Val-d'Isere off-piste blog by Wayne
10 September 2026
Time Flies!
A lot has gone on in the past few days since my last post!
On the 6th I celebrated my birthday on the golf course with my nephew Wils before having a family meal in the evening. Then Gill and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary on the 7th and 8th. We were married on the 7th and had a lunch with a few friends and family, and then we had our wedding party on the 8th, which was an outstanding event! It was a fantastic couple of days, and we really enjoyed looking back on 25 years, which have flown by. (This December will be 32 years together!)
I've also been recovering from my cataract operation this week, and I can't believe how much better I can see! The most notable change besides clarity is how vivid colours are again. The difference is really quite incredible! I'm now looking forward to having my other eye done, but I'm waiting on a date for that.
Also this week Alex had sent out the Alpine Newsletter, and I've had some nice comments about it, and some inquiries as well. Well done for resurrecting the Newsletter Alex!
And speaking of anniversaries, Carol and Dixie are in Brazil celebrating their 40th. Congratulations to you both, and keep those wonderful photos coming!
Stay tuned!
5 September 2026
Come on you Blue Jays!
After being 2-outs away from winning the World Series in game-seven last season, the Blue Jays have had a pretty disappointing season so far. But, after making a few trades at the trade-deadline, and bringing up some youngsters from the Farm System, they have battled back to .500 baseball, and sit one game back of the last wild-card playoff spot with 20 games left to play. A playoff spot one month ago seemed impossible, but suddenly Blue Jay fans are dreaming again. Come on you Blue Jays!
Stay tuned!
2 September 2026
50 Years!!!
My great childhood friend Mike, also known as Juice, messaged me yesterday to say that September 1st was the 50th anniversary of the start of our epic road trip. We went on a marathon 3-month tour of the States and Canada, and it will never be forgotten!
We drove from Calgary to Vancouver, then down the 101 through Washington, Oregon, and California, then back up to Las Vegas, then down to the Grand Canyon and on to ASU in Tempe, Arizona. After three weeks sleeping on the floor at the Phi Sigma Kappa Frat house visiting Hort, Stretch, and Tommy Canuck, we headed to Talmage, Nebraska to visit Mike's grandparents. Then Mike decided we should visit mine so we continued to Ontario to visit my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. We then drove back home across Canada to finish a fabulous three months on the road.
In those days Motel 6's cost 6 bucks a night, and gas was cheap. We stayed with friends, family, ski clients, and Motel 6's when needed.
Sporting highlights were following the Cincinnati Reds who had just won the World Series two years in a row and were going for a three-peat, down the West Coast, watching 4 games each in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego. We saw an historic NFL game with my beloved Pittsburg Steelers playing the Oakland Raiders. The Steelers had just won two Super Bowl's on the trot and we also going for a three-peat. They were winning 28-14 with two minutes to go and Kenny Stabler's Raiders somehow came back and won 31-28! (the Raiders went on to win the Super Bowl that year). We saw numerous NBA games and became Phoenix Suns fans, and we also saw the Toronto Maple Leafs shut out the Montreal Canadians 1-nothing in Maple Leaf Gardens.
Musically we saw some great musicians in bars, especially at ASU. But, the musical highlight was seeing The Who (Keith Moon was still alive) from the front row in Phoenix! Wow, what a night that was!
We hiked in the Grand Canyon, visited Disneyland and Universal City, went to shows in Vegas where we saw Olivia Newton-John, and basically had the most fantastic time!
It was back when America was 'ultra cool', and Canadians looked up to America and Americans. I would like to think that most American's, and I know all Canadians, are looking forward to the end of Donald Trump when hopefully the damage can be repaired, and we can become great neighbours again?
Those were wonderful days, and I look forward to when I would contemplate travelling to the States again. Stay tuned! And Cheers Mike!
PS That Cincinnati Reds team was laden with future Hall-of-Fame-ers, as was the Pittsburg Steelers and Raiders. The Montreal Canadians were in their 'glory' years, and the Suns went on a decent ten-year stretch where they threatened in the playoffs every season. And what more can you say about The Who?! It was all a privilege!
PPS And we saw The Eagles as well!
PPS I almost forgot. I'm having a cataract operation this afternoon!
28 August 2026
Finally Some Rain!
We've just had a short downpour, which is our first 'real' rain since sometime in June. (if my memory serves me correctly!) We've had a few moments of 'misty' precipitation lately where you could stand in it for 30 minutes without getting wet, but this is proper rain complete with thunder! Wow, it's been a long time coming!
Hopefully we won't have too many flash flood issues, but you just know that parts of the country are going to get hit really hard!
And as for Trump and the Gulf of America, and Lake America, what could possibly be next?
Stay tuned!
23 August 2026
Bravo Ben!
We had a wonderful weekend for Katie's birthday, and she had such a good time!
Her boyfriend Ben came up trumps with some fantastic presents ranging from gourmet home-made chocolate and strawberry cookies to a lovely scrapbook with letters, poems, and photos. He made a serious effort and it showed. Bravo Ben, you scored some serious points there!
I woke up this morning to watch Mark Carney's speech. Hopefully he knows what he's doing, but I love his way of speaking and his content, and he makes me feel patriotic and proud to be Canadian. But, how much more division and chaos can Donald Trump create in this world?
Stay tuned!
21 August 2026
Happy 21st Kato!
Happy 21st Katie!
Katie's day is underway and we've started out with a fantastic breakfast along with Ben and Tom. Katie has been blubbing away with some of the thoughtful gifts she's received, and she's had an emotional start to the festivities. I've posted a few photos with more to come either later in the day, or most likely tomorrow sometime.
Rock on Katie!
20 August 2026
Big Steve and Hillary!
Big Steve and Hillary stopped by this afternoon, along with their dogs Penny and Henry. Penny is a sweet little dog who is toughr than she looks, as she's scaled the Sassiere twice and counting! It was great to see them all, and Millie and Katie enjoyed seeing the dogs. (see photos)
I posted some photos of Chris' nephew's Leo artwork. You may remember that fantastic painting he did of last winter? It was absolutely brilliant!
