"French Don't Use Tongs"
Daily Life in the French Alps - Winter 2008/09
by Andy & Graeme Oxley
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About the Book
I remember the first time Graeme and I talked about going to Europe for a winter season. It was after one of our regular Wednesday lunches with Moira, our then Lodge Manager and now treasured friend. Reminiscing about her years as a chalet girl in the French Alps, we were inspired by her stories of endless ski terrain, fabulous snow quality and her hilarious interactions with the french and chalet guests. Wide-eyed with excitement, I said to Graeme, "do you think we could ever take a summer off one day and go skiing in Europe?" It didn't seem possible. Summer at Te Wanaka Lodge was the busiest and most profitable time of the year for us. The years passed and the dream seemed less and less likely to ever eventuate. And then by sheer luck we managed to find some buyers for Te Wanaka Lodge who were passionate about hospitality and had a genuine love of our little lodge.
From that moment, Lady Luck seemed to be on our side, Even when we thought we had exhausted every avenue for affordable accommodation, some quick thinking by our friend Mike Barton saved the day. Mike and Leanne met Rick and Liz while biking around Lake Wanaka. One afternoon tea later, email addresses were exchanged. Twelve months later, Mike emailed Liz to see if she knew anyone who might be interested in renting an apartment to us for the season. As chance would have it, the email arrived on the very night Rick and Liz were dining with Hubert & Marie who were wanting to rent our their newly renovated apartment for the season. The stars were aligned and the rest as they say "is history".
And so began our adventure in the little mountain village of Araches, Haute Savoie, France.
Here is a daily account of our own stories ..the deep fluffy snow, the incredible ski areas, our own "french moments" and somewhere in the middle of it all - our little observation about the use of Tongs in France.
About the Creator
Just an ordinary chick who loves the outdoors and has a passion for skiing! Originally from Melbourne, Australia, I like to think that my life began when I moved to Wanaka, New Zealand over 10 years ago. I escaped corporate life with my husband Graeme, to start our own hospitality business - Te Wanaka Lodge - www.tewanakalodge.co.nz. No experience, no expectations, we managed not to emulate Basil Fawlty and thoroughly enjoyed, what I thought was, the best job ever! Amazing guests from all over the world and a fun and fabulous crew to work with. Ten years later, we found another young couple to hand on the baton, and we took off to enjoy a "once in a lifetime skiing adventure in the French Alps!" The book tells the story. Back in Wanaka, we might occasionally wish for a "pain au chocolat" but most of the time we're too busy with our new business venture - www.AspiringGuides.com and getting out to enjoy some of the best hiking, climbing and skiing in the Southern Hemisphere.