Spring Skiing & Snow Shoe Hiking in VAL THORENS, France

We are in Val Thorens in Savoie in Les 3 vales area in France, running a conference. The lectures have been interesting and informative and the skiing is sensational - spring skiing at its best - warm sunny days (T-Shirt skiing for some), crystal blue skies and several nights a dusting of 5cm of snow. Delightful really!! At 2300 metres, this resort is the highest ski resort in Europe, so one can expect snow here for much later in the season - in fact the resort does not close until early May, particularly this year when the season has had exceptional snow. We got a bus up the mountain from Moutiers (1.15hr transfer), which is an easy arrival/departure point by train (except for no lifts for your luggage on the platforms - I don't understand that about Europe - surely a large amount of passengers have luggage, so why do so few train stations have lifts??). Our hotel has a spectacular view of the whole front valley which is extensive and has a vast number of ski lifts which give access to the multitude of exceptionally long ski runs over the mountains to the valleys beyond. With so many ski runs, the wait at lifts is never long even though it is busy with Easter travellers.

There is also a very well organised walking group here called Raquette Nature, who, for  small fee, take half and full day snow shoe walks in a variety of different locations across the mountains. I did 2 of the half day (3.5hrs) snow shoe walks and thoroughly enjoyed them. One was focused on walking to areas where we saw local wildlife - a fox resting outside his hole, a hare, and a family of local marmot who are now just active as the weather warms. My 2nd walk took us up the cable car to 3000mtrs, then we ascended a further hundred meters to the foot of the Glacier de Peclet, then descended to the resort across virgin snow, often sinking to my knees in the untrodden snow - hard work but spectacular mountain vistas that seemingly went on for miles. I enjoy walking in the snow shoe attachments as they give incredible grip and allow one to walk on angles that would be impossible without them.

The other thing this resort offers which I thought amazing, but admit I did not try, is a 6km dedicated toboggan track! It leaves from the top of the 3000mtr cable car, and as I hiked down the mountain I watched  as people flew past with a small metal arm as the only means of a hand brake. One can even do it at night which must be rather frightening, to say the least. It looked like a huge amount of terrifying fun, an open air, natural theme park ride - one does has to leave something to do on the next visit!

The deck chairs covered in 5cm of overnight snow - once the morning warms up it doesn't last long,
but certainly looks beautiful in the meantime

I am leading the pack here as a fellow walker falls into the virgin snow. It was a thoroughly
enjoyable way to see the vistas, expend some energy and master a new sport! We are wearing the modern version of the 'tennis racquets style' attachments to our snow shoes which give incredible grip in the snow.

The foot of glacier de Peclet where we were snow shoe hiking

I took this on my snow shoe hike from the glacier - these mountains are enormous, the views went for on seemingly ever

It is hard to get much better than this when skiing - clear blue skies, warm weather and a dusting of fresh snow. 

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO

We are currently running a conference in Cortina d'Ampezzo which is in the Dolomite ranges about 2 hours north of Venice Italy. It is an elegant town that swells during the winter ski season with both Italian people who are lucky enough to own a house here, and tourists who partake in the fabulous skiing in the many ski fields in this area. An affluent ski town with picturesque Austrian alp style architecture, Cortina was in fact Austrian until just after WW1 when in 1919 it was given to Italy.  

As well as the many ski areas within a short bus trip of town, a Dolomiti super ski pass enables one to ski on 450 ski lifts in and around the 12 surrounding resorts. So the choices are extensive and offer something for all skiing abilities. One of my favourite ski runs in the area is from Passo Falzarego where one takes a cable car to Lagozoui, a height of 2762mtrs, then you ski down the run past picturesque frozen waterfalls and small mountain churches to the valley floor. After a little work to pole along the flat area, you reach a horse and cart which for a small fee will pull you along the flat area as you hold onto a rope tow. It feels rather incongruous to see these large draught horses in the midst of the snow but they are a welcome delight in a flat valley area. 

The horse & sleigh pull over the valley floor at the base of Lagouzi is a unique experience for skiers in the Dolomite area.

Another delightful run for a competent skier is the Marmolada glacier which rises to a height of 3343mtrs in 3 separate cable cars. The views of the surrounding Dolomite peaks is magnificent, however when we were there a few days ago, the outside temperature was a cool minus 13 degrees - without the wind chill factor! But like many a Cortina day, the skies were a superb cobalt blue with the sun shining, so it makes for a perfect place to enjoy a hot chocolate - which was my preference rather than skiing it!

The top of the Marmolada glacier where skiers begin the 3343 metre decent.

At the base of the Marmolada glacier is a magnificent 2km walk called the Serrai di Sottoguda which has numerous frozen waterfalls descending sheer cliffs in a natural gorge. The frozen water has a natural blue tinge as the light hits it. We even saw several climbers scaling the frozen cliffs - certainly a sport that I can be sure I will never try!  

The ice climbers in action - high above the safety of ground level!

This shows the height the ice climbers are scaling - seen here as 2 tiny dots in the distance!

It truly is a beautiful part of the world in which to run a conference.

BACK IN ITALY ON GOOD FRIDAY

I have just booked to go to Italy for work again on Friday, so will be there for Easter. I love any time in Italy, but Easter is particularly beautiful - the passion of the ceremonies, celebratory Sunday lunch and the change of the season as Spring bursts into life, are 3 easy reasons to spend time there (does one need any reasons?). I love to wander the streets, watching Italian families celebrate together while I soak in Italian life.

I will spend a few days in the superb Cortina D'Ampezzo area, where I have previously spent a great deal of time for work. The area has spectacular scenery with the imposing Dolomite mountain range surrounding the picturesque alpine village. The skiing is superb, though I won't be skiing at this time of year (even though several of the runs are still operating), but rather I will be sorting out a few work issues.

Spectacular Dolomite Mountains taken from Pocol (5kms from Cortina D'Ampezzo)

Then I will be working in Venice for a week, so a beautiful place to be again. I can happily wander the small calle (streets) for days, so together with my new camera, I will post about some of my discoveries.