It's Katie's 21st birthday tomorrow, so we're hoping for good weather as we don't really have a plan B!
19 August 2026
Sorted!
The photo page has been sorted by Alex. Thanks Alex!
18 August 2026
Photo Problems!
For some reason my current photo album has disappeared, and been replaced by the 2008 until March 2026 album. Hopefully it will be sorted soon.
Stay tuned!
17 August 2026
Lucky Boy!
Ben sent me a photo that clearly shows where the little boy was marooned and separated from his parents. In the middle-bottom of the photo you can see a hump with fresh debris on the right, where the main torrent was flowing. There is a less distinct path on the left.
Millie says she's never been so frightened in her life as the little boy was dodging rocks that were bouncing down the mountain. His parents were absolutely helpless as the raging water made it impossible for them to get to their son. The little fellow admirably saved himself, and will never forget that experience!
In all 23 people were taken off the mountain by helicopter, while quite a few needed to spend the night in the refuge.
And the second photo is of two legends, Fernando and Uffe!
Stay tuned!
15 August 2026
Rescued!
The girls have been having a fantastic time with Tom and Ben. They've done some classic walks, and the boys have had an eye-opening introduction to the mountains and Val d'Isere.
Yesterday they had an incredible, but terrifying trip to the Col de la Galise, which culminated with a helicpoter rescue!
Their plan for the day was to do a morning of mountain biking, but Jean Sports bikes were all rented out so they needed to change to Plan B, which was a trip up to the Col de la Galise. It was forecast to rain at 5pm, but they felt that they had plenty of time to get up-and-down before the rain hit.
They had a wonderful trip up and the boys were suitably impressed. But, the clouds rolled in early and it started to pour 2 hours early! They headed down to get off the mountain before it got really serious as Val d'Isere has had a long hot summer, and flash flooding will be an issue everywhere, and always more serious in mountainous terrain!
Fortunately nothing happened while decending on the path above the gorge, where a sudden surge of water or a rock fall could have swept them over the cliffs and into the gorge far below. They had exited the mouth of the gorge and could see the car below when there was a rock fall, and flash flooding which created a new unpassable watercourse.
There was a little boy of about 12 who was separated from his parents by water surging down on either side of him. He was incredibly brave and needed to dodge some tumbling rocks, and was probably less terrified than his parents who were going absolutely spare watching their son stranded on his own!
Someone notified the rescue services and eventually the pompier and a rescue helicopter arrived, and the little boy and the girls were flown to safety on the other side of the torrent.
In total 23 people were rescued, and many more were forced to spend the night at the Refuge du Prariond.
The girls had planned to take the boys to the Baraque in the evening to see Karen perform, but she was cancelled at the last minute. What a bummer as that would have been a great finish to an unforgettable day!
We knew the girls were in trouble because Gill received some sort of warning from Millie's phone. Fortunately we had some communication during the event and were extremely relieved when they were safe and sound. They were absolutely freezing and drenched as a lovely warm sunny day changed ever so quickly. That's the mountains for you!
For you music lovers Fernando is playing at Avancher Hotel tonight at 6PM.
Stay tuned!
PS I've posted some photos and a short video but may have more later. Some of the photos are mixed up with Gill and my evening trip to the golf course, which was rather tame!
12 August 2026
More Wedding Photos!
As more photos arrive I've posted a few extra shots of the big day! And stay tuned for photos of the girls in action later.
11 August 2026
Girls in Val!
The girls have arrived in Val d'Isere with Tom and Ben and are having a great time. They warmed the boys up on their first morning with the Piste Perdu and around by the lake, which is a clever choice. Meanwhile Doctor Mike and Derek walked up to the Col de l'Iseran, while Big Steve has knocked off another Sassiere!
And a big thank you to Chris and Yvonne for hosting a fantastic après-wedding BBQ at their place on Sunday. What a wonderful finish to a most memorable weekend!
Stay tuned for news and photos as the girls will be keeping me supplied with both!
PS Today the girls chose the Refuge de la Martin walk across the Sache towards the bottom of Terre Rouge. Nice one!
PPS Is Trump so deluded that he honestly thinks his indorsement could possibly save Infantino?
10 August 2026
Congratulations Zach and Rosie!!!
We've had a fabulous family wedding over the weekend, and it was an absolutely stunning event. The weather was perfect, the venue was outstanding, the food and drink were first-class, and it was attended by close friends and family. And my beautiful niece Rosie looked wonderful, and her speech blew Zach's socks off, which had the tears flowing! Wow!
I've posted a few photos, and will report more on the weekend later, as well as post some more photos. These have all come off my phone, and I'll receive some more from friends and family!
Millie and Katie have arrived in Val d'Isere with their boyfriends Tom and Ben, and the boys have never properly been to the mountains before. Wow, please take it easy on them girls!
Stay tuned!
6 August 2026
Thank You Dixie!!!
I'd like to thank Dixie for a fantastic day at the stunning Sunningdale Golf Club. My game is rubbish at the moment (another story) so Millie took my place in a four-ball-better-ball round off the White Tees. It was her first time playing such a difficult course, and off the whites as well, and she handled herself beautifully.
Millie and Dixie teamed up and won 2-up against Paul, who is an ex-Captain at Sunningdale and plays off 2, and Dixie's great school friend Pete. (Pete is affectionately known as Pedro because on his day he is definitely a bandit!)
I'd also like to thank Paul for his brilliant hospitality, and it was a very special day of golf. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Millie in action, and Millie absolutely loved it it! (see photos)
Speaking of special days, Andreas was up in St Andrews playing the Old Course with his great friend Mark. After a fantastic round they had lunch in the iconic Club House. (see photos) Andreas also came 14th last week in the Belgium Seniors Amateur Championship, and was extremely pleased and proud of his performance. Bravo Andreas!
I'm teeing off with Dixie and Pedro tomorrow morning at 7:30, after a curry tonight!
