Skiing is a dance; and the mountain always leads. - Anonymous
Skiing is an extreme sport, they’d said. Thanks to them, it had taken me forever to sum up the courage to pack my bags and my rather heavy ski boots. Here I was finally, at the train station, skiing boots et al; ready for my journey to Bretaye, Switzerland. I’ve since heard people call Switzerland ‘Gods’ Own Country’; and I have to agree with them. The sheer beauty of the snow capped slopes did leave me mesmerized.
My winter plans this time included a trip to Villars, and that’s exactly how I was being coerced into indulging in some skiing apart from just the work. After all, Villars is a ski resort, and a really good one. (A little side note for my traveling souls — It would be a good idea to get your ski pass in advance from the tourist office if you intend skiing through the whole season.)
Having the right equipment is one thing and learning to use the equipment is another. Thanks to Daetwyler, I was introduced to Fabienne Duk from the Swiss Ski School in Villars. Ms. Fabienne happens to be one of the best ski instructors in Villar (which is a fact I happened to learn of during my stay there).
Anyone and everyone who has known me will vouch for the fact that I am not exactly a ‘sports enthusiast’. So after several failed attempts of mustering up lame excuses to avoid skiing, I found myself on the way to the slopes on a bright sunny day (or so they claimed). At a balmy temperature of minus twenty degrees (they said it was ideal weather for skiing… brrrrr); I waddled in the snow looking like a character straight out of a sci-fi movie. What else would you call four layers of clothing, heavy skis in one hand, ski poles in the other, bulky helmet on my head! I’m sure I was quite a sight. The only respite was that most others were dressed in similar garb. I wasn’t exactly out of place.
Friends in tow, I headed up the mountain; and I could have never been prepared for the beautiful sight that awaited me when I got to my destination. The view — it was nothing short of breathtaking. The spectacular snowcapped mountains loomed for miles. The famous Mt Blanc with flat planes of snow glistened in the sun beneath my feet. I was transfixed. I couldn’t move. This was nature at its best; gnawing away at my very soul.
So here we were a bunch of skiing novices, perched atop the slopes; ski boots and poles in place. Ms. Fabienne was ready to start us off on our very first ski lessons. We got the lowdown on everything from techniques of walking in the snow, to coming to halt while skiing down a slope; and everything else in between. It was during this lesson that I wished I’d worked harder in the gym. Being fit and agile definitely helps when it comes to polishing your skills on a ski slope.
Finally, it was my turn to let loose and give whatever I’d learnt a shot. So I did. I managed to make it down the beginners’ slope without breaking any bones. The joy of conquering the first slope was momentous.
After that first successful tryst with skiing, I’m enjoying the rest of my stay at Bretaye, hoping to conquer a few more slopes. Who thought someone like me would enjoy skiing as much. My lessons with Ms Fabienne continue; and someday when you’re here, you’ll probably see me gliding down one of the more advanced slopes. Let’s hope for that, shall we!
Personal/Group Skiing Schools:
Ecole Suisse de ski Villars (Villars ski school)
Ski Good Rentals in Villars:
Datwyler sports
Mc board
Sportshouse
Lockers on Rental in Villars:
Available with Datwyler sports
Available at the bus/train station
Season Passes in Villars:
Season ski pass available at Villars gare at a deposit of CHF55
Restaurants in Bretaye:
Cookie.cafe
Tom’s
Hotel du lac
Col de bretaye
To know more about events and activities in Villars in the winter of 2017, visit www.villars.ch.
Log on to www.re-meh.com for more such experiences.
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