tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91992410792973819172024-03-05T18:46:31.774+00:00Skiing JimJim Cowniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05641343927746539200noreply@blogger.comBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199241079297381917.post-75896140206206146102018-01-17T20:56:00.002+00:002018-01-17T20:56:49.341+00:00Tignes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I got up to Tignes on Saturday after a Crystal transfer down to Chambery airport and Altibus from there back to Tignes. Amazingly I had a two minute transfer in Bourg so got here 90 minutes before the schedule had promised.<br />
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Installed in Tignes Chalet Company's Chalet Les Martins, which has the best views of any chalet I have been to in Tignes (it helps that I'm in the top floor slice).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Admittedly zoomed, but the view of the Grande Motte from the dining room...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of snow in Tignes</td></tr>
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Decent weather on Sunday (did la Face down into Val, then back over here and down Sache to Les Brevs).<br />
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Weather not too bad on Monday, though closing in. All around in Tignes, up to the Aiguille Percée and down Sache again in the morning. With the flat light up with Snoworks to do the Tour du Charvet.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aiguille Percée</td></tr>
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On Tuesday the weather was unpleasant, so I did one run down Trolles and then gave up for the morning. Out with Snoworks in the afternoon where we did the Almes lift six times (exploring the powder), since it was almost the only lift open. When it closed, up to Val Claret, but Piste Henri (the one which used to be the punning "Piste H") was so unpleasant in strong wind and the real, biting, ice-crystal teeth of the storm that we packed up early.<br />
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No lifts at all open today, so Café Flo this morning for Nick's avalanche education films, then an hour or so digging out transceivers.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mont Blanc over La Rosiere</td></tr>
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Jim Cowniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05641343927746539200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199241079297381917.post-70045568798217088892018-01-17T16:30:00.000+00:002018-01-17T16:30:05.195+00:00Les Deux Alpes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I spent last week in Les 2Alpes with much of my family. We started the week on crusty snow which had been rained on, then frozen, but got a great last couple of days in sun on a small amount of new snow. Eleanor (aged 3) seemed to enjoy the Jardin des Enfants, and Max (aged 2) the snow clearing equipment ("Hello digger").<br />
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Skitracks didn't seem to like me, and managed to pause itself every day without me asking it to, so the numbers don't make much sense.<br />
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I stayed in the friendly Hotel de la Valentin, which was pleasant and not too English, despite being booked through Crystal!<br />
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Here are some photos of the sunny days.<br />
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Jim Cowniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05641343927746539200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199241079297381917.post-64554953265788985342017-01-16T23:17:00.000+00:002017-01-16T23:17:20.295+00:00Champagny en Vanoise<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View waiting for the Chunnel</td></tr>
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After leaving Bristol with snow on the ground, and driving to the Chunnel, I found snow there too.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4MW_hA369LoVknXj10Q8vToDlsjlQKuUYqtki2BSsyDXwnja4xHiVblZOoehOmQNkAZ_bu4eGwy6Hs7h8qXma8MZDQeMzATHI4MFrlVdPxanQtm2zl3mP-kgM6pFZe00CKOltfATqCok/s1600/IMG_20170113_210854.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4MW_hA369LoVknXj10Q8vToDlsjlQKuUYqtki2BSsyDXwnja4xHiVblZOoehOmQNkAZ_bu4eGwy6Hs7h8qXma8MZDQeMzATHI4MFrlVdPxanQtm2zl3mP-kgM6pFZe00CKOltfATqCok/s400/IMG_20170113_210854.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Reims Christmas Lights</td></tr>
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I drove on to Reims, where the Christmas lights are still up. I stayed in the Hotel Azur , as I usually do, then drove on down to Champagny.<div>
The weather on Saturday was fine right through to Moutiers, but a bit above Brides Les Bains it got very slippy. After diverting into Brides (and thinking of staying the night there), I grappled with the chains, and was then able to drive up to Champagny. (The first time I have successfully put the chains in when I needed them).</div>
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Excellent skiing both yesterday and today in Champagny and La Plagne, but cold. -17C and lower.</div>
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Stats (According to skitracks)</div>
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January 15: </div>
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Max speed 64.7kph</div>
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Ski Distance: 35.2 km</div>
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Ski Vertical: 5403m</div>
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Runs: 16</div>
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(This is definitely confused by taking the bubble back down to Champagny)</div>
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January 16:</div>
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Max speed: 70.1 kph</div>
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Ski Distance: 25.8 km</div>
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Ski Vertical : 3682m</div>
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Runs: 19</div>
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(This isn't; I started/ended skitracks at the top of the bubble).</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7S7CJbTCjk7aHrMeqO0xEZzlcTXm9IoZ-Hp2BewYQxI4dZmrmk5BQPIYHe2KgIBG6vd9GKX6n5D1lCK3sxMsq6hjefchO81CamnvKGcipKYOFQgAx4YWk_UOq3RGPzbUNP8kGq9PrV8A/s1600/IMG_0894-PANO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7S7CJbTCjk7aHrMeqO0xEZzlcTXm9IoZ-Hp2BewYQxI4dZmrmk5BQPIYHe2KgIBG6vd9GKX6n5D1lCK3sxMsq6hjefchO81CamnvKGcipKYOFQgAx4YWk_UOq3RGPzbUNP8kGq9PrV8A/s640/IMG_0894-PANO.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunny weather in La Plagne</td></tr>
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Jim Cowniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05641343927746539200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199241079297381917.post-37357838131561070362016-02-05T20:48:00.002+00:002016-02-05T20:48:25.454+00:00Friday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
After snow last night it cleared and there was sun all day. Here's le Mont Pourri from the bus stop this morning.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKG5hTMCohEX39WA2Wk28Qu6GKqModTgmKkWzgDf7iv2RMnLe0NMNMFB0go_aTmL6A0Q4rCRfIr83rvMbdJJn0wV6DYo7LMa_V7QXiYc_wQS-TuokVD_lvCupqeq4oehaHu8YJWWWOYCA/s1600/IMG_20160205_085716169.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKG5hTMCohEX39WA2Wk28Qu6GKqModTgmKkWzgDf7iv2RMnLe0NMNMFB0go_aTmL6A0Q4rCRfIr83rvMbdJJn0wV6DYo7LMa_V7QXiYc_wQS-TuokVD_lvCupqeq4oehaHu8YJWWWOYCA/s400/IMG_20160205_085716169.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBelW_CLUxKxon_k0j18YbCqYluQ8XToUDcBxmwvIWH5zD-SiPD-QYkka8gKb2Tr3Crpsy2cHqe09t8bMCkEqyATg4oQ59nLhNrcGaUWqV__w4ewJyYXypj6doYYgAQ7f7Azn-Dh-Wf28/s1600/IMG_20160205_091559637-PANO.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBelW_CLUxKxon_k0j18YbCqYluQ8XToUDcBxmwvIWH5zD-SiPD-QYkka8gKb2Tr3Crpsy2cHqe09t8bMCkEqyATg4oQ59nLhNrcGaUWqV__w4ewJyYXypj6doYYgAQ7f7Azn-Dh-Wf28/s640/IMG_20160205_091559637-PANO.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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I was seduced by the powder so went down the black from Roches Noirs, and then down Marmottes, which was unpisted from below the Plan du Repos lift. Back up Petit Bois and down the black, off-piste to the right (below l'Ancolie). Back up and a coffee in aux Trois Ours, up around and over to Italy, where the snow was much less interesting. (No powder visible, and wind-blown crust off-piste). Lunch on Maison Carrel (the excellent tagliatelle ai funghi porcini), a bunch of the blacks into town, coffee and ice-cream!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsrb-PltmTeVsjuFvlJ6QdI0L0EkrLxv3KyNMgq0OSNnT3j93REwk35f5u5AMRQS-2Q6FNubmjLYdsaKHebGi4eA9f478IMZ0iLo275Ync2eZJFQf6LHAcm7MG-RghWKgMSXAg_KAuMEI/s1600/IMG_20160205_133459633.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsrb-PltmTeVsjuFvlJ6QdI0L0EkrLxv3KyNMgq0OSNnT3j93REwk35f5u5AMRQS-2Q6FNubmjLYdsaKHebGi4eA9f478IMZ0iLo275Ync2eZJFQf6LHAcm7MG-RghWKgMSXAg_KAuMEI/s400/IMG_20160205_133459633.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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Some of the runs in the pass, and a final excellent coffee there (for €1.30), then back home to catch the 4pm bus.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTmiKVm9B8vG7libMQlA-4fSeYwb3w5gdwmmtCfBcMjRpVC8YAShLWd1OguoWVSwohU7WFT42b63TlOSnK41nEQ6pPzUlnl_rMW3ZZLM8txRMj8FAHymlrzedMdeyy0xre4LFjOQqCXEc/s1600/IMG_20160205_151226131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTmiKVm9B8vG7libMQlA-4fSeYwb3w5gdwmmtCfBcMjRpVC8YAShLWd1OguoWVSwohU7WFT42b63TlOSnK41nEQ6pPzUlnl_rMW3ZZLM8txRMj8FAHymlrzedMdeyy0xre4LFjOQqCXEc/s400/IMG_20160205_151226131.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mirror side of the PSB express</td></tr>
