I knew I shouldn't have done it. It was a bad decision. I tried to ignore the disapproving stares from the crowd around me, but the sense of guilt and shame, the knowledge that I should have known better, remained.
Reader, I threw a chip to a bird.
An Alpine Chough to be precise. His friends, waiting expectantly in perfectly socially-distanced spaces on the roof of the restaurant, piled in, to squabble and fight for the frite. It was the final day of our short ski break to Chamonix with Mountain Action Holidays. Despite my potato-based peccadillo, it had been the most perfect trip. The snow, the sunshine, the chalet, the company and the food had all been outstanding. Granted, we were lucky with the weather - the forecast had indicated cloud and snow, but neither materialised to any great extent. Apart from the weather, all other aspects of the trip were organised, curated and overseen by the effervescent Mountain Action Holidays team, who consistently goes above and beyond to ensure that everyone has a fantastic time, and makes you feel like one of the gang from the moment you step inside the welcoming chalet.
We were staying in Chalet Falcon, a warm and cosy home-from-home in the village of Argentiere, just a short bus (or train) ride away from the centre of Chamonix. It was ideally placed to reach the slopes, being a short walk (albeit a slow, ploddy one in ski boots) from the Grand Montets lift and a free 15 minute bus ride from Le Tour and Flegere. The bus stops right outside the chalet, giving easy access to all areas. We made the most of this, visiting all three areas during our short stay.
Although Chamonix has a reputation for hard skiing and experienced skiers, nevertheless the beginners in our chalet group reported excellent lessons on the easy green slopes from patient, knowledgeable, and English-speaking instructors with Evolution 2 ski school. We were lucky enough to have perfect snow conditions and good visibility in early February. The slopes were groomed beautifully, unlike some resorts where you are frequently encounter ‘death cookies’ (big lumps of frozen snow left by the piste bashers) or unwelcome ridges on the slope. There are a great range of runs for skiers of all abilities, from high open wide slopes to cosy pine tree edged runs, which are perfect for days of less visibility. My favourite run, ‘Les Esserts’ was in Le Tour - it took in lots of different swooping tree-lined terrain and always seemed to be quite quiet. Even though the resort seemed busy, it was always possible to find somewhere where you had a slope to yourself.
And then, of course, there's the food! Always a highlight of any ski trip, it did not disappoint; we ate a delicious tartiflette (ham, potato and cheese bake) in a mountain restaurant on day one, only slightly spoilt by an adjacent diner who broke wind three times within full earshot. Thank goodness we were upwind of him!
The food in the chalet was outstanding and plentiful. A huge breakfast spread was provided each morning (except on staff day off) consisting of hot cooked items, cereals, yoghurts, fresh fruit, ham, cheese and fresh bread and croissants from the local bakery (which I highly recommend - try a ‘kouign-amann’ and then resolve not to eat sugar or butter for at least a month). The evening meals were also mouthwateringly excellent- fillet of lamb, Boeuf Bourguignon, chicken curry with all the trimmings and a range of delicious starters (special mention must go to the celeriac soup). The delicious desserts ensured everyone left the table full and happy and the accompanying wine was plentiful enough for most of us to collapse post-meal onto the sofas by the roaring fire , while the youngsters opted for a little apres-ski jollity at the local bar.
Talking to fellow guests, it became clear that the things that makes Mountain Action Holidays stand out from the rest are both the attention to detail and the care which The MAH team takes to ensure that the needs of every single guest are catered for. Every little consideration is taken into account, from all aspects of the pre-planning to such things as having lift passes arranged in advance, sorting transfers from the airport and providing train passes so the shoppers amongst us (me) could visit the beautiful town centre of Chamonix after the skiing finished. I highly recommend at least one sortie into town by the little train, which is an adventure in itself!
In short, there was really nothing that could have improved this fantastic little trip! The location, the efficiency of Mountain Action Holidays and the friendships forged within a very short time will live long in my memory. I’ll be back for sure, and will, next time, think twice before offering my lunch left-overs to the waiting wildlife…
