CHALET NOTES 2014 Every summer New College runs two to three reading parties in the Alps, in a wooden, electricity-free chalet shared for this purpose by three Oxford colleges – Balliol, University College, and New College. This reading party has been going on in various forms since the nineteenth century, and is one of the more colourful aspects of college life. The purpose of the reading parties is primarily to read; but the Alpine surrounds are strikingly beautiful, and most chaletites take the opportunity to explore a few local walks. The chalet is also the ideal place to experience some college life among a wide cross-section of the college: parties usually number around sixteen people, drawn from the JCR, the MCR, and the SCR; occasionally old members of the college attend too. Chalet parties, which usually last for about ten days, are accompanied by a senior member, and daily life is managed by two students, a ‘manager’ and a ‘bursar’. Each attendee pays a fixed fee upfront, which consist of basic rent, currently €5 per day, and the cost of a final meal at our local hotel. It is therefore an extremely cheap holiday, although the college does not cover travel or incidental costs. Below are some practical notes about how to get there, what to bring, and life at the chalet. Reassurance: the sections on travel may seem complex, but, especially if you travel in groups, the journey is pretty straightforward these days, consisting usually of a flight to Geneva, a chartered coach to the local télécabine station, and a short walk down from the télécabine to the chalet. But the instructions of what – and what not – to bring should be taken as such. Notes by AF, WP, AD, MB, 2004, rev. to 2014. 1 BRIEF INTRODUCTION The Chalet des Mélèzes – known locally as the Chalet des Anglais – is situated below the Mont Blanc massif on the side of Le Prarion, above St-Gervais-les-Bains, at an altitude of 1690m. The building stands in a small, level clearing in the woods, and while this gives the impression of isolation, access to the outside world is relatively uncomplicated, considering the chalet’s height and location. The jeep track between St- Gervais and the Hôtel Le Prarion passes by some 200m away; 20-25 minutes’ stiff climb brings you to the latter. Adjacent to the hotel is the top station of the cable-car (télécabine) to the village of Les Houches. This is the most usual route to and from the chalet. The chalet itself is a three-storied wooden building, usable in the summer only, capable of accommodating up to fifteen to twenty people. The chalet is simple but comfortable: it is equipped with a gas-powered fridge, water heater and cookers, a wood-burning stove in the sitting-room, an ingenious shower arrangement and two flushing lavatories. Water is drawn from the stream outside and is quite safe to drink. Its nine bedrooms can accommodate two or three people each on an assortment of bedsteads and mattresses. There is a small and somewhat eclectic library. Lighting is provided by a mixture of candles, torches and gas lamps, as there is no electricity – something most people get used to very quickly. During the Long Vacation, Balliol, New College and Univ. send two (occasionally three) reading parties each to the chalet. The definition of the idea of a reading party varies between colleges; members of New College parties tend to bring whatever reading or work they wish and do as little or as much in the way of walking or other outdoor activities, such as mountain biking (except mountaineering, which is strictly forbidden) as they feel like. Some of the finest mountain scenery in Europe 1 surrounds the chalet and there are plenty of walks of varying length to be had. For those staying at the chalet, the morning is set aside for reading and work. The party gathers for meals; a candle-lit dinner followed by games and conversation makes for a convivial evening. All members of the party do their share of the household tasks, which are not onerous. All communications with the chalet come via the hotel near the top station of the télécabine, and should be addressed to: Chalet des Anglais, c/o Hôtel Le Prarion, 74170 St-Gervais Mont-Blanc, FRANCE. Tel.: +33 (0)4.50.54.40.07 Fax: +33 (0)4.50.54.40.03. Website: http://www.prarion.com (includes photographs of surrounding scenery) Mobile telephone reception in the area can be patchy, as it is in the mountains generally, and although students will have their own phones with them, their use is not encouraged inside the chalet. The hotel, known to chaletites as “the Pav.”, is a favoured retreat in the early evening. The same family, the Hottegindres, has run the hotel since it opened in 1928, and are good friends of chaletites: they provide invaluable help, and are our point of contact in case of unforeseen difficulty or emergency. 