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Heading back to the UK tomorrow!<br />
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Ski Distance: 51.7km<br />
Max Speed: 74.7 km/h<br />
Ski vertical: 8643m<br />
Runs: 20<br />
Max slope: 28 degrees<br />
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Jim Cowniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05641343927746539200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199241079297381917.post-52387933915597085222016-02-04T17:19:00.001+00:002016-02-04T17:19:42.886+00:00Thursday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The weather was mixed again today, starting with low cloud, and remaining cold all day. After starting slowly and saying goodbyes to Maurice, we went down to Ecudets a couple of times, once down the black and once the red. The snow was pretty good, with some powder off piste.<br />
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I went over to Eucherts (via the Chevreuil black, which still had some cut up powder) for lunch at Aux Trois Ours. You can see them here, looking down on my coffee.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuRJtM14R0iHR-V-RQcsBtZ1dVp_JZIc8_TjnpVRL1_-0lfSrCMlDVnVLJRjZ9gIItK9tvYkCULvPX4tF6dzYEu-_ugshzut4S2ZoZOCWmTEM-Q0pwLK3fS3Wb8X60uB_ogdXecxkM_PE/s1600/IMG_20160204_134738796.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuRJtM14R0iHR-V-RQcsBtZ1dVp_JZIc8_TjnpVRL1_-0lfSrCMlDVnVLJRjZ9gIItK9tvYkCULvPX4tF6dzYEu-_ugshzut4S2ZoZOCWmTEM-Q0pwLK3fS3Wb8X60uB_ogdXecxkM_PE/s400/IMG_20160204_134738796.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
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Then up the Eucherts chair just to get enough height to get down Marcassin (the black near the Petit Bois lift below Eucherts). I ended up doing it three times off piste to the right as you go down. Cut up and heavy, but good practice! Here's the view down to Le Chatelard from part way down.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9vIb3BWzmYJXe-_caezAFP2HuXzTUI-vaupdZVDTY7dRxmcTf35wYk3pE-U9rURzLNT-Ov-9bbxuJYYEgcRC1rgAuX3lML1DH44giwFdityOua_Su8twHxGJk0hgURBlTVCPpEPrCAR4/s1600/IMG_20160204_145046186.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9vIb3BWzmYJXe-_caezAFP2HuXzTUI-vaupdZVDTY7dRxmcTf35wYk3pE-U9rURzLNT-Ov-9bbxuJYYEgcRC1rgAuX3lML1DH44giwFdityOua_Su8twHxGJk0hgURBlTVCPpEPrCAR4/s400/IMG_20160204_145046186.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Jim Cowniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05641343927746539200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199241079297381917.post-61524139668959342502016-02-03T17:02:00.001+00:002016-02-03T17:02:47.510+00:00Wednesday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The weather forecast was right. Snow, cold, with the wind increasing through the day. However, Maurice and I got up and then down to Fontaine Froide, where the visibility between the trees was much better, and the snow OK at the top and slush at the bottom. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr0fRHo2-VVXHqpCVmbDE7lJl5NoWJYqGZTCHqEkl0oOrvEsjtApf0Fl0ZTuofcg2_rrVcVfGxTYJDhaKlrg_6QCbZfCefmXyga_LvIT9VmPjTurLyXlzbYgWE0kv28OZbGkVntXYszPM/s1600/IMG_20160203_111121483.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr0fRHo2-VVXHqpCVmbDE7lJl5NoWJYqGZTCHqEkl0oOrvEsjtApf0Fl0ZTuofcg2_rrVcVfGxTYJDhaKlrg_6QCbZfCefmXyga_LvIT9VmPjTurLyXlzbYgWE0kv28OZbGkVntXYszPM/s400/IMG_20160203_111121483.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
We had a coffee at the place with the very small door (even Maurice had to duck!) and tepee. Richard was also there, as a sensible reader of this blog he had also found the only sane place to ski on the mountain!<br />
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We did a second run down Fontaine Froide, then back up the (awfully slow) Ecudets lift and out into the gale, zero visibility and horizontal flying ice to get back down as fast as possible to le front de neige.<br />
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Jo was snow-shoeing, we met her for a good lunch at Le Marmottes.(With Genèpi booked for this evening, since it is both Maurice's last night, and the chalet host's night off).<br />
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Jim Cowniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05641343927746539200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199241079297381917.post-17788150515036253452016-02-02T16:52:00.000+00:002016-02-02T16:53:16.190+00:00Tuesday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We headed for Italy. The pistes in La Rosière had been well groomed overnight, and the heavy, cut up, state of yesterday was replaced by some corduroy. Unusually, both the left and right drag-lifts in the pass were running (we, of course, took the righthand one, since it is faster!). Although it was hot, we headed down for a coffee in the pass, which at €1.50 for an espresso is a bargain. As we were drinking our coffee, I was recognised! "Are you Jim? Skiing Jim?" It turned out to be Richard with whom I had stayed in Tignes Les Brevières a long time ago...<br />
Since my general belief is that I am not famous even in my own family, this was a shock!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvfg3o-OKKfjhc5PpwXSeQ4BAZDwy0cQdnbnRMybtVl_-Xh3RBra9vW2WAsdcg_FPNWtZf4UMLw0s9QIdvuFD2ZeEXAodSvf4dX9Dwt0SolOAq-6fpTa86Wirnhx33Uy_2PIWvkK-aaNo/s1600/IMG_20160202_110430908.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvfg3o-OKKfjhc5PpwXSeQ4BAZDwy0cQdnbnRMybtVl_-Xh3RBra9vW2WAsdcg_FPNWtZf4UMLw0s9QIdvuFD2ZeEXAodSvf4dX9Dwt0SolOAq-6fpTa86Wirnhx33Uy_2PIWvkK-aaNo/s400/IMG_20160202_110430908.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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Maurice and I carried on down to the centre of La Thuile and went for pizzas at <a href="http://www.lathuile.it/ospitalita.asp?id=238&cat=13&l=2&s=I&n=92" target="_blank">Lo Tata</a>, which were excellent as usual. The snow low down was melting, but higher up and in the pass was beautiful. The run down to the café was great, however most of the black runs in the pass were closed; pretty much all that was open were the runs you need to get fro A to B.<br />
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After lunch, back up the bubble and homewards, into the normal wind in the pass.<br />
Some of the views in Italy were great, here you can see the Matterhorn, if you know where to look...<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOdeaRtI4JJIPtpqdICqg7Sg8CqqN0nIuuEaEFFo7YGeGvgWntuJUtSxSyQXN-gq2waf4VbknyueKmV7fEkY2wPUiiEOM8vR6zPkmUWARJ3rztHDevNoI8-qZRhSSZd_u670gMTJppcj8/s1600/IMG_20160202_143846221-PANO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOdeaRtI4JJIPtpqdICqg7Sg8CqqN0nIuuEaEFFo7YGeGvgWntuJUtSxSyQXN-gq2waf4VbknyueKmV7fEkY2wPUiiEOM8vR6zPkmUWARJ3rztHDevNoI8-qZRhSSZd_u670gMTJppcj8/s640/IMG_20160202_143846221-PANO.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panorama over La Thuile including the Matterhorn (Monte Cervino)</td></tr>
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Google also created this version, which may make the Matterhorn more obvious.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwtr6RfFzK6LwyxOzXtVvF1T3tU-a2YbULGvV2Bh-W4CJzq1qyt68-l78XunqxSteH0vXryCYhNjZJm0wYVo2SnjniE8opNNDYT251SQVcqmd4kwNipzJucWZEBqSyjVY_G38povrPJzg/s1600/IMG_20160202_143902670_HDR-EFFECTS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwtr6RfFzK6LwyxOzXtVvF1T3tU-a2YbULGvV2Bh-W4CJzq1qyt68-l78XunqxSteH0vXryCYhNjZJm0wYVo2SnjniE8opNNDYT251SQVcqmd4kwNipzJucWZEBqSyjVY_G38povrPJzg/s400/IMG_20160202_143902670_HDR-EFFECTS.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How Google thinks it should be enhanced!</td></tr>
