Dear friends Sallie and Martin and grandson Nathan met us at the station in Martigny...a warm and happy welcome! Sallie’s daughter Sarah (my goddaughter over whose baptism Peter and I met!) and 2 more of her kids, Nell and Charlotte, met us at a pizza place. Simon was playing soccer and Papa Charles was working. Good pizza and family chatter began to blur. So after the 28 switch-back climb to Champex we collapsed into bed.
THURSDAY…
What a beautiful day in a beautiful place!
We were up at a reasonable 8:15 and out on the balcony watching the fishermen on the lake. Sarah’s family is living in the apartment below while their chalet is being renovated and Sallie and Martin are in the chalet they bought just down the hill from Sarah’s. Everything is in easy walking distance in this tiny town that hugs one side of Champex Lac. The ski lifts and hiking trails on the mountains around us make Champex a very popular spot. This morning there are lots of hikers...some headed out after over-nighting in one of these fabulous inns. Most of those hearty people are wearing short sleeves but I’m putting on a sweater.
Because there’s so many travelers here, Sarah opened a little store… Vachement Suisse...that’s open in the afternoons for hikers and skiers who’ve settled in for the evening. She sells everything terribly Swiss...that’s what Vachement Suisse means…so there’s wool felted slippers in beautiful colors, and terribly chic sunglasses, and lots of choices of fun t-shirts designed by Sallie and Sarah, and lip balms, and fondue pots, and coo-coo clocks, and children’s things, aaannndd much more. Check it out on the web!
Walking through the village up to Sallie’s and the construction site above, we stopped into the tiny grocery (amusingly called a supermarket) for sausages and cheese to add to the salad for lunch. I love sitting down for lunch...sharing a board...looking each other in the eye and chatting. It’s so good for us.
And today especially because we got to chat with almost 4 year old Charlotte who has lots to say and is very entertaining! After lunch she was determined to teach us Ticket To Ride though it was way over her head.
A beautiful walk around the other side of the lake brought us back to Mimi’s Lounge run by Charles and his sister Marie in honor of their mother Mimi who ran a restaurant in Champex for years. We sat out on the patio with wine and beer soaking up the last of the sun before it slipped behind the mountain. What a lovely leisurely day to get our mountain legs under us!
Dinner for the retired folks was at the Alpina Hotel while Sarah and Charles got the children ready for their first day of school on Friday.
I hate to rhapsodize but I must…
...cozy inside...looking out at the fading light sliding over the glacier...golden, then lavender, then grey. Really there are not enough words for the grandeur.
1st course: delicate cod settled in a dark broth topped with mascarpone and leek mousse on a wisp of toast...all scattered with radish sprouts...lightly pink on the edges. Local white wine
2nd course: thinly sliced succulent beef arranged around a cone of quinoa sautéed in new olive oil with cubes of carrots, peppers and cornichon...all of this topped with fried onion rings. Local red wine.
Dessert: white chocolate mousse in a cookie cylinder covered with creme fraiche and berries impaled with a thin cookie spear.
A fabulous meal in a splendid setting with dear friends… the perfect end to our first day in Champex!