Glacier - sadly receding, future motorhome/campsite sounded out and a really rather excellent lunch.

 

Good day’s skiing yesterday which is possibly just as well as it starting snowing around 5pm yesterday evening and was still doing so when I got down to breakfast around 8.30am.  We had expected a slow start but it is not looking quite as slow as it was earlier in the week.  There is a suggestion of some light blue sky at least.  That said S has just jumped out of bed, thrown clothes on and called me.  Small matter of alarms going off.  The dining room was remarkably calm, both staff and guests.  I was on the ground floor sitting about 18 inches from a fire door and 4 ft from a window opening so was particularly unfazed.  Might have preferred to have had a jacket with me and more substantial footwear but……..

We were up at the glacier yesterday morning.  We have been aware for the last few years post pandemic (not that Covid directly affected it you understand) of it receding and it was quite disorientating the first time we went right up to the top of the funicular.  You used to have to take lifts (as in elevator rather than a ski lift) up to access the slopes, no more!  This year is, however, the first year we have actually seen the ice itself in all the years we have been coming here.  I believe it used to be under the run it is now alongside/above.  There was also what looked like a cave alongside which some were investigating.  Not sure I’m entirely happy about the health and safety aspects of being inside a glacier even at its extreme edge.  Maybe the area was roped off for a reason? Suffice to say I dipped on that particular experience and left it to the braver, more adventurous, more rule sceptic (choose your own) amongst those pausing for a view .

We nipped down to Vénosc to check out the camping sites.  The Venosc telecabin has Alpe d’Huez ‘scare chair’ views but is, thankfully enclosed.  

The motor home Aire in Les Deux Alpes only allows a 2 max week stay which is not wholly in line with our plans so time elsewhere will be needed.  The Aire’s big pluses are that it is minutes at most away from lifts for both sides of the resort and it is  in the resort albeit towards one end (the entrance).  The negatives are the two week time limit and the hair pin bends to get into resort.  Staying in Venosc would be an easier drive.  The site that is open in winter has electric hook up, a bread ordering service and a restaurant on site.  There are also other restaurants in the village.  The downsides are that the last lift (telecabine) down is at 7.30pm - so apres ski live music in The Polar Bear Pub and scarper quickly then!

Perhaps more pertinently we will need to get a ski locker up near the lifts or we will be worn out well before we hit the slopes.  All in all we feel we have found a definite contender for a 6 week stay early in the year once we actually do get round to getting a motor home and retiring.

We checked out tripadvisor afterwards which rather reinforced our view.  

We had a superb lunch at La Porte d’a Cote.  We have eaten there once before 15 or so years ago now when the weather was realistically too bad to ski.  We remember it being a thoroughly decent meal so thought we would give it a go today.  We went with the specials board and chose brisket with an Asian spice light sauce on a bed of giant couscous with heritage carrots, beetroot and mushrooms.  Followed that up with a brioche stuffed with pistachio ice cream and clementine sorbet.  So should have gone with a starter as well!  With coffee after coming to a total of EUR 62 we don’t want to be leaving it another 15 years for a return visit.