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As ever, the sudden view over France when coming back through the pass is a joy!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-f4gJIPW74JyLRbzNLITPNuScXl7ShwmNiunldP6c15qW0DtBzxA7rh9O6pjOsx0bKxJARzooiXd8Yt-hdHaqlRAUyR4N64R-b77Sb1Dc_ZCswb3hQLQMja61Ch9im8qYQHeZDu0gmrs/s1600/IMG_20160202_144232289.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-f4gJIPW74JyLRbzNLITPNuScXl7ShwmNiunldP6c15qW0DtBzxA7rh9O6pjOsx0bKxJARzooiXd8Yt-hdHaqlRAUyR4N64R-b77Sb1Dc_ZCswb3hQLQMja61Ch9im8qYQHeZDu0gmrs/s400/IMG_20160202_144232289.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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The weather forecast for tomorrow is snow all day and cold. So we may end up not doing much...</div>
Jim Cowniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05641343927746539200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199241079297381917.post-60922539293345590622016-02-01T19:21:00.000+00:002016-02-01T19:21:11.206+00:00Monday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Lots of snow yesterday, but then rain overnight, so everything is very heavy. The link to Italy didn't open until 11-ish, so we arranged to meet Jo for lunch at Le Plan du Repos. She walked up from Eucherts.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9UYhJ_atQiCQPpgCC1h6hyJUUYoh151xTw67oP1n3CQoy0mErgLSyrQ6JZ2LrJ5WcpFN48GRWE94g7vG5smSTfFrkoPqxX1DanmaJg0gfccRSGPIacRW00DUmdwCxaVQuTAPcLClM8eY/s1600/IMG_20160201_130814639_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9UYhJ_atQiCQPpgCC1h6hyJUUYoh151xTw67oP1n3CQoy0mErgLSyrQ6JZ2LrJ5WcpFN48GRWE94g7vG5smSTfFrkoPqxX1DanmaJg0gfccRSGPIacRW00DUmdwCxaVQuTAPcLClM8eY/s640/IMG_20160201_130814639_HDR.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jo at Plan du Repos</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijqQc6MeELb5Uloo04NpEJqzCnG7ZfiE4kaRIuLTwLuxJidELYyafYBALOg1nhFB9cyayYIgJ8rHPPxTte1r77pH5orHouh2vEbZgvV9mYvRroQc3G7VNbTFkEj8qioKluhmV13hNrG0E/s1600/IMG_20160201_113908630_HDR+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijqQc6MeELb5Uloo04NpEJqzCnG7ZfiE4kaRIuLTwLuxJidELYyafYBALOg1nhFB9cyayYIgJ8rHPPxTte1r77pH5orHouh2vEbZgvV9mYvRroQc3G7VNbTFkEj8qioKluhmV13hNrG0E/s400/IMG_20160201_113908630_HDR+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maurice on the mountain</td></tr>
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We'll aim for Italy first thing tomorrow, since the pass should be open, and Wednesday is looking bad according to Méteo France.</div>
Jim Cowniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05641343927746539200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199241079297381917.post-17628780623147890902016-01-31T17:21:00.001+00:002016-01-31T17:21:39.549+00:00Friday, Saturday, Sunday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Catching up!<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Friday</h3>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWFG1_BO3hl6QLnukrnlzUDK01180PneCV-9or53t8ZTYTKBq6ZWuojEH_9WP5gM7GSvEruba3VRGeHiah8vKhOQD_Ku_Y7cleS_f6FaGJKFLG1Tlxk5xbKfuX_SCqyNv3ey7UvQn6duQ/s1600/IMG_20160129_100607815_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWFG1_BO3hl6QLnukrnlzUDK01180PneCV-9or53t8ZTYTKBq6ZWuojEH_9WP5gM7GSvEruba3VRGeHiah8vKhOQD_Ku_Y7cleS_f6FaGJKFLG1Tlxk5xbKfuX_SCqyNv3ey7UvQn6duQ/s640/IMG_20160129_100607815_HDR.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">La Piste Perdu</td></tr>
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Friday started off looking very flat, so we went down La Piste Perdue,<br />
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I had no time to take pictures of the points where you have to take your skis off and drop down under rocks!<br />
As you can see, the sun began to come out, so we went down Le Spatule again, before heading back to Tignes.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhunHDu03UrTelkhGeaapZe_3BIX2Tf_wL60r1pJ2rtw-uri5JjG6nFImCIwiWIN69wNZsbex64Qv1KEGoa5rWJYdYIre7YvM55fDiJ48-i15MA5h0yjs3MlRFvbA3tKEdoY8374KrHUTU/s1600/IMG_20160129_125806636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhunHDu03UrTelkhGeaapZe_3BIX2Tf_wL60r1pJ2rtw-uri5JjG6nFImCIwiWIN69wNZsbex64Qv1KEGoa5rWJYdYIre7YvM55fDiJ48-i15MA5h0yjs3MlRFvbA3tKEdoY8374KrHUTU/s640/IMG_20160129_125806636.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">La Grande Motte and Val Claret</td></tr>
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Since I'd worked out the GoPro I went over to Val, and GoPro-ed the descent of La Face and then both directions on the up-and-over. All of those need an editor, so I won't post them here.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Saturday</h3>
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It turned out colder, though still relatively sunny. I did a number of runs and then ran down Le Golf back to the chalet to pick up another layer! Back up to Val Claret and a very good Tarte au Beaufort (with leeks). Up on the slug</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvuE-rQTnReAE5-yNYNQc4f_Ib0LK5L084BYm_a4DkyocNVuhQXk0OdcgXhI58xIhyo6-zGzZjj-PVHSv8etB4PZuTwAIpc-W37eYOqSC1y6UhnFhUb85fZpH1rG-qu6e29FLAwWXHNB8/s1600/GrandeMotteTrain.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvuE-rQTnReAE5-yNYNQc4f_Ib0LK5L084BYm_a4DkyocNVuhQXk0OdcgXhI58xIhyo6-zGzZjj-PVHSv8etB4PZuTwAIpc-W37eYOqSC1y6UhnFhUb85fZpH1rG-qu6e29FLAwWXHNB8/s400/GrandeMotteTrain.png" width="400" /></a><br />
and then the cable-car (after a wind-delay) to the top of La Grande Motte.<br />
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Down, around, and back to town to return my skis. Then back to the chalet for a shower, tea and cake, and a "Putting on chains" lesson from Paul before driving down to La Rosière, where Jo was already installed. The snow arrived an hour or so later, and Maurice (fresh from the US via LHR and GVA a few hours after that!)<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Sunday</h3>
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It was snowing. Unfortunately they'd shut Fontaine Froide, so Maurice and I went over to Eucherts, had coffee in Le Plan du Repos and did Marmottes to the bottom, where the light was better, but the snow heavy. Back for lunch in the Relais, where Jo was attacked by Alison's marmot!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwOSShU_PTH_hT7X2n7QC-CwVBPAoDp_DBOMfqpycrBsuR_VZudVGrfRQMEr62zvGYjHAVYb9nA1ywqmOkEXa30pHe1qqljhTjww39AXkzkljUANeM27P0EDij7asN3cb94REXe2QEP1I/s1600/IMG_20160131_134603760.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwOSShU_PTH_hT7X2n7QC-CwVBPAoDp_DBOMfqpycrBsuR_VZudVGrfRQMEr62zvGYjHAVYb9nA1ywqmOkEXa30pHe1qqljhTjww39AXkzkljUANeM27P0EDij7asN3cb94REXe2QEP1I/s400/IMG_20160131_134603760.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Jim Cowniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05641343927746539200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199241079297381917.post-24217196771074004422016-01-28T20:47:00.001+00:002016-01-31T16:44:36.348+00:00Thursday in Tignes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Paul and Lorraine's day off, so no hot breakfast today (and an excuse to lie in, since the Snoworks course was in the afternoon again). But I was still on a lift by 9:30 (which, in English time, is before I'd be in the office!)<br />
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Having failed to GoPro La Face de Bellevarde yesterday (I ended up with a large number of timelapse stills) I was going to do it today, but forgot to pack the harness. Maybe tomorrow.<br />
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No pictures of Mont Blanc today (sorry, Roger), but here's la Grande Motte.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPwX6WglO1HxOrpt6Fhv-AZOW8q_0L7HDdF1_F3YQAhK3Fbqk2M-3qdZrqD3MB_1MccSX8xm0ssfT-eFL8SH6QHTCfmhPt6r_lJ5A9nhyphenhyphen2ItgwPInMKCZk1thNYZoCHdmOxu4xFRGh4wQ/s1600/IMG_20160128_093637083.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPwX6WglO1HxOrpt6Fhv-AZOW8q_0L7HDdF1_F3YQAhK3Fbqk2M-3qdZrqD3MB_1MccSX8xm0ssfT-eFL8SH6QHTCfmhPt6r_lJ5A9nhyphenhyphen2ItgwPInMKCZk1thNYZoCHdmOxu4xFRGh4wQ/s640/IMG_20160128_093637083.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Apparently the snow down the back above Le Fornet was horrible this morning, so we did fairly similar things to yesterday (a run down from Solaise to le Laisenant, and then down to Le Fornet).<br />
