14 janvier 2025
Bonjour et bonne année!
We decided for one last hurrah for the winter months and arrived to a village called Saint-Martin-de-Belleville in the French Alps.
I thought I would be very excited to use my French but I keep thinking Spanish! How can that be when I know so little Spanish?
Belleville has a very different vibe than Chamonix. Chamonix has been a tourist destination since the mid-eighteenth century when the glaciers were discovered. Reminder: it was also featured in a chapter of Mark Twain’s The Innocents Abroad (1869). It is a lively ski town in the winter and a popular destination all year. Skiers pack their lunch in their backpacks and picnic on the snow in Chamonix — no fine dining while on the slopes.
This is a most-charming Savoyard village; it feels like we are in the middle of nowhere. It’s not touristy but filled with a quintessential Alpine ski vibe. After one day of skiing from the Saint-Marin-de-Belleville gondola, we know we will enjoy the season and the ambiance. There are restaurants on the slopes and I hardly saw any backpacks or picnickers among the skiers.
Saint-Martin-de-Belleville is the gateway to the 3 Vallées, the largest ski area in the world and our “our” Vallée de Belleville includes Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, Les Menuires and Val Thorens ski areas. We also have access to Meribel and Courchevel — that’s pretty big.
Chalet Aster is our home through March, in a hamlet called Saint-Marcel. Ours is a relatively new 3-story apartment with all the modern conveniences we Americans like. Since we ended up loving the use of a car last winter, we rented one for the season and it has already proven to have been a good decision. We can drive into town and in minutes, go up the gondola. We can also explore other areas when we take a day-off from the slopes.
Andy and I arrived on Saturday after a long trip. No complaints but Geneva Airport did not make it easy to get 2 large suitcases, 2 duffle bags, 2 carryons and a hard ski case to the car rental check-in. We arrived to the chalet exhausted, did a supermarket run and decided to sleep-in, then acclimate on Sunday. We found a delicious café/patisserie, a fromagerie, good ski shops (it was time to replace our helmets) and quaint restaurants. We are excited to share this remote little village with our guests.
I must admit that I get nervous before my first ski each season. Did I forget anything? Will I be cold (even though technology such as heated boots and gloves have been a game changer for me)? Will I find restrooms? Will some reckless skier take me out? So far so good. I have been a skier for 56 years, since the week of my 6th birthday in 1969. The only person I know who has skied longer is my sister Barbara (and that’s because she’s older). We Taback women definitely have our dad to thank (and our mom, for going along with him — she liked skiing once she had to) for introducing to this fabulous sport where one’s body and endurance is challenged in the most gorgeous settings, albeit steep and sometimes quite bumpy. I am still amazed when I admire the view from any mountain. Andy and I passed this sport on to George and Matthew; Barbara and her daughter Julia are ski instructors in their spare time. Maybe next year, we will all have the opportunity to ski together — but maybe a little closer to home. In the meantime, Andy and I will enjoy every day, the snow, that heavy Savoyard cuisine and we will cherish the winter season in the beautiful French Alps.
Before signing off, I send my love and support to those who are suffering tremendous loss due to wildfires. So many of us have friends and relations who have been evacuated, lost homes, schools and houses of worship. I am thinking of all of you and pray for your safety and an end to this incomprehensible tragedy.
À bientôt!
The Innocents Abroad, 21st Century Version 