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The My Tracks data (when I managed to turn GPS on on the phone!) can be found here.
Pictures here are licensed under a Creative Commons non-commercial attribution license. 
Day 37: Back to Bristol

After spending the night just south of Troyes, I left at about 8am just as rain started, with the sun rising over Champagne and the multitude of wind-turbines. It was rainy more or less to Reims, then clear. Through the tunnel and back to Bristol, getting back about 4:25pm.
Total distance from La Rosiere ~885 miles. Total distance for the whole holiday ~1850 miles.
Posted by James Cownie at 11:17 No comments: 

Day 36: La Rosiere, La Thuile

My last day skiing. Caroline was too tired to ski today, so Jo used "her" pass to come up on the Roches Noirs Express with her raquettes to walk up to the fort. The link to Italy was closed, so we skied down to the Landeliers lift (which had been closed all week). Alison had a good wipeot on the black run, which seemed to be carnage, with a falling boarder and another sliding skier. By the time we were at the top of Landeliers, Jo had snow-shoed up there.
We went down and up to the Fort, by which time she was there too.
Luckilyby this time the liaison with Italy was open; it wasn't quite clear why it had been closed, though they sent  a piste-basher down the run from the fort towards Italy. I want a piste basher all the time; skiing 100m behind it was great.
We only took one drag, and then skied some runs in the pass. The snow was amazingly good, given that it hasn't snowed for a month. We then went down the road for lunch at Lo Riondet, definitely the place to go if you like polenta, though we managed to avoid it and had good meals none the less.
After lunch skied around a bit, then down to La Cremerie for cafe affogato.
Back through the pass with a (more or less) last look at Mont Blanc which I'll let you imagine.
A good day's skiing under slight high cloud to finish up with. I'll do some stats and a summary post once I'm home. (I'm posting this a day late from Le Val Moret, just south of Troyes, after an un-eventful drive from La Rosiere, listening to solid In Our Times).
Posted by James Cownie at 17:07 No comments: 

Day 35: La Rosiere, La Thuile

Some high cloud today, so slightly cooler, though still pretty hot for February. Up and over to La Thuile for coffee. Jo was off with Alpes-Rando again today, back in Ste Foy and then up to Le Monal, so a completely different walk from Ste Foy from yesterday.
Lunch in Maison Carrel, which had an excellent Linguine with Ceps.
Caroline had a fall (and slide) on the first real run after lunch and tweaked her knee, so she waited for us while we did a run back into La Thuile and came back up on the chair lift. Then we set off back to La Rosiere, losing Jennifer and Ashley in the pass since they wanted to do a few more runs.
Alison and I left Caroline at the top of the fort to come down Choucas ("Just don't take any left turns"), and we skied down to the fort lift in slush. The snow in Italy is still amazingly good, but in France it's slush after 11am.
Last day skiing tomorrow.
Posted by James Cownie at 18:12 No comments: 

Day 34: La Rosiere, La Thuile

Up early despite it being chalet hosts' day off (so self-service breakfast) since Jo needed to be at Skimium at  9:15ish ready for a 9:30 dpearture to Ste Foy for a whole day's snow-shoeing. Caroline was feeling well enough to ski today, so shoe, Alison and I set off.
Caroline gradually found her skiing legs, so we set off for Italy, with Jennifer and Ashley catching us up at the top of the Fort.
Down to La Cremerie for coffee, arriving at noon. Caroline had problems with her goggles, so was skiing with mine. We tried to get some in Berthod Sport, but since it was 12:27 and they close at 12:30 it was already shut.
We met up again for lunch at Le Rascard at 1:45. They recognised us (It is the third day we've been there), and were friendly as ever.
After lunch we skied back.
Jo had a good day in Ste Foy with Alpes Rando.
Nearly time to set off to Le Genepi for our meal.
Posted by James Cownie at 17:42 No comments: 

Day 33: La Rosiere, La Thuile

Caroline still wasn't up to skiing today, though she was up and about with Jo this morning, finally deciding not t ski at about 11, when she called us (we were in the coffee shop in La Thuile by then) to let us know.
Lunch in Le Rascard, who did indeed have pizzas today. On the way down to Le Rascard by the Women's downhill, we met Clare, who was over from Ste Foy guiding her guests from there.
After lunch we skied a few more runs, then stopped for a coffee/ice-cream break before setting off for home.

Jo went out with Alpes-Rando again this afternoon, up on the mountains above Lac du Chevril. Through the telescope they saw chamois and an ibex. (Photo to follow...)

