Spring skiing followed by more snow in Val Thorens

The beginning of this week saw very balmy temperatures indeed with changing conditions on lower slopes and even by midday yesterday in Val Thorens there were slushy slopes all around.

For anyone arriving last weekend the first day was not the best with bad visibility, snow higher up and rain lower down. If you have every skied in rain, you will know it’s not the best! You also get the ‘brakes’ sensation as you hit the heavier sections of snow which takes some getting used to. Following this however two days of sunshine made up for the mediocre start, so all was forgiven.

With weather such as this, it is when the Three Valleys really comes into it’s own with varying conditions all over at different altitudes but always the ability to find the best snow somewhere.

I started my ski day yesterday flying over the mountains parapenting with Evolution 2 which was fab. A definite recommend. After all that excitement it was definitely time for a refreshment stop and I chose Chalet 2 Lacs just off the Moutiers chairlift. A fab location for a stop-off to think through the afternoons skiing agenda. Just past this point there is also the new Val Thorens Fun Slope with jumps, bridges, bends and tunnels to race your mates down. There was an ESF children’s lesson all lined up at the start point as I passed with elbows at the ready to be the first to the finish.

I am generally a journey type of snowboarder heading to a certain place across the Three Valleys rather than staying in one spot so I took the opportunity to just play around in Val Thorens which was great. As mentioned above, it was hot, hot, hot with everyone down to spring jackets. The slopes around ‘Portette’ were great and it’s an area I always forget about.

With conditions a bit more cut-up by the afternoon I seemed to have a few tumbles on the slopes which I haven’t done for a long time. One particularly bad fall was when I was distracted by a Frank Sinatra type singer at La Folie Douce which left me feeling a bit sore indeed and I was more than happy to have my helmet! It seems to be more than common now for people to have adopted the ski lid, I don’t go anywhere without mine. I even saw a ski instructor for the first time yesterday with a helmet, I hadn’t realised until I spotted the guy what a rare sight it is.

With temperatures dropping back down again now the forecast has a very snowy weekend lined up which is great. In fact most of next week seems to be showing snowflakes on the agenda so we should be all set for one of the busiest weeks of the season coming up, February half term. I’m watching snow fall even as low down as 900m as I type this so it looks like Winter has returned again.