Will the Easter Bunny find your chalet and other questions?
Are you worried that the Easter Bunny won’t be able to find your chalet in the Alps? Should you take your own eggs? Do the Austrians celebrate Easter? Do eggs take longer to boil at altitude? Who the hell is the Poisson d’Avril? If so then this is our one stop guide to Easter in the alps.
Will the Easter Bunny be able to find my chalet? Yes. The Easter Bunny (EB) has a network of tunnels that stretch across the alpine area; this enables swift and efficient delivery of eggs. As part of the preparation work, EB contacts all holiday companies to find out where everyone will be for Easter day. EB also issues detailed instructions for high risk areas, such as the Alps. Instructions are given to each chalet host on how to maintain the tunnel network, in preparation for EB’s arrival. Despite the warm temperatures expected in spring time the EB likes to be ready for any eventuality. Should it snow then each resort has piste bashers on standby to help EB out.
Hopefully the attention span of any child reading this will have expired by now. Leaving them happy that the Easter Bunny will locate them on holiday. So the real information can now be passed on.
Taking your own eggs? Chocolate Easter eggs are available in resort supermarkets, but like many things in the mountains, the altitude puts the price up. Unless your child refuses to eat baggage handled, damaged ovoids then taking one with you may be a good option. Also you won’t have the worry that the in-resort shop might run out.
Easter themed activities. Most resorts will put on an Easter egg hunt for children to take part in, just check with your rep or on the resort website. If you are staying with a child friendly ski company they will probably put on all sorts of Easter themed fun and games. However, if you have gone for a standard option you may need to provide your own parlour games and eggs.
Egg painting. If you plan to paint eggs and consider hard boiling best practice, then you need to know this information. Water boils at a lower temperature at altitude. This means, when staying in a high ski resort you will need to cook your eggs for longer. Over 1800m is about double the normal time.
How do others celebrate Easter in the Alps? Well pretty much the same as we do, devouring chocolate that is in the shape of a variety of new or unborn animals, as a mark of respect to the fertility gods. In Austria they play a game called Egg-Knocking where opponents knock each other’s egg, the first to crack is the loser. In France they have the addition of chocolate fish or the Poission d’Avril . This comes from the tradition on 1st of April, where children stick paper fish on the back of people for fun. In Switzerland the Easter Bunny is out and in an ironic twist the cuckoo is tasked with job of delivering eggs. If you find yourself in Italy for Easter then do remember it is a Christian festival.
What will the Weather be like at Easter? Spring skiing is much warmer, the snow softer and the mountains quieter. Naturally as it is close to the end of the season there is less snow and the freezing levels start to recede up the mountain. Snow can still fall at this time of the year but it is the sun that is the main attraction. That and the water slides that spring up like this one in Les Arcs.
If you have any more questions about Easter in the Alps then get in touch with us through facebook or Twitter.
