French Alps, Sainte Foy Tarentaise, Travel

Le Monal in winter: wonder and peace

“Do you mind if we move our tour to Le Monal to Thursday?” the guide asks.

It’s a sunny enough day but apparently there is too much wind on the other side of the mountain, whereas the forecast for Thursday is sunny all day and no wind, which would be ideal. We could still do it today, but really Thursday would be better.

I got up at 6.45 and drove half an hour to get to Sainte Foy, the starting point for the trip; so I do mind a little. The only possible answer, though, is: “Of course, that’s no problem”.

But having come all this way and being so close to Le Monal, a place I have been meaning to see in the winter for so long, I’m not going to give up just like that – I am going to walk there instead.

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Jean-Yves Gilg17 March 201519 February 20211 Comment

French Alps, Mountains, Val d'Isere

An infinite variety of trees: skiing the Laisinant forest

Laisinant forest: tall trees, steep slopes, soft snow

Powder. Lots of it. It was the news everybody in Val d’Isère had been waiting for after ten days of near-continuous sunshine and mild temperatures. Overnight, snow clouds drifting over from the Italian side of the mountain – known locally as the ‘retour d’Est’ – has deposited 15 cm of fresh stuff on the hill and 50cm on the Pisaillas glacier. But as snow hounds were reaching for their fat planks, further news came through: residual high winds meant the lifts on the upper parts of the resort would not open today and the glacier would remain shut. Perfect day, then, to rediscover nearby off-piste areas that had become tracked out and icy beyond skiable – and where else to go other than the magnificent Laisinant forest.

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Jean-Yves Gilg16 March 20156 March 2018Leave a comment

French Alps, Travel

Bonneval-les-Bains: tales of a failed spa project

Bonneval-les-bains: the pool with no swimmers

The road that winds up the vallée des chapieux from Bourg Saint Maurice has been cleared as far as Bonneval-les-Bains. This is where we’re heading with former instructor M, who has suggested we go snowshoeing away from the Val d’Isère crowds and explore the lesser-known parts of the Tarentaise.

She tells me about Bonneval, a small settlement of scattered houses on the way to the Cormet de Roselend, a popular destination in the summer. Now, in mid-February, this is where the road stops. There is nobody else around apart from a couple of cars parked on the roadside opposite the ruins of a hotel that was never completed and a derelict open-air swimming pool.

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Jean-Yves Gilg18 February 20156 March 2018Leave a comment

French Alps, Travel, Vienna Road Trip

Ravens and diabolos in Annecy

The raven chronicles: part of an exhibition at Annecy's castle — The raven chronicles: part of an exhibition at Annecy’s castle

With its lakeside location, picturesque old town and pretty canals, Annecy has undeniable charm, even on a muggy summer’s day – and that’s before we walk, by chance, into a delightful exhibition on ravens.

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Jean-Yves Gilg13 July 20146 March 20182 Comments

View over the glaciers du Mont Pourri from Le Monal

French Alps, Sainte Foy Tarentaise, Travel

Early spring at Le Monal

In peak winter season Le Monal is a favourite destination for backcountry skiers in the Tarentaise area. Skinning up to the Unesco-listed hamlet you get breathtaking views over the glaciers on the Mont Pourri on the other side of the Isere valley. The site is also awash with walkers in the summer months thanks in part to the ease with which it can be accessed; a pleasant hike from the Echaillon parking area in Sainte Foy at 1500m, along a gently sloping path to reach the 1874m settlement. Even senior folk such as Godfather P can undertake it strain free. And the likes of Dr K can be lured aboard with promises of rural baroque chapels – even though most of them are shut or their pretty altars visible only from behind bars. Continue reading “Early spring at Le Monal”