I want to share with you about my work in chalets in the French Alps.
I started out in 2004. I had been entertaining my friends and family and cooking for them for a number of years and I decided I wanted to entertain a bunch of people in a chalet in the French Alps.
I first worked in a chalet that slept up to 12 people and I was responsible for the food, feeding people and hygiene and all that. I was really excited to be meeting new people and finding out who I would be working with. The company I worked for had two other chalets and there was 5 of us in the team. We had a week to learn how to cook the menu, where everything was in town so we could inform the guests, have a look at the piste map to get a feel of the area, have a test drive in the minibus and how to meet and greet people and do the cleaning! Everyone can clean but only a few can do it well as I found out. We all had to take it in turns to cook the entire menu for the week and try out everyones food. It was lots of fun and it helped to get used to the menu and how to do what and when. Its all about timing when you are cooking 3 courses for 12 people.
We all got to ski together with the owners of the company and got a feel for the slopes and which ones were good ones so we could advise our guests.
A few days to go before first guests arrive and we were all anxious and excited at the same time. We trimmed our trees and put up decorations in the chalet as our first guests were coming for Christmas. Our first guests were from Dubai and they hadn't brought any ski gear. We took them to the shops when they arrived so they could get kitted out.
I didn't know then how much hard work it would be but also rewarding. Its very important not to burn the candle at both ends and tire yourself out as there is a chance that you will get sick. Its a ski resort and its cold and you can get sick at any time. I recommend lots of vitamin C and lots of sleep here! A red nose isn't attractive.
The first season I did I made some very nice friends who are from Ireland. I still keep in touch to this day and now its 2013.
We had to service the rooms every day and make up the beds and wipe round the sinks and loos. You find all kinds of things in peoples beds, I try to remove them before making them up though.
Most people coming on holiday to stay in chalets are very hospitable people and easy to please. Its more of a challenge when some people are hard to please but thats ok, its just the way they are and they like lots of attention. We are there to rise up to challenges and to give a 5 star service so that their holiday is the best ever.
To date I have worked 10 seasons now so far. I have worked with some amazing people and met people from all walks of life coming and going in the chalet.
I am not an aggressive skier and always took care on the slopes. I was lucky I didn't injure myself. A lot of seasonnaires get injured and some have to travel home and can't carry on their season which is a shame.
Most people that come on a ski holiday and rent a chalet are families. Mostly ones that don't get to spend much time together because of their busy lives or because they live far apart. Its lovely to see them come together for a weeks holiday together. Its also the same for friends as well who haven't seen each other for ages.
I remember one family staying in the chalet and every night after dinner the head of the group would stand up and talk about the day skiing. He would talk about some of the members of the group and the way they acted during the day. He would then decide who he wanted to give a forfeit to because for example "Gary had wiped out his mum" or "another member of the group didn't perform well that day". He would then get bottles of some rather cheap spirits and mix a few up in shot glasses which the person nominated for the forfeit had to drink in one go. Lots of fun to watch!!
When the season comes to an end in April then the clean down of the chalet begins. You can have great fun in the last week of shutdown and ski for a few hours while its quiet and then back to cleaning again. Spring is arriving and the days are getting longer and the sun is appearing more and more. The only sad part is saying goodbye to your fellow work mates. Some do come back for another season though. I keep in touch with a lot of people I have worked with on Facebook.
If anyone is thinking about doing a winter season then I would say go for it.
Here is a photo of how deep the snow was one year, I think it was 2008!
Have a great day!
Andrea Howard
No comments:
Post a Comment