Off We Go

Hi everyone and welcome to another post from your favourite blogging Méribel ski instructor. Tell you what, it's suddenly turned chilly hasn't it? And I'm not going to lie, I quite like it because it obviously tells me winter is on the way. I've gone onto some webcams again this, especially this one here, it's a panoramic shot of the ski slopes in Val Thorens (part of the 3 Valleys). If you click on this link during daytime you will see that it's cold in Val Thorens, and that snow making has and is taking place. In fact Val Thorens is the first of the ski villages of Les 3 Vallées to open their ski lifts this coming Saturday. Courchevel is due to do the same on December 5th, with Méribel the following day on the 6th. All photos were taken last winter by the way.

I'll be leaving Leamington Spa for France tomorrow for the winter, arriving in Méribel at the weekend. Harriet and I will be travelling together for a change this time, it's normally me by myself. But we've had loads of work done in our apartment over the autumn. And she will help me move our belongings back into the apartment, of which most of it is down in the valley! Because we are travelling together, I've booked us into a hotel part way down through France, which will be a nice way to break up the journey and reintroduce ourselves back into France.

Just like here in the UK, the French Alps had gone through a very mild phase, but it has definitely got colder there. And in fact the weather forecast for next week at the moment is freezing cold, and hopefully a little snowy. I've got my winter tyres fitted to the car already, and have just put -20C windscreen wash in the squirty thing under the bonnet. Plus I'll be topping up my cool bag later with my favourite sausages from Aubrey Allen (a local butcher), packs of bacon, and a couple of slabs of M&S mince pies. Life is looking good.

So what will this coming winter bring us? I've no idea. But I'm sure there'll be plenty of times when the scenery will blow me away. There will be many incredible ski days. And no doubt when it's snowing we will all get excited like children. I'm sure I'll be called up by the school to do a few torchlight descents. The odd tartiflette and tasty pizzas will be consumed. Loads of hot chocolate stops on the mountain will be enjoyed, whether sat indoors or on a sunny terrace. Maybe even a cheeky vin chaud after skiing as well.

But before all of that, the big drive needs to be completed, and the early season chores gradually ticked off. Not sure when I will get my first skiing in yet, hopefully not too long away. Give me a few days after I arrive, and I'll send out a blog post as soon as I can. As ever I plan to publish the posts regularly, like previous winters, giving you the latest news and what the weather and snow conditions are like with on the ground reporting. With plenty of photos of course. Right, back to the final packing, and see you when I'm in France. Live With Passion. Martin.