2 WHAT TO BRING 2.1 Medication and Insurance If you need medication for, e.g., asthma, insect stings, allergies, or any prescription medicines, you MUST bring adequate supplies for the duration of your stay at the chalet. Getting medical help to the chalet in an emergency can be a very expensive and arduous business. The chalet’s medicine chest contains the usual first-aid items; should you need any of these, ask the trustee on your party. You MUST take out travel insurance: ensure that you are covered for all activities you wish to undertake. You MUST also take out health insurance if you haven’t already got a policy which will provide adequate cover in France. Citizens of EU member states will need a European Health Insurance Card, which entitles you to treatment on the French health service. This replaces the E.111 form, which is now no longer valid. Information, and the card itself, can be obtained via http://www.ehic.org.uk. 2.2 Clothing You need to come prepared for a very wide range of temperatures and weather conditions. In the mountains, the sun is hot and intense when it is out and you will need to protect yourself. Rain and occasionally snow are not unknown, and it is cold at high altitude, especially at night. Walkers should be prepared for sudden changes in the weather and equip themselves accordingly before setting out. You should bring the following: Comfortable clothing for walking, plus things to change into afterwards (including some things you don’t mind getting dirty: most people do a certain amount of simple laundry), including: Warm sweater and/or fleece Sweatshirts and t-shirts: several thin layers are warmer than one thick one – but you may find you want both on occasion. NB Avoid jeans for walking in: if they get wet, they take ages to dry out and can rub painfully. An old pair of corduroy trousers or a pair of shorts is much better. Waterproof top and overtrousers 2 Walking boots or sturdy shoes with good ankle support (if you’re buying these for the first time, be guided by a good outdoor clothing dealer and walk them in before hand) Walking socks (preferably seamless) Sun cream Sun hat Sunglasses Soft shoes (for use inside the chalet) Sleeping bag (and pillowcase, if desired) – the chalet does not provide these! Towel Torch (headlamp) and spare batteries Small rucksack (for walks) Water bottle (an old Evian bottle or whatever is absolutely fine, but you should have water with you when out walking) Swimming costume/trunks (if you fancy swimming in glacial lakes) Camera (optional) Walkmans, i-pods, radios etc. should be used with headphones only. 2.3 Luggage Bring a rucksack. The paths leading to the chalet are stony and are steep in places. Any suitcase with wheels will no longer have these by the time you get to the chalet, and carrying a suitcase will be no fun at all. 3 COSTS AND MONEY The total cost of meals and accommodation is around £50, plus whatever you spend on cable-car fares (NB: These can be up to c. €12.00 each), drinks and any odds and ends you want to buy. We will also charge for the final dinner. So chaletites can expect to pay to their bursar before they attend about €80-90, which will cover all basic living costs, an extraordinarily cheap way of seeing the Alps for over a week! But drinks etc. on the mountainside can be expensive, so chaletites should also bring what cash they require; there are banks and cash machines in St Gervais and Les Houches. See below for information on rail and air fares. 4 DAILY ROUTINE AND ACTIVITIES Different colleges establish different routines for their parties, but New College parties tend to spend the day something like this: At about 8.30 am jugs of hot water for washing are delivered to the bedrooms by a pair of chaletites according to a rota; they also prepare a simple breakfast for the party. Nobody is obliged to cater for anybody else appearing after nine o’clock. Very occasionally, energetic members of the party may get up early and go down to St- Gervais for croissants. After breakfast, everyone lends a hand in doing small jobs in and around the house (collecting candles, empty mugs and glasses, dealing with rubbish, seeing to the stove if necessary, sweeping out the dining room and salon (sitting-room), chopping wood etc.). The two cooks on duty that day go shopping for that evening’s dinner, if they have not done so the day before – we try to shop every other day.