25 February 2000
Chamonix, France
I am not sure where we went or what we did today ... the girls went to Panda club. I do remember that I had a disagreement with the tutor about the girls progress.. the classes had been packed and neither of them enjoyed it .. and at the end they were effectively told they were going backwards not forwards .. so time for a rethink next year. -- We would have two or three individual sessions one on one for the price we paid for the whole week. At a time and days of our choosing.
24 February 2000
23 February 2000
22 February 2000
21 February 2000
20 February 2000
19 February 2000
2000 Ski Trip, France
Back to Chamonix, M-J had booked an apartment, I think it was behind the camp site at Les Praz, but I cannot remember exactly where or what it was like.
Sue stayed behind this year as she had things to do at home, the girls were booked into Panda club, but this year it was very crowded and they were in large groups ... it would be the last time they would go for group lessons ... we would get more value from one on one tutorials.
This was the first time we had been away at half term, and it would be the last for a while... everywhere was jammed solid, each peage had long queues to pay and there were jams on each Autoroute. It took a long time to travel each way, and with only the girls in the back, I had to get out to pay at each barrier, and walk around to the passenger side.
On the way back we left early, but not early enough, and got caught up in a 2 hour delay to pay at Reims.
This was just the final straw and once back in the UK, I asked around and found a good deal on the autoroute tag system. ... you only pay for the month you use it, and the toll prices.
It has been a great investment and although it does not avoid the autoroute jams, once at the toll booths, it is very fast and uses priority lanes.
The actual details of the trip day by day is a blur.
Sue stayed behind this year as she had things to do at home, the girls were booked into Panda club, but this year it was very crowded and they were in large groups ... it would be the last time they would go for group lessons ... we would get more value from one on one tutorials.
This was the first time we had been away at half term, and it would be the last for a while... everywhere was jammed solid, each peage had long queues to pay and there were jams on each Autoroute. It took a long time to travel each way, and with only the girls in the back, I had to get out to pay at each barrier, and walk around to the passenger side.
On the way back we left early, but not early enough, and got caught up in a 2 hour delay to pay at Reims.
This was just the final straw and once back in the UK, I asked around and found a good deal on the autoroute tag system. ... you only pay for the month you use it, and the toll prices.
It has been a great investment and although it does not avoid the autoroute jams, once at the toll booths, it is very fast and uses priority lanes.
The actual details of the trip day by day is a blur.
| | | ||
| | | Arrive Chamonix | |
| Chamonix | | | |
| | | Chamonix | |
| Chamonix | | | |
| | | Chamonix | |
| Chamonix | | | |
| | | Chamonix | |
| Go Home | | |
06 February 2000
Vallee Blanche, France
Up really early today, and headed over to the aiguille du midi lift. We had to wait behind the guided parties, but got on the second lift.
At the top we huddled in the tunnel to strap on crampons and prepare to walk out ... I even put the rope on Griff, as the walk down the arête could be scary for those not prepared. Luckily the path down arête was fairly wide - at least two boot widths, and the crampons made Griff more confident.
Once down on the ridge, we basked in the sun, and prepared for the descent. From here we set off, and before long we were approaching the Requin hut and paused to get our breath and rehydrate.
We sped off down the glacier, to the lift up to Montainvers. By the afternoon we were sitting in a cafe in Chamonix contemplating a fantastic run.
Some shopping in the discount stores and then hunting for some food.
Tomorrow we would head back to the UK, and this was a perfect finish to the long weekend.
At the top we huddled in the tunnel to strap on crampons and prepare to walk out ... I even put the rope on Griff, as the walk down the arête could be scary for those not prepared. Luckily the path down arête was fairly wide - at least two boot widths, and the crampons made Griff more confident.
Once down on the ridge, we basked in the sun, and prepared for the descent. From here we set off, and before long we were approaching the Requin hut and paused to get our breath and rehydrate.
We sped off down the glacier, to the lift up to Montainvers. By the afternoon we were sitting in a cafe in Chamonix contemplating a fantastic run.
Some shopping in the discount stores and then hunting for some food.
Tomorrow we would head back to the UK, and this was a perfect finish to the long weekend.
05 February 2000
Grands Montets, France
Today, we headed for Grands Montets, first for some tuition in transceiver discovery, and avalanche retrieval. There had been fresh snow overnight so there would be some good fun today.
The top lift was closed for snow clearance and high winds, so we headed over to the Bochard lift, and took a couple of trips coming down the off-piste bowls.
After a break for warm drinks and some food, we then went back up the Bochard, and headed across the slopes keeping as high as possible, before putting the skins on and heading up to the road of the Pylons route... when we got there we had the whole fresh slope under it to play with ... excellent.
The skinning was new for Griff and he preferred to ride.. luckily the top lift opened just as we got down, so we could repeat from the top, in fact we went back up twice - the second time going down to the glacier.
Another excellent day, and time for dinner, and another early night.
The top lift was closed for snow clearance and high winds, so we headed over to the Bochard lift, and took a couple of trips coming down the off-piste bowls.
After a break for warm drinks and some food, we then went back up the Bochard, and headed across the slopes keeping as high as possible, before putting the skins on and heading up to the road of the Pylons route... when we got there we had the whole fresh slope under it to play with ... excellent.
The skinning was new for Griff and he preferred to ride.. luckily the top lift opened just as we got down, so we could repeat from the top, in fact we went back up twice - the second time going down to the glacier.
Another excellent day, and time for dinner, and another early night.
04 February 2000
Le Tour, France
We waited until the morning rush was over we headed to the gite de la montage .. I had not been here before, but had heard it was an old fashioned gite, and eventually found the road down through the woods.
We checked in and were allocated a bunk in one of the rooms, then we headed over to Le Tour for a day on the gullies and open slopes .... the snow was reasonably fresh and gave us some good warm up, and also allowed me to get confidence in Griff ... his technique was better than mine, and he was much faster on the open piste, but off-piste just needed more confidence.
Then we headed back to pick up a pizza for supper, before crashing - an early night.
We checked in and were allocated a bunk in one of the rooms, then we headed over to Le Tour for a day on the gullies and open slopes .... the snow was reasonably fresh and gave us some good warm up, and also allowed me to get confidence in Griff ... his technique was better than mine, and he was much faster on the open piste, but off-piste just needed more confidence.
Then we headed back to pick up a pizza for supper, before crashing - an early night.
03 February 2000
2000 Ski Raid, France
Griff and I had always talked about a weekend raid to the slopes to see what we could achieve... Griff had never been touring, but liked a but of off-piste.
We took a long weekend and booked a ferry for Thursday night, and left straight from work, and took turns driving overnight, until we arrived in Camonix in the early morning .. in time for a coffee and croissant.
I had made a reservation at the gite de la montagne over the phone so we knew we had a place to stay.
I had brought a second transceiver, and crampons, ice axe, shovel etc. so that Griff could get some tuition in off-piste and rescue.
We took a long weekend and booked a ferry for Thursday night, and left straight from work, and took turns driving overnight, until we arrived in Camonix in the early morning .. in time for a coffee and croissant.
I had made a reservation at the gite de la montagne over the phone so we knew we had a place to stay.
I had brought a second transceiver, and crampons, ice axe, shovel etc. so that Griff could get some tuition in off-piste and rescue.
| | | ||
| | | Arrive Chamonix | |
| Le Tour | | | |
| | | Grands Montets | |
| Vallee Blanche | | | |
| | | Go Home |
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