Stay tuned!
29 July 2026
Chris and Suzanne!
Chris and Suzanne are back in the UK visiting Suzanne's mum Heidi. They stopped by the other day for a trip to my Turkish Barbers, and it was great to see them both. They are having lunch today with Bridgette, and will stop by Giles' grave. (Giles was an original member of Alpine Experience and died of a brain tumor in 1995)
Millie took Katie to Bruges for the weekend as a 21st birthday present. They had a fantastic time in both Bruges and Gent. You do have a great sister there Kato!
On the weekend I played golf with Gill's childhood friend Nikki and her partner Pete. We had a great round at Bramley followed by a BBQ. Nikki and Gill have known each other since they were about three, and grew up two doors from each other while going to school together. Not everyone has a friend that goes that far back, and it's lovely to see them together.
I've posted a few photos plus one of Charles during a twilight practice session.
I'm now cutting back on my golf due to a wrist injury, and I'm doing drills to try to sort some well-ingrained-bad-habits. Wish me luck!
And stay tuned!
25 July 2026
Jane, Immy, and Jonathan!
Millie, Katie and I had a fantastic day in Brighton yesterday catching up with Jane and her lovely daughter Immy. It was great to see them both, and it's always fun to walk around Brighton checking out the shops, having some lunch, and people watching.
We also saw Jonathan and his pet seagull Cedric, who has been with him for 18 years. (see photos) Both Jane and Jonathan go back to my Top Ski and early-Alpine days, and we've had some wonderful times over the years! Val d'Isere bonds do run deep!
Stay tuned!
21 July 2026
Great to see you Mike!
Millie and I had a great morning playing golf with Mike C-G. I've posted a couple of photos, and Tom walked around caddying for Millie. Mike drove for two hours to play, so thanks for making the effort Mike!
Gill wants to go to the club tonight to pick wild plums, which when stewed are fantastic with natural yogurt.
Stay tuned!
20 July 2026
Congratulations Tchenko!
Congratulations to my great friend Tchenko, who has become a proud Grandfather. I've posted a photo of the proud grandad!
I've also posted a few photos that Chris sent me from days gone by, including my mum and dad, and Andreas, Henry and I looking about twelve!
And what a weekend of sport! England were magnificent against France and made us all think about just what could have been, the cricket was fantastic with record breaking performances, thank goodness Spain got over the line against Argentina, and what a finish to the Open! I've never seen a more deserved winner than Ryan Fox with his gritty and gutsy back-nine. Wow, what a performance!
Chris and Suzanne are in the UK, I had a nice chat with TJ this morning, and Big Steve and Derek are hanging out together in Val d'Isere.
Stay tuned!
13 July 2026
Thank to you all!!!
I'd like to thank everyone again who contributed to my 70th birthday fund. I've been thoroughly enjoying my streamer, and thanks to those who gave me personal presents as well. And, with the money I've just been fitted for some new Taylormade irons with Seniors shafts (believe me, Seniors shafts definitely beats the alternative!) , and a 4 and 5 Taylormade hybrid. Combined with my new glasses I'm really hoping that my new tools will help my game! Thanks again!
Wow, what a weekend of sport that was! Two Wimbledon Finals, England surviving a scare from the Vikings, the Women's Major from Evian, and the Scottish Open.
I managed to watch Canadian Brooke Henderson come back from 7 shots behind going into the final round with a hole-in-one and two eagles to tie in Evian. Unfortunately after all that hard work she lost in the Playoff, but it was dramatic and fun to watch. (thanks Johnnie!) And of course I was glued to the tennis and the footie!
I've posted a few photos from Millie's birthday, plus a couple of Jukka with the singer and guitarist from his latest festival.
Chris and Suzanne are on their way to England to visit Heidi, so I'll see them both soon.
11 July 2026
Happy Birthday Millie!
I can't believe it's been 23 years since Millie was born into the world! She's been a delight since day one, and a constant source of smiles and joy. Have a fantastic day Millie, and photos will follow.
Stay tuned!
10 July 2026
Congratulations Katie!
We had a family outing to Birmingham for Katie's graduation last Wednesday, and it was a fabulous occasion. We were so proud of her as she worked so hard, and graduated with a 1st in History and Politics. I blubbed of course, and it was quite an emotional day. Congratulations for a very well earned degree Katie! (see photos)
On the family sporting front, Millie won her Women's Club Championship last weekend. Well done Millie! But she was even more pleased yesterday as she shot 77 in the Stableford, and has been cut to 5.0. Bravo Millie! Meanwhile I shot 87 for 33 points, and am sadly sliding in the opposite direction. Still, I love it, and it's such a pleasure to play with Millie and watch her progress.
Fingers crossed for England Saturday night! Tuchel has been excellent with his tactics, but I fear he's left some players at home who could be very valuable from her on in. Come on boys!
Derek and Paul have followed in Big Steve's footsteps and made it to the summit of La Sassiere. Bravo boys as that one isn't a freebie!!! And Jukka has been rocking on just about every weekend at heavy metal festivals. Those Finns know how to make the most out of their daylight!
Stay tuned!
29 June 2026
Thanks Julian!
Thanks to Julian for a fantastic 'boys weekend' featuring himself (91), Dave St (83), and me, the baby of the group at 70! Julian and I haven't seen Dave in probably ten years or so, and it was great to all get together again. We had a brilliant time at Julian's, down in Wiltshire, and thanks again Julian for hosting us!
Julian, Dave and I all met over 40 years ago back in my Top Ski days. We shared some wonderful times together in the mountains, and as our friendship grew we spent some outstanding times together in the UK as well.
I've posted a few photos of our weekend, plus one of Millie and her coach Martin as Millie was being fitted for a new driver. I've also posted one of Jukka at the annual heavy-metal festival Tuska in Helsinki. Jukka is a hard-core festival lover and never misses Tuska!
As for the World Cup, come on England, France, and of course Canada!!!
Stay tune for more news soon.