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Emma is confidently predicting snow for tonight. We'll see...<br />
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This evening, I visited La Palette du Boulele, which was wonderful (and full of people speaking French. I didn't hear an English conversation), then visited the excellent "A la Crêperie Bretonne". Which did everything it said on the can. Galette au sarrazin oeuf fromage, val de Rance cidre, crêpe au crème de marrons. Parfait! I also discovered (from the place mat) that "le Roi Artur" was "un chasseur de sangliers". Something I had somehow previously missed,which puts him straight into Asterix. Maybe there was a place at the round table for Obélix?<br />
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Jim Cowniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05641343927746539200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199241079297381917.post-27891832791819619612016-01-27T18:26:00.000+00:002016-01-27T18:26:03.635+00:00Wednesday in Tignes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Another day with beautiful weather (though Méteo France are forecasting snow for next week in La Rosiére at the moment). The morning I was out a little later (first lift at 9:30 instead of 9:15) since the Snoworks course was staring in Val at 1:15, rather than Tignes at 9:15.<br />
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I skied on my own, mostly randomly following lifts, which tool me up to top of the Charvet.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAY2yJdZjumYeb9ayn7jirwejIVyZlIzTHF_dmfnEXJC2wz2Ny51hbZ43vZW2Ee0TlyK03OYIYrx0d2jv56UwWMJd1UALtkd69lenFk5x3qF4n02HKoBscAzkxttSzQAHcfxmeB82K7kk/s1600/IMG_20160127_102358402_HDR-PANO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAY2yJdZjumYeb9ayn7jirwejIVyZlIzTHF_dmfnEXJC2wz2Ny51hbZ43vZW2Ee0TlyK03OYIYrx0d2jv56UwWMJd1UALtkd69lenFk5x3qF4n02HKoBscAzkxttSzQAHcfxmeB82K7kk/s640/IMG_20160127_102358402_HDR-PANO.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View into the Charvet</td></tr>
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A good session of hors-piste this afternoon with Emma and the others. We made a descent of Le Grand Vallon, before taking the bus from Le Fornet back to Val, and then up and over <div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFTBQoyVBPJmGZ52D7P1HZl-24k9wUVNtKCTNDmnh9RPd1mwaM1SLSDePGgcr0L-Dhf3Z2c20mgyTbMz5WCGIj_WJaxnBdA1bKeipEBKz9mC250yj0Nwg8xIAaSFr_7GbbUDCQ7O7l6p0/s1600/IMG_20160127_145127895.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFTBQoyVBPJmGZ52D7P1HZl-24k9wUVNtKCTNDmnh9RPd1mwaM1SLSDePGgcr0L-Dhf3Z2c20mgyTbMz5WCGIj_WJaxnBdA1bKeipEBKz9mC250yj0Nwg8xIAaSFr_7GbbUDCQ7O7l6p0/s200/IMG_20160127_145127895.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Le Grand Vallon (looking up)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfJDVcRZa3eim-JgE65lruK9RaakO7yGTuDkMiYks4im-T0zf5-vTxJPhrKQlx5ChA8Ff5cTtmbsXTXbqwcpwq5Fj0Y25oKUsvkwM0gtdRBYrbBVVs-4rBOqx6evpxYpQwBu7Oma7Hqco/s1600/IMG_20160127_145136379.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfJDVcRZa3eim-JgE65lruK9RaakO7yGTuDkMiYks4im-T0zf5-vTxJPhrKQlx5ChA8Ff5cTtmbsXTXbqwcpwq5Fj0Y25oKUsvkwM0gtdRBYrbBVVs-4rBOqx6evpxYpQwBu7Oma7Hqco/s200/IMG_20160127_145136379.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Le Grand Vallon (looking down)</td></tr>
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Google thinks that one of those should be in black and white, like this!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4hukzdM1Md1t9O2CnhjnxvIg_hyphenhyphenEIe3c6Mtqtms4qG1i5JB1Whyphenhyphen8GVhT5kZoXQ-lb08XvExo688WeqFDCvZm3TBWBCj9lbMSXSjjztnn1-eq7wXx58aXo0yjSkQ45V78lRm3orIY_Gf0/s1600/IMG_20160127_145127895-EFFECTS.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4hukzdM1Md1t9O2CnhjnxvIg_hyphenhyphenEIe3c6Mtqtms4qG1i5JB1Whyphenhyphen8GVhT5kZoXQ-lb08XvExo688WeqFDCvZm3TBWBCj9lbMSXSjjztnn1-eq7wXx58aXo0yjSkQ45V78lRm3orIY_Gf0/s400/IMG_20160127_145127895-EFFECTS.jpg" width="280" /></a></div>
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Tomorrow somewhere else up above Val...<br /><br /></div>
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Jim Cowniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05641343927746539200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199241079297381917.post-91948131146469927142016-01-26T18:34:00.000+00:002016-01-26T18:34:32.425+00:00Tuesday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A successful day, the Skiworks course in the morning, with Emma Carrick-Anderson explaining to me all the things that I know are wrong with my off-piste skiing! (I'm not low enough, I'm tryng to ski parallel...). She did say I had improved by the end, though!<br />
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Rob and I skied down to Les Brevieres for lunch (a very good Tarte au Beaufort et sa salade verte).<br />
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No photos from this morning; we were too busy skiing.<br />
So here are a couple from this afternoon.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVC-7XFemI7eWjwa9LAKIlVPB1oCE4GFu1CE8ZpVW-LUcRu2ADe7KPpNwHQ5-tbxp78c6Lz_GOknuMart0-vvh0csUim8kX46-PvK47nxF7gyhlqbRMXYvkB6q4CX83yHHDJXXkiRJ1ok/s1600/IMG_20160126_161830829.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVC-7XFemI7eWjwa9LAKIlVPB1oCE4GFu1CE8ZpVW-LUcRu2ADe7KPpNwHQ5-tbxp78c6Lz_GOknuMart0-vvh0csUim8kX46-PvK47nxF7gyhlqbRMXYvkB6q4CX83yHHDJXXkiRJ1ok/s640/IMG_20160126_161830829.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mont Blanc from Toviere</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghk5aEiew_KTGU7SyYabbh-nC4ff4hkumzmfesaCQqJjG1j-zYdh4exQPbIFuo2lHsojIBhUnpq7UisIPy96dNlAS3hxJYqumic-zb7G1y42avSFC-T0907n7LZnQ17ohpqPASo1dYj08/s1600/IMG_20160126_145832741_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghk5aEiew_KTGU7SyYabbh-nC4ff4hkumzmfesaCQqJjG1j-zYdh4exQPbIFuo2lHsojIBhUnpq7UisIPy96dNlAS3hxJYqumic-zb7G1y42avSFC-T0907n7LZnQ17ohpqPASo1dYj08/s640/IMG_20160126_145832741_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">La Grande Motte</td></tr>
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The course starts in Val d'Isere tomorrow, I expect we'll be over to le Fornet.<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Stats</h2>
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Ski distance: 40.9 km (+lifts 27.2km)</div>
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Vertical descent: 7397m</div>
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Max Speed: 72.1 km/h</div>
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Jim Cowniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05641343927746539200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199241079297381917.post-78328923326288905342016-01-25T21:13:00.000+00:002016-01-25T21:13:08.941+00:00TIgnes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I met the Snoworks folks and have been allocated to Emma Carrick-Anderson's off-piste group, but, due to my own stupidity (reserving a lift pass starting on 1 February, which took a while, and a call to someone in the data-centre to fix!), I ended up skiing with another chap who had also messed u his lift pass in the morning, and then skiing with Ewan's "All Terrain" course in the afternoon.<br />
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Rob and I went up la Grande Motte<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIvitCQQW73cWnHmh5u5z04zmF07HxLlnBBMDbppnT8T82laWZ1PRU9yj5RMozu6j48ZS6PgJaarTn8m1QhDIYHPw2Oquz3IWMp4NVdbwve5GRzo7kmgYtd3bJUlSr1QBtXG32Eat7XXk/s1600/IMG_20160125_110950549.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIvitCQQW73cWnHmh5u5z04zmF07HxLlnBBMDbppnT8T82laWZ1PRU9yj5RMozu6j48ZS6PgJaarTn8m1QhDIYHPw2Oquz3IWMp4NVdbwve5GRzo7kmgYtd3bJUlSr1QBtXG32Eat7XXk/s400/IMG_20160125_110950549.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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Here's (a slightly weird) Google panorama from the cable car station at the top of the Grande Motte.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtO5AoQn3WQtLO_WnbhhJPMxRQZBOYyZsc7PRJKhERhqbKGUEDeSRsTxvhCqccyoLd3qi5pSEUObOX6wrZAFYqjbN5goVNuhWwblV6xUdvk1YfTnuN2OiGooai5xy63cSSu9SJAGzo-A/s1600/IMG_20160125_113052363-PANO.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtO5AoQn3WQtLO_WnbhhJPMxRQZBOYyZsc7PRJKhERhqbKGUEDeSRsTxvhCqccyoLd3qi5pSEUObOX6wrZAFYqjbN5goVNuhWwblV6xUdvk1YfTnuN2OiGooai5xy63cSSu9SJAGzo-A/s640/IMG_20160125_113052363-PANO.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
