THE ALPS - Saint Gervais les Bains

It’s only a hop, skip and a jump from Megève to Saint Gervais les Bains where we were staying tonight, so we had plenty of time to explore the little spa town. Unlike most of the places we’d seen so far, Saint Gervais offers 300 free parking spaces in the centre – hurrah.



It was whilst we were going round in circles (literally) looking for the car park that we found the old spa building. What a beautiful edifice. The old lady sitting on the opposite side of the road must have thought we were mad when I stopped in the road and put my hazard lights on so that I could get out and take photos, but it was well worth it!



The centre is pretty compact with really only 2-3 main streets forming a little one way system. The church and pretty town hall are probably the main attractions, but unlike the ski stations, Saint Gervais really feels ‘lived in’ and it was great to see people out and about enjoying the sunshine.



We spotted a scrummy looking Patisserie selling local pastries such as Delices de Niege and Linzer tarts, so it would have been rude to pass by without giving them a try! We ate them in the sunshine on the steps of the Parochial house next to the church – bliss.



We’d spotted a sign for the Pont du Diablo (devils bridge) which sounded interesting, so as we had some time before our next meeting we decided to have a peek. The lane down was narrow and VERY steep and I knew I’d need to do some serious motivational complaining and perhaps even breathing exercises to get back up again!



The bridge itself wasn’t all that impressive once we found it, and I was already grumbling about the benefit v. effort, but the colour of the water was amazing. We did spot a little suspended walkway like they have in the Gorges of the Ardèche, but it was all closed off to I think it was just for the people looking after the dam.



We were booked into the Residence les Arolles, which turned out to be about 1.3km out of the village centre. The apartment itself was great – not as super impressive as the Alpages de Champagny, but we’d been spoilt there. We also had a fab view of the mountains which surprisingly still had loads of snow.



It did have a sauna and Jacuzzi which would have been great had we remembered our swimming cozzies as it started to snow not long after we arrived. After the freezing temperatures outside, it was great when we opened the door and the warm air hit us – bliss!



We asked at reception for restaurant recommendations and Virginie, our receptionist, suggested the Restaurant 4 Epices which served a range of different options as well as local specialities. As it was snowing and I was the only one with a hood, I reversed the car under the porch – probably not one of my better ideas as I was so busy watching one side that I nearly rammed the column the other side. I suspect if I’d knocked their building down with my car, the working relationship may have soured somewhat...



Dinner was delicious; tartiflette with salad and locally cured meats with a jug of local wine. I have managed to get a full blown cold since leaving Corsica which has resulted in much sniffing and sneezing throughout the day, but no a single sniffle in the restaurant so we had to assume that the wine was having a medicinal effect – what great luck!!

THE ALPS - Megève

As we approached Megève I was so busy looking at the huge white peaks of Mont Blanc that I managed to miss the view of the village in the distance – slightly worrying as I was driving!



Fortunately after a couple of highway code infringements, we found ourselves a relatively cheap parking sport close to the pedestrianised centre.



We wandered through the cobbled streets looking at the pretty shops and buildings, and discovered that Megève clearly attracts a discerning clientele if the prices in the windows were anything to go by.



I have to admit that I was sorely tempted to abandon the scrummy make-shift picnic we’d brought with us in favour of the calorific delights in the window of the old fashioned patisserie, but fortunately after our gastronomic feast at the restaurant in Champagny-en-Vanoise last night, common sense took over.



We sat on the steps opposite the church to eat our lunch. The sun was beating down which was a bit of a shock after the temperatures in Courchevel which were into the minus numbers – eek! After a while we followed the path round the church and came across a beautiful square



It is here that the horse drawn carriage rides take place and visitors can feel their presence everywhere from the ironwork ‘caleches’ on the buildings to the horse manure in the cracks between the cobbles



A short walk to the tourist office confirmed that it was closed but we couldn’t really complain as it was lunchtime outside of season. We did spot some gorgeous shops selling solid looking wooden furniture and other bits and bobs for the home, so it wasn’t long before we had our noses (and our cameras!) pressed against the window!



The combination of reds and greens with the wooden interiors made me feel like Christmas had come early, so it was probably lucky that we had to leave before they re-opened for the afternoon at 4pm.

