Blog for the GIN Downhill Skiing Section
Ski-day – 16 December 2021, Villars
First outing of the 2021/22 Ski Season
The weather forecast last week was promising sunny clear-blue skies above 1,000m and so a hastily planned ski outing was proposed for that Thursday to profit from the recent heavy snowfall a few days earlier. In the event only David and Mervyn were available for selection, the other stalwarts either being in the wrong country (Steve, Rudi, Michael and Mark), injured (Peter) or otherwise occupied (Thatcher and Nicolas).
So Villars (aka David’s back garden) was chosen for the inaugural outing of the season to test our equipment, our legs and the current covid restrictions*
Indeed we profited from perfect snow, cloudless skies and sunlit pistes, the only disappointment being the lack of lifts and runs open much beyond the Bretaye area. The morning was spent reacquainting ourselves with the effortless joy of mechanical transportation uphill and the somewhat more physical downhill slaloming and schussing.
A classic fondue lunch was taken on the terrace of the newly renovated restaurant at Col de Bretaye where our convivial table companions turned out to be the restaurant owner himself and a member of the Villars town council. Complimentary vielle prune was offered and gratefully accepted and David and his companions will be welcomed back on future occasions!
The post-prandial session was circumspect and cautious and we celebrated reaching the bottom station with a cleansing ale to toast this early start to what we hope to be a long and enjoyable ski season with aforementioned absent friends.
NB. *Covid restrictions were 2G for the restaurant (proof of complete vaccination or recovery) and masks on the telecabine, but not the chair-lifts it seemed.
Mervyn Powell
Ski Leader