17 June 2026
Loads of Golf!
Since being released from the hospital I've been playing lots of golf, and started my Seniors job again, which is taking care of old people. (That's starting to sound rich coming from me!) I haven't yet started back on my winter-training regime in the garden, but maybe later today?
I had a fantastic time with Dixie and Pete. Dixie took Gill, Millie, Pete and I out for dinner Monday night, which was great fun. Millie should have known better, but she was ambushed and ended up drinking way more than anticipated! Dixie, Pete and I then teed off at 7:30 am yesterday and had a brilliant round at Bramley. The course was in fabulous condition, the weather was stunning, as was the company!
Millie is working her way back into golf so after 18-holes in the morning I returned with her for nine in the late afternoon. We were accompanied by Charles and his lovely wife Lucy, as well as Gill and Millie's boyfriend Tom. Tom caddied while Gill and Lucy did their 'ball-hunt' routine.
I've posted a few golf photos, as well as a couple of Nana and Grandpa Fred.
I haven't really got going with the World Cup yet, but I'll be watching tonight for sure. Come on England"!
Stay tuned!
13 June 2026
In-Out-In-Out!
I have been playing loads of golf, gardening, and training for next winter, and generally been feeling pretty good.
But, last Sunday just after the Men's Final of the French Open, which I was heavily invested in, In had a sudden tightening in my stomach, and my head started pounding with a head pain I've never experienced before. I hit the floor, and Gill took my blood pressure, which was 232 over 102. We phone for help and by the time the paramedics arrived my BP had dropped to 185 over something. They took me to the hospital where I waited for six hours in emergency, and eventually admitted my.
They took x-rays, blood tests, CT scans, and eventually a lumbar puncture test. They eliminated a lot of nasty possibilities, but couldn't pinpoint the cause, and sent me home Tuesday around 6:30 pm.
After a lovely shower and a gripping episode of Tip Toe, I felt a sudden heaviness in my chest, and a return of the thumping head and jaw ache. BP was 217 over ?, and by the time the paramedics arrived it had dropped down to 185 again. Back to the hospital and fortunately a much shorter wait in Emergency, before being reamitted admitted.
The focus was now on some sort of heart issue, and I was tested again. This time with CT scan of the heart and abdomen, ultrasound scan of the heart, x-ray of the chest, numerous blood tests, and a 24-hour urine test that takes two to three weeks for the results. The good news is that they found no heart damage and a healthy heart, and no cancer. So, I was discharged at 11am Friday morning being told to listen to my body and to ease back to my normal way of life.
So, I returned home, showered, then cooked Gill and early summer before heading to the golf course for nine holes. That went well and gave me some confidence. I was booked in to play the Pairs Scramble with Millie today for Pro's Day, but I didn't want to risk another relapse and flop around on the course interrupting 100 other golfers big competition day. So, I walked 15 holes with Millie before having lunch with Gill.
I'm in charge of dinner with the in-laws tonight so I need to get back at it.
So, don't worry, I fine, and looking forward to getting back to my normal routine. And thanks to Doctor Ian for the phone call and advice.
Stay tuned!
31 May 2026
Thanks Mark!
Thank you Mark for a fantastic day at Hankley Common on Thursday. It was great to see you again, and a pleasure to play with you on such a beautiful golf course. And I'm looking forward to hosting you at Bramley sometime soon!
I've posted a couple of photos with Mark, plus Gill and I at Bramley. Gill and I go out in the evenings, and she searches for balls while I practice. She is an exceptionally good ball-hunter, and our garage is full of high-quality golf balls!
And Matt and Ellie's daughter Chilli has another new song out, which you can find on Spotify. It's called Please Don't, and it's another terrific song. Bravo Chilli !
Stay tuned!
26 May 2026
Well Done Francesca and Heather!
Congratulations to Francesca F who has been accepted into Royal Holloway for clinical psychology training. And congrats as well to Derek's daughter Heather who is going to Kings for her PHD. (Leveraging Genetic Data & Electronic Health Records for Personalised Anti-depressant Treatment) Man, these young women are way too clever!
Bravo ladies, and stay tuned!
18 May 2026
Happy 60th Brian!
Brian celebrated his 60th birthday this weekend with a party at his home up near Newcastle. It was attended by Peter and Clare C, Derek, Paul, Dawn and Anto from the 'Alpine' brigade. Derek reports a fabulous evening, and happy 60th Brian!
Besides photos from the party, I've posted one of Dixie and Pete in Spain, and several ski shots from the past. Chris has been in an nostalgic mood and has been trolling through his archives. The photos of the gorge remind you of what we've been missing the past few years! And I really like the shot taken on Mont Roup!
Barring an absolute miracle it looks like the Hammers will be playing in the Championship next season. We've been poor all season long, and unfortunately only two other teams have been worse than us!
Stay tuned!
PS The boy-racer in the car is Rob Cochran, Alpine's first-ever secretary.
11 May 2026
Uncle Chris!
I've posted a few photos of a drawing that Chris' great 10-year-old-nephew Leo did of him. I think it's fantastic, and captures Chris incredibly well. Leo had to write about what inspired him to do the drawing, and together with the drawing itself he's a finalist for the 9 to 12 Young Archies Archibald Prize. The drawing is proudly on display in the Gallery of NSW.
Chris has been Leo's David Attenborough, and Chris has inspired him with his photography, and his love of the great outdoors and nature. I think it's absolutely brilliant, and good luck in the finals Leo!
I've also posted some photos of Chris and Suzanne's walk to the Monal.
I'm gutted after West Ham's loss to Arsenal yesterday. So close, but close only counts in horse-shoes and hand grenades. Devastating!
Stay tuned!
9 May 2026
1951!
I've posted a photo of Val d'Isere taken in 1951, along with some more 'selfies' of Millie and Tom in Paris.
It's strange, but I find myself looking forward to next season already! I'm taking that as a positive!
Stay tuned!
8 May 2026
Photos from the Past!
