Cool Rider

I just got back from the best ever mini-trip in the history of mini-trips.

Myself, Tan, Daisy and Kate all snuck off for 3 days to Courchevel to get on the slopes.

Day 1 was a travel and hotel day; by the time we had landed in Geneva, got in a car across to the French alps and made it to our stunning hotel, we would have ended up with 1 run on the mountain before turning around again.

So instead we had a relaxed late-lunch, a massage, a few gin and tonics and a huge dinner at one of the nicest hotels I have ever been too.

We stayed at Le Portetta, which as you can see from these shots of the communal fireplace/sitting room area, was very cosy indeed.

So cosy, in fact that Tan fell asleep by the fireplace whilst a friendly member of staff wrapped her in a blanket.

It’s exactly what you dream of when you think of a ski hotel in the mountains.

We ate at Cucina Angelina (which has a michelin star) for lunch and dinner. Lunch was outside with twinkly tree-lights and a view of the mountains to keep us company, whilst dinner was in the rustically cosy restaurant. The food was incredible and we all ate far too much.

Early the next morning it was time to hit the slopes. I’ve been snowboarding twice before so I was quietly confident. Until I kept falling on my butt on the nursery slope.

But it turns out, snowboarding really is like riding bike and it didn’t take me long to blow off the cobwebs and start tearing up the slopes.

Kate and I snuck away from Tan and Daisy who had never been on skis or a snowboard before and headed higher up the mountain with our guide, James.

The view was breathtaking.

Even with me squinting in the middle of the photo.

At lunch time, Daisy and Tan got on the gondola to meet Kate and I for food a bit higher up the mountain.

But it’s amazing how cold it gets when the sun goes behind the peaks and you’re not moving, so we had to venture indoors.

Where we had an extremely stringy fondue.

As it turns out, I’m a semi-professional snowboarder (I’m not at all, but I was very proud of my performance). The last two times I’ve been, I’ve had my guy friends for company and they’re all so good that they leave me for dust. But Kate and I were going at a similar pace so it was brilliant fun.

When the slopes closed, it was time to head back to our loft-room at Portetta where we were all exhausted so decided to put some Christmas music on and relax.

Our loft had a huge living room, a kitchen, dinning area, 3 bedroom, 3 toilets, 2 showers and 2 baths and really felt like a little home. I loved it.

The next day was our last, so we got up early and hit the slopes again.

This time our guide took us on slightly more challenging runs so I fell a few times but really enjoyed being pushed a bit further.

At 3:30 it was time to head back to the hotel, pack and get on the road back to airport within an hour.

I had a brilliant time and I miss it already.

Can’t wait to go back.

Thanks for reading,

Jim.