Between Seasons

Spring in Saint-Gervais always gives the impression that things have calmed down a bit.

They haven't.

The skis may have disappeared, the guests may have gone home, and the village may feel that little bit quieter, but for us this is the point where we stop sprinting and start sorting. Which, in many ways, is just as full on. Only with less snow, less ice and a slightly better chance of seeing daylight while working.

After the madness of the winter peak weeks, this is the season where we take stock properly. What worked well, what needs tightening up, what can be made smoother, quicker and more reliable next time round. Every busy season teaches you something, usually several things at once, and often at the exact moment you were hoping for an easier day.

As a team, we do not stand still for long. We learn, we adjust and we put changes in place. Some are small changes behind the scenes, the kind nobody notices but everybody benefits from. Others are much bigger and are all about improving the way we work for owners, guests and the team on the ground.

One of the biggest things happening for us right now is the rollout of our new website and client portal for our Saint-Gervais property owners. So far, so good — it is doing what it needs to do, which is always a relief when you are introducing new systems into an already busy business. There are constant tweaks and improvements still being made, and that is very much part of the process.

At the same time, the day-to-day work carries on as normal. Deep cleans, property checks, linen organisation, maintenance follow-up, owner support, booking prep, and all the million-and-one jobs that sit quietly in the background but are the reason everything works when the next guests arrive. Joe had back-to-back property handovers across three days last week and barely stopped moving. That is what this work actually looks like. Spring is when we reset, reorganise and get ahead where we can, before summer starts tapping us on the shoulder pretending it is still miles away.

The team, it is fair to say, are not too upset to be working in better temperatures. Everything feels slightly more manageable when you are not defrosting yourself between jobs. Morale improves quickly when the sun appears and you can load a car without losing feeling in your hands. That said, nobody is sat around doing nothing. The jobs are still there. The standards are still there. The expectation is still there. It is just a little easier to deal with all of it when spring finally arrives in the Alps.

So yes, the resort may feel quieter for a moment, but behind the scenes we are very much still at it. Reviewing, improving, adjusting and getting everything in shape for what comes next.

Because in this business, one season barely finishes before the next one starts introducing itself.