When one mentions the word chalet, often images of skiing in the Swiss Alps come to mind, but one does not have to go to Switzerland or be a pro-skier to experience a chalet vacation!
Traveling to any ski resort, whether in the USA, Canada, or Europe, chalets can provide an excellent opportunity to relax, have a mug of hot chocolate by the fireplace, and unwind in the isolation of snowy mountains surrounded by loved ones or strangers about to become new friends.
The dictionary defines a chalet as a wooden home with a sloped roof and overhanging eaves, common in Switzerland and other areas in the Alps, but these days it's not restricted to Switzerland at all. Most cottage or lodges built to resemble chalets in the Alps are called chalets. In some parts of Quebec, any vacation home built near a ski hill is called a chalet, whether or not its built in the traditional style.
Chalets were originally used by dairy farmers in Europe during the summer months. To prevent the milk from spoiling during transport, they would stay in the chalets and make milk or cheese. In the early years of the 20th century the idea came about to use these chalets as a holiday, an extension of the country house weekend. In the early sixties, chalets were accommodations that one would share with eight or ten guests to share. Sharing the one chalet also meant sharing one hot water tank so guests would race to be the first people back inside after the lifts stopped.
Those that came after the first one back were rewarded with afternoon tea as a consolation prize. The warm tea became a staple of chalet-living and continues to this day with either tea, hot cocoa or good quality wine.
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