Rémi is a great enthusiast: passionate about the mountains first, where he decided to build his life there. Passionate about skiing, then, he gives without counting for the smooth running of the ski resort in his village. Passionate about Le Reposoir, finally, where he likes to share good times with his friends, family and new encounters. Discover a life at a mile an hour, always in a good mood!
Rémi, the repojerand Swiss army knife…
“My name is Rémi Zanin, I’m 35 years old, I’m a ski instructor in the winter and I work at the Carmel du Reposoir in the summer. I’m about to start my fourth season at the Carmel; it’s a job that kind of fell into my lap by chance because I’d been working in carpentry for about ten years and then I had the opportunity to replace a colleague who was retiring.”
A work environment like no other.
“At the Carmel, I’m a bit of a jack-of-all-trades, maintaining both the exterior and interior. It’s enjoyable because it’s so varied and the days fly by. Even though I’m not skilled in everything, I try to get help from colleagues or acquaintances, or I call in other tradespeople, but we always try to solve any problems. I love the mountains; I’m from the valley, I always wanted to live there, and now I’m really lucky to be able to work there year-round. When I arrive at 7 a.m., I’m all alone; it’s peaceful, a pleasant feeling because there’s no noise, it’s magnificent. The Carmel is a special place; it’s a building that’s almost 1000 years old, after all. I’m fortunate to be able to work there and go into places where no one ever goes.” There's a slightly secretive aspect to it, and the person I replaced didn't say much about what went on inside either; it's part of the charm of the place.
United and solitary…but not only!
“I’m baptized, I’ve received my First Communion, but I don’t go to Mass every Sunday. At first, it felt a little strange because it’s not something I’m used to. The sisters are smiling, caring, and very cultured. They’re open-minded; they have a television, they watch the news a little, they read newspapers—they read a lot—and they’re very interested in the people in the village. They often ask about births, how people are doing, which I think is nice. I don’t often get the chance to work with them because they have other things to do, but sometimes I go and help them in the garden, and it’s pleasant. They teach me things, and I lend a hand. Otherwise, most of the time I’m on my own.”
Committed…in all modesty!
“My role as an elected official… I was primarily elected because of my winter job as a ski instructor. Two terms ago, I was asked to be elected in Le Reposoir and to be part of the ski committee. I want to take care of this village, and I enjoy being able to lend a hand at the municipal level. I try to contribute the skills I have and give a little bit of myself, for the pleasure of it.”
There are ups and downs, not everything goes as planned, it's still a small ski resort, we sometimes have problems with snow cover, there are always things to fix, but in the end we always manage and I'm quite proud of what we've managed to achieve for a small resort like ours. Being elected is also interesting in many other ways; it allows us to get to know the village even better. There are quite a few things I didn't know, and it's true that it's not easy to manage. I'm not the one who runs the village, but it's interesting to take a closer look.
Never tired...
“I’m also a volunteer at the sports club and have been on the hunting committee for three years. I’m not originally from the village, but I like it, and since I plan to spend a good part of my life here, I want to get involved, for my children and other people’s children. Getting involved also means meeting people you don’t usually see and having a good time.”
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