Sunshine, skiing, lunch and a cardigan

With spring springing, and the sun getting warmer, I felt it was my duty to head up to Auron, close to Isola 2000 in the Southern Alps for what may prove to be the last ski of the season. Two reasons for this, firstly because I had never before been to Auron, and secondly because I had a chauffeur for the day.

Paul Thornton Allan may look a little askance as this description of him, but facts are facts, he was wearing a chauffeurs hat, although he claimed in was skiing hat he was in charge of driving. It was perhaps rather rude of me as we stumbled back into the car in the afternoon after a good lunch to say “home James and don’t spare the horses”. Also going to sleep on the way back was frowned upon in some quarters, those quarters inhabited mostly by that nice lady decorator, but I did not want the chauffeur worrying about ride comfort, and what better way to assure him but to feign sleep?

Remember that this column is subtitled “a day on the life of the idle rich of Valbonne”. This does not imply that I am one of those idle rich, more that I am lucky enough to be to observe them at play and report back to you. I hope that is clear.

Before that, on Sunday, with sunshine in full effect, some sun bathing was required, but please do not think that this was a day spent just relaxing, oh no, with summer rentals stacking up, all the outdoor equipment requires rigourous testing before those lucky clients arrive in summer. By the equipment I mean the pool loungers, the pavilion seating, the hammock, all are required to be in tip-top condition, and there is only one way to be certain, rigourous testing. So my Sunday was spent, not resting but testing.

Today, I am fulfilling my estate agent role for Mr Gurdon, which in his language will mean guide the client away from the bad features and over emphasise the good features. If you see him, please ask why it is important that one puts the ornamental fountain on before prospective purchasers arrive. Of course, one good deed deserves another, and the good deed I shall be seeking in return is lunch at Lou Fassum, however he probably has in mind lunch at Auberge St Donat.

Which way is the restaurant?

Spring skiing can be a delight, as long as it is sunny and a good lunch is on the horizon, and a very good lunch it was as well, at Grizzley’s on the slopes above St Etienne. As my picture shows, the slopes were pretty deserted, and so was I, at least after lunch. A magret de canard in a morille ( a french mushroom) sauce was one of the best mountain meals I have ever had, accompanied by the most divine chips, of which I also have a picture.

The best chips in the world, soaked in olive oil, sprinkled with Provencal herbs

On the way home, I heard a story about John Cleese who reputedly had once been to Marks and Spencers to collect some new trousers. It seems on the way home on the train that he had rather a nasty bout of dihorrea whilst on the train, so, to put it rather more tastsefully than it was put to me, having ruined the clothing he was wearing, decided to throw it out of the train window and put on his new clothing. Sadly though, once he opened the package, he found that it did not contain his trousers but instead it contained a lady’s cardigan…

In case you were worried, there is no link today to Currencies Direct.