Wednesday, 22 December 2021

Above the Clouds - On Skis from Chatel to Avoriaz

Well, after all the chopping and changing of plans and the mammoth drive through France, we've been rewarded with three incredible days of skiing around the Porte du Soleil region of the French Alps. The thick layer of cloud that we drove through to get here has remained in the valley as high pressure dominates the region, but up here, above the clouds, it's been full on blue skies.


In the distance, where Lake Geneva would ordinarily be seen, is a sea of cloud.


We've been getting used to sliding around on skis again. The off-piste options are all pretty tracked out and crusty, but the pisted runs are so numerous and relatively empty, that there's no need to stray too far from the lifts.



Our old 'local peak', the Dents du Midi towers over the ski area and seeing it again felt like seeing an old friend. We used to look out at this peak from our bedroom window when we lived in Switzerland years ago. We can see the village we used to live in from here and I've also been back with various climbing and trekking expeditions since, so things feel a little familiar.


The resort of Chatel, where we are staying. is relatively small, but is linked to miles and miles of ski runs. On the first day, we clocked 63km of distance travelled!


There are plenty of cafes and bars to stop and admire the views from, but we also found some quiet spots just to lie down in the snow and relax at as well.


It's been gradually getting busier over the three days, but on the first day, it felt like only a handful of people had made it here. Here are a few of the views...







At the chalet hotel where we are staying, there are huge icicles hanging from the roof. It's nothing flash, but it feels extremely luxurious to us, as all food and drink is included! I suspect that we represent very good value as we don't eat or drink that much, but it still feels good ordering things at a bar and not being expected to hand over any cash!


Some Ski Stats:
20/12/21 - 63km travelled. 6500m descended on skis.
21/12/21 - 73km travelled, 7500m descended on skis.
22/12/21 - 62km travelled, 6600m descended on skis.

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