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.

Day 36: La Rosiere, La Thuile

Jo and Jim at Roches Noires

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.

Jo snow shoeing

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.

Jennifer and Ashley (and consumed Cafes affogato)

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).

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.

Panorama looking back from Italy up the Petit St Bernard pass,

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.

Ashley, Caroline, Jennifer and Alison,

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.

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 & Alison at Les Eucherts

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.

Caroline in La Cremerie

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.

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.

Panorama over La Thuile, with Monte Cervino (the Matterhorn) in the
distance.

After lunch we skied a few more runs, then stopped for a coffee/ice-cream break before setting off for home.

Coffee and Ice-cream.

Mont Blanc from La Rosiere (above Les Suches)

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.

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!

Alison and "modified" poles.

Mont Blanc from the pass.

Sun setting on Les Arcs from Chantelauze balcony.

Jo out with Alpes-Rando yesterday.

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.

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.

Ashley, Jennifer and Alison at the fort, with that mountain behind them.

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.