You have heard some bad news during your stays in Val Thorens, and you are impatiently awaiting the dahu hunting trip that the local local has promised you... To help you find your way, here is a short, non-exhaustive glossary of friendly expressions from the country.
La Peuf
Yes, this name designating the powder snow that all freeriders impatiently await comes of course from Savoie! Originally, pouf refers to dust. What poets are these Savoyards, who ski on “snow dust”…
The chamois make the soup
No matter how much you search in the mountains, if one of our trackers tells you that today, the chamois are making soup, there is little chance that you will come across goats around a bubbling pot. When the “cousse” (a very strong and icy wind) rises, and lifts the snow up vertically along the walls, it almost seems to us that the summits are smoking... and that the chamois, perched in the mountains, are preparing a good steaming soup!
Le Dahu
Legendary wild animal of our mountains, the dahu looks a lot like its cousin the chamois: dark coat, sparkling eyes and black, curved horns... unlike the legs, since those on the same side are shorter than the other two! It is therefore particularly comfortable for moving on the mountainside, always in the same direction, since it perfectly matches the inclination of the slope.
Were you invited to a dahu hunting trip? Mountaineer tip: the dahu is very discreet, you almost never come across it. To chase it away, you have to surprise it with the sound of bells. If he turns around, his shorter legs end up on the slope, and he falls!
And above all, if you see one, come and tell us this story at the Maison de Val Thorens, we can't wait to hear it! 😉
A virolet
Refers to a small, sharp turn in the mountains. Moreover, to allow you to approach the little virolets of Val Thorens in capricious weather, we have concocted for you a list of tips right here !
Tartifle
Main ingredient of a legendary Savoyard dish, just after Reblochon.. I am, I am..? Potato ! Now you know where the name of the delicious tartiflette comes from!
Reblock
This verb means “to milk a second time”. Indeed, reblochon (a cheese used in particular for tartiflette), was traditionally made from the second milking of milk by the farmer. Although there are many recipes, the best way to enjoy it is simply to accompany a nice slice of Reblochon cheese with a piece of bread and a thin slice of country ham (Savoyard word)!
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