A Ski in Les 3 Vallées

18 Jan

*Ski lifts in front of the mountain, resting after a long day’s work.*

Mountains
Stars
Birds
Food
People
Games

There’s nothing else quite like skiing — catching gorgeous, sun drenched vistas of the alps while falling down a mountain on two wooden planks. Cruising to the nearest bar for a crisp pint of Monaco (if you haven’t tried it, it’s delicious!), every refreshing sip earned after a hard day’s ski. Gorging on cheese in all its delectable forms; fondue, raclette, and tartiflette hit the spot every time. Just taking that deep breath of fresh mountain air is enough to make one feel content. But combining all these aspects in a ski trip are what make me feel alive!

Val Thorens, in the French Alps, was our destination this year. I set off with my partner and university friends. It was off to a rocky start, with the bus taking 10 hours from Geneva to the resort instead of the usual 3. Though, it was thankfully smooth sailing after that. We settled in to our chalet, then settled into our skis for the long week ahead of exercising and eating.

I took the risk of bringing my camera with me, nestled in a padded cube deep within my backpack. It paid off, and I got some great shots I couldn’t have captured with my phone. We saw alpine birds, metal birds (at a private airport off the piste), warming sunsets, and a spattering of stars on the clear nights we had.

I hope the photos below convey the feeling of skiing better than my description, and encourage you to try it for yourself.