Our Christmas holiday in Nendaz was relaxing, festive, delicious and overall superb. We were extremely spoiled during our stay each and every day! It was a catered chalet run by a Swiss/English couple who live in a private section downstairs. The snow coverage was not great when we arrived, but it dumped buckets later during our stay. The panoramic views of the valley and Alps were also stunning.
They set up a Christmas tree along with other holiday decorations and the crackling fire was nice and cozy. After unpacking we jumped right in the hot tub and enjoyed the twinkling lights of the little villages across the valley. We were then treated to champagne and canapes, followed by a scrumptious 4-course meal (Molly and I were pretty stuffed by the end, but Matt and Shaun opted for the cheese plate and port to finish off the evening). Corina's cooking is divine! There were also a load of DVDs to choose from, and our classy bunch enjoyed the raucous Hot Tub Time Machine (gotta love John Cusack).
On Monday we were dropped off at the ski resort of Siviez and went on a snowshoeing excursion up to Mt. Fort, as recommended by Corina and Dave (the chalet owners). It was a bit of snowshoeing and a few gondola rides. We lucked out with a clear, sunny day and the unobstructed views of the Alps at the top of Mt. Fort peak were stellar. On top of the world! There was a fun little igloo hut where we warmed up with some hot cocoa (the wind was pretty chilly although the sun was spectacular). We took another gondola down toward Verbier and lunched with the skiers and snowboarders before heading back to the chalet, where a sweet pre-dinner treat awaited us! We could really get used to this decadent lifestyle!
Tuesday was reserved for snowboarding in Nendaz (at Tracouet). We hired gear and a private instructor for our little group. Our Swiss instructor Fabian warmed us up with some calisthenics and helped us get clipped in properly and then we were on our way! Granted, we were on a very short slope with an ever so slight incline where we walked back up after boarding down. It was good for learning though and Fabian's tips really helped. The stance felt somewhat unnatural for me, but everyone seemed to be doing alright and we all improved by the end of the day - where we made it over to the "big" slope equipped with a rope tow! Moving on up....
Our afternoon treat was mincemeat pie and Shaun was extra excited! We had proper Swiss fondue for our Christmas Eve dinner, which was fun and delicious! Cubes of bread and boiled potatoes for dipping, along with cured meats and a fresh salad when we wanted a break from the cheese. About halfway through our meal we were each given a little shot of potato liquor to help ease digestion (it was a lot of cheese and all!)
Snow was forecast for Christmas so we woke up all excited to check it out. Nothing. Bummer. Ah well. We exchanged stockings and then headed out for a nice walk into town. Several stores and restaurants were open so we stopped for vin chaud before heading back to the chalet, and unfortunately it was pretty rainy and soggy at this point.
Later in the evening we were treated to more champagne and canapes, followed by dinner prepared by not one but two chefs! (one of the chefs was learning how to make the main dish). The English Crackers were also a nice touch - we liked our crowns! We had scallops on a bed of quinoa to start, followed by beef wellington and a chocolate ginger dessert with homemade Bailey's ice cream. It was a wonderful Christmas meal!
On Thursday we awoke to fresh snow, how glorious! It was pretty foggy and still snowing but we opted to go snowshoeing and enjoy the powder. We had a nice trek around Siviez, crossed a few pistes and took a break at a ski hut to warm up and dry off a bit. In many places we were the first to touch the snow, so it was pretty deep and slow-going blazing our own trail. The route is well marked though with pink poles in the ground and ribbons on the trees. We took our last dip in the hot tub and enjoyed some movies before calling it a night.
Merry Christmas 2013!!
