Au diable Vert 2015

Before France and Belgium there were three magnificent days in the eastern townships au 'Diable Vert'. Beautiful winter days, lots of fresh snow. Cold but not too cold to keep us from enjoying the outdoors. Hard to imagine a nicer family time. It was hard also to tear ourselves away to get mummy back to Montreal and her plane for Paris!

Two explorers with map in hand.

This was our home for three nights - the Eagel's Nest. This is a tiny refuge perched up in a tree. Very basic but nice and snuggy warm (too warm in fact for the girls who had their bed up under the roof and who roasted when the fier was on which it needed to be to keep us warm and make our meals.

Mummy off to get water.

Back up the hill with re-filled water tank and rented back-country skis for the girls.

Skying on the trails at Diable Vert is a challenge to say the least in classic skis as the trails are really for walkers and snoeshoers but the short back-country skies were ideal allowing for much more control on the ups and downs.

They call these skies seal skins. I don't think that it is made with real seal skins now but the idea is there - one slides with the grain of the fur on the way down and that same grain prevents one from slipping backward while going up. A great invention.

Our little stove

'Tire d'érable' - a bit of a cheat as the maple water is no where near running yet but we discovered that last year's syrup works very well too for a yummy, sticky, sweet treat.