Chris has sent from photos from the past, including one of himself in 2008. I've posted them along with a few photos of Millie and her boyfriend Tom who are in Paris for the weekend.
Stay tuned!
7 May 2026
You Won't Believe It!
You won't believe it but the planning has just opened, and we've had a lot of early bookings! I know winter is a long way off now, but have a think about your dates and let me know as soon as you know to avoid disappointment.
Chris is definitely back next season so Chris' Army can look forward to skiing with him again next winter, and hopefully for a few more seasons to come?
Stay tuned!
6 May 2026
Back in the UK!
Although I had a few issues during the winter it was another fantastic season. In my forty-plus years here I've never had a bad season as Val d'Isere always delivers! And being a 'glass half full' kind of guy the bad bits don't really spend much time in the memory bank as the good times in any season always outweigh the tough periods. You've just got to love this place!
It was great having Gill and Millie with me for the last few days, and we enjoyed a cracking finish. Having some company during the last few days helped enormously with morale, tidying up, and the long drive home.
On the injury front Gill is suffering with a rib problem after taking a hit on her first run while skiing the piste. Ribs are slow to heal so she'll be feeling the effects for a while yet! And Richard Finlay is off golf for at least 12 weeks with his broken collar-bone. What a bummer Richard. All of us golfers feel for you!
Although it was a brilliant finish to the season last weekend was a disaster for the Hammers! Losing 3-nil after having a fabulous equaliser rules out for off-side followed by hitting the woodwork three times was tough enough, but having Spurs wake up and beat Villa away was a killer blow. We are really up against it now, with a tough three games coming up!
After driving 720 miles on Monday I kicked off my golf season at 8AM on Tuesday. It was great to be back out there, and I've a 8 o'clock tee time tomorrow morning.
Next season's planning is up and running so don't hesitate to get in touch with your bookings. After a couple of seasons without a price hike we will be raising our prices slightly for next season. I'll update the website soon when next year's prices are confirmed.
Stay tuned!
3 May 2026
A Nice Finish!
It was 8C in the village this morning, so our off-piste options were pretty limited without a freeze. Gill, Millie, Jukka, Paul, Derek, and I made the most of it with some fantastic piste skiing, and an atmospheric trip off the Glacier. It was a nice finish to another great season!
I'll write more over the next few days but I have a lot of packing and sorting to do, and I'd better get at it.
Have a look at today's photos and stay tuned!
2 May 2026
Come on You Hammers!
I've a lot to do over the next couple of days as I'm skiing to the end, and need to pack up the house and the car. Chris and Suzanne are coming to dinner tonight, and I have Brentford v West Ham this afternoon. Thankfully Gill and Millie are here to help me sorted!
Fernando is playing at the Avancher tonight at 6:30, but unfortunately I'll miss it.
Ski News
We had a really decent freeze last night, and ended up delaying our off-piste excursions. The piste skiing was excellent, and we skied great runs down the Vallon de Leisse and the Spatule.
It was another really solid morning, and it's hard to believe that after all this time I suddenly have just one morning morning to negotiate. I'll certainly be paying attention tomorrow!
Stay tuned!
1 May 2026
Happy May Day Jukka!
May 1st is a National Holiday in Finland, and Jukka always celebrates with gusto! We all enjoy Jukka's May Day outfit, which only a Finn could pull off. Have a great day Jukka!
We had another cracking ski today, although it is getting trickier with the light overnight freezes followed by extreme heat during the day. This morning we had an adventurous ski starting with a mini-Crete du Genepy. Our escapes routes are melting away and we had had couple of interesting passages including fording the river at the bottom!
After the Crete we headed to Oh My! via the Leissieres Meadows. After a good start I was a little worried as I suddenly dropped through into 'quick-snow' on the traverse coming around from the Vallonnet to the Oh My! slopes. I thought to myself, 'shit, this shouldn't be happening!' Chris and I needed to make a decision. Continue or 'skin' back up and out? We figured we'd be okay once we got around the corner onto the big slopes so we opted to continue. (It always heats up around rocks and vegetation, but it did plant a seed of doubt!)
We managed to ski all the way down before cutting back to the pistes at the last moment, but it was getting towards 'limit' at the bottom. It turned out to be a great adventure ski, but I was surprised and a bit put off about dropping through so high up with such a long way to go. Well done Chris!
I ran into Steve S who worked at Precision Ski during the 90's. He was there when we first moved into Precision Ski for Alpine's first two seasons starting in 92/93. Steve reads my blog everyday, and I've posted a photo of Steve and I. It was great to see you again Steve!
Andreas is on the course as I write for the French International Men's Amateur Championship. He was a little worried with his 1:30tee-time as thunderstorms are forecast around 4 o'clock. Good luck Andreas!
Ten days ago the forecast for these past few days was diabolical, but we've had stunning days so far. Gill was really worried about spending four days skiing in the rain, but she's been sunbathing every afternoon, and she and Millie are up walking the Balcon this afternoon! Moral of the story, 'never commit hari-kari over a weather forecast'!
Stay tuned!
PS It's great to see Chris and Suzanne out skiing every morning. They love getting out together at the end of the season, and are thoroughly enjoying the skiing! I had a big 'social' group this morning, and the non-helmeted skiers outnumbered the helmet-heads 6 to 3, which is highly unusual. Sometimes I'm the only one in an entire Olympique cabin without a helmet.
PPS Gill's splat yesterday turned out to be more than a sore, bruised knee. She also did some rib damage, which kept her awake during the night. But, she's pretty tough and has skied through it all. And yesterday just after we left the Grande Motte someone fell on the big North Face and tumbled down a long, long way. The skier was then rescued and evacuated by helicopter.
30 April 2026
Another Light Freeze!
I was expecting a better freeze, but another cushion of overnight fresh snow in Tignes insulated against a better freeze. Still, we had some great skiing, but for the first time all spring had moments of skiing near the 'limit'.
The piste skiing was excellent again, and we skied 'Wayne's Shoulder' for a tester and knew there was some fragile snow about, then a brilliant Leisse, followed by the Spatule to finish. The Spatule was limit, but we skied down far enough to where we could cut back to the piste.