With any luck Caroline will be up to skiing tomorrow.
Posted by James Cownie at 17:53 No comments: 

Day 32: La Rosiere, La Thuile

Caroline was still ill today, so Alison, Ashley, Jennifer and I set off for Italy under blazing sun. We did the run down from the top of the second drag lift into La Thuile without stopping. Then into the coffee shop for coffee. Up the short chair lift and down the black, then up all the chairs to the top of the Ladies Downhill. Down that and to Le Rascard for lunch, but, no pizzas today (the only guy who knows how to make them was off sick). The patron promises they'll be on the menu tomorrow. Mike came in and left again when he heard there were no pizzas.
After lunch we did a few runs, then got stuck on a lift for 15 minutes. We were forced to sample Ashley's "Gin and Tonic" chocolate. Since we had lost time and people were feeling tired, we decided to head back, so we took the Chaz Dura Express. Unfortunately Alison wasn't paying attention to the signs at the half way point that tell you to "Keep your poles up", so ended up with two 30cm long poles!

Back to La Rosiere, where we happened to meet Jo outside the bank, with a new set of Inook Odalys snow shoes. Unfortunately her trip out with Evo-2 was cancelled, but she did some walking on her own, and has booked a number of other outings which do seem to have a quorum already.
Posted by James Cownie at 19:10 No comments: 

Day 31:La Rosiere and the pass

A relaxed day skiing with Ashley, Jennifer and Alison around La Rosiere, and then after lunch in the pass. Caroline wasn't feeling well, so spent the day in the chalet. We had lunch with Jo at the bar in the Petit Saint Bernard, and the proprietor seemed to recognise us, and left three "demis de pression" off the bill. He's clearly expecting us back all week. (Or, Jo at least, for her salade de noix au roquefort, which she had every day last year). It was very hot, and therefore starting to be slushy (note the temperature on the board at left, at the "front de neige" in La Rosiere after lunch). We therefore decided to see how the snow is holding out in the pass, where it's normally colder than in La Rosiere. Indeed this turned out to be the case, the snow in the pass was fine.

Jo arrived at Skimium at 1:25 to check the prices of snow-shoes, and found them about to set off on a walk with only one person, so she decided to join that.

Caroline seems somewhat better this evening. With any luck she'll be skiing tomorrow.
Posted by James Cownie at 17:12 No comments: 

Day 30: Ste Foy and on to La Rosiere

A relaxed day skiing in Ste Foy, which is rather like Heavenly, in that there are a lot of runs through trees, and a big bowl higher up, though of course Ste Foy has fewer runs. I can see why Ste Foy is attractive to off-piste keenies, since there is a huge off-piste potential.
I fell on a blue run for some obscure reason, and slightly cricked my left knee, but I was able to ski OK afterwards (after a coffee and tarte tatin) in the company of the wonderful marmotte below.

I packed up about 3:30 and drove over to La Rosiere (via some small roads almost through Montvalezan, rather than all the way down to Seez and back up). Collected the lift passes from the ski office and had time for a bath before the others arrived.

Now installed in Chantelauze for the week.
Posted by James Cownie at 18:16 No comments: 

Random thoughts on snowboarders, Tignes now and then...

The Insanity of Snowboarders
As all skiers know, snowboarders are mad. However some aspects of their insanity are more annoying than  others. Their suicide wish, manifested by stopping in the centre of the piste, just on the blind side of a ridge, and then lying down, to guarantee that they can't be seen, and that they make a perfect target for any skier (or even other boarder) going fast is probably the worst symptom. The general idea that you lie down as soon as you stop could just be youthful laziness (they'd rather be in bed than on the piste). The baggy clothes, and trousers at half-mast may also just be properties of youth. However you'd think that even a boarder would work out that you're more likely to be hit if you try to make yourself invisible!
Oh well, they'll probably grow up and learn how to ski.

Changes in Tignes
I was last in Tignes in the mid-eighties. It is interesting to look at what has changed in nearly thirty years, and what hasn't.

Things that have changed:

Things that haven't changed:
Posted by James Cownie at 21:05 No comments: 
Day 29: All over Espace Killy

A short post today, because it was a long day, and the rugby is calling.
We went out with Ben and skied all over: La Grande Motte, la Daille, Val d'Isere,  le Fornet, so covered top, bottom and both sides of the piste map. (Unfortunately upload to Google Maps still seems to be broken, so you can't see the map, just the statistics). The first longer than 100km day (without including the Funival teleportation). Bringing the total for the week to 458km, and top speed 99km/h (at the bottom of Trolles into le Lac). It was a hot day (+1 at 3000m), and more of the same is forecast all next week.

I am looking forward to seeing the family in La Rosiere tomorrow evening.
Posted by James Cownie at 17:00 1 comment: 

Day 28: Tignes, La Daille

Last night I ended up eating in La Sachette, where I had a "small" Tarte au Beaufort (which was huge), and a mousse au chocolat.
A good meal composed of a starter and desert.

