Happy Valentines Day!
After breakfast, we set off early with the hope of making it to Val Thorens, a village in the third valley which we were yet to visit. We caught a couple of lifts up to the top. It still wasn't the best if weather. Sim wasn't feeling well and up to skiing difficult runs in the foggier upper parts, so we made our way back down the runs in in Meribel.
The conditions were a bit better than yesterday, but still not great. Sim and I split up for the rest of the morning, each going our own ways around the slopes. I was feeling adventurous so I finally made it down to the little town of Saint Martin de Belleville in the third valley. It was a tough run getting there however. The visibility was poor and it was pretty much all snow, no trees and no other features - just all white. I had one pretty big tumble. Again, lucky I was wearing a helmet as I hit the ground pretty hard.
The town itself had a lot of charm - lots of old stone and timber buildings and a cute church at the centre of town, although it's cemetery next to it was apparently the dead centre of the town!
After exploring the town for a little on foot, I hopped back into my skis and up the mountain on the lift and down into Meribel-Mottaret, where I was meeting back up with Sim for a late lunch.
We ate at a little place called Cote de Brune. Simi had salmon whilst I had the Omelette Savoyarde; omelette done local style, with potato, bacon, onion and reblechon cheese ...oh and egg of course. Pretty much the local Tartiflette dish in an egg omelette.
I was still feeling hungry, so I had my first creme brûlée in France - which was ok, pretty similar to ones we get at home actually!
After lunch we skied on our own for another hour or so, savouring our last ski runs on the French alps for the moment (hopefully we will make it back here one day). It was a nice feeling skiing that last run, listening to my music and just cruising down the slopes with ease. I felt really good now about my skiing, but tired also. 6 straight days of skiing had taken it's till on my knees especially!
We returned our gear and headed back to the hotel to catch up on some Winter Olympics. The Aussie girls were doing well in the aerials which was good to watch!
We headed out for some more souvenir shopping for Sim before making our way to dinner at the famous 50 + years old, local restaurant 'Chez Kiki'.
It's a quaint little timber shack building with a large fireplace in the centre where the owner, 80 odd year old Kiki, cooks the meat over. It was quite nice and cosy inside- very warm! It was traditional French cuisine and done well!
We ordered some wine and enjoyed the complimentary baked sesame seed biscuit appetizers. We somehow managed to order and communicate fluently with the old waitress who spoke only French, it's amazing how that happens!
As I was feeling adventurous today I ordered the frogs legs for entree - worth a try. Simi had a salad.
When the frogs legs came out the waiter had them covered with a 'closh', one of those metal lids over the plate, and then revealed it in front of me. Simi was shaking her head but actually they weren't anywhere near as weird or funky as I thought they might be!
They actually tasted really nice, albeit they were very thoroughly coated in oil, garlic and parsley, but the meat itself (which were tiny pieces of meat) had a flavour kinda like white fish. They were fiddly to eat, very boney and small.
But enjoyable!
So...frogs legs - tick !
Still to try Tartare and Escargot!!!
For main we both ordered steak, I had the beef filet while sim had the entrecôte steak. The meat was cooked beautifully, lived up to the reputation of the restaurant. But the best part was the bernnaise sauce that accompanied it. So yum!
For dessert we shared an apple tarte tartin, which when served to us was doused in calvados and flambéd- quite the spectacle - and it tasted so good too. Very warming.
Chez Kiki was a nice way to end our stay here in Meribel and the French alps. It's a beautiful spot with great food, wine and cheese and best of all snow, which is important when skiing.
The week here seems to have flown by, which I guess is a good sign that were having fun!
Looking forward to a rest on the bus and then the train to Lyon tomorrow!
Bonsoir Meribel!
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