The Interseason

Chamonix, France

By Julia Revitt Photography

May 30^th, 2017

When the seasons collide

Interseason is that time of year when the seasons collide. It could be 30 °C in the valley one day and snowing the next day. The glacier skiing can still be good and you can frequently find returning skiers and boarders mingling with flip flop wearing tourists. Skis and bikes wait in equal number outside restaurants while their owners munch down a burger or the obligatory spaghetti.

The interseason outfit on a bright sunny day, starts off as shorts, flip flops and a t-shirt. Then as you realise it's not quite as hot as you thought, you add a jumper and a woolly hat. Add to all this a nice sock tan and you've nailed it!

Bikes and skis at the same time outside Elevation 1904

Hot skiers after a morning on the glacier

Back from the Vallée Blanche, all kitted up, in 30 degree temperatures

Skiers clomping their way through Chamonix

Closed

Lots of businesses close for the interseason and their owners disappear off on their holidays. This is worse in smaller resorts where you can't even buy groceries for a couple of months. Chamonix suffers from this too but usually only with some of the smaller shops and cafes.

Empty

I love this time of year as there is hardly anyone around (compared to summer and winter volumes). I can wander happily for hours with my camera capturing the strange sights of this time of year. Resting seats from the télésiège, empty cafes and télécabine stations that are normally bustling in high season.

Brevent télécabine station taking a well earned break from the tourists

The end of winter

Discarded ski boots ready for the bin collection, closed ski lifts and forlorn snow ploughs wait for the next season. Ski boots are covered up for a few months in the rental shop. Christmas decorations stay in place, switched off, waiting. What a wonderful time of year.