And, to prove I really was there...<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkyMRD56zCrPBbaGBPB3AcMTmUfRqUN6apLnI2gAviPaRVApfd0Dl24KlzaKt_ou2l99NYE2pP0f8_aGyTv5xYNvpfIJDZpMfyGjKJ3YS0TF8f0El7aXwCa8O9WMIO0AaOQhAT0f37-T8/s1600/IMG_20160125_113628421_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkyMRD56zCrPBbaGBPB3AcMTmUfRqUN6apLnI2gAviPaRVApfd0Dl24KlzaKt_ou2l99NYE2pP0f8_aGyTv5xYNvpfIJDZpMfyGjKJ3YS0TF8f0El7aXwCa8O9WMIO0AaOQhAT0f37-T8/s400/IMG_20160125_113628421_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
And, for anyone who is interested. SkiTracks reckons<br />
Max Speed: 70.4 km/h<br />
Ski Distance: 35.2 km (+24.4 km on lifts)<br />
Descent: 6474m<br />
Max Altitude: 3505m (though that's a GPS height, which is ~50m above the French Datum)<br />
<br />
I'm looking forward to the Snoworks off-piste tomorrow (now that I have a working lift-pass!)<br />
<br /></div>
Jim Cowniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05641343927746539200noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199241079297381917.post-75824106845034733182016-01-24T22:00:00.003+00:002016-01-24T22:00:43.504+00:00Les Arcs<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A mixed drive down<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>30 minute delay on Eurotunnel </li>
<li>Missing the exit to Magnant (and so not getting to Le Val Moret)</li>
<li>Unpleasant rain down through France on Friday</li>
</ul>
<div>
But</div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>A decent hotel in Chaumont (where I saw the <a href="http://tourisme-chaumont-champagne.com/patrimoine-culturel/tour-d-arse-de-chaumont,fr,57,pcu23" target="_blank">Tour d'Arse</a>)</li>
<li>Some wonderful views of wind-turbines standing above fog, and chateaux d'eau also above fog.</li>
<li>The excellent, view of snowy Alps at Chambery</li>
</ul>
<div>
After arriving in Bourg about 4:30 on Saturday, I stayed at the <a href="http://www.hostelleriedupetitsaintbernard.com/" target="_blank">Hostellerie</a>, the dining room is as great as ever, and the "chariot de fromages" should be in some "liste de la Patrimone de la France".</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg01QUXsogK_wLU_ENQIbBrmkxi6TQPrdNMAft-r0mjG_7yE7TSeSy5dmv2Y3Rkp9oS-FHV1DRfHsd65THgHldk4T9JLQ8OMPlMTy5nYSYuzWs9siOdMf3Ph19diV7C0XC5XeEGvWsyVH0/s1600/IMG_20160123_203053932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg01QUXsogK_wLU_ENQIbBrmkxi6TQPrdNMAft-r0mjG_7yE7TSeSy5dmv2Y3Rkp9oS-FHV1DRfHsd65THgHldk4T9JLQ8OMPlMTy5nYSYuzWs9siOdMf3Ph19diV7C0XC5XeEGvWsyVH0/s320/IMG_20160123_203053932.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The view from my room looked like this, this morning.</div>
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr8T1Hbr8YhSVCZolaBGIOaqBZU6H1Fz_n6XNm8PoiFSzF7RH6X1WRFEX8irD6a2BI0KQMqDSJ3hOPgl9w1Q_baRlu65ygt7c8cLamOEm-jL5qAy6q5X-qwQFxmobcO1FG_dwDdw6pJlc/s1600/IMG_20160124_081252996_HDR-PANO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr8T1Hbr8YhSVCZolaBGIOaqBZU6H1Fz_n6XNm8PoiFSzF7RH6X1WRFEX8irD6a2BI0KQMqDSJ3hOPgl9w1Q_baRlu65ygt7c8cLamOEm-jL5qAy6q5X-qwQFxmobcO1FG_dwDdw6pJlc/s640/IMG_20160124_081252996_HDR-PANO.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here's the funicular arriving in Bourg </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq40GKVbMwswoMAo_DDB3h6x2O7MazXiaBgXInH9S6b4-UcLQRJkotAlH2gEiU4nJ4ojjqHJ2H9tLhWMoagekQ6tNGmk9P1Fg29-TFdEifH0QGVO0z4fcnHU0gspLklYEuzVro4K9Ry7U/s1600/IMG_20160124_093007687-ANIMATION.gif" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq40GKVbMwswoMAo_DDB3h6x2O7MazXiaBgXInH9S6b4-UcLQRJkotAlH2gEiU4nJ4ojjqHJ2H9tLhWMoagekQ6tNGmk9P1Fg29-TFdEifH0QGVO0z4fcnHU0gspLklYEuzVro4K9Ry7U/s400/IMG_20160124_093007687-ANIMATION.gif" width="300" /></a></div>
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And here are some views from the Aiguille Rouge.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikLEOqHiQFMP0jKh8SNvTHDtMuEDl8jET627hmXECqlEIT2W1Tl0_RABCKLLwf3d-kEV6vGBwX64R58gY-Wy8gi9l1zVuKwhcr6ku7RZpAWzBYitkA0Yj4WgaWucbSicXHstvCrp3GXxQ/s1600/IMG_20160124_114757526-PANO.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikLEOqHiQFMP0jKh8SNvTHDtMuEDl8jET627hmXECqlEIT2W1Tl0_RABCKLLwf3d-kEV6vGBwX64R58gY-Wy8gi9l1zVuKwhcr6ku7RZpAWzBYitkA0Yj4WgaWucbSicXHstvCrp3GXxQ/s640/IMG_20160124_114757526-PANO.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtcK25VT86m58VPOXc5O-6rKSxZba790Ghd8977BnSjH8pL_T-t_eEobHu8OD61F0YV89szu4jPRH94zNA-lucqHaX_fv6hdn0jxxhu0mP1AeXf0dgMUCEmgGrw20M10BTTATI5qeo7hk/s1600/IMG_20160124_114709901_HDR-PANO.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtcK25VT86m58VPOXc5O-6rKSxZba790Ghd8977BnSjH8pL_T-t_eEobHu8OD61F0YV89szu4jPRH94zNA-lucqHaX_fv6hdn0jxxhu0mP1AeXf0dgMUCEmgGrw20M10BTTATI5qeo7hk/s640/IMG_20160124_114709901_HDR-PANO.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And, for those who will be with us in La Rosiere next week, here's a view over to la Rosiere.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioovhdWpPr1Y_ZjrYIsetvdr0tNNALasVeBTaLbJAKsco1IGCe5o5f_HM_BlNy3lMPKRdFA5z5FPoE7_lrhSX0HPtTexmM8OWusvScp9L0AihHRBy1hbqKvmdrVlbAlEq0ghyphenhyphenUXXIVke8/s1600/IMG_20160124_101513060_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioovhdWpPr1Y_ZjrYIsetvdr0tNNALasVeBTaLbJAKsco1IGCe5o5f_HM_BlNy3lMPKRdFA5z5FPoE7_lrhSX0HPtTexmM8OWusvScp9L0AihHRBy1hbqKvmdrVlbAlEq0ghyphenhyphenUXXIVke8/s640/IMG_20160124_101513060_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And, since you enjoy coffee pictures, and French humour</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilPTSeO__pRkqHytbXCp9WEhKS-rTJnYXKuHNn7aCCc7ohCSHRCDMjGgxffRWHKXYXkWT1wDN051i-SatALViK3dVMzqOWD2PDocUS5W8reyHjuaucc2cxFX7iwUDgZiZPrP7uUDL0Jc4/s1600/IMG_20160124_110219791.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilPTSeO__pRkqHytbXCp9WEhKS-rTJnYXKuHNn7aCCc7ohCSHRCDMjGgxffRWHKXYXkWT1wDN051i-SatALViK3dVMzqOWD2PDocUS5W8reyHjuaucc2cxFX7iwUDgZiZPrP7uUDL0Jc4/s320/IMG_20160124_110219791.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrCq9tsh_8v594gnW-y6jgSESWN8hjH3qcT4A2zOwZ9K5HpFRy0gt-P4P-70tLrn9oW6xV-zSU0q9PZ2JD5vUOXVrd4negrCAxsJOZz1d9Ljl7LxyWd-NF6F4ByI6_-Bb9MWfaMaZ6S6Y/s1600/IMG_20160124_102952969.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrCq9tsh_8v594gnW-y6jgSESWN8hjH3qcT4A2zOwZ9K5HpFRy0gt-P4P-70tLrn9oW6xV-zSU0q9PZ2JD5vUOXVrd4negrCAxsJOZz1d9Ljl7LxyWd-NF6F4ByI6_-Bb9MWfaMaZ6S6Y/s320/IMG_20160124_102952969.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Enough for today... (though I did do a single run with 1800m of descent!)</div>
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Jim Cowniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05641343927746539200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199241079297381917.post-41797775727861139502015-01-23T21:00:00.000+00:002015-01-23T21:00:15.280+00:00Last day in La Rosiere<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCaJe3o8FUtXFc1WqiiAnolgebs-CQxY3ABUIYyGuKUvsFJ0PLJ5vbRaqXMN-SxUolmwOQ9W_iJG_sFEUTSRelmFzAfOKDo8h_j57kmZkK8Zf-tRCuHpeb1Y8D0xSsobrI6T4S3NfvPu8/s1600/IMG_20150123_112653_301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCaJe3o8FUtXFc1WqiiAnolgebs-CQxY3ABUIYyGuKUvsFJ0PLJ5vbRaqXMN-SxUolmwOQ9W_iJG_sFEUTSRelmFzAfOKDo8h_j57kmZkK8Zf-tRCuHpeb1Y8D0xSsobrI6T4S3NfvPu8/s1600/IMG_20150123_112653_301.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making Tracks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Alison and Henry were snow-boarding today, so I went over to Italy, where the weather was excellent, there was new snow, the Argillien lift was open, as was Maison Carrel, and they even had pistachio ice cream in the cremerie.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv-eMjLOb14XD5TwyRSmN3FgeVMZtBDLULJlk2zy8eXis6x_q5l9mO52vuHM39y_G_Nfj8T3SV-hg-2M4eiFwuf1FmjeO6F3yPbkbbt0QwHxxaw-IjGGyTi1WlHHkuPe2-t9CY-cq0Lkc/s1600/IMG_20150123_141937_566.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv-eMjLOb14XD5TwyRSmN3FgeVMZtBDLULJlk2zy8eXis6x_q5l9mO52vuHM39y_G_Nfj8T3SV-hg-2M4eiFwuf1FmjeO6F3yPbkbbt0QwHxxaw-IjGGyTi1WlHHkuPe2-t9CY-cq0Lkc/s1600/IMG_20150123_141937_566.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Pistachio Ice-cream</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0FVztekTcfGNKjJ-9HuMEeGqsuQsU-gyrsgzVwna3Gz1Ol3Bk7SPp-i9ur1pDMKoSD7q-5zE3GHH3AGjbXXeVxJQXpS5quQocgZ9jBAqalp_BcQLHg2QsSCNTwGPNcHMxOsqv0JydGjc/s1600/PSB_clouds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0FVztekTcfGNKjJ-9HuMEeGqsuQsU-gyrsgzVwna3Gz1Ol3Bk7SPp-i9ur1pDMKoSD7q-5zE3GHH3AGjbXXeVxJQXpS5quQocgZ9jBAqalp_BcQLHg2QsSCNTwGPNcHMxOsqv0JydGjc/s1600/PSB_clouds.jpg" height="172" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Petit St Bernard pass with clouds rising from France</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7FW-Mugt6iQXc-5pqEFZHxfYhu2is4FWWqB8VraWPsBynCy_JwMAbIi-_6eeabCaUqn8h1jKO7qXs7ypgICQuYium24CY9ruQjPRDeMT_DmSdRqbtfrgzi3eEsYYxAAZ4rP8uWHkdGNA/s1600/France.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7FW-Mugt6iQXc-5pqEFZHxfYhu2is4FWWqB8VraWPsBynCy_JwMAbIi-_6eeabCaUqn8h1jKO7qXs7ypgICQuYium24CY9ruQjPRDeMT_DmSdRqbtfrgzi3eEsYYxAAZ4rP8uWHkdGNA/s1600/France.jpg" height="283" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking into France</td></tr>