Gill took a little splat on the piste early on and has bruised her knee quite badly. It's pretty sore, and hopefully it won't stiffen up too much over night. Speaking of injuries, Richard Finlay broke his collar bone yesterday in an unfortunate accident on the piste. That is seriously bad luck with just a few days to go and with golf season just around the corner. I feel for you Richard!
I've my co-pro meeting this afternoon, which is always long-winded and stressful. Fortunately Millie is coming along to keep me company. Thanks Mils!
Stay tuned for more skiing news and photos tomorrow!
29 April 2026
La Grande Motte
It rained yesterday afternoon and overnight, and I was expecting a decent accumulation of fresh snow this morning. But, the snow was absorbed into the wet, warm snowpack and all the few centimeters of fresh did was insulate against a good freeze.
Without a freeze our options were limited, so I headed up the Motte with Henry, who was working today. Unfortunately the Motte was enveloped in a thick, nasty cloud so I did some great piste skiing while waiting for the cloud to disperse. We ended up skiing some wonderful snow, and had another cracking morning! (see photos)
A week ago the forecast for this week was rather depressing, but fortunately it has improved. Instead of a wet grey day today we had a lovely morning with sunshine everywhere (except the Motte early on).
Gill and Millie arrive this evening for the last four days of the season, so I'd better get cleaning!
Stay tuned!
PS And a big thank you to Adam G who is bringing the girls up from Geneva!
PPS And what a football match last night!
PPPS The Norway team are back from a great week in the Fjords, and Andreas is on his way to Paris for another golf tournament.
28 April 2026
Rewarded!
We were rewarded for our efforts this morning, and ended up having a great morning!
There was a very limited freeze last night, and with cloudy skies this morning our options were rather limited. So we had some fantastic piste skiing early on around the Motte, but with a cool wind blowing I ended up delaying before heading off-piste. We ended up skiing a steep route off the Motte that I'd never skied before. The snow was was soft yet still supporting due to the altitude, and we needed to pick our way down through the rocks. It was cracking good fun, and doing a 'first' always adds to the enjoyment! We then 'skinned' for 25-minutes to access an excellent Little Borsat West before skiing piste home. (see photos)
Andreas and Tansy Facetimed from their car as they are heading home now after a great trip to Norway. I'd messaged to say that I was alone in the Gourmandine with rubbish conditions so they call to cheer me up. They all thoroughly enjoyed their trip, and made the most of the difficult days. Well done Andreas!
I need to head down to Bourg to see my taxman now.
Stay tuned!
27 April 2026
Carol's Last Morning!
The blog will definitely be late today. I have an appointment in Bourg after skiing with my tax man, followed by a quick shop for the girls arrival, and then dinner with Chris and Suzanne at Jim and Dave's.
It's shaping up to be another nice day, and skiing news and photos will follow this evening.
Skiing News
My accountant canceled my appointment at the last minute, and changed it to tomorrow afternoon. Not a big deal except I have the added complication of working my timing to finish again tomorrow.
Anyway, it was Carol's last morning, and what a day to finish on. We had superb skiing with great snow and big slopes, and the pistes in between itineraries were exceptional. We skied the Fresse Bowl to open, then two runs off the Motte, and a brilliantly funky Spatule to finish. It was an excellent high-paced morning, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself! You've just got to love this place!
Penny had a 'whipper' on the Motte, but fortunately had a good 'reception zone'. She was shaken-and-stirred, and took herself home via the piste afterwards. She messaged to say that she's okay, but did twist her knee a little. Fingers crossed for you Penny!
Chris and Suzanne were out for a little 'skin' towards the Crete du Genepy, and were going to have a short morning. Chris has had a long season, especially with covering for me thrown in, but he still wants to get out there and enjoy the mountains. Bravo Chris!
It's Henrik's 'real' Birthday today and he's celebrating at his annual Val d'Isere Open Golf Tournament. Have a great day Henrik! (see photos)
Stay tuned for a late blog tomorrow!
PS A week ago the forecast was absolutely shocking for this coming week, but it has vastly improved and gives me hope for the upcoming days, especially when Gill and Millie are here!
PPS Andreas has just reported in from Norway, and although the weather is tough they are having a brilliant time with great skiing and mid-blowing scenery!
26 April 2026
Jukka and I!
It was just Jukka and me this morning so we skied some steep lines that I've been eye-balling but avoiding with groups. We started off with one in the Fresse Bowl, which was a great start so we went back up and skied another line. From there we skied the reliable Cabin de Gard before making our way to the Fornet.
From the Lessieres we had a nice run down the meadows before preparing for Oh My! I wanted to let if soften a bit more so we skied the Grand Vallon way out on the sunny side in the meantime. The snow was soft enough, but it wasn't as smooth as I was hoping and was probably my worst call in a month, but Jukka didn't seem to mind. We both forgot about it quite quickly as Oh My! had warmed to perfection, and we had a fantastic run down to finish a great morning! (see photos)
Andreas reports that they started skiing at 3am with the midnight sun to take advantage of a window in the weather. They had a great ski with wonderful ambiance and scenery!
Henrik laid on a lovely birthday due at the Danois last night to celebrate his 60th, which is actually on Monday. On his real birthday he's hosting the annual Val d'Isere Open golf day. I like your style Henrik, and thanks for a great evening!
Stay tuned!
PS I've posted a photo from Norway and one of the two birthday boys!
25 April 2026
Happy 60th Henrik!
I'd like to wish Henrik a very happy 60th birthday! Henrik runs the best 'roadhouse' in the Alps, and the Danois is the scene of so many fantastic gigs and get-togethers. It's brought so much joy to young and old alike over the years! Have a great day Henrik and see you later!
Congratulations to Tom Farrer who passed his BASI Level 3 Course. Tom passed both the teaching and technical tests. Well done Tom! (Tom started skiing off-piste with me when he was 12 years-old!)
