Areches, France

The usual first day ...  sorting out the kit, and getting ready, heading off to Areches to see what the snow cover and the conditions were like.
Stopping off for some touring skis for Dom, even then there was little problem parking .. a taste of that to come.
The automatic machine was not working, but this was no problem as there was very little queue at the desks for passes. Just a 4 hour pass for day 1 - we would never use more than that all week.

The lift was positively spring like ... no snow at all down below... and only frost until you got to the first station.

Down to the next section ...  only just some snow covering the run and lots of brown around.

The second tranche was much the same until we got over the ridge.

At the top of the second section, we were welcomed by the board advertising an avalanche risk of 1 ..  not seen it that low for many years.

Down to the drag lift to go higher (only one operating)..  the piste was narrow and there were rocks coming through and laying on top all down the run.

The drag up was a little better but very rutted. Then over to the top drag lift ..  a bungy drag, in much a similar state.

After taking the run down to the bottom of the drag and back up, we decided to skin up to the ridge behind and sit in the sun for lunch (as we all had skins and touring bindings).

Even here you could see the bare patches and we found some rocks to sit on.

There were plenty of tracks going over to Grand Mont, so some good news.

Just along from the point where we had lunch, was a little top, so for a bit of fun with the girls we wandered along the ridge to it ..  some practice at down hill skinning and walking along the ridge, and a couple of uphill turns.

Then it was skins off and down the powdery/ crusty/ spring like off piste back on to the trail.

From here we had seen enough for the day and returned to the first station ...

The top section was a known quantity up to the connection back to the second section .. which was rough!
The top of the second section was fine, until the steep at the top of the bottom half ...  more and more rocks and hard snow/ ice  .. point and shoot descent with winces at the ski bases pain.

then we had to take the chair down .. even the red to Le Plannay was closed as the snow level was above the snow making!
Interesting arrival at the bottom, shuffling on skis on rubber mats to keep ahead of the chair.

Now we knew what the conditions were like .. time to plan the week (or not, - just have a beer!)