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Jim Cowniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05641343927746539200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199241079297381917.post-86294113719386297662015-01-22T20:55:00.000+00:002015-01-22T20:55:51.034+00:00More Pictures<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic6zU7w1ktVlHUpBWZ9G7EWbLat1bOOSnMPmGjKIg6NHD3PfzvXZQ08Nv4eUIDe1Ti07EtboANLL_jE2zVKtkcUOCYz5eMUBVeDBDs66sBdL6QF2QHIk9wE3LL4VoxtHk3LAQMPkzGn8E/s1600/IMG_20150120_110701_080.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic6zU7w1ktVlHUpBWZ9G7EWbLat1bOOSnMPmGjKIg6NHD3PfzvXZQ08Nv4eUIDe1Ti07EtboANLL_jE2zVKtkcUOCYz5eMUBVeDBDs66sBdL6QF2QHIk9wE3LL4VoxtHk3LAQMPkzGn8E/s1600/IMG_20150120_110701_080.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Excellent "Dream Turnip"</td></tr>
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<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uzXHJlO0Z4Xxd-ll879T6WyPjlYwJg-n467BdD8N29D9wlkj180A8mKfDNf572JxRBQ8pT7Vw4KVXhfgalGUTj1HE63j7IiTgFZgPHkmw90iTcMDA_SEp2Ug8zAXJA1zyohQt-z-Cmo/s1600/IMG_20150120_152857_786-PANO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uzXHJlO0Z4Xxd-ll879T6WyPjlYwJg-n467BdD8N29D9wlkj180A8mKfDNf572JxRBQ8pT7Vw4KVXhfgalGUTj1HE63j7IiTgFZgPHkmw90iTcMDA_SEp2Ug8zAXJA1zyohQt-z-Cmo/s1600/IMG_20150120_152857_786-PANO.jpg" height="222" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vue sur la Grande Motte</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuAQJogCoyATIq33m5-cXVhjCfrqaU5i3ah8-Navd69Ith3JrXxblNtF2f18Jo8FE1cWBs_9jYZFkS4a4DmWdb5-mGZhEB4HR29r_yrKDmLZdLCJZwzkibDPNJVacHb42yCTGShpyeojA/s1600/IMG_20150122_120921_778-PANO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuAQJogCoyATIq33m5-cXVhjCfrqaU5i3ah8-Navd69Ith3JrXxblNtF2f18Jo8FE1cWBs_9jYZFkS4a4DmWdb5-mGZhEB4HR29r_yrKDmLZdLCJZwzkibDPNJVacHb42yCTGShpyeojA/s1600/IMG_20150122_120921_778-PANO.jpg" height="195" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Encore un vue sur la Grande Motte</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpzU9ZC7I2ALWhkdUdz4-e1KXsVZCQxCu3sjPUM8YWJikEuFIxUqilA49xubWlhgkJTBlYqzxSckgixTt249IuutQDsoOSgjw0ANQUiPKGrLjoi848WlCZ8pX8ZOjZH-7D1eKpzSAq3Gw/s1600/IMG_20150122_180059_924.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpzU9ZC7I2ALWhkdUdz4-e1KXsVZCQxCu3sjPUM8YWJikEuFIxUqilA49xubWlhgkJTBlYqzxSckgixTt249IuutQDsoOSgjw0ANQUiPKGrLjoi848WlCZ8pX8ZOjZH-7D1eKpzSAq3Gw/s1600/IMG_20150122_180059_924.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maison du Tourisme</td></tr>
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Jim Cowniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05641343927746539200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199241079297381917.post-12979580950325168922015-01-18T21:25:00.000+00:002015-01-18T21:25:36.110+00:00Pictures from La Rosiere<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Now in La Rosiere, with Jo (and a chalet to ourselves), Alison, Henry and others are all slumming it in hotel La Roz.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSDubz1qIegdlCDlnrl6e2k1u9xRfgYGq6ogAxImS-ZaxVaULGHWJzdqCQwAKhwYcDjoxFCzNZ89V35Q2hSsYpn6l3emV7364EmZwvUpbtQB1ge0P_P2ytRTaIyIDY43SXjAyKylh302k/s1600/IMG_20150118_145334_543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSDubz1qIegdlCDlnrl6e2k1u9xRfgYGq6ogAxImS-ZaxVaULGHWJzdqCQwAKhwYcDjoxFCzNZ89V35Q2hSsYpn6l3emV7364EmZwvUpbtQB1ge0P_P2ytRTaIyIDY43SXjAyKylh302k/s1600/IMG_20150118_145334_543.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alison's chocolat chaud in the pass</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi465ARyV5aMtKYpfqp6JNCJ9L8yyLOp6RRSC5AKirVR0UXaV9SsltsjEdkzDHXAqpz_iJSA33SGSQUd43qjbmRKlbZShZCp-UF98A7Q95ZnohBdK4Lfxzx11kAwHEVB56bsE5n4v0Rw5U/s1600/IMG_20150118_113326_181.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi465ARyV5aMtKYpfqp6JNCJ9L8yyLOp6RRSC5AKirVR0UXaV9SsltsjEdkzDHXAqpz_iJSA33SGSQUd43qjbmRKlbZShZCp-UF98A7Q95ZnohBdK4Lfxzx11kAwHEVB56bsE5n4v0Rw5U/s1600/IMG_20150118_113326_181.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jo walking to Roches Noires <br />(with le Mont Pourri)</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0_v5BwAtabYMBxMRtCOxfk8no05G39vlo_WtFmz9c6I511jlj1mBFQAdXDPlkFMJuqkOYtF4VOufdxVF1pbwnI-sTAcvDcFJcprFuxlpkDK942XNWZFskRscFK6L980UUvDHNqT44Mt8/s1600/IMG_20150118_112932_671-PANO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0_v5BwAtabYMBxMRtCOxfk8no05G39vlo_WtFmz9c6I511jlj1mBFQAdXDPlkFMJuqkOYtF4VOufdxVF1pbwnI-sTAcvDcFJcprFuxlpkDK942XNWZFskRscFK6L980UUvDHNqT44Mt8/s1600/IMG_20150118_112932_671-PANO.jpg" height="272" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View up the Isere valley and of le Mont Pourri</td></tr>
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</div>
Jim Cowniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05641343927746539200noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199241079297381917.post-48683888050908035672015-01-15T17:57:00.000+00:002015-01-15T17:57:08.242+00:00Tignes, SkiBug, Snoworks<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I am in Tignes this week staying in <a href="http://www.skibug.co.uk/default.asp?ID=224&Page=chalet%20in%20tignes" target="_blank">Skibug's Chalet Sauterelle</a>, which I think I first stayed in on the first Inmos ski trip in 1981. Paul and Lorraine's hospitality is impeccable!<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">When I arrived here on Saturday, I discovered that another couple in the chalet were booked on a </span><a href="http://www.snoworks.co.uk/iSKI-Backcountry.html" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Snoworks back-country course</a><span style="text-align: left;">. They had just finished another Snoworks course, and were very positive, so, a few emails and texts later, I was booked on the course too.</span></div>
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Given the poor state of the weather and the snow, our guide/mentor/teacher <a href="http://skiencore.com/content/about-us.aspx" target="_blank">Nick </a> has been doing a great job keeping us moving around the mountain and finding pockets of powder, despite many of the real back-country routes being un-skiable (at least safely...).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3oKOLN742N4HoAGFO47FVNX0-H6fvtv7qZKHz5lJBGEUtT7Vu1QYgEDxjaAPXNrrood0-S0gIX-xInlty6ykSjDsARejUL0vP_5-w4pwUnTrzfaONmHequyyeChQPSIez3BNethXfbA/s1600/IMG_20150115_093854_379.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3oKOLN742N4HoAGFO47FVNX0-H6fvtv7qZKHz5lJBGEUtT7Vu1QYgEDxjaAPXNrrood0-S0gIX-xInlty6ykSjDsARejUL0vP_5-w4pwUnTrzfaONmHequyyeChQPSIez3BNethXfbA/s1600/IMG_20150115_093854_379.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making tracks!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU3CAbXd019Xwh13UnExTrijDq64rGgiuKFl68sI-PsXJU2nSmqiw_NgIbJ-9249gnn7cUJsAZUeIlnNoM1pdyiAzNaBbnDQH8ANAKFg-FGqUcjHrlXRhzjXWgAVzlG2yV5DSXblJzn3g/s1600/IMG_20150115_111304_052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU3CAbXd019Xwh13UnExTrijDq64rGgiuKFl68sI-PsXJU2nSmqiw_NgIbJ-9249gnn7cUJsAZUeIlnNoM1pdyiAzNaBbnDQH8ANAKFg-FGqUcjHrlXRhzjXWgAVzlG2yV5DSXblJzn3g/s1600/IMG_20150115_111304_052.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">In the Charvet gorge<br /></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWe65O3MSO1S8vZ897wulEa9QqFclXFml9oq7viE47nmbhqNy1seweA4F4aTX1NuD_DPfVqxC_hMkoi0aKGR1YexplD_V-pgG92CD9r6-cJBJovpf5MeIUoffbiRawKToJc8qv2fvvkKI/s1600/IMG_20150115_141515_303-PANO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWe65O3MSO1S8vZ897wulEa9QqFclXFml9oq7viE47nmbhqNy1seweA4F4aTX1NuD_DPfVqxC_hMkoi0aKGR1YexplD_V-pgG92CD9r6-cJBJovpf5MeIUoffbiRawKToJc8qv2fvvkKI/s1600/IMG_20150115_141515_303-PANO.jpg" height="184" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entering les Pays Deserts</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGyN5mzKdBpvDO8UStE87XshPWyrjEBrGxJU2z3a78xkrF1o0EInNuu3DM2xr6zxZtfKHGMAP-9_adp4TyB85OItHUnApa9fgy8fU1sYDCYXTYApoBW90bCTBfyXT6qpW8AZh0tpxYAL8/s1600/IMG_20150115_162315_054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGyN5mzKdBpvDO8UStE87XshPWyrjEBrGxJU2z3a78xkrF1o0EInNuu3DM2xr6zxZtfKHGMAP-9_adp4TyB85OItHUnApa9fgy8fU1sYDCYXTYApoBW90bCTBfyXT6qpW8AZh0tpxYAL8/s1600/IMG_20150115_162315_054.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
A well deserved demi de pression at the</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
end of the day.</div>
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p.s. Google's "Auto-Awesome" created the panorama above on its own when it backed up the photos from my phone.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />
