Les Curtillets Walk

We woke up to around 5cm snow, and it was still snowing..  It was supposed to be sleet and only a small amount. Anyway the first thing was to get the car off the drive and up to a more travelled road since it was going to get heavier - this involved putting on the snow chains and driving up the access road to the bus stop lay-by. 

Chris and M-J were heading home after yesterday's accident and taking it easy so we followed them down to Beaufort - first to make sure they got down to the ploughed and gritted road, but also make sure they were safe. More goodbyes then removed the chains for the drive along the main road . Then off to the supermarket for some chains for Lloyd who had forgotten his set. On the way back Sue and Katie messaged that the water was off, so we tried to stop in Beaufort (ostensibly to put the chains on again) to see that the supermarket was closed and we could not get any bottled water.

Back up to the chalet and time to get the chains on Lloyds car - the first went OK, but the second was more of a nightmare as the pulley mechanism failed - broken rivet - so a few cable ties and glue resolved the problem for now ... we will see in the morning if it works.

Lunch before going out for an afternoon stroll in the snow - still falling - it was now 30cm. The lifts were working but the visibility was minimal and snow falling, however it was not something that really high on the pleasure list. The avalanche risk was very high with the new snow on the rock hard ice under it. So walking was a better option.

We went along the road above the chalet past the lay-by the cars were parked in. They were already covered in snow after the morning dash down the valley.

Following the road as it contoured around the hillside past a frozen stream marked as Captage.

Through the trees above Les Combettes.

Then at Le Plan, we dropped down a level and turned back towards Les Curtillets

The path crossed a number of fields and streams (lower and more open than the gorges above).

The path led into Les Curtillets, below the chapel.
Then up the chapel road and back to the chalet.

Back in the chalet we dried off and warmed beside the fire.
Sue was feeling rough after the walk and her cough was rumbling more.
Outside it was still snowing.
Steph and I decided that we would return home in the morning with Sue as she was not getting better.

After dark it stopped snowing and cleared up and the temperature rose.
On the road up to Areches there was a major incident at the "bad" hairpin and it took over 2 hours before the traffic started flowing again.