Oh-la-la the beautiful French Alps!

View from balcony of Frederic & Marie-Ange's appt

Thanks to our gracious French friends, Frederic and Marie-Ange lending us their alpine getaway, our family spent a lovely week skiing the Alps in Barcelonnette, France.  We skied in sun, snow, sleet, rain and fog.  Somehow it felt like an advertisement for a US Postal carrier.  

Skiing in sun

Snow

Rain

Fog!!!
Thought we were back in Nova Scotia

On top of the world!!

Pra-Loup resort is a little hidden jewel in the southern French Alps and seemed like it was only known by a few stray Parisians.  We have NEVER skied such empty slopes with no queues!!  OK, maybe night skiing in Bagotville Quebec at -25C had fewer crowds.  The lifts were all high-speed, lots of terrain and altitude (and only a bit of attitude, we're in France after all).   E's ski instructor's accent du soleil took a little time to figure out but she was quick to pick it up.

Lots of terrain

E was very proud to achieve 2 etoiles at the Ecole de ski francais (ESF) through the tutelage of Christian.

 

The bluest sky!

Look Mom, no coat!

The other side of the mountain.  This area was closed most of the time due to avalanche risk.  On a chair lift, we witnessed an avalanche and it was an amazing sight to see huge boulders of snow pummel down the slope and sense the real danger they pose.

We actually needed the chains one day.  Too bad I forgot to take a picture of the 3 gendarmes who helped us get them on the car.

Going local

If you purse your lips like a duck, you will automatically sound more francais and then you can work on your accent du soleil.   I know you're trying it right now...

 All this skiing works up an appetite!  What is a holiday without eats?  Our favourite spot was Dalle en Pente on top of the hill, where they served up local mountain food.  Can't figure out why all 4 cranky reviewers on Trip Advisor didn't rate it highly, we found the food excellent and will have to put in a good word.  

Local mountain charcuterie, gnocchi and cheese = tartiflette.
The pillow-light raviolis in 4 cheese sauce was said to "ca se mange tout seul" and they did disappear...

Pizza Royal from Dalle en Pente- the BEST pizza we've had in recent memory.  BEAT all the pizzas we had in Rome.  Fresh tomato sauce, really good ham, cheese and a perfectly crisp thin crust.  Frankly, we were kinda blown away at how some alpine ski restaurant served such amazing pizza.  

I'm stuck and I can't get up.  Must move before food coma sets in.  I know I can, I know I can.

This poma lift that has a 50% incline.  Ask Adrian how hard it is to stay on it.....

Les bons vivants!

Back to the subject of food.  As the whole purpose of traveling is really to eat my way through a holiday.  Dotted around Barcelonnette are little chalets or pizza shacks with wood burning ovens serving up gourmet pizza.  Our first night we got pizzas from Pizz'apata with local magret de canard and chèvre cheese.  It was delicious and their unusual local toppings made them worthy of praise!  And, as any small town would have it, you get to know the locals quickly.  Coincidentally, the co-proprietor was also our waitress at the Dalle en Pente.  One of those small world things eh?

The proprietors of Pizza'pata

Tasty wood fired pizza

The square in Barcelonnette

Eh-oui!  Nothing says francais more than a crepe as street food!

Beaver Tails !!
Found in small remote French Alpine village!  
The restauranteur saw the Beaver Tails on TV and thought they'd make a welcome addition to his menu.  He never expected anyone who skated the Rideau Canal to show up! 

Ultimate Mountain Machine 

 Look very closely at the next picture.  It is the ultimate mountain machine.  Complete with everything any mountaineer could need.  A big hairy dog in the front seat for companionship and warmth, a deer skin in case the dog freezes and a cord of wood in the back of the car if all else fails.  This mountaineer was ready for all contingencies!  We're still chuckling at this one.

Back to eats

The play on word for pain d'epices is our favourite bread boulangerie Pain des Pistes.  Why can't we get great bread like this in England or Canada?  The Drakkar, a sourdough rye and cereal bread weighing in a like a brick was amazing smeared with butter and lavender honey....

With abundant choice for cheese, and a intriguing chèvre raclette cheese, we feasted on raclette for 2 nights

Cheeeeeze!

Domaine Courbis Syrah -
a lovely find and should have brought some home!

 E wasn't leaving France without her saucisson.  Boulangerie Focatti is apparently renowned for their homemade saucisson.  E chose a lamb dry-sausage to bring home.  Glad the EU isn't worried about hoof and mouth disease with open borders.

The stash.  So our suitcases were a little smelly.  Nothing says you've been to France like a bunch of smelly cheese.

So this was the good life and it will be back to work next week.

Au revoir et a bientôt!