With love from Val d’Isère (1991)

with-love-from-val-disere

Dear Hilary & Simon, sorry you are not here, skiing and resort are absolutely 1st class, Only bad part so far was a 9 hour coach transfer. chalet idea is really good, food excellent. Andy & Kevin both wish you could have made it, but who knows, next year? Hope things are under control with you. Take care, love John.

Another card from Val d’Isère and John, together with Kevin and Andy, is obviously enjoying the resort.  The text here indicates that we should have been with them on the trip.

The card is postmarked 1991 and carries the 1989 Marianne de Briat definitive stamp.

John is my brother; we learnt to ski as children in the 1970’s with our forward thinking parents, who took us on several package trips to Austria, when ‘winter sports’ holidays were something of a novelty.  Simon and I were due to be on this trip to Val d’Isère, but the UK was in the midst of a recession at the time and our bank manager, more or less, forbade us to go.  We should have ignored him and gone anyway; the end result was the same! 

with love from Val d’Isère, France (1986)

With love from Val d'Isere

Dear Simon & Hiliary, Having a wonderful holiday & I’m just about managing to stay on my feet and ski. Weather apart from today has been glorious hot sunshine. Many thanks for the invitation see you end of April. Peter

This card is not actually addressed to me; however as I am included in the text (albeit incorrectly spelt) it has remained in my collection. The invitation mentioned refers to our wedding – 30 years ago 🙂

Post marked ’73 Val d’Isère Savoie 15H 15 21-3-1986′ and ‘Val d’Isère HIVER-ETE Ski, tennis, montagne, loisirs et detente’ promoting the leisure and relaxation that can be enjoyed in the area during winter and summer.

Val d’Isère is one of the most popular ski resorts in the French Alps and Peter’s upbeat status suggests that he certainly enjoyed his visit!

Peter and Simon became friends as graduate trainees working for the same firm. They subsequently lived in the same shared house. I spent quite a lot of time at the house as I was going out with Simon, and so I got to know Peter too. We are still in touch with Peter – he called me back in November for a catch up and we’ll all be getting together again soon 🙂