mega snow in La Rosiere!

Weds 3^rd Feb

It’s snowing! The forecast and much anticipated snow started falling about 8am and has been falling heavily all day. The temperature has dropped to a much more normal for Feb – 3 deg C. After a leisurely breakfast we kitted up and walked up through the winter wonderland to the ski station above us. After a quick internet session in the Tourist Office we bought cakes and found a café to have a coffee with them. This is normal in France and causes no problems – try that in the UK!

It was a total whiteout so the streets were quite busy, as most people were not skiing. We browsed in a few shops before walking back down to the campsite. The fresh snow was now 20cm deep around the van. A good excuse to use my snow shovel.  I also got our folding plastic step out and retracted the electric step as they can get frozen solid when it snows then freezes.

Tonight is curry night – we have brought a take away with us, frozen of course. Boy are we looking forward to it.

Thurs 4^th Feb

It obviously had continued to snow through the night as when I looked out first thing all our footprints and the road in front were all hidden under a fresh layer of lovely powder snow. We were up early as we had to catch the 8.45am free ski bus, so quick cup of tea and I was outside clearing the snow from around the van and knocking off some of the amazing icicles hanging from everywhere. The trees looked lovely in their fresh coating. Then a monster snow plough arrived to clear all the roads and spaces, I again cleared the bank of snow it shoved in front of the van.

We gingerly walked down the freshly snow ploughed road, but Tina had her first slow speed fall of the day as she slipped onto her bottom! The bus was waiting for us, so skis into the carrier on the rear and we were soon outside the maison de ski. The weather wasn’t great so we opted for a 4 hour pass – a good decision as the visibility was very poor for most of the day. We had some bright spells when we could see the piste clearly but mostly we fumbled our way down in very flat light. Not good, but we still enjoyed ourselves finding some really good fresh snow to lay down our tracks in.

Once back at the campsite I got my telescopic ladder out and cleared 25cm of snow from the van roof. We also fitted the snow chains in preparation for getting out of the site tomorrow morning as there is yet more snow forecast for this evening. J

breakfast view from the van

so happy it is sunny today

fresh tracks by Tina

what is in your rucksack?

last run about to happen :-(

Ste Foy, then up to La Rosiere

Tuesday 2^nd Feb

I was up at 7.30am to make tea as we were moving today, first to Ste Foy to ski with our friend Sue, then onto La Foret campsite just below la Rosiere. Busy day ahead. We met up with Sue at the bottom of the Ste Foy ski station road where we could easily park the van. Skis into her 4x4, we were soon parked up beneath some of the chalets her company manages. We skied for a bit on mainly deserted pistes before meeting up with her family for lunch in the sunshine. Very pleasant and nice to meet up with them all again.

After a post lunch ski Sue deposited us back by the van. Quick change of footwear and we were driving back down the mountain to Seez where we turned right and headed back up towards la Rosiere. The van is just too big to use the shorter road which cuts across between the two . We were given a very warm, friendly reception at La Foret when we arrived at 5.30pm. This definitely was caravaneige – camping in the snow. Lots of snow piled up and some caravans still semi buried! We pitched up, managing to get the van reasonably level on our snow covered emplacement before the light faded too much. No sat signal so we enjoyed a DVD before retiring to bed – pooped again after such a busy day.

Weds 3^rd Feb

It’s snowing! The forecast and much anticipated snow started falling about 8am and has been falling heavily all day. The temperature has dropped to a much more normal for Feb – 3 deg C. After a leisurely breakfast we kitted up and walked up through the winter wonderland to the ski station above us. After a quick internet session in the Tourist Office we bought cakes and found a café to have a coffee with them. This is normal in France and causes no problems – try that in the UK!

walk in the snow - lovely

it's getting deeper - better get the shovel out

It was a total whiteout so the streets were quite busy, as most people were not skiing. We browsed in a few shops before walking back down to the campsite. The fresh snow was now 20cm deep around the van. A good excuse to use my snow shovel.  I also got our folding plastic step out and retracted the electric step as they can get frozen solid when it snows then freezes.

Tonight is curry night – we have brought a take away with us, frozen of course. Boy are we looking forward to it.

Rain, rain then some sun! - Les Arcs

Sun 31^st

Unfortunately the forecast rain below 1200m and wet snow above this materialised. It rained all day and through the night with only one period of respite when I topped up our water tank and emptied the waste etc… We did don our waterproofs and go for a walk over to Intermarche to buy a sticky cake. Yum.

We watched a bit of tv in the evening before retiring to bed exhausted from so much enforced relaxation J

Mon 1^st Feb

No rain! So ski kit on we headed up on the funiculaire above the valley cloud into some welcome sunshine. Although it was unseasonably warm the snow was much improved. We avoided the crowds and had a great playday in the snow above Arc 1800. The snow was very soft low down but very skiable with our nice new skis! Tina looked very stylish and comfortable on hers putting in lots of very controlled, neat turns.

2 pints of hot choc!

thoughtful pose

We returned to the van tired but very content with our day’s fun. We were both pooped, so lights out at 10pm. Mountain air + sunshine + snow = tiredness.