Every winter the mountains start calling and I begin to yearn for our trip to Morzine Avioriaz in the Portes du Soleil area of the French Alps.  There’s a whole host of reasons that I love a week in the mountains, none more significant than any other, it’s all wrapped up together; a feeling of being at one with nature, insignificantly small in a vast mountain landscape and more alive than I feel anywhere else.  Here’s some of the reasons I’m drawn back each year…

1.  The Views and the wide open spaces.  White-topped peaks, soft, billowing drifts contrasting with rocky terrain and the bluest of skies I’ve ever seen.  I’ll let the views speak for themselves…

Looking down on Avoriaz

2.  The Air is cleaner, fresher and more invigorating than anywhere I’ve ever been and it’s the only place I can really breathe properly – I have allergies but the air is so pure in the mountains they all seem to disappear.

3.  The peace and stillness.  It’s so, so quiet at times with just the faint sound of skiers schussing through the powder, a muffled laugh in the distance, the breeze, and the sound of my own breathing and I want it to last forever.

4.  ‘Jubilee de Neige’ is a french term which I heard for the first time this year which describes the sparkles of sunlight dancing on the snow in the sunshine.  Lovely.

Ski Tracks, Avoriaz

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5.  Hot Vin Chaud.  You knew that was coming didn’t you!

Vin Chaud

6.  Evenings cosied around a roaring log fire with friends, wine, comfort food and feeling like you’ve really earned it after a hard day’s skiing.

Back at the Morzine Chalet

7.  Ski lifts – I love the journey to the top of the piste – time to really soak up the views and that fresh mountain air.

Ski Lift

8.  The fact that you can just ski over the border to Switzerland without checking-in or going through security.  No passport required.

The top of Avoriaz

9.  Cheese, oh yes the cheese! The alpine shops are full of gorgeous, tasty, gooey, smelly cheeses! Comte is my favourite.

Alpine Cheese Shop

10.  I love the sense of achievement at the end of the day when I’ve kept up with all the others who’ve been skiing for 10 years longer than me!

What do you love about the mountains…?

Avoriaz, The French Alps

Fun Ski Bunnies

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