Fish & Pips Blog

Well, I’ve been back nearly 10 days now and just about getting used to pistes and chairlifts again!  What an amazing trip.  I cannot even begin to describe it and I don’t want to rub it in too much, so I’ll summarise and put up just a ‘few’ photos instead.

Even the plane journey over there was an experience in itself with; phenomenal aerial views of Greenland’s glaciers and icebergs; 3 films back to back; red wine and sitting still for 9 hours - a rare luxury!  We stayed the first night in the airport hotel which did the job nicely and I can honestly say had the most comfortable beds I have ever slept in.  Up early the next morning for breakfast when the eating bonaza began.  I thought chalet eating was monstrous enough, but this was something else! Not only was their an enormous breakfast spread with 3 types of porridge, variety of breads, cooked goodies etc but there was heli-snacks, lunch on the mountain of soup, 3 different sarnies, homemade cookies etc, tea-goodies instead of afternoon tea which would consist of treats like chilli or ribs, and finally followed by a 3 course meal about 2hrs later!  Puts us Alpine eaters to shame.

After breakfast we set off on our 7 hour coach journey to Valemont.  7hrs zoomed on by with incredible scenery along the way, from the Calgary plains to the glaciers of the Rocky’s and wildlife at every turning.  We arrived excitedly at the heli-pad and waited our turn.  I got the front seat aclaiming nervous flyer syndrome - seemed to work!  A 15 minute flight through along the valley of the Canoe River and we touched down at Cariboos Lodge!  Huge smiles all round.  Our bags were taken to our rooms, we were introduced the extremely friendly and professional team, got kitted up, settled in and had a good nose around. 

The whole operation was seamless and coming from F&P I could appreciate just how much work they must put into something like this whilst making it look so easy.  But not only were they running a chalet-hotel to an excepional level, but they were also providing safe and incredible heli-skiing all day to 44 guests. To be looked after, fed, watered, have beds made for you, rooms cleaned was such a treat and I revelled in every second of it.

Our days at the lodge went something a little like this…

0700 - awoken by cow bell ringing in corridors

0730 - yoga and stretches

0800 - breakfast

0900 - 4 or 5 heli-drops to untracked, glorious and never-ending runs

1400 - 4 more heli-drops to untracked, glorious and never-ending runs

1700 - tea goodies, apres drink at bar or by fire, hot tub, steam room, sauna and maybe a massage

1900 - 3 course meal.  Delicious yet really informal, mixing tables, sitting with the CMH team and interesting array of guests

2000 - tequilla

The skiing was out of this world and like nothing I’ve seen or experienced ever before.  I think I, and the rest of our international ski team, ’whooped’ and laughed all day everyday.  The trip would not have been the same without our fantastic Spanish and Sweedish heli buddies, the highly experienced and entertaining guides in who’s hands we felt very safe, and of course all the team at CMH www.canadianmountainholidays.com.  Thank you all.

Without shadow of a doubt a trip of a life time.Enough said, I think I’ll let the photos do the talking.

While Holly has been in Canada on a heliskiing trip of a lifetime (news and photos to follow from her shortly) I had a lovely week away from the ‘London office’ and back in Meribel.  Although the weather was changable the snow conditions have been fantastic and we had some great skiing in all three valleys.

We spent a lovely morning walking around Lake Tueda in the National Park in Motteret, a lovely thing to do for a non-skier or just for a break from skiiing one morning.  We finished off with a plate of Charcuterie and a bottle of Rose at the little refuge on the lake - I thoroughly recommend it!

Currently at Geneva airport - first leg of my exciting trip to Canada - and I’m DELAYED by 2 hours. Dragging round huge and heavy hand luggage stuffed full with ski boots (don’t want these most precious items to get lost en route), lap top, French books and rather large handbag!  Quite how I was allowed through I’ve no idea.  Managed to secure a chair and table in the food hall (of course) and have just spent a hefty 14 Euros on a small bottle of water, yoghurt and oops a little box of Sushi - that wasted all of 5 minutes.  Twiddling thumbs, scrolling through texts and writing lists is really frustrating when I just want to be back in London having takeaway curry (anyone would think I actually liked Asian food) with my friends tonight before the second leg of my trip tomorrow.  But…just discovered the Geneva airport gives you 1hr free Wifi! Wow something actually free in this world, there is a silver lining after all and marginally makes up for my v expensive canteen grub.  Plenty of work to be done - Philippa will be pleased as can now get those accounts she’s been waiting on!  Speaking of whom, she’s currently in the air and should be landing here Geneva any minute with Jimmy.  Typical, could have just handed her the car keys instead of leaving them on the car wheel, we like to live life on the edge at F&P.  Right, time to make the most of this free internet - going to research the Canon G10 camera online, it’s an essential piece of kit when heli-skiing, I’ll keep telling myself that anyway!

We can confidently say that we have the best bakery in the whole of the 3Vs right here in Meribel Village. Le Villages de Pains run by the lovely Madalle and Caroline is the hub of the village.  It’s not just any old bakery, on no, the shelves and baskets are not only always full to the brim with delicious array of breads, but all sorts of treats - breads, hams, cheeses, sweet treats, pastries, chutneys, filled pastas even vin chaud and crepes!

Jen our wonderful chef in Chalet Braye lured me into the chalet yesterday afternoon with these delicious mini Victoria sponges.   For someone who doesn’t really even like cakes that much it certainly didn’t show as I scoffed one down in seconds.  Jen really does the best cakes - boys you have a lot to learn!  Well worth skiing home for….

