10-May-2012
Category : Other Activities, Yoga
It’s so good to be home! When I bought my apartment in Les Deux Alpes I had a few requirements; the new apartment had to have a balcony, a separate bedroom, space for my books and… a bath.
For someone who loves baths so much, I’m really not very good at them. I find it hard to sit still. My life as an avid ‘do-er’ has had its rhythms of fast and slow, its changes in pace, but it was only when I started taking my yoga seriously that I realised the important part pauses play in that rhythm.
25-Apr-2012
The season is nearly over. This means it’s time to pack, clean and move. We’re not moving far, just across the valley to Les Deux Alpes, but I’m mentally preparing myself to pack all that we own into boxes and bags and clean both the new and old apartments.
The yogic path encourages us to pay attention (4th Niyama: swadhyaya – self-study) and to look after ourselves and our environment (2nd Yama: ahimsa – non-violence). With this in mind – and at the request of a dear friend and US-based yogini – I’ve prepared a post on homemade cleaning products, that have a minimal impact on the environment.
13-Mar-2012
Category : Featured, Other Activities, Other Villages
Spring is here. Yes, here in Alpe d’Huez.
This morning I saw a wild white crocus bud pushing through the mulch that appears once the snow has melted into the earth on the south-facing slopes. This afternoon, a lizard zoomed across the tarmac of the car park outside our apartment building. Spring is here.
And yet… and yet… I’m still not convinced.
08-May-2011
I rarely hear my own heart beating in my ears. But I hear it now; loudly. My legs tremble, my hands burn. I try not to look down to the river running 100m below me but I can hear it gushing over rocks between heartbeats. A bird flies past my head and above me the clouds are gathering. I ask myself – not for the first time – why I’m doing this.
And then my breath kicks-in. And I realise that via ferrata isn’t just great for the body, it’s a mental sport too, requiring focus, strength and a kind, supportive, inner voice. A great lesson for life as well as for the rock face…
27-Aug-2010
Life in a small mountain town can be simple and streamlined. Outside our work, sports, friends and family, there aren’t many intrusions on our lives. However, sometimes you just need to get down to the city! Yesterday was that day for me and – in the summer – days when I’m called down the mountain despite the stifling temperatures of the city streets are few and far between.
The usual reason for a trip into Grenoble is shopping. I’m not a shopper. I don’t hate it, but I find it very unpleasant. I’m hopeless with too much choice, I’m not a fan of looking in mirrors and I’d much rather be out on the mountainside than trawling the shops. Anyway, we’d delayed long enough and were in desperate need of new spectacles for me and a wedding outfit for The Boyfriend before we go travelling next month.
09-Aug-2010
Today we hit the road from Les 2 Alpes to Briançon, stopping at the Col du Lautaret and Col du Galibier. As the road rises the forest fall away and by the time you reach the first col the meadows around you are green but sparse. The narrow road that’s only just wide enough for two cars snakes a further 600m in altitude with a tiny car park marking the highest point. From here you can climb a loose path to a viewing platform and look down into the Savoie region of the Northern Alps and across their peaks to Mont Blanc.
05-Aug-2010
The rugged, glacial peaks of the Oisans Region provide some breathtaking views. The sheer height of the mountains here results in a multitude of huge panoramas contrasting permanently snow-covered faces with lush tree-lined slopes, jagged rock formations and deep valleys bisected by gushing milky rivers. In my opinion, the best 360º view is to be found from the top of the Pied Moutet above Les 2 Alpes.
31-Jul-2010
Climbing is a new sport for me and one I’d love to do more. It’s challenging, both physically and mentally, and a great group activity. The Boyfriend has loads of experience so we joined some of his mates today for a group climb outside Monetiers.
Monetiers isn’t in the Oisans region, but it’s less than an hour from Les 2 Alpes and the site at Rocher Maubert as climbs ranging from 4b to 6a. The drive was stunning, as we climbed up the winding road through a widening gorge to the wide valley floor of the Col du Lautaret (2085m). The road passes through the freeride haven of La Grave and continues on to Serre Chevalier and Briançon eventually reaching the Italian boarder.
27-Jul-2010
We had a great afternoon yesterday trying some of the outdoor activities in Les Deux Alpes. The excuse was that Ben – 12 and visiting from the UK – wanted to do the luge, but actually we were both keen to try some of the stuff that we residents usually don’t get around to…
25-Jul-2010
After six consecutive weekends of reporting on the events in Les Deux Alpes and Alpe d’Huez, we decided it was time to hit the road and escape for the day. Within an hour’s drive of our area are some beautiful sites. We prefer to stay out of the city when possible so have a great choice of mountains, valleys, fields, forests, rivers and lakeside beaches to explore.
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