Season Diary - Day 2

It’s amazing how things can change overnight. At dinner last night, the snow was still falling, the cloud and mist still low, the visibility still really poor.

As the light rose on another day in Tignes, it was just that – light. Bright, in fact. Daybreak brought with it clear blue skies and picture perfect pistes.

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This was a day of two halves. I spend the morning pottering around with my sister, who had found her way to Tignes at exactly the same time as me. It was her first day back on snow in 10 years, so this morning was going to be a gentle feet finder.

We still managed to get some good skiing in. After the new snow of the last 24hrs, the pistes were in perfect condition. We pottered down to La Daille, making the most of good conditions that were surely not to last.

The runs down to La Daille were already being prepared for the Women’s World Cup, due to pass through next weekend. Large red crash netting was already lining the pistes, and the snow was firmer than the rest of the mountain as an indication of the additional prep going into the pistes.

A coffee stop on the way down was met by a funicular on the way back up, before we pottered around the pistes around Grand Pre, Fontaine Frois, and Marmottes to lunch at the favourite Marmottes restaurant.

It is hard to have more perfect conditions for a return to snow than this morning.

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After lunch, a change of pace. Four of us from the office were in resort at the same time – myself shadowing the course, one colleague on the course, and two more getting a Ski Club experience as newbies to the Club.

With our paths crossing briefly, we set off for a romp around Tignes, trying to find some pockets of powder we knew would be there.

We set off up Marmottes where we found some nice bits and bobs on our way to Borsat. From there, we struck gold, the side hits next to the green and blue runs back to Fontaine Frois bring some glorious snow as we went. Back to Borsat, we turned left this time, working our way back to Tignes Val Claret.

At the very head of the valley we found some more, putting in three or four seriously good turns in silly soft stuff.

And with the day coming to a close, we worked our way up Tichot and Grattalu, before cutting under the Merles chair – one last pocket of glory, as the south facing slope had had some wind blown snow moved over it to create a great final run for the day.