I have snowshoeing for many years now. Usually over the winter months I try to go at least once every two weeks mostly on a one day trip to a nearby mountain. Monday morning at the office we often tell each other what we have done over the weekend. I am known to always go to the mountains and the usual question becomes… So what mountain have you climbed this weekend?
I suggest that we all go together once before the winter is over and we find a date at the begining of March. At first we are a group of 9 that finally dwindles down to 3. My collegues David (and girlfriend Delfine) and Michael and Jacques and I. We decide to go to Plateau des Glières located in Haute-Savoie in France (see map), about 1h30 from Geneva. The weather has become quite warm in the past weeks and I am worried we have to go quite high to still find some snow. I don’t want to dissapoint them the first time they come snowshoeing!
We rent 3 pairs of snowhoes and meet the others on Sunday morning at the border to France to drive there together in 2 cars. The weather is beautiful and it is also very warm… I wonder how much snow there will be left up there… I chose to come to Plateau des Glières because of its openess, you can see very far and there never seems to be many people. You often feel like you are alone up there…
Up at the Plateau we put on our snowshoes and off we go. I have a small idea of where we can have lunch. As it is their first time I don’t want them to overdo it. We will see how far we can go, depending on the snow and their endurance. One of the reasons I love snowshoeing is that you are outdoors. Also making your own trail in the unmarked snow makes me somehow feel like an adventurer… A nice day in the sun in the winter also does wonders to the mind and body!
The snow is quite wet and heavy, but there is a lot left! Everyone is following well and we head upwards to go a path to the mountain hut I would like to have lunch in. It takes us about 2 hours to reach the restaurant. The views on the way are amazing. The snow capped cliffs behind us look very tempting to climb, but not this time. It is so warm we are walking in T-shirts and have to put on sun cream to prevent from getting burnt!
We are extremely lucky as the restaurant only takes reservations for lunch on weekends. We have not reserved, but the group that did, finally did not show up and we can have their table! The meal is typical Savoyard style consisting of an entrée platter of cut meat, Tartiflette (an oven baked potato dish with melted Haute-Savoie Reblochon cheese and bacon), a cheese platter, a dessert and locally made digestive alcohols. We enjoyed ourselves so much that we end up staying for 2 hours!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tartiflette
Soon it is time to head back again before dark. It is just another hour back to the car. We are all a bit tired from walking in the heavy snow, but it’s been a wonderful day!
