8am on a rather grey drizzly morning saw four of us (Ralph, Mervyn, Mark and his grandson Henry) set off in Ralph’s comfortably commodious car in a Champéry direction, hoping to find more clement weather.
By 9:30 we were parked up and heading for the téléphérique to take us up to Planachaux and the start of our skiing – to our 10:30 rendezvous with Stephen, who was joining us from Morgins having escaped grandparenting duties for the day. Our French resident member was unable to use his on-line purchased ski ticket because seemingly he had specified Morzine (in France) rather than Champéry (in Switzerland) as his entry point into the Franco-Swiss Portes du Soleil ski domain. This was rectified by the payment of an additional supplement, but because of the queue at the guichet, also cost him two missed cable-cars and, in true GIN fashion, some mild piss-taking.
So somewhat behind schedule we set off but were soon enveloped in thick cloud as we groped our way along the ridge and down the long but gentle Abricotine run to Les Brochaux. The youth member of the team, on his first outing of the season, found that his skiing improved markedly once he’d done up his boots. Hot drinks and banter raised the spirits and with the visibility improving we headed towards Avoriaz to enjoy the Coupe du Monde and other long runs.
Lunch was taken at an old favourite, the erstwhile “soup kitchen” above Prodain whose menu now included fondue and tartiflette. After a tasty draught IPA we were soon tucking into the afore-mentioned fare plus wine and coffee for a very reasonable €40. For the information of our only €uroland dweller it’s a cash only establishment. He has now ratcheted up a debt as well as sundry fines.
Timid blue patches of sky were now turning into the forecast sunshine and we spent a pleasant afternoon playing on Arare and Fornet. The exciting off-piste was the scene of much sitting down skiing by one of our number, who complained that an old war-wound was giving him some gyp.
Returning to Switzerland, we rather sensibly opted for a descent of Chavanette by chairlift and enjoyed(?) the spectacle of numerous skiers who had clearly overestimated their ability to handle one of the most fearsome mogul fields in the Alps. Stephen left us at Les Crosets to ski back to Morgins and tired legs was the excuse for the rest of us to head back to Champéry the shortest way.
The return home in just over 1h30 was surprisingly easy and thanks to Ralph for his excellent driving and general bonhomie. Thanks too to Stephen for his guiding, to Henry for fitting in so well and lowering the average age of the group and to Mark for his customary good humour and displaying unorthodox drag-lift technique.
We were so busy enjoying ourselves no one had time to take any photos. Nor was distance or denivelation recorded, but it seemed lots.