Between Adulthood and Adolescence
Between Adulthood and Adolescence
Micro-Adventure: Growing Up in the Écrins Region
I’m a teenager “just like any other”—I’m 16, I’m in high school, and I have lots of friends… But most of all, I’ve been living in the Pays des Écrins for 16 years!
Growing up in this valley isn’t like any other adolescence—the mountains aren’t just a postcard backdrop you give to Grandma when you come back from a four-day ski trip.
They’re part of our daily lives, our identity, and even the way we see the world.
A simple dilemma: choosing a different way of life
Life isn’t always easy—everyone knows everyone else—and we often dream of other places, of something new. But at the same time, the Pays des Écrins fills us with patience, calm, warmth, and, of course, happiness!
If someone offered me the chance to move today—to a big city, for example—well, I’d turn it down, despite the temptation to explore something bigger, to experience change, and to embark on an adventure. I’d refuse because the sense of lightness, freedom, and fulfillment we feel here is irreplaceable… The purity of this place keeps me here.
A simple dilemma: choosing a different way of life
Life isn’t always easy—everyone knows everyone else—and we often dream of other places, of something new. But at the same time, the Pays des Écrins fills us with patience, calm, warmth, and, of course, happiness!
If someone offered me the chance to move today—to a big city, for example—well, I’d turn it down, despite the temptation to explore something bigger, to experience change, and to embark on an adventure. I’d refuse because the sense of lightness, freedom, and fulfillment we feel here is irreplaceable… The purity of this place keeps me here.
Learning to see things differently and realizing how lucky we are
Growing up in the Pays des Écrins means living to the rhythm of the tourist seasons, watching visitors arrive in awe of what seems normal to us, and gradually realizing just how lucky we are.
It also means learning to love the silence, the wide-open spaces, the solitude at times, and that sense of freedom you can’t find anywhere else.
Childhood memoriesthat we cherish throughout our lives
When I was little, my grandparents used to take my brother, my sister, and me skiing. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the slopes, and when it was time for a snack, we’d head back inside to the warmth by the fireplace to eat waffles that my grandmother had just made. And of course, with the view of the snow-capped mountains through the window, the magic in our children’s eyes was more than evident!
My grandfather often takes us camping deep in the forest. Barbecues, games, marshmallows over the fire—with the scent of pine lingering in the air—all while surrounded by my loved ones. In short, these memories are forever etched in my mind.
Outings with friends in the mountains that guarantee belly-aching laughter, camping trips by the lakes, ski days planned the night before because it had just snowed, and family hikes followed by a delicious fondue at the end.
“All of this has helped me understand the wisdom, purity, and beauty of the Pays des Ecrins. “