Meribel - not a bad place to call your office

At the end of the first week of April and the snow continues to fall here in Meribel, Spring has definitely gone awol this year and we have been making the most of the superb conditions. last week we shared a chairlift with a member of the Ski Patrol who together with the Pisteurs and the Lift Attendants play a huge role in keeping our playground safe and in tip top condition. 

The huts where these workers are stationed can be a valuable source of information as has been mentioned in previous posts, they are also often decorated with a certain "personal touch" by the workers who call the huts their office. A bit like office workers decorating their cubicles at work the styles and intensity vary, here are a few pictures taken around the Three valleys:

Homemade but effective telescope set up to show piste users the highlights of the surrounding Alps

Fun for visitors from all corners of the globe, we couldn't spot any Australian locations though 

Always my favourite hut at the top of the Creux Noirs Chairlift in  Courchevel

Look carefully there is a "Avalanche Dog" inside this igloo. On bad weather days he was kindly taken inside the hut at Chatelet Chairlift and placed in the window

At the top of the Lagopede Piste in Meribel the workers have kindly provided "toilet facilities. OK the Ladies is just a door but at least they tried.

I can't explain this except to say it is in Les Menuires

At the end of the season the Pisteurs also take part in a race which showcases their incredible skills of being able to ski whilst pulling a sledge affectionately known as a "Blood Wagon" amongst piste users. They complete the race in pairs through a slalom course and are required to swap positions half way down the course. We managed to be on the Roc de Fer chairlift at the right time to see the spectacle.

At the start - no injured bodies required just bales of hay

Skiing down this piste is hard enough, controlling a "Blood Wagon" as well takes real skill

As we enter the last few weeks of the season the next post will be a round up of how the season went for Meribel, the Three valleys area and Chalet Vache Bleue.