Week 1 – Ou est la neige?

I’ve now been in Tignes a whole week, during which time there has most certainly been a common theme. The astute French-speakers may have picked it up from the title of this blog post but if not, allow me to translate: Where is the snow!? I’m currently gazing at the mountains which are bathed in sunlight for the fourth day in a row, donning less snow now than when I arrived a week ago!

We have the ‘Ski Club of Great Britain’ staying in our hotel this week. You assume correctly if you get the hunch they may be serious skiers! We were warned in a team meeting today that our customer service is going to have to be through the roof in order to compensate for the grassly slopes poised below empty motionless chairlifts!
I had hoped to be out on my skis by now, but my natural optimism keeps telling me it has to happen soon. Every weather station/website under the sun (checked daily, of course) seems to provide conflicting forecasts, although the one fact they all seem to agree on – there’s not much snow here!

Anyway, I don’t want to make this blog seem negative so I’ll move on to what’s happened in the last 7 days– I feel so privileged to be here; it’s an absolutely stunning place. My room window for the next 5 months has a huge window sporting a view taken straight out of a postcard. Here’s a picture I took yesterday – I was sitting on my bed when I took it!

I’ve settled into a routine as a kitchen porter, and am, on the whole enjoying it. I’ll write a more detailed post soon, but my role basically involved washing the dishes, pots and pans (which, like buses, all seem to come in one manic moment), taking deliveries of food, and generally being there for the amusement and the butt of all the (light-hearted) banter of the chefs proper.

I got my rota today for the rest of the season, which will allow me to hit the slopes daily, thanks to the joys of, on occasion being in the kitchen as early as 4 am and as late as midnight. It’s a good job I like to be busy!

It’s always a nerve-racking but fun experience being thrown in with 45 complete strangers and this has been no different. We’re beginning to get to know each other quite well, thanks to working closely, living closely… and Tignes’ bountiful supply of bars and clubs supplying alcohol to seasonairres at hugely reduced prices!

So, I’ll end this post here – I’m off for a walk around the unnatural shade of blue glacial lake – may as well enjoy the sun while it’s here. Who knows, in a week I may be complaining about the cold!!