Day 16: Versailles for Cows

Yesterday we discovered the longest slope so far, without ever having to take off our ski’s and without ever encountering a car, snowmobile or other annoying moving devices. A track of 30 kilometers and not only that, it was so perfectly groomed that it was almost unreal. So unreal in fact, that it made me want to kiss the ground. (and no... I didn't)

I am talking about a 30-kilometer run in Saint Barthélemy, Valle d'Aosta. It is so well known that even Google maps had difficulty identifying this place. In the summer, the happy cows of Valle d’Aosta cheerfully graze on these fields and, unlike in the Netherlands, the calves can (as it should) just stay with their mothers! Should I ever reincarnate, I will request to return to this world as a cow in Valle d'Aosta. 

As soon as the first snow falls in winter, and the cow’s feet get too cold, this cow paradise transforms itself into a fantastic slope that is made and maintained with lots of love. Many national teams come to train here, and I understand why; a lot of thought has gone into the design of this slope. It is made in such a way that you hardly ever meet anyone. (And I love that when I am skiing). There is no counter traffic, there are separate hiking trails, so no annoying walkers who illegally ruin your slope.

                            Andrea, one of the owners of the slope

At the start there is a bar, that is managed by Andrea, one of the owners of the slope en after 22 km, you arrive at the first and only mountain hut on the slope; Rifugio Magia’, an isolated mountain hut where we were guests last night. The owner could attract many more people to his mountain hut if he - like in so many mountain huts - would pick them up with a snowmobile. After all, most people would like to spend an evening in a mountain hut, but not many would like to walk 22 kilometers to get there. Yet, this particular mountain hut owner doesn't do that, and I believe that is a good and honourable thing. In this way they preserve nature and also the character of the "Refugio", a remote place that should require some physical effort and sweat in order to reach it. 

And so it happened that we were the only guests on Monday evening, and we were so exhausted that we were not much company. After a plate of hot soup and polenta, and a conversation about Mount Everest Base Camp, where the owner had walked to, we were already in bed by 8 p.m. and slept for 12 hours.

Today we woke up with rain ... and that at an altitude of 2000 meters is really bizarre !! Despite strong wind and rain, we skied 40 kilometers today and now…. Time for bed. 

Wil jij de varkens ook een warm hart toedragen? We hopen voor elke kilometer 10 euro in te zamelen voor een documentaire die House of Animals gaat maken over varkens. Alle kosten voor deze tocht zijn door onszelf gefinancierd en in sommige gevallen gesponsord door bedrijven en hotels. Mocht je ons ook willen steunen, weet dan dat 100% van jouw donatie naar House of Animals gaat.


Je kunt ons steunen via Tikkie o.v.v. skieën voor varkens, of via ideal/paypal/creditcard

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