The Gates Of The Sun

Watching the sun rising behind the mountains.

Friday to Sunday last week we spent in Portes du Soleil on the border between Switzerland and France. After checking in at the hotel in Champéry on friday we took a walk in the village to find a place to eat lunch. We had left our jackets at the hotel, but soon we had to take off our sweaters too. Not what you expect when going skiing, to sit outside eating lunch wearing only a t-shirt!
Andreas had a really good steak tartare (raw beef), a new food experience.

On Saturday we took the cable car (kabinbana) up to the ski area. From no snow in the village (1000m alt) to good skiing conditions (1900m alt) in just a couple of minutes. 

Skiing makes you happy!

We started the day skiing in Switzerland but soon, by the longest ski slope I have ever gone down, skied over to France. 

You don't get waffles in the Alps, but a
chocolate cream crepé is not a bad replacement.

We spent the most of the day in France before heading back towards Champéry and Switzerland. We found out that our pist map reading was not the best and the way we thought we could take back was not possible to go (without going down a black run called the Swiss Wall). We managed to get a lift out of France just 5 minutes before they closed. And after that we had to finish the day with a stressfull mogul ski down a long red slope (not so good pists after a warm sunny day). A bit of adventure ending a beautiful day on the pists. After a 3-course dinner at the hotel it was no problem to fall asleep later!

We also had sunny weather on Sunday. This day we took it a bit easier and stayed in Switzerland skiing. Maybe mostly because Jen's legs were a bit tired from the day beforeAfter all a wonderful weekend in a wonderful landscape. 

Picnic at the top of the mountain.