Today's blog will probably be late as I'm skiing, then have domestic duties next door for Jukka's arrival, followed by West Ham v Everton, and then an aperitif with Henrik and his pals.
Photos are up, blog to follow at halftime. Come on you Hammers!
Ski News
The freeze was a bit lighter overnight but the snow held up beautifully. It was Jane and Sandrine's last morning of an outstanding week with great weather, near-perfect snow, big slopes, and wonderful company. (Pippa and James have been skiing along with Richard from California, and it was nice to have Dietmar, Martina, and Isabelle earlier in the week.) Tejina has thoroughly enjoyed her two-week stay skiing with Chris, and it was her last day as well. (Unless people show up unexpectedly, this morning was Chris' last day of work, but what a day to go out on!)
Jukka has arrived and I start my last week of work with he and Derek tomorrow. Hopefully we'll get another day or two of good weather before things start to get a bit trickier. Gill and Millie arrive Wednesday night and I'm really hoping that we get some good conditions for them. The forecast has improved somewhat so fingers crossed!
Andreas reports an excellent day in Norway with 40 cm's of fresh snow. After a couple of tough days they deserve a break in the weather, and hopefully they'll have great conditions for the rest of their stay.
I'm off as the second half is about to kick off, then I'm off for birthday drinks for Henrik!
Stay tuned!
PS What an afternoon of footie, and what a nail-biting win for the Hammers! And Hendrik's birthday drinks party was really good fun. Thanks Hendrik!
24 April 2026
Another Outstanding Morning!
We've had a run of fabulous spring snow conditions of late, and today was another outstanding morning!
I changed things up again with a fantastic Crete du Genepy above the little lake, followed by the meadows under the Lessieres, and then a quick coffee while waiting for Oh My! to soften. Pietro and I then had an excellent run on Oh My! to finish off another cracking morning.
Meanwhile Chris headed towards Tignes and the Sachette with Suzanne, Tejina, and Doctor Mike. They will have had a great morning as there is some outstanding snow in that sector!
The team in Norway had tough conditions yesterday, but still got out and made the most of it. Andreas is expecting the weather to ease off and improve so they should have some better conditions for the rest of the week. Fingers crossed!
I ran into Tchenko and his Ski Club team outside the Salon des Fous. One of his long-standing clients Richard introduced himself as an avid reader of my blog, and has read my book. It was nice to meet you Richard! And I ran into Edward again with Richard H.
Pietro finished his week this afternoon and is heading back to Italy. He's had a fantastic week, and he's an incredibly easy house guest. See you early December Pietro if not before!
We should get another couple of excellent spring morning coming up before the weather changes. Fortunately the forecast has improved and isn't nearly so dire as it was a few days ago. Meteo France is much more positive than Meteo Blue, so I'm sticking with them!
I'm really looking forward to Gill and Millie visiting for the last four days of the season. Adam G has kindly offered to drive them up from Geneva, which will save me a six-hour-plus journey. Thanks ever so much Adam!
Andreas just messaged to say that they had a great day today!
Stay tuned!
23 April 2026
Early Morning Tear!
I had an early morning tear watching the video on BBC of the two runners helping a fellow marathoner over the finish line. Quite incredible footage, and well worth a look!
I've posted a couple of photos from Norway where the team had a very windy but satisfying first day.
And well done to Burnley for not rolling over last night. I thought they were going to get battered!
Stay tuned for skiing news later in the day.
Ski News
I kept with the 'change-of-scenery' theme this morning and had an absolutely brilliant ski! Big slopes, great snow, and fantastic company!
One of my goals today was to go the entire morning without getting mud on my boots, and we succeeded! After ignoring Tignes for almost a week while we were milking the Val d'Isere 'classics', Tignes has been very kind to me the past two days. If the last day of the season had been any of the past three days, I'd be seriously celebrating. But, we've another ten-days to negotiate and as my old friend Larry used to say, 'never congratulate yourself while you're still in motion'! Blimey, it's been outstanding, and makes me think that there's more gas in my tank than I sometimes think!
Chris had a lunch date at the Fornet and headed up there for a look, and I haven't heard anything from Norway yet.
See photos and stay tuned!
PS I just received a message from Jukka saying his computer reminded him that it was eight years ago when we first skied together. I remember Jukka and I in the Couloir du Mont Blanc with Jean Ribart. Jukka and I salute you Jean!
22 April 2026
A Change of Scenery!
As good as the skiing has been of late it's time for a change of scenery today. Both Chris and I are planning on heading to Tignes, and the boys are preparing for their first day in Norway.
The Blue Jays are on the three-game winning streak, and Man City will be top of the table on goal difference tonight, unless Burnley can avoid defeat, which is highly unlikely. Gunners fans will be distraught as they watch another title slip through their fingers! Personally, I'd sack Arteta at the end of the season unless he delivers the Champions League! ( He's had three years to deal with their striker problem, and hasn't!)
Stay tuned for skiing news and a limerick from Jane Seaford later in the day!
Skiing News
Wow, what a sensational morning! Our change of scenery worked out beautifully, both scenically and snow-wise. We had some of the best spring snow of the season, and some fantastic slopes. There was a ten-minute 'skin' followed by a 27-minute 'skin' involved, and the effort opened up some wonderful skiing!
Isabelle joined us this morning, making seven people this week that I've never skied with before. It always a pleasure to ski with new people, and everyone has been great company as well as solid skiers!
Stay tuned!
21 April 2026
What a Cracking Morning!
We had a really good freeze last night, and with a cool breeze blowing the snow stayed cold for longer this morning. Instead of rushing to the next slope we found ourselves slowing it down and little, and we had fantastic skiing all morning long. In fact, Chris and I didn't stop until 2 o'clock!
With escape routes disappearing daily, as well as skiable strips, we don't have an enormous amount of options. But, the slopes we are skiing are excellent with plenty of steeps, and wonderful scenery.