The past two weekends we’ve had bumper snow falls, with at least 50cm of fresh snow last weekend and a further 40cm this weekend, it’s off piste heaven.  I’m very fortunate and off to Canada at the end of the month so need to get my off-piste skiing up to scratch and with this glorious snow now’s the time.  So, I’m taking almost (Philippa don’t worry I am working over here honestly!) every oppotunity to get up there and get ski-fit for this trip of a life time. 

Last Sunday (I decided to give myself a day off) a small group of us headed up to Meribel early to get first lifts and make the most of the 1/2m snow fall the night before and the blue sky.  It’s not often in a season that you get such superb conditions so you have to make the most of it.  So the 5 of us - Badger from Magic  www.magic-meribel.com, Del from Marmalade www.skimarmalade.com, flatmate Jamie, our very own GB Ski Cross champ Emily Sarsfield and me - wrapped up extra warm (as -25C), got our beepers and fat skis on, and off we went! 

Following the Meribel experts, Badger and Del, we did an off-piste circuit starting from the top of the Tougnette and finishing at the bottom of Mt Valon covering well known pitches such as the Spot and Mario Land.  There is so much terrain to be covered in the Meribel valley alone, we’re very lucky with the vast expanse of skiing on offer here.  It was absolutely incredible although I just wish I’d been able to do it justice, but practise makes perfect!   Watching the others ski this and especially Badger doing it all on telemarks was pretty awe inspiring and they make it look so easy damn it.  Huge credit to Jamie who did it all on a snow board - walking out time and time again in such deep snow would have finished most people off.  After 4 hours of skiing in thigh deep powder and trying to keep up with all these professionals (again!) it was certainly time for a lunch stop.  Pizzeria de Mottaret filled the hole and we just about managed to thaw out in time for GS training that afternoon!

to have such lovely guests, and not only that but to have them return to our chalets year after year.  The week of the 2nd of January saw the arrival of the Bunces, the Pooleys and the Routledges all of whom have stayed with us up to 5 times before.  To us they have become really good friends so much so that we often meet up in London for lunch and perhaps the odd glass of wine - of course sharing the same love for food!  They are now such an important part of F&P and a winter wouldn’t be quite the same without them and some of their silly antics…..

The Pooleys have stayed with us ever since we worked for Will the year before we started Fish&Pips, so 5 winters ago now!  They have become dear friends and we’re thrilled they’re coming back for the second time this winter - it means we can make our annual trip to the Fermes de Reberty in Les Menuires and also partake in a spot of apres in The Lodge du Village with them all and our fantastic Bring Your Sisters.  A huge thank you Jane for my wonderful handcream and cuticle oil - my hands have never looked quite this human during a winter before!

Here is Rachel Tilley (part of the mad Pooley group) enjoying a meal at The Refuge, a favourite eatery in Meribel centre known for it’s relaxed and bustling atmosphere, good value and of course the Fillet Steak au Poivre a Point!  The girls were often found bouncing around in the Lodge during apres and after numerous gins and toffee vodkas.

Then there’s the Bunces who have stayed with us this same week for the last 4 years in Meribel Village.  We’ve had so many hilarious moments with them - from finding a mop in Steve’s bed to Linda’s love for Comte and cheap fizz to the most memorable of all, sledging in Courchevel!  We introduced this to team Bunce the first time they stayed with us and since then it’s almost become more of a feature of their holiday than the actual skiing itself.  We can honestly say that there’s not much out there for 3.5 Euros that’s more fun than this - hooning down that ‘midly’ dangerous track on plastic sledges in the dark at full speed - it’s laughter all the way down.  The French have little regard for health and safety which adds to the fun.  Well, until Linda and Paul got a little to cocky and decided to not only share a sledge but sit on it back to back, we thought it might end in tears and it did, but that didn’t stop our Linda getting back on her sledge this year!  We’re still yet to beat the champions speedy Steve and Nick with his ‘borrowed’ beast of a sledge, might have to throw in the sledging towel and join P and Gill for a vin chaud in the Jump Bar instead!

And last but not least we have the Routledge’s.  They have stayed with us twice and were so delighted with Vinny’s cooking (even when were forced to sample alien foods!) and that they’re hopefully returning to us next year.  A happy and cheeky Jordie bunch who love skiing sporting crazy attire such as Ernie and Bernie below!

Lucky for me I always manage to time my chalet visits (complete coincidence of course) when canapes and champagne are being served.  Our chefs have quickly learnt that if they know what’s good for them they’ll keep me well fed, and as a result there is always a canape put to one side or on the window sill awaiting my arrival.  Thank you - you certainly know how to keep the greedy boss happy!

Last week I was fortunate enough to sample Vinny’s absolutely delicious combination of pan fried scallops on a bed of cauliflower puree and caramelised sultanas.  Think I might just have to be there same time this week!

Here our chef Kevin from Chalet Aurigny is sporting a rather fetching pair of pink pants, a bright orange wig and some jingly jangly Christmas antlers.  This is not the usual attire for a F&P chef, but our lovely O’Reilley guests obviously persuaded him that is was a good look and it seems he quite likes it worryingly.  Just goes to show nothing is too much trouble for our guests!

So good is this look, that Dave has tried to replicate it below sporting a black wig and what appears to be a lemon drizzle cake!   The O’Reilley party took home with them a vast number of Fish&Pips cookbooks and they’ll be pleased to hear that it can be indentified and in fact has turned out perfectly!  Please do send in anymore cookbook successes…or failures (!) to blog@fishandpips.com  

Whilst the F&P team in Meribel have been enjoying amazing skiing, here in London we have had some powder snow of our own…  Not quite the same when it is on Clapham Common though is it?!

Amazing (but flat) untouched snow in Surrey