THE ALPS - Courchevel 1650 & 1850

A slight misunderstanding over numbers meant that we started the morning bright and early at Courchevel 1650 instead of Courchevel 1850, but I was pleased because it meant that we got to drive further up the snow capped mountain.



I was almost beside myself when I spotted a small frozen late in the middle of the Forêt de Saint Bon, but little did I know what delights were to come. Of course, it would be easier if the villages didn’t have the same name, but there you go!



Luckily we’d arrived early for our meeting so as the temperature was -4 degrees despite the sunshine(!) we decided to thaw ourselves out with a cup of hot choccie at the local café and check out the ski instructors.



I didn’t think I’d ever been so cold, but then we arrived at Courchevel 1850 – 200m higher – and I decided that no matter how unflattering they are, next time I will put my thermal long johns on underneath my trousers.



Unlike La Tania which is a purpose built resort and really feels like it, I was completely enchanted by the ornate timber buildings of Courchevel which to me was a real ski resort rather than a town you can ski from or just a modern ski station.



I stood for ages watching the cable cars making their way up the mountains and considering it is mi-April, I was amazed by the amount of snow there was even on the low pistes and how many people were in resort.



On the way back to the car we spotted a grey granite bell tower clinging to the rock, so we decided to hack our way through the pine trees ‘Indiana Jones’ style to get a photo from the other side so that the sun was in the right position

Of course, I paid little attention to where I was walking and what looked like snow covered grass soon revealed itself to be a big snow covered hole. Fortunately given the freezing temperatures, the snow was solid enough that I didn’t come to any real harm. Phew!

THE ALPS - Restaurant Les Rochers, Champagny

We weren’t sure where to try for dinner, so we decided to check with the receptionist at the Alpages de Champagny where we were staying. We discovered that a couple of the local restaurants offered a free pick up and drop off service – how is that for going the extra mile!



We chose the Restaurant Les Rochers which seemed to offer a good range of local specialities at a reasonable price. We chose a Fondue Savoyard (3 cheese fondue) and a Tartichevre with salad which we’d planned to share so that we could try both things.



The portions were enormous, and honestly just one meal between two would have been sufficient even with our healthy appetites! We washed it all down with a small bottle of Apremont (and excellent local white wine) and a Génépi digestive (no idea what that is but it was very tasty), and the whole bill came to just 41€!

What an absolute bargain...

THE ALPS - Champagny-en-Vanoise

We arrived at Champagny-en-Vanoise in a light snow flurry, and accidentally visited the village after a wrong turn on our way to Les Alpages de Champagny, where we would be spending the night.



Les Alpages are the ski chalets of my imagination; huge timber beams, open log fire, fabulous views across the valley and solid timber furnishings. They are actually apartments in a group, but such care and attention has been lavished on them that each one feels like a miniature chalet!



We were lucky enough to be allocated A11 which as amazing chalet style apartment; a lovely master suite with en-suite shower and huge terrace where you can relax in the sun and admire the views, twin room with views of the little church, spacious living dining room a kitchenette I would have been proud of in my own home as well as a mezzanine and family bathroom. Phew!



We knew there was a free indoor heated pool for guests use, but helpfully I had forgotten to page my swimming gear – temperatures of 2-3 degrees and swimming cozzies are not generally two things that go together in my mind!



We decided to go and explore anyway, and found that basically it was a small but well equipped leisure centre! Not only was there the pool, but also a well equipped gym (no chance), relaxation area with what sounded like whale music, sauna and hammam and a section where a local beautician offers a range of treatments.



Of course many of the services are extra and we really didn’t have time to make the most of them which was a shame, because we both agreed that we’d have quite happily have spent two or three weeks here if it wasn’t for the small matter of work...

THE ALPS - Medieval Cité de Conflans

We’d been in the car for hours on our way from Toulon to La Tania, so we decided to stop at the medieval Cité de Conflans to stretch our legs and grab a bite to eat.



The weather has been a bit dodgy, but amazingly as we walked up towards the old walled city, the clouds parted and the sun made a welcome appearance for the first time. The colourful houses lining the little narrow streets lit up, and I knew that this may be my first visit but it certainly wouldn’t be my last!



The church seemed enormous for the size of the tiny village, and had been covered in beautiful frescos, whilst opposite, each of the artisanal shops displayed an amazing array of old fashioned signs to hawk their wares.