Today was Ben's half day, so we skied with him until lunch. Including coming down one of the "Nature Ride" runs, Golf, which are black unpisted runs. This one brought us down onto the road between le Lac and Val Claret at a bus stop.

After lunch I went up the Motte with Steph, as Greg is still nursing his leg. (Since the doctor said "You can't ski on that leg for at least six months" he's keen to get out skiing on the other leg. "The doctor didn't say anything about that.")

It was windy at the top of the Motte, enough to persuade people they didn't want to go up there, so we got onto the first cable car, but not so bad the cable car was closed. We did top to bottom in about 9m10s, well inside the "Ben Ten", and without racing.
Down to the market to get some Beaufort Ete for lunch on Sunday. The stall keeper explained that the cheese is really too cold to taste when you're outside, but that it is the good stuff.

Last day in Tignes tomorrow. Ben is intending to take us over to Le Fornet, above Val d'Isere up on the Col d'Iseran. 

Day 27: Tignes, Val d'Isere

Ben's day off (though he was serving breakfast as a punishment for a misdemeanour earlier in the week). So, there is no ski-guiding today. Most people made a slightly later start, I decided to ski on my own, since I'll be skiing with everyone next week. So, up and down around Tignes, then up on the Grande Motte under skies with a slight high haze. Down from the top of the Motte to the Val Claret in under ten minutes. Ben timed us yesterday, he did it in 6mins and a bit, I was 10m10s, though in neither case was I racing, just coming down at a natural pace and avoiding the traffic.
Over to La Daille to look for lunch, which I didn't find there, so up the "Funival" (which is guaranteed teleportation for GPS since it runs in a tunnel) and down to Val, where I managed to find a French hotel with a "menu du jour" for 18Euro (salade verte, cabillaud with polenta and carrots, the usual desert selection from which I chose the creme caramel, and very good it was too.) After lunch up onto Solaise, and then back to Tignes. I'm not convinced by a lot of polenta for lunch, even though I left some!
Down to Tignes le Lac and then up and once around Aiguille Percee, where the run was very polished and developing lumps.
Back towards Les Brevieres, with a detour onto the "Silene" black run, which was horrible (narrow with big icy moguls with cliffs on the back). After getting down half of it I realised that I could traverse right and find the red run.
Finally back down to Brevieres over the ice at the bottom.
Probably out for a light dinner later with some of the others, though lunch was large!
There seems to be some current problem uploading My Tracks data to Google Maps. Maybe it's time to reboot the phone.

Looking forward to seeing the family on Sunday on La Rosiere. I hope everyone is fit, since I just ordered five lift passes.

No snow is forecast, with sun or high cloud (and high temperatures). Maybe the snow in Italy will be better.
Posted by James Cownie at 18:04 2 comments: 

Day 26: Tignes, Val d'Isere

Out again with Ben today under cloudless skies. Over to Val d'Isere and up to Solaise (which now has a fast chairlift as well as the slow cable-car I remember).
Down some runs I hadn't ever reached before at the back and beyond Solaise, then back to Val, up to Bellevarde and down for lunch near the Marmottes lift.

After lunch Greg fell (despite his expensive new Surefoot boots), maybe it was the moguls he wanted to try. He was able to ski down to the top of the Daille bubble and take that down to La Daille. We went down "OK", which used to be the downhill course, and then back up and over to go up onto the Grande Motte again.
The view from up here is great, including Mont Blanc, and most of La Rosiere.
Finally back home, though the run into Les Brevieres is now extremely icy. The snow elsewhere remains surprisingly good, though the forecast is resolutely set on sun.

Posted by James Cownie at 18:10 1 comment: 

Day 25: Tignes, Val d'Isere

Out with Ben and a group again. A nine a.m. start at the lift (250m walk in ski-boots away) is hard work.
However we did stop for a coffee today at the restaurant at the top of the funicular up the Grande Motte, which gave me flashbacks, since it's identical (give or take some snowboards on the walls) to how it was in the eighties. Back then, of course, it was at the top of the bubble lift, but there's now a funicular inside the mountain, though we took a chair lift since it was sunny all day and the funicular is (apparently) slow.

After a non-stop run down from the top of the Grande Motte cable car to Val Claret (which seemed about 6km long, from My Tracks) up and down to lunch (also in Val Claret).

After lunch over to Val d'Isere, then back to Tignes Le Lac and up and down a few more runs before heading home from the Aiguille Percee down to Brevieres. The run back seemed slightly less icy at the bottom than yesterday.

A long day, 7h37 minutes, with 5h39 moving, but a good one.

Posted by James Cownie at 18:13 No comments: James Cownie
