Chamonix Apres Ski Report: 21st March 2007
No-one in the valley could have failed to notice the recent heat wave that has hit Chamonix. Now, while this is not good news if you were holding your breath for a 3m dump of snow is has meant that there has been a variety of activities on offer that would normally be reserved for the summer season. The sun has given both myself and most other people in Chamonix a new lease of life, with the days seeming longer I have pushed to fit in as much as possible while the weather lasts.
My first port of call when the rain and clouds lifted was the Office du Tourism, here I found a wealth of information allowing me to get clued up on what the mountain and surrounding environment had to offer. There were many walking paths that I had previously been oblivious to, these tracks have led me through some of the most beautiful scenery and provided me with some of the best photos to show off at home I have had in a while. As a result of such walks, which were idyllically picturesque, I am now keen to continue exploring the mountain in this fashion once the snow returns, as it is an amazing perspective to have of the breathtaking landscape.
Sticking with the same theme, I also hired a bike this week, and like many others could have been spotted zipping about town and on various trails. We discovered a well hidden treasure whilst following the river past the sports centre on Thursday, Robinson's is little oasis tucked away in the woodlands. For such a remote independent venture I was not expecting such high quality food, and the icing on the cake was the amazing outdoor set up which included sun lounges so we could laze away.
Advertised as the fight of the season, last week saw members of the local Swedish community take on Chamonix, the ice hockey match we have all been waiting for. I started the evening on a high stuffing myself full of chicken wings at MBC, then headed over to the ice rink to witness rage on ice. There was an eclectic mix of people, some there as sports fans, some there to admire the physiques, and some just used it as an excuse for a night out, but no matter what your reason for being there everyone appeared to enjoy it greatly.
As anyone who has ever met me will vouch, I am quite possibly the worst cook in all of the Alps. Although not proud of this domestic disability it does come in handy as a fool proof excuse to eat out an awful lot. I can just about stretch to a packed lunch when heading up the mountain but I am notorious for ‘lunching' in town. Due to the recent spell of good weather my search for a dinner spot has become a rather refined search as I am hunting both a good meal and a sun trap. This week I have been frequenting Grand Central Café, and just to make sure that the good food and service is consistent I visited both sites, firstly in the town centre and then the smaller shop at the rear of Cham Sud. I have to be honest, at first I was slightly bemused that after I bought my bagel it came in the form of ingredients and I am not used to paying for the privilege of making my own lunch……however, I stand corrected as the food they provided was not only of a high quality but the service was with a smile. We easily lost an afternoon in the town centre watching the world go bye, every now and then topping up our fruity herbal teas. The Grand Central in Cham Sud is also a fantastic location and since I discovered it has saved me from going hungry many a lunchtime.
I have many friends visit lately and so as you can imagine was keen to show off Chamonix. Like myself they all had very healthy appetites and enjoy a good feed, so my first secret weapon used to impress them was a fantastic dinner at Caveau. As we entered the restaurant we were greeted by wafts of appetising smells and briefly observed the chef work his magic in the stone bake oven. We ate like kings and I must say that all of the food was tremendously flavoursome and immaculately presented. I have since dreamed about recreating the garlic bread we had that was stuffed with mozzarella, a little piece of heaven on a plate.
In the recent heat my appetite has diminished slightly, I decided that I needed a dual pit stop including both a cold beer and some carbs. I remembered my previous good experience at Le Vagabond and so headed over, and yet again instantly felt at home thanks to the immensely friendly atmosphere and ever cheery staff.
Thursday night I was back at my favourite, Cantina, to see Tonio vs Pico on the decks. Needless to say the evening didn't fail to impress me, and gave me a long awaited chance to dust off my dancing shoes! I have always liked Pico's style, however the rest of Chamonix seem to be getting on board now as he is increasingly being spotted about town. I recently saw Pico play at Soul Food, this is another hidden treasure I have stumbled across on Rue des Moulins and will be sure to return to. The atmosphere is without question what draws people there, along side the effortlessly cool ambiance and music.
Last week Le Vert played host yet again to Tuggy from Basement Jaxx. It's not long since we were last graced with his presence in the valley however a visit still felt overdue. Le Vert, although on the outskirts of town is well worth making the effort to visit. They have some edgy dj's offering a mix of music styles and often have original concept nights bringing a bit of fun and alot of cheap drinks to Chamonix. Once there you really have no reason to leave, I rode down on my bike the other day to sample their ‘riders meal', a genius idea as after a hard day on the mountain what more could you possibly want than a cold demi and a hot dinner packed full of carbs and everything you need to regroup before partying the night away.
I will be using the What's On Calendar to spread the word about any events worth a look that will be happening in the near future. The main event on everyone's mind at the moment is the boss des bosses, this is going ahead today and so be warned that Grands Montet and Chambre Neuf will be hosting everyman and his dog so turn up early to get a decent spot for the day.
