Some X-mas trees in Courchevel are apparently coming from Hell, and that’s quite understandable, for the Demon of Glamour and his cousin, the Demon of Consumerism rule this village in winter, especially during the so called “Russian week” (the first week of January). At this time, the village is flooded by Russian and Ukrainian oligarchs and corrupt government officials with their wives, lovers, prostitutes, and bodyguards. A few years back, the Russian president firmly advised his minions to spend their winter holidays elsewhere, but they still come en masse, in force, and in the state of constant drunkenness. Hell can seem an attractive place if you are possessed by demons.
Speaking about Hell, here’s the racist remark issue I’d like to hear your opinion on.
Today, my son complained he’d gotten furious on a chair lift, when a Russian lady was complaining to her daughter about James, my son’s snowboarding instructor.They just happened to sit through the lift on the same chair. The lady said she was feeling uncomfortable around negroes, because they seemed dirty to her, among a few other comments about James’ black skin. I think I would have translated her words to James, and then called the police. If that Russian lady got her visa cancelled that would be the least punishment she could hope for. I believe racist remarks of this sort are a criminal offence in France, aren’t they? What would you do, if you happen to know two languages and happen to be on a chair lift with a racist doing these remarks in his or her native language, expecting no one to understand what he or she was saying? You have to take into account that the lady was with her husband, a burly man, probably a corrupt KGB officer or similar.
Fortunately, not all Russians are corrupt officials or thieves on a grand scale, and there are still a few places in and around Courchevel that can be enjoyed in unglamorous way. Besides, I have friends there, true friends who can be called in the middle of the night. I can stand glamour, if I am friends with these guys.
Good friends are like this inviting warm glow of lights:
And, of course, the mountains.
P.S. Courchevel 1850 is a ski resort in the French Alps, a part of the Three Valleys skiing area, the largest in Europe.
Standing Ovation, Seated 
Nothing. Racism is like Art – you can’t expect everyone to value the beauty of the human form.
I wouldn’t say a word to the instructor, no need to upset people with disgusting comments they were not meant to understand. I would bitch back in Russian though – a KGB is non-existent and FSB officials & their wives know better than to bitch in public places… they aren’t a talkative kind anyway. 🙂
Oh, they can be talkative and agressive, believe me. They feel very empowered nowadays. Unless their visa is threatened, of course )
Lol, i’ll have to believe you on that one! 😉 Truth to be told, i get irked when Russians an general get bashed, i live there (in Academia though ) and my peeps are the cultured, refined type, psychos like you describe i met once in life – and also abroad, not in Russia.
Psychos, like academicians, get clustered in certain places. They rarely interact ) And, as I am a Russian, I don’t like generalisations about Russians either. The problem is that I’ve got to learn more than the average person about Russian values, history and the relationship between the two. And it is not a happy story )
Vive le differance. Feel free to say anything you like about white middle aged Scottish women, just watch out for flying tartan handbags. Of course racial, colour, ageist, sexist remarks are stupid and can be dangerous but we all have to live the difference and show by example that whatever our external appearance we are all simply people and it may take some people a few lives to work that out.
Oh, there’s a wonderful story about a white middle-age Scottish ski instructor and his quest to marry the divorced second wife of a Russian oligarch I have to tell one day! ))
Now you see this is exactly what I mean. There are no laws to protect Scotsmen from themselves and nor should there be.
Btw the 2nd picture is sooo cute)
Thank you, it welcomes me home each night )
As for me I would not translate this to the guy, better for him not to hear and for my lips not to repeat. Good idea to inform police or rather some service staff. Would also probably make a remark for her, saying smth like “he doesn’t understand, but I do and other normal Russians do so would you please keep it for your family only”. But honestly if she were normal she would never say anything like this, given she is not, she wouldn’t understand such comment. For me better to avoid such places where I can be sure to meet people of this kind.
Some people can’t be avoided ) thank you for your suggestion, it is, I think, very right.
Either I was not attentive enough when reading for the 1st time or u have added some phrases that explain a lot, about friends)
I thought there was a link missing. So, yes, your attention to detail is top notch ))