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Jim Cowniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05641343927746539200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199241079297381917.post-47213363593814854992015-01-10T17:28:00.000+00:002015-01-10T17:28:23.226+00:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjab_AaC3ATFSJtGjMURN0yIV0r5O8OKMxI8kq0RBNbOc7ygvEyEM0eHIXp0HKkNYaGeb7yHCnymnlpU4NXn_9QnOWKyq6UP18ilEhhTEgHFIuwNrDbm5a7L-PEcfdx8bEXUu6pWIabOM/s1600/IMG_20150109_175738_614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjab_AaC3ATFSJtGjMURN0yIV0r5O8OKMxI8kq0RBNbOc7ygvEyEM0eHIXp0HKkNYaGeb7yHCnymnlpU4NXn_9QnOWKyq6UP18ilEhhTEgHFIuwNrDbm5a7L-PEcfdx8bEXUu6pWIabOM/s1600/IMG_20150109_175738_614.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apres Ski</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglqbI6j3q_ogObnJYr_Y7As2qPn0IHfZxGej6-F7k5XfcYj1an_guuXw9M39c1gz9r84Hf9g2rQb98Hf-XsUNEGpCuGVWNlRDnMnj4KOC7h7K01L1lQhcFJvNffeK9b4Cr9alPeZqNto8/s1600/IMG_20150110_120636_378.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglqbI6j3q_ogObnJYr_Y7As2qPn0IHfZxGej6-F7k5XfcYj1an_guuXw9M39c1gz9r84Hf9g2rQb98Hf-XsUNEGpCuGVWNlRDnMnj4KOC7h7K01L1lQhcFJvNffeK9b4Cr9alPeZqNto8/s1600/IMG_20150110_120636_378.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roger feeling at home in Bourg</td></tr>
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and so on to Tignes, staying in the chalet (<a href="http://www.skibug.co.uk/default.asp?ID=224&Page=chalet%20in%20tignes" target="_blank">Chalet Sauterelles</a> with SnowBug) which I first stayed in in 1981 on the first Inmos ski trip!</div>
Jim Cowniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05641343927746539200noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199241079297381917.post-36385187960701132642015-01-08T21:23:00.000+00:002015-01-08T21:23:44.273+00:00Two More Sunny Days<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Changes in La Rosiere</h2>
<div>
The new Plan du Repos chair lift is fine, but (perhaps to ensure that it justifies its existence), Choucas has disappeared. The top part is now Mouflon, but it then routes you down to the Plan du Repos lift, so there is now no way to get from the top of the Fort to the Maison du Ski without taking another lift (the Plan du Repos). This change will also make the top of the run back from Roches Noires to the Maison du Ski even more congested at the end of the day. I'm not convinced it's an improvement, even though Choucas was tedious!</div>
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Coffee Survey</h2>
<div>
An espresso coffee in France is generally 2Euro up the mountain, though cheaper in town (e.g. 1.80Euro in Aux Trois Ours in Les Eucherts). The best deal therefore seems to be at l'Antigel, where you get a macaron with your coffee.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgejm1yaV7YzDCc63pQOKlASf_vlxVBwnDN_RH_MQfw5-9bEE7UkxFct7jGgLUuvdF2qYnuscEje8sb2j3gqm0Bcyk49zRIbVzcMfoPIvN4NAiKk8KId2cejrRKQWrqxociFPA7Y7lNeCQ/s1600/IMG_20150107_104743_161.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgejm1yaV7YzDCc63pQOKlASf_vlxVBwnDN_RH_MQfw5-9bEE7UkxFct7jGgLUuvdF2qYnuscEje8sb2j3gqm0Bcyk49zRIbVzcMfoPIvN4NAiKk8KId2cejrRKQWrqxociFPA7Y7lNeCQ/s1600/IMG_20150107_104743_161.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Espresso in l'Antigel</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRU6mTSjpk3pgIlNDd80vy0WiYVRpYE8K8PDoNpBiFfKCYs9vhyphenhyphen3iZsF8cg8tu00mjLrLf5s19IfD6KsCmE1_P0gBEH26JppNXfz43IPxpp-CGauscAZ6VmxzS3LB-FN3O1UxoO9IvuXw/s1600/IMG_20150107_143221_099.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRU6mTSjpk3pgIlNDd80vy0WiYVRpYE8K8PDoNpBiFfKCYs9vhyphenhyphen3iZsF8cg8tu00mjLrLf5s19IfD6KsCmE1_P0gBEH26JppNXfz43IPxpp-CGauscAZ6VmxzS3LB-FN3O1UxoO9IvuXw/s1600/IMG_20150107_143221_099.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Espresso in the pass</td></tr>
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Lunch</h2>
<div>
We ate in Lo Tata in La Thuile which is indistinguishable from its previous incarnation as le Rascard. The Pizza remains as good as ever. Getting there is hard at present, since there is very little snow and only one run down into La Thuile. Here's the state of the slalom piste!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98V4EG9QCUA8qNr2JE2TyminipsF3UKkae6F0AVAcQFIYd6yCC-354h7yeRtq8ClStEA2syNZxdzjDcIZV7PUaNKCrjKDLhrnfIDv1Shj0VcCYqt3NUAPueFynAxa8oUa4PlLfoZdx64/s1600/IMG_20150107_131838_135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98V4EG9QCUA8qNr2JE2TyminipsF3UKkae6F0AVAcQFIYd6yCC-354h7yeRtq8ClStEA2syNZxdzjDcIZV7PUaNKCrjKDLhrnfIDv1Shj0VcCYqt3NUAPueFynAxa8oUa4PlLfoZdx64/s1600/IMG_20150107_131838_135.jpg" height="285" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
You have to walk right down from the piste to get to the restaurant; no skiing down to the road!</div>
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<div>
After lunch, to la Cremerie for an ice-cream<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1qOr2A7LFIrTDKiWPlTRy9hFlDhsHBKAkaB6kjsG5W0vR14nR5aquHG-fao2UxHHAa5OfOtXNRbqY5nzGlqxqx4wf1vXqiAUKNbB2VGXvj-9t4KFQT5B184wkQFkgw-m9m7yVxu_WPOs/s1600/IMG_20150107_130512_270.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1qOr2A7LFIrTDKiWPlTRy9hFlDhsHBKAkaB6kjsG5W0vR14nR5aquHG-fao2UxHHAa5OfOtXNRbqY5nzGlqxqx4wf1vXqiAUKNbB2VGXvj-9t4KFQT5B184wkQFkgw-m9m7yVxu_WPOs/s1600/IMG_20150107_130512_270.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<div>
Unfortunately no pistache on the ice-cream menu this week!</div>
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<div>
Today we had lunch at Le Meleze; Roger was unable to resist polenta...</div>
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Stats</h2>
<div>
Yesterday: top speed 83 km/h 58.3km travelled</div>
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Today: top speed 86 km/h ~70km travelled (approximate since my logging is incomplete as "Ski Tracks" doesn't seem to record tracks when running on my phone. A whole 89p down the drain unless/until they fix it!)</div>
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Miscellaneous Photos</h2>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjix1kIPCXOEhHlu_QiAtCNlwnoB1SxdoiLiwL4VcfyBwjLCv1hyBpfTB1P_SxPszGweDEU_Oglrn1LCY4Xa9FV5-yrFvTnBbdeMqOKOgUG8ZWu_7LM7KtCLWKFy7F1MF8CVJkBXSGfJug/s1600/IMG_20150108_085236_332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjix1kIPCXOEhHlu_QiAtCNlwnoB1SxdoiLiwL4VcfyBwjLCv1hyBpfTB1P_SxPszGweDEU_Oglrn1LCY4Xa9FV5-yrFvTnBbdeMqOKOgUG8ZWu_7LM7KtCLWKFy7F1MF8CVJkBXSGfJug/s1600/IMG_20150108_085236_332.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View at breakfast</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcnPkctuSSYxezqnM5t9yuIc2zTerjrkbujQ__WY7frMutbu6_qLJNj4Zux3eJBdAzQUI8f-uMf0ijx1vY5z5fUXtUk3NQQPWrODNjsgN3CyGgnREzFSsKPMLDrR8O4WcoLEkYw9UdXMk/s1600/IMG_20150108_160309_653.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcnPkctuSSYxezqnM5t9yuIc2zTerjrkbujQ__WY7frMutbu6_qLJNj4Zux3eJBdAzQUI8f-uMf0ijx1vY5z5fUXtUk3NQQPWrODNjsgN3CyGgnREzFSsKPMLDrR8O4WcoLEkYw9UdXMk/s1600/IMG_20150108_160309_653.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset over the Maison du Tourisme</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpXURtsJ8jFDR0qD0q0uB4eH7lstL171Eg4WWhhuTn3mnCMkcwvk7PTo2-DGTqKMH2OSXrjsShr6P7CnxTgKVCIQJlgDzST9nU6PGKG-gaMjT2HPHu-GCYtnyR5pkd8H1d0t-VzRqc2Ms/s1600/IMG_20150107_102628_129.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpXURtsJ8jFDR0qD0q0uB4eH7lstL171Eg4WWhhuTn3mnCMkcwvk7PTo2-DGTqKMH2OSXrjsShr6P7CnxTgKVCIQJlgDzST9nU6PGKG-gaMjT2HPHu-GCYtnyR5pkd8H1d0t-VzRqc2Ms/s1600/IMG_20150107_102628_129.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Le Mont Pourri</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgejm1yaV7YzDCc63pQOKlASf_vlxVBwnDN_RH_MQfw5-9bEE7UkxFct7jGgLUuvdF2qYnuscEje8sb2j3gqm0Bcyk49zRIbVzcMfoPIvN4NAiKk8KId2cejrRKQWrqxociFPA7Y7lNeCQ/s1600/IMG_20150107_104743_161.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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Jim Cowniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05641343927746539200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199241079297381917.post-23127322887805050262015-01-06T19:37:00.000+00:002015-01-06T19:37:52.330+00:00Another Sunny Day in La Rosiere<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A good day's skiing in the sun including a lunch at the <a href="http://www.petit-saint-bernard.com/index.html" target="_blank">Relais du Petit St Bernard.</a> The snow in the pass seemed the nicest in the afternoon, though some of the runs in La Rosiere and Les Eucherts were good in the morning.<br />
