natjtan They’ve been calling me for a while now and Saturday I answered their call. The mountains that give this area its name: Alpes Maritimes.
We hired a car for the week, firstly to get back from the airport and to see if we needed a car this winter. The motorbike is great, but when it’s cold, wet and windy it’s not a nice feeling on the bike!
I had a good interval workout and for us we set out early. Unfortunately on the road we realised we got the opening times for the Alpha Les Loups Du Mercantour Wolf Park wrong and wouldn’t make the last winter entry time. No worries! Paul’s been wanting to show me the mountains for a while and I’ve been wanting to see them and the park was on the way. For the past 3 winters when he gets a chance he goes snowboarding for the day with friends at either Isola 2000 or Auron ski resorts. Both are about 1.5 hours away and easily accessible by car. I’ve tried dry slope snowboarding and I didn’t really enjoy it (can’t move my legs!). Skiing, I never tried and isn’t on my do to list! I’m happy to walk in the snow hearing it crunch underneath. 
We took the road to Auron as even though this years ski season doesn’t start until 2nd December road signs signalled Isola 2000 needed snow chains.
The road up the mountains was amazing. I’ll let the photos do the talking!
Auron was quiet and getting ready for the season. We went for a walk around the village, had the obligatory snow ball fight (never too old to have one!) and listened to the silence. I don’t get to hear silence very often and I soak it up when I can!
We warmed up with a coffee in a snug cafe before setting off. In a few weeks it’ll be full of colour, skiers and boarders so it was nice to experience it’s tranquillity before it gets loco!
Sunday was a quiet day sorting the house out with a speedy 6.5km morning run along the sea and a dusk bike ride. It was a little surreal looking at the mountains in distance that yesterday I’d been playing in the snow on!
As you do…The hills are alive with the sound of music!
Snow unicorn
Do you prefer skiing or snowboarding? Both in the UK are seen as a ‘rich’ sport, so maybe that’s why there aren’t many British Winter Olympians! Add to that it rains too much for snow to stick! Are winter sports readily available to all in your country?
I’m all about skiing — and the Alps! lol So glad I get to go back for a visit this February!
Which Alps are you going to? I’m hoping to go to Geneva to see all the magic of Christmas and snow! Fingers crossed the Christmas lights are still up!
Incredible Shots!
Thank you, though I can’t take credit of all!