We were really tempted by the ‘plat du jour’ at the Vieux Bourg restaurant but as we’d decided to make the most of the sunshine and wander up to the public gardens where there are some magnificent magnolia trees before settling down to eat, they had sold out. Drats!



Fortunately ‘Le Conflarian’ opposite was offering a planche de charcuterie for the same bargain price of 8€! What we’d hoped would be a simple plate of cured meats turned out to be a huge pile of hams and all sorts of Savoyard speciality cuts, so we were stuffed by the time we wandered back down to the fountain.



Luckily this is a sort of wishing well where you through your penny in and make a wish. I wished that I didn’t feel so stuffed and wasn’t going to have to hike for miles to work off all the calories!!

UK & FRANCE - Driving to Corsica & the CGT

Surprisingly, the journey home this time was relatively uneventful - no near death experiences, no people dressed as cows (see Beaune), just hundreds of French army vehicles heading north - presumably in an attempt to liberate Calais from the British (anyone who has visited recently will know exactly what I mean!) and three van loads of CRS who, with their wild psychotic staring eyes, could have been taken for a contingent of Millwall supporters if their silly cardboard hats didn't make them look like they work at McDonalds in their spare time!!

The thing about French motorways is that they are compratively quiet and you can easily find your mind wandering. This time, my attention was focused on the extraordinary amount of random shoes littering the carriageway. How does that happen? I for one have never come across someone who said ' you never guess what happened to me today. I was driving along when all of a sudden my shoe came off and blew away!'. Doesn't really sound plausible does it? And I'm not talking 2 or 3 random shoes here people - there were easily enough in the stretch from Villefranche sur Soane down to Marseille to be considered a small but well stocked branch of Stead & Simpsons! Recently I discovered that one of Che Guevara's jobs before he became a raving revolutionary was to collect odd shoes and try to sell those that most resembled a pair. He should have moved to France instead of Cuba - he could have made a killing!!

It was as I approached the port d'Arenc in Marseille that I was reminded of my recent panic over the CGT strikes and port blockages. The CGT stands for Confédération Générale du Travail, basically the General Workers Union, but the word 'workers' has obviously been used in it's loosest sense as they should really be called the CGG - General Union of Strikers. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not against unions per se, but what I am against are selfish lazy toads who are onto a serious cushy number with lots of perks and very little actual work, who don’t want anyone rocking the boat, if you’ll pardon the pun. This time, not only did they call an indefinite strike during the school holidays, but they illegally blocked all ports on the island so no one could get in or out, including freight (such as food and petrol), and even the other ferry companies from France and Italy. What better way to hold the government hostage as the island is practically crippled within a week.

Now the reason for the strike sounds fairly noble; they are protesting the cut to the budget for maritime links between Corsica and the mainland. OK, fair enough, but when you consider that Corsica Ferries also offers this link (with no strikes) and manages to turn a profit using half the workforce, I think you’ll see where the problem lies.

As I arrived at the port, there were 3 blokes idling in a little shelter, ostensibly to direct people to their ferries. However, as there are huge boards and arrows for each route, and as they never bother to speak until spoken to (and then they don’t bother to get up), it’s a pretty useless role. From here it’s 2 minutes to the CMN waiting area where you park and check-in. Five workers here chatting with each other, and one bloke to deal with the single file traffic directing them to the correct queue. Hhhmm, I see a pattern forming. On to the boat and a queue for the reception to collect cabin keys. Two people behind the desk, one to highlight the cabin number, the other to hand him the key that is within arms reach behind him. Disembarkation the next morning was no different – one bloke to wave the cars off and at least 10 at the doors chatting. I don’t think it’s hard to see why this nationalized company has yet to turn a profit and is supported by the tax payers – the same tax payers stuck at the ports each time they strike.

So what to do? Well as French union workers are paid full salary whilst striking(!) there seems little incentive for them not to. Plus the perks are fab, as anyone who has tried to eat in the restaurant of the Scandola will tell you when they manage to run out of meat and fish with only 20-odd cars on board (guess where the stock for some of the restaurants in Propriano comes from). I for one have chosen the cheery yellow boats of Corsica Ferries for my next trip onto the mainland. Cheaper, more efficient and never on strike, so up the yellows and two fingers up to the CGT!