Residence Les Balcons de Sirius Risoul

My parents love the mountains and have always gone to the Alps for their summer vacation since we were born. As a kid and a teenager I always joined them with my brother and sister. But I haven't had the opportunity to do so (except for in 2005) since I moved to the US.
So this year being devoted to traveling and time with friends and family, I joined them for two weeks and a half in Orcieres, a town in the ...

... and, eventually, vineyards.
Both of us are getting ready to go home. We have been to the Loire (almost three months ago) and are only keen to do a little sight seeing and a lot of resting.
Three nights in this quiet place (La Fleuray Hotel & Restaurant) is like going on a retreat before the last few days in Paris and the long trip home.
Spent some time seeing some of the country chateaus and a few small country villages. After that ...

The alarm clock worked and Kristen and I got ready for a full day of skiing in Serre Chevalier. After having breakfast with my uncle, aunt and father we got on the road for the Southern Alps. Getting to Grenoble (1968 Olympic Games) was no problem, we had left early enough to avoid traffic. The snow was lower than what we expected for the month of March and the signs in Grenoble were warning us that chains were required to go to the "Col du Lautaret ...

... used my friend's hat. That night we went to a dance club because no one wanted to get in trouble for noise. It was free to get in and we danced to French techno music for hours. We became even better friends with the French people from my school and practiced our French on them. The next day we got on the mountain at about the same time but since it was a Saturday it was way more crowded and cold than the day before. We also got stuck on a lift in the cold for a half an hour ...

... so spirited driving wasn't really possible. Until we left Verdon and rejoined Napoleon, then it livened up considerably! Stayed at a charming chalet type place in Baratier with sauna, jacuzzi and a pool (great for unwinding after 6+ hours of full-on driving ...

... minute dupa ce ne achitam de datorii la gazde, ne luam valizele si ne hotaram sa plecam, ajungem in Briancon. Peisajul de pe drum e superb, acum ne pare rau ca nu am oprit sa cautam hotel mai devreme aseara, am ratat atata drum pitoresc... Briancon este un oras fortificat construit sa apere Franta de austrieci, de un cap militar genial pe la curtea regelui. Este, nici nu se putea altfel, patrimoniu Unesco (cre'ca toata Franta e patrimoniu Unesco, si ei ...

More information on this campsite can be found here. Beautifully located campsite with quite good facitlities at about 1500m altitude and one of the best views on the Lac Serre Poncon. Located very near the small Lac St.Apollinaire. Start of some great hikes right at the entrance of the campsite. The hikes are rather steep at the start.

... ourselves a temporary barrier to undo, quick Uie and back up the way we came. Found the turn off and headed to the little Italian mountain village which was the gateway to the short cut through the alps to Tignes. Got there only to find that the Italians close their side of the pass for 6 months of the year, so the road was completely iced over.. ahhhhh. Time to rethink over the strongest Italian coffees and thickest richest Italian Hot Chocolates we've ever had. All full of sugar ...

... of wine even intelligent conversation must give way to pure and thoughtless fun. On Saturday night most of the Stanfordiens went to a local bar where we got free "welcome" beers. There was a live band playing some punk rock covers that night, which took me back to being 15 or 16 and going to local concerts with friends. It was one of those "life" moments where I just sat at the bar thinking of nothing but how great my life is ...

... all around, everyone is friendly and out to enjoy the great outdoors. In the winter, its a ski resort, however in the summer, its a bare, mostly deserted mountain. It took us 2 hours to climb to the near top, where I went off alone to reach the peak while Molly stayed to rest and enjoy the view (she was always the smart one of the group). Despite nearly dying, I did make it to top. No amount of pictures, no expression of words, could ...