DON’T EAT CHEESE FONDUE ON A FIRST DATE!  Even if it is at the Lodge restaurant.

THE PICTURE SAYS IT ALL!

Judy XX

The 26th January is a popular day in Meribel largely because of the large numbers of Aussies that flock to the alps to work in the winter time, and their many supporters / comrades around the village.  Yesterday was no exception - with the day off, Kevin and Rhys (not aussie himself but he could have fooled us yesterday!) took it upon themselves to celebrate in style!  Rhys started the day off with serving breakfast to his australian guests in a short wet suit - precisely the sight we all want to behold at 8am (see photo evidence)!  They then met up at the LDV for merriment, jager bombs, a game of centurian, and I also believe a game of cricket was played in the snow by the Village roundabout.  A true testament to the aussie style - everywhere in boardies and thongs (or a wetsuit).

Happy Australia Day team!

Clare

xx

For all those who thought they knew me…I bet you didn’t realise that I have an obsession with the snow clearers. The machines are amazing and come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. This season in Val d’Isere they have been in constant use and I can often be found just standing at the side of the road watching them shovel mountains of snow.

So when I came out of my apartment yesterday morning following a heavy snowfall during the night I found myself ’snowed in’

 But luckily for me there was a snow clearer on the case. And within minutes  he had cleared a path for me..right up to my door!

And suddenly I could get on my way to work. My next aim is to get one with Fish&Pips on the side so that I can clear all the snow filled terraces that we have at the moment.

Judy

X

Fish and Pips would like to wish Jock from Snowberry a very Happy ‘50th’ Birthday

In the afternoon the ski hire shop was suddenly turned from a highly organized, smoothly run business to a busy gathering of many of Jock and Susan’s friends and colleagues.

Even the boys from the work shop stopped for a glass of champagne and the last morsels of the yummy birthday cake.

Judy

X

It is tradition now that family Eyles/Pips take Chalet Du Guide for the second week in January.

The team don’t know what has hit them when they arrive - in theory they are a chalet host/chefs worst nightmare! Not only is ‘the boss’ staying with you, but along comes 10 others, a toddler, a pregnant sister, a newborn, a non-skier, 3-4 waifs and strays nightly, 3 unruly husbands with a penchant for the LDV yards of ale and toffee vodka, and a somewhat demanding group leader! But they are nothing of the sort and it’s like having family to stay. We miss you all, the baby cuddles, and the lots of laughter. We cannot wait to have you back again…although watch our Val d’Isere I think they might be coming your way next time year!

Ned with post-ski holiday exhaustion…

An ode to F&P by (Grand)mummy Eyles…

Here we all are back again
The last year we were only 10
This year we had young Ned you know
Joining us for his first trip to the snow
Chalet du Guide again cast its spell
And buckets of snow made it all just swell
Thank you Pete and Elena
You were both brill
To cope with us all required serious skill
Pete slaved through the day and into the night
For our four courses - what a delight!
Pumpkin soup; cheese fondue and even rabbit
Totally delicious just don’t tell Nick about it
We can’t believe its time to say goodbye
We’re going to miss the mountains and the blue sky
But don’t you fear
We’ll be back next year
FISH&PIPS HOORAY!

The Fish&Pips Meribel team got up the mountain today in the glorious (although rather chilly) sunshine to enjoy a team ski and picnic. All armed with a very varied selection of food the F&P Meribel gang hopped on the golf chair and up the hill for a picnic at the top of the Col de la Loze. You would think that at F&P we get sick of eating… you would be wrong. There was silence as the feeding frenzy took place - sushi, chicken, pasta salad, Guinness, hot chocolate, muffins, pasties (coutesy of Driver Dan from Cornwall), tzatziki, and much more… We even had a prize draw for a parapenting flight from the top of the mountain - won by Dan to finish off the lunch! Happy days in the Meribel team!!

Clare
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This week I headed over to Meribel for a day where I met up with Clare for a little ski and maybe one or two vin chauds.
In fact we had one or two too many and found ourselves being chased off the mountain by a pisteur!

With the sun just going down but still lighting up the top of Saulire and the last ones down the piste, it was a fabulous end to a trip to Meribel.
Judy
X
Actually it wasn’t the end of the trip. I forgot to mention that I also got to meet the gorgeous new addition to the team - Ned - who promptly christened my Marmalade hoodie…twice!

Just had to share this one with you. The Casserole, a well know restaurant here in Val d’Isere:

Before the snow storm to beat all snow storms

And just 24 hours later. Amazing!

(actually the pictures are the wrong way round but nothing I do swops them round…technology!!)

Judy X

In preparation for his first week skiing, the youngest member of the F&P team tried out his lovely Patagonia suit - courtesy of his Godmother Holly.

SO snuggly!

Well, another F&P Christmas has been and gone in a flash! With the chalets surrounded by inches and inches of snow; full the brim with families and friends; Christmas presents under the tree; and festive smells coming from the kitchen, it really did feel like a proper old Christmas.

The chalet teams went to great efforts to make the chalets look and feel as Christmassy as possible. Mulled wine, Bucks Fizz and Champagne flowed whilst the chefs worked hard producing the traditional fare - mince pies, Christmas cake, oysters, smoked salmon and scrambled egg, and turkey with ALL the trimmings, Swiss log, Christmas puds and brandy butter. Everyone was well and truly in the Christmas spirit.

Amidst all the preparing and providing the best possible Christmas for the guests, the team often forget or simply don’t have the time to think about Christmas for themselves. That is why we traditionally have our F&P Christmas in Meribel in the trusty LDV - midday for bubbles, present opening, Secret Santa and a team ski! We are also lucky enough to have Caroline (owner of Le Christophe) and family to stay at Christmas who kindly takes in all the F&P waifs and strays for Christmas dins. This year Clare, Dan, Mr Marmalade and Me were the lucky ones. Jess and Chris prepared an array of fruits of the sea for canapes, a delicious feast of a Christmas dinner, we played charades until midnight and I even got a stocking this year!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR ONE & ALL!

Holly xxx