A day in the life of Chez Jay

Imagine you are a guest at a country house owned by a good friend of a good friend. You may not know the host at first but within a few hours the ice has been broken and you are settling in for a period of warm friendly hospitality with all the freedom to come and go as you wish. Fellow house guests quickly introduce themselves and very soon you are meeting entirely new people and often making entirely new friends. Such is the atmosphere we strive to set at Chez Jay.

The day begins with a knock at the door and that most traditional of all services; tea in bed. You can arrange to have orange juice instead if you wish - it's only a matter of telling the host how best to help you in the morning.

The shower is but a few strides away and, though you may not have your own en suite, there's no need to worry about hot water or a locked bathroom door.

The atmosphere is relaxed. Often guests will take breakfast in their dressing gowns making the most of table side mountain views whilst sipping freshly brewed coffee and fortifying themselves for the day ahead. There is no need to rush. All the food you wish is laid out before you and should you wish for more there is always more at hand. The host will be checking the weather reports and advising you on conditions you might expect.

Our chalets are always next to the piste. Chez Jay guests need not worry about buses or other transport to the slopes. During average snow conditions it is possible to ski even from the door itself; otherwise it is but a short walk downhill to a groomed piste which even the most nervous of beginners will find little difficulty in negotiating.

So there's no need to rush over that third cup of coffee………there's no bus schedule to worry about or a nightmare trek to brace yourself for. It's just a matter of gliding out of the door and down a short piste directly onto a brand new express four man chair lift that will whisk you through the clouds.

And that's where you'll be for most of the day as our page on 'skiing' will describe.

Of course you could stay at home if you'd rather. Your hosts will not mind at all should you care to relax by the log fire and just gaze at the majestic view from your armchair. It's your pad where the freedom to relax is considered the most important element of the house. The hosts might be cleaning around you but there's always time for a chat and a cup of coffee together. Feel at home……that's the whole idea of Chez Jay.

As for lunch, besides the simply numerous mountain lunch spots you'll be passing on skis, La Plagne and Les Arcs offer some first class restaurants with the finest cuisine available. Your hosts must invariably work through lunch but afternoon tea is a different matter. For some, it's the most welcome meal of the day; a time to flop out after a hard day's skiing whilst the sun gently dips behind the horizon and the Italian face of Mont Blanc goes pink in it's fading glow. Between 4.30 and 5.30 nature provides an evening light spectacle before your very eyes…..a sort of 'son et luminere al la naturelle'. Flans, cakes and other sweet delights go so well with tea then that it's a tradition we gladly retain……..even if it is accompanied by a glass or two of ice cold lager!

Time presses on though and there's always that odd thing you've been meaning to buy but haven't got round to it yet. In Montchavin the shops are only a few minutes away and in Le Pre, the bar is very cosy and a quick visit is easily possible before dinner. Your hosts will be at their busiest now and many of your fellow guests will be relaxing in their rooms getting ready for dinner……or simply reading a book. Some find the energy even for chess whilst later in the season there's always a few on the sun terrace having a prolonged aperitif.

Eventually the gong will sound and it's time to collect all together. More often than not it is the only time when the whole household is actually together and a dinner party seems definitely called for to celebrate that. Candlelit, four course, unlimited wine and superbly hosted; what finer way to hear all the news of the day, to relive your adventures and exchange tips on how to get round that wretched ice face! Some completely new faces will suddenly become very familiar and who knows?………well there are definitely stranger places to meet life long friends but we believe there are very few better ones.

After dinner we must leave a blank space for it's really a matter of what each house party makes of it. Some guests like to go out to the music bars and clubs, others endlessly chat around the table whilst some are inclined to retire early. Whichever you choose your host will not mind………they only want all their guests to be comfortable and, knowing that you will also want the same, will happily welcome you each year to share again those memorable days when all of life's cares seem to vanish in the magical wonder of the alpine winter.