Last weekend the family took a little trip to the mountains for a
spot of skiing, the Pyrénées to be precise. Although the children are no longer little, they still shout with excitement when they first see the mountains.
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| First sight of the Pyrénées |
It’s about a 4 hour drive to the
little village of Eaux Bonnes nestling on the slopes & the traditional Pyrénéen hotel. We could stay in a more modern hotel on the foot of the slopes but we
prefer this one because of its character & faded charm. The hotel restaurant
serves good local dishes & the soup is to die for. Just what's needed after a
hard days skiing.
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Top left: village, right: hotel
Bottom left: village fountain, right: old casino building
(don't worry
the sign doesn't mean "market of terror"! It just means local
market)
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There is a faded grandeur about the village. It used to be a
thriving tourist resort at the turn of the last century with several
hotels & a casino to support the many visitors there to "take the
waters", hence the name "Eaux Bonnes", (Good Water). It's so sad
to see such lovely buildings in slow decline. Nowadays, it's mainly popular with
skiers in winter and walkers for rest of the year. The old casino building has
recently been renovated & is now a health spa. It would be nice to think that
the rest of the village will follow suit & once again be a popular place
to go.
I love the light in the mountains, it's like nowhere else. The
light bouncing off the slopes can be eye-wateringly bright & makes everything
appear in sharp contrast.
At this time of year, and because of the mild weather we've been having, the snow is melting quickly so everywhere you look water
is gushing, either down the mountain side in mini waterfalls or in the steams.
As lovely as the mountains are, they can be dangerous. The weather can change so quickly too. One minute it’s brilliant
sunshine & the next, the clouds descend, snow falls & you can’t see where
you’re going. Every day
you see someone being brought down the mountain on a stretcher. The resort even
has its own heli-pad for the air-ambulance. Well, a flat piece of snow really! There have been several avalanches in the mountains this year so,
as always, the resort is on alert. Luckily for us, there were no avalanches
during our visit.
I love watching the little ones skiing, especially those in ski
school, forming a skiing-caterpillar behind their instructor. Each wear bright
orange gilets which, not only make them visible, but also have magnets on the
back so that they are secure when they go on the lifts.
Of course, all this skiing makes you hungry so the ideal place to stop is the mountain restaurant to choose from a selection of delicious dishes, such as tartiflette; a rich cheese, potato and bacon bake. They have an area to relax outside with easy chairs so, weather permitting, it's just right to sit & sip a glass of rosé in the sun.
One of my favourite places in the resort village is a café/brasserie with a vintage feel called Maison Casaux. Although housed in a modern building, owners Françoise & Jean Etcheverry have designed it to look like a traditional wooden mountain chalet. The decor is wonderful, a mix of traditional mountain & vintage country with displays of vintage ski equipment & enamelware. The outside tables are adorned with vintage tins & coffee pots and there are flowers on every surface. Hot drinks are served in red enamel tea pots and polka dot mugs.
The inside is so inviting too; a warm, cosy atmosphere. As well as a café/brasserie, it is a boulangerie & pâtissiere. So if you can make it past the wonderful array of breads, pastries & cakes, there are wooden benches strewn with cushions. There is so much attention to detail, like the doily-covered lampshade and the wooden heart garlands. It's very welcoming, it's so hard to leave!
Although our visit to the mountains was short, we return home refreshed, but a
bit tired. Having left in on a warm sunny morning, we did not expect to return to snow!
What a difference a week makes...
