We have now had a couple of days of beautiful blue sky which is great for the snow pack as it allows the snow we have had already to settle and form a good base for the season.

We have been roaming the Alps the last fews days on various errands and have had a spectacular drive across the Col de Montets from Chamonix through to Martigny.  It really is the most beautiful route, winding up and down through the mountains and across the boarder to Switzerland.  It is not a route for the faint hearted though - the road was covered in snow and we crawled along at a snails pace to make sure we didn’t skid.

More snow is forecast for the weekend, so fingers and toes are crossed here in Les Allues!

Fish and Pips have arrived in Meribel - and so has the winter.  Since our arrival on Friday it has snowed on and off and now as I type sitting in Chalet Aurigny getting the heating working as quickly as we can before our fingers drop off, still it falls!

There is over a foot on the picnic tables outside Chalet Aurigny and the new hot tub, still covered in it’s protective wrapping is slowly disappearing!  With reports of nearly a metre of snow at the top, touring up the Saulire is getting more appealing.

Although this early snow is great for us, logistics of the next few days need to be rethought out as driving conditions are hazardous especially with the endless stream of lorries and trucks bringing supplies up to the resort.  New teams of staff can be seen wandering the town, getting the know the area and marvelling at the snow - I think concentration may start to wane during the next few weeks of inevitable set up and training as the temptation of the powder outside gets more and more!

Light your fires and put the heating on - winter is here!  It has snowed again and the forecast is cold weather.  Great news for the snow cannons which will start pumping out snow day and night to get the pistes ready for opening on the 13th December.  We are hoping that the snowfall of the last few days, and that due next week will mean the lifts can open a little earlier so we get to stretch our legs before the first guests arrive - just to brush off the cobwebs!

Meanwhile in London F&P are frantically sorting, cleaning, folding, packing and saying farewell as D day (that is departure day) 21st November fast approaches.  The marmite, marmalade, PG tips, Christmas crackers to name but a few are packed in the back of the trusty Polo ready to be loaded into a van tomorrow for their journey to France.  Posing more of a logistical problem are the two giant bean bags for Chalet Corblettes that have arrived - quite how they are going to get into the Polo to be driven to the van (it is a very well thought out plan!) we are not yet sure, but where there is a will there is a way!

One of the best things about our job is the variety and the people we meet - we may be faced with the logistical bean bag car boot dilemma but last week we were at Joseph and his Technicoloured Dream coat courtesy of Matthew - a F&P regular.  Holly is debating getting a copy for her ski jacket for this winter…