Another year, and time for a family trip .. the only time everyone could make was the week of New Year .. and linking up with Chris and M-J. Unfortunately Dominique could not make this yar, and Bryon had other things to do that week.
we had booked a leisurely trip out leaving home around 9am and catching a 12 o'clock ferry. Everything was on time and smooth.
We planed to stay at the F1 in Dole and had 2 rooms booked. apart from trying to find the reservation code on arrival all was uneventful. We even stopped a t a courtpaille at a service station on the A5 for steak and chips.
Saturday morning after filling the flasks and porridge pots we headed off cross country to Geneva... shorter and more direct but definitely longer in time.
After Geneva it was back on the Autoroutes for a bit and with the pass open the shortest way was via La Clusaz. A short visit to Grand Bornand showed it was completely packed out and we quickly retreated to continue.
la Clusaz was equally rammed, and we kept going over the pass to La Giettaz, spotting the chalet on the way past, but being just after lunch we continued to the ski terminus up the valley ... very cold and dark place, but was fairly well flowing and accessible.
Having not seen any big supermarkets on the way through we dropped down the other side to Usine where we knew of several. Unfortunately there was a diversion on the direct route and we have a detour through the hills for a bit.
As we left the supermarket there was a message from Chris and M-J saying they would arrive about the time we would return, so arranging to meet in the cafe, we set off back - the more direct route as the diversion was only one way.
after a coffee the "immo" guy was around to take the tourist tax and hand over the keys with a little show around. he was panicking about our projected leave time until I offered to drop the keys in the post box.
The biggest issue with the apartment was the non existent parking, so we had to unload on the side of the main road and park around the corner in a lay-by. Other than that all was good and a large common area helped.
the heating system had a strange timer and also the ancient radiators were a little "variable" in efficiency across the elements. The walk to the bakery was about half a kilometer across the fields (helped by the frozen snow conditions) but coming back gave the legs and lungs a work out up the hill.
we had booked a leisurely trip out leaving home around 9am and catching a 12 o'clock ferry. Everything was on time and smooth.
We planed to stay at the F1 in Dole and had 2 rooms booked. apart from trying to find the reservation code on arrival all was uneventful. We even stopped a t a courtpaille at a service station on the A5 for steak and chips.
After Geneva it was back on the Autoroutes for a bit and with the pass open the shortest way was via La Clusaz. A short visit to Grand Bornand showed it was completely packed out and we quickly retreated to continue.
la Clusaz was equally rammed, and we kept going over the pass to La Giettaz, spotting the chalet on the way past, but being just after lunch we continued to the ski terminus up the valley ... very cold and dark place, but was fairly well flowing and accessible.
Having not seen any big supermarkets on the way through we dropped down the other side to Usine where we knew of several. Unfortunately there was a diversion on the direct route and we have a detour through the hills for a bit.
As we left the supermarket there was a message from Chris and M-J saying they would arrive about the time we would return, so arranging to meet in the cafe, we set off back - the more direct route as the diversion was only one way.
The biggest issue with the apartment was the non existent parking, so we had to unload on the side of the main road and park around the corner in a lay-by. Other than that all was good and a large common area helped.
the heating system had a strange timer and also the ancient radiators were a little "variable" in efficiency across the elements. The walk to the bakery was about half a kilometer across the fields (helped by the frozen snow conditions) but coming back gave the legs and lungs a work out up the hill.
| | | ||
| | | Arrive La Giettaz | |
| La Giettaz | | | |
| | | Megeve | |
| Grand Mont | | | |
| | | Croix des Butts | |
| La Clusaz | | | |
| | | L'Eperon and Le Christomet | |
| Return | | |