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Here is Roger in front of Mont Blanc.<br />
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Jim Cowniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05641343927746539200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199241079297381917.post-22171735760007162592015-01-05T20:13:00.000+00:002015-01-05T20:13:23.474+00:00Progress so far...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Travel</h2>
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A fairly uneventful trip. Roger and I left Bristol at about 8am, and were at the channel tunnel at 11. We were offered (and took) the chance to travel on the 11:50 train instead of the 12:36 and reached <a href="http://www.le-val-moret.com/en/" target="_blank">Le Val Moret</a> as it was getting dark.</div>
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We resisted the lobster menu and the deconstructed crunchy irish coffee, but had a very pleasant meal.</div>
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Unpleasant fog from the off on Saturday most of the way to Dijon, but no traffic or road problems, so we were in La Rosiere about 3:30pm.</div>
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Skiing</h2>
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A rather unpleasant day on Sunday, doing two runs in zero visibility, which made me completely sea-sick, so I retired to bed for the afternoon.</div>
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A good day today, over to La Thuile in bright sun all day for coffee at La Cremerie, so here's the traditional picture of coffee there.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">La Cremerie Coffee</td></tr>
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A lot of La Thuile is closed, all of the Arnouvaz area is shut, and some of the lifts in the pass are also closed. There's even a pond on what is normally part of the piste in the centre of the resort!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roger in front of Mont Blanc</td></tr>
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We came back through the pass and had lunch at the fort restaurant. Then tried to find Choucas to get back to the front de neige, but it no longer exists! My theory is that they're funnelling you down to the new Plan du Repos lift to ensure that it has lots of traffic and can be shown to be useful!</div>
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"My Tracks" reckons 51.78km travelled in 5h 37m with a top speed of 75km/h and 4,863m of elevation gain.</div>
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Another sunny day is forecast tomorrow!</div>
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Jim Cowniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05641343927746539200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199241079297381917.post-37069680338944239742014-12-31T16:41:00.000+00:002014-12-31T16:41:42.514+00:00Getting Ready<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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2015 is my tenth year at Intel, so the way Intel "sabbaticals" work here in Europe, I have another. I therefore have a place booked through the Channel tunnel at 12:36pm on Friday to head down to the Alps. The first week will be at <a href="mailto:mike@snowcrazy.co.uk" target="_blank">Mike</a>'s <a href="http://www.snownation.co.uk/default.asp?ID=171&Page=Hotel%20La%20Roz%20-%20La%20Rosiere%201850" target="_blank">Hotel La Roz </a>. Since it has now (finally) snowed in the Alps, I'm looking forward to some great skiing. </div>
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I have also persuaded Roger Shepherd (man, it was hard) that he wasn't doing anything important next week, that Mike is offering a great deal and that Roger needed to come skiing, so you can expect a bunch of photos from him next week that explicitly don't contain Mont Blanc.</div>
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More soon...</div>
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Jim Cowniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05641343927746539200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199241079297381917.post-38768955642579984182013-02-07T18:03:00.000+00:002013-02-07T18:03:26.302+00:00We got to Italy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Amazing powder snow in La Rosiere, but grey light and poor visibility. One excellent run, first down the top of the black run from the Roc Noir lift; powder so deep it fluffs up into your mouth and over your goggles! The couple of French guys who were also there agreed that it was "Incroyable" and "Magnifique".<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH1-UpG9D8VQo9m5V1kp2X5UQeMPCLzMMQwBDsduBAOHzfO1mcALdIiCmgMvDgqHqc2o2Bt64rzwOacdwdA8730Ppmi-_zaz_9tOmp_Py-f-2NzEMRuGv3Zep7_QGXh-ytxKF42O9tkFg/s1600/Coffee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH1-UpG9D8VQo9m5V1kp2X5UQeMPCLzMMQwBDsduBAOHzfO1mcALdIiCmgMvDgqHqc2o2Bt64rzwOacdwdA8730Ppmi-_zaz_9tOmp_Py-f-2NzEMRuGv3Zep7_QGXh-ytxKF42O9tkFg/s400/Coffee.jpg" width="400" /></a>However the sun in Italy was calling so off through the pass and down to La Cremerie.<br />
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The pizza oven in Le Rascard was broken, so we had lunch at <a href="http://www.maisoncarrel.com/">Maison Carel</a>.<br />
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As expected, the snow in Italy was very different. Icy low down, and blown off higher up. Still, nice to get in one day in something approaching sun.<br />
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On the way back along Choucas, in poor visibility, I hit a snow drift (on piste!) that knocked me backwards so that I ended up still in my skis but lying backwards with snow over my head! Apparently I just disappeared.<br />
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Jim Cowniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05641343927746539200noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199241079297381917.post-62975961119914833792013-02-06T17:31:00.000+00:002013-02-06T17:31:38.880+00:00Back in La Rosiere<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Back in La Rosiere with the family, but in a <a href="http://snowcrazy.co.uk/default.asp?default.asp?ID=234&SubCat=Mont%20D%20Or&Page=Luxury%20Chalets&SubPage=Caspar%20La%20Rosiere">new (to us) chalet</a>. This year we have the chalet to ourselves. Food and hospitality as good as ever, with Alex and Emma doing a great job.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLl56nROefFy5zIBX6AOdLGBWqQyPqMk5_Tz63uQegnw1aFMJ3R6LsLH2hxCGQLfbwe6dP8oy8mkeEyrhJ2NtMWI0KGIYcTiGXOrRVNX-tjzwpbTIEjVbxoksBVknUrllW5Kd414w9uY4/s1600/tea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLl56nROefFy5zIBX6AOdLGBWqQyPqMk5_Tz63uQegnw1aFMJ3R6LsLH2hxCGQLfbwe6dP8oy8mkeEyrhJ2NtMWI0KGIYcTiGXOrRVNX-tjzwpbTIEjVbxoksBVknUrllW5Kd414w9uY4/s400/tea.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tea laid out ready for tired skiers<br /></td></tr>
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The weather hasn't been great so far this week, with lots of grey clouds on the pistes and snow, so we haven't made it to Italy yet. As the sign said "Italy is closed" (which may be a slightly extreme view!).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBu2AuRfLpzc3ad5zg9R2Dm9pHRz3OI-QNxTPIuzACYYJmwPg2TJNT0epmbxZbPFHdT9OW5RgsEEzvfc-xsH-v6U1bGtFgKS09Q8zlyL0ZfXG8ZTMIrkY8LrMA2V3iG5DgWUKU4jK6pHI/s1600/Alison_Marmot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBu2AuRfLpzc3ad5zg9R2Dm9pHRz3OI-QNxTPIuzACYYJmwPg2TJNT0epmbxZbPFHdT9OW5RgsEEzvfc-xsH-v6U1bGtFgKS09Q8zlyL0ZfXG8ZTMIrkY8LrMA2V3iG5DgWUKU4jK6pHI/s320/Alison_Marmot.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alison threatened by a mad marmotte</td></tr>
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We had a good day today despite the grey weather, with an off piste lesson in the morning with ESF. Ashley got stuck in a tree, and Jennifer is probably now ahead of Alison on points in the "Breaking ski-poles" competition, since she managed to break one of the instructors poles, which counts for three points as against Alison's two for breaking both her own poles. (Breaking someone else who isn't an instructor would be 2 points). By the end of the lesson everyone more or less had the idea, and was enjoying themselves.<br />
After lunch more just off piste, with nice snow everywhere.<br />
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I wanted to take a picture of Mont Blanc for Roger, since he's so keen on them, but we haven't seen it yet...</div>
Jim Cowniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05641343927746539200noreply@blogger.com0