It's Snow Much Fun!

Posted by Simon
Whilst Rosie was having peace and quiet in a distance corner of France, a.k.a Chez Nous, Tom, Ben and I were out in the wilds of the French Alps, Les Deux Alpes, suffering the sunny but very cold conditions and having to put our bodies through the rigours and hardship of a skiing holiday.

We had to endure lovely skiing conditions and quiet pistes, plus massive queues of virtually zero for the ski lifts, an apartment so far from everything that if it was any closer to the ski lifts, meeting points for lesson, shops and restaurants we would have them in our room. Plus over subscribed lessons akin to private lessons - of the most four. What we had to suffer for Rosie to have a week of peace and quiet!

And to cap it all the snow was great on piste but off piste (my sort of skiing) it was rapidly melting away and for January was lacking. If no snow soon the lower slopes will be struggling this week onwards.

Both Tom and Ben had lessons in the morning - Tom with 2 in his class and Ben four - and progressed very well over the week, Both achieved their next grade. As I did not have anyone to ski with I decided to have lessons (4 in the class) as well. I had a lovely week and definitely improved my technique plus had some bad habits removed. Ski technology has changed hugely, since I started to ski, and all those years of learning to ski with my legs together has to be undone and now with craving skis the legs have to be apart. I have managed in the past but kept reverting back to old style, but this year it suddenly clicked and what a difference it made. By the end of the week in the lessons we were zooming down the mountains.

In the afternoons I skied with Tom and Ben, which was slow, but meant I could work on the technique. It was a case of Tom speeding off and waiting at set points whilst I either watched Ben work his way down and then caught both boys up or I worked my way down with Ben to Tom, before he was off again. Tom's instructor was very pleased with his progress and said he is turning into a nice little skier.

We had a great week in Les Deux Alpes, with a lovely and convenient apartment. Although a smallish resort I loved Les Deux Alpes. It had a village feel about the place and we found everyone extremely helpful and friendly. I have been to many ski resorts and never had any reason to complain ( not about a resort but I won't mention one supposedly family orientated ski company) but here everyone seemed to give that bit extra.

On the last night the ice rink had ice gliders to ride on. Bumper cars on ice. What a great way to end the holiday, sliding around in little cars crashing into each other. It was suppose to be 3 Euros for around 6 minutes. Our first go, with just the 3 of us, lasted around 25 minutes. On our second go all 15 cars were sliding around with help of some students from the UK and Ireland. We all spent this 20 plus minutes sending each other spinning around - it was a great laugh and certainly made the boy's holiday. All that skiing, all that lovely scenery and their best memory - the ice gliders!