reading this will be skiers, and because of this I'm including some familiar locations of the ski area from your skiing holidays here. But with an added twist, benefitting from beautiful light to give the photos a little pop.

The last five minutes or so of the sunset kisses the mountain with a stunning yellowy/peachy light. This happens all year round, even during the winter. If you ever have the chance during your ski holiday here, and can find a good viewpoint to experience this, I'd strongly recommend it. Of course this light falls on snow in the winter.

With this following photo, I was stood to the left of the wooden shelter hut called the Chalet Détente. On top of the Chalet is where there's one of the official webcams, click here for a link to see it action. Every fifteen minutes the webcam swings into action and spins round. It was pretty cool watching it action whilst I was up there shooting, and it makes funny beeping noises! If you can't picture this hut, it's just above the mid-station of the Saulire Express, and of course the Folie Douce mountain restaurant. As you can see here, the light is a little more orangey, which is right towards the end of sunset.

Blimey, I hope this post isn't turning into something too nerdy, hopefully not. But I do think some of you might recognise these landmarks.

As well as messing about with my mate Canon, I've taken a few rides on my road bike. It takes a while to get used to the altitude and building up the alpine climbing fitness. And one of my favourite rides is away from the 3 Valleys ski area. I love to head over to Champagny, and then around to Pralognan, both are ski resorts in their own right. The ski station of Champagny is visible from Courchevel if you know where you are looking, and it is connected to the La Plagne ski area as well.

Regular readers of my posts may recognise the village of Champagny-le-Haut from my Bouquetin shooting adventures. It's also very pretty in the summer, and I'll stop for a coke at the refuge there before continuing my ride to Pralognan.

I also enjoy mountain biking, and have done for decades. So of course riding here in the 3 Valleys is amazing. At the moment, and at least for the next week, it is roasting hot here. There's an orange weather warning out for part of France (including the Savoie area) by Meteo France the official french government weather forecast provider. In the afternoon it's around the 30C mark in resort. So heading up the mountain is the 'coolest' place to be!

Right, that'll do for now. I hope you've enjoyed some of these photos, and if you are in a heatwave wherever you are, my thoughts and prayers are with you all. I'm only going outdoors in the morning now, and then hunkering down in the apartment out of the heat after that. Don't forget to Live With Passion. Martin.