Jane, Sandrine, and I had Richard from California join us this morning, along with Dietmar and Martina from Lech. Richard had never skied off-piste here before, and wore an ear-to-ear grin all morning long. Dietmar and his wife Martina are both great skiers, and their son has represented Austria to show their family skiing pedigree! (Dietmar came on telemarks and was wonderful to watch!) It was a cracking morning, and enjoyed by one and all. (Chris had Tejina, Doctor Mike, Suzanne, and Louise with him)
I ran into Edward L-B this morning, who was skiing with Richard, at the exit of the Charvet. He introduced himself, and thanked me for the blog. It's always nice when people come up to me and tell me they are avid readers. It makes the effort worthwhile when I'm reminded that it's being read in offices all over the world. Thanks Edward!
It was a big point for the Hammers last night. A last minute winner would have been ideal, but a point away to Palace is always a good point, especially since they are one of our boogey teams. And keeping another 'clean' sheet is always good for moral.
The boys should be arriving in Norway and I'll have some news for you tomorrow.
Stay tuned!
20 April 2026
Foustock!
The Foustock weekend was a huge success with great music and kind weather. The previous few years festival had suffered from snow/rain, but the sun shone for the entire weekend. I ran into Richard and his brother Stephen from Sheffield at the gig yesterday. They are avid blog followers and Richard hasn't forgotten the Carlos Tevez affair! It was great to see you boys again!
The Blue Jays who came within one out of winning the World Series last season are struggling in last place in their division. They are decimated with injuries, but need to turn it around sooner than later or their season will be over before it even gets started. They won last night and need to get on a winning streak. Come on boys! And it's a big night for the Hammers tonight. Leeds and Forest distanced themselves from the relegation scrap by winning, and heaping more pressure on West Ham and Spurs. Tonight's game is huge! Come on boys!
Today's skiing should be easier than yesterday's. Stay tuned for skiing news later in the day!
Ski News
We had a solid freeze last night, and with it another fantastic morning of skiing spring 'classics'! Our strips are getting narrower and narrower, but the skiing has been brilliant! Although we had fun and made the most of yesterday, it was great to be able to see again!
Jerome and Chris were both skiing this morning while the rest of the boys were off.
Andrea, Tansy, Thomas, Muriel, Jerome, Sarah, and Alex are all off to Norway together tomorrow. The forecast for Norway isn't great, but hopefully they'll get lucky and have wonderful conditions!
Speaking of forecasts, the end of the season's forecast looks dreadful! We've a few more days of spring skiing to come, but rain and snow are expected for the last week. Just a warning, I'm not skiing in fog, heavy knee-risking snow, really flat light, or in high avalanche conditions. The end of the season is near, and after a tough winter I'm not risking my summer skiing in rubbish conditions. With that said, forecasts are often wrong, and I'm hoping for the best!
Stay tuned!
19 April 2026
That was a Funky Morning!
That was a funky morning to say the least! We all had big plans today convinced that the overnight freeze was good enough, and we were in for more of the same. But, no one expected fog and wet snow moving in while riding the Borsat chair. Chris and I suddenly went from an off-piste excursion to the safety of the pistes, and we made our way down to Les Brevieres for hot chocolate on great spring snow on the groomed runs.
Coming back out after our hot drinks the sun suddenly appeared so we went straight back up and had an excellent run in Toothy Rocks, followed by a good run beside the avalanche debris in the Familial. It turned out to be a really good morning with spring on the piste followed by some steep and atmospheric off-piste.
I'm not too sure what Henry and Jerome ended up doing, but it was a really tricky start to the morning.
I was going to take this morning off but I had Sandrine in my planning. I didn't want to let her down as she's a great skier, loves her skiing, and has been really looking forward to it. (I ended up picking up a new client Pierre who is coming back tomorrow.) Expecting a sunny day I didn't bring my googles today. While it was snowing wet flakes the visibility was terrible and my glasses were misted up inside. I told everyone to be careful because at this time of year the piste-bashers often leave big snowballs behind that freeze up and can be quite dangerous. I then told them the story of how Blue broke his ankle hitting one in flat light about 15-years ago. So, with my misty glasses while following Suzanne I hit a massive snowball and piled in. I took a really big hit, and was shaken up, but fortunately wasn't hurt. But, I thought to myself how sad it would be to injure myself on what was going to be a day off!
Yesterday's Foustock gig was brilliant again and it was really nice to spend some time with Tony G, who goes all the way back to my Top Ski days. Today's gig kicks off at 4:30, but I'll leave to get home in time for the massive Arsenal v Man City match!
And a big thank you to Karen and Uffe who took me out to dinner last night. The lamb was fantastic, as was the wine and company. Thanks again!
Stay tuned!
PS Gill, Millie and Nana are having a brilliant time in Amsterdam. But, Millie is threatening to buy them a brownie!!!!!
PPS And what a massive injury-time equaliser for Brighton last night!!!
18 April 2026
Back On-Line!!!
Thank you all for your messages of concern over the past few days when I haven't been able to blog. There is a bug in the system, and that's the second time this season that I've had issues. Thanks Chris for getting it sorted! I have been able to post photos during this downtime so in the future please check the photo link for activity.
The spring skiing has been fantastic although our escape routes are melting out rapidly. I'm milking what's left at the moment because it's great skiing and once it's gone it's gone!
Millie has taken Gill and her Grandma to Amsterdam for an extended birthday celebration. Gill's had a brilliant 60th and has almost forgotten that she's clocked up a big one!
We had a great gig at the Salon des Fous last night as their annual Foustock festival kicked off with various combinations of Karen, Mike, Richie, and Andy. There is live music outdoors over the weekend from 5 until 7:30 and then it moves indoors.
Andreas is tied 31st after the first round of the French Senior Men's Championship. Bravo Andreas and good luck in round two today! And Thomas returns from this three-night tour with Adam P and his brother Barnaby.
And it's been great to ski with Diana T this week, and have a morning with Stephen C! It was also nice to see Tony G and Audrey enjoying themselves at the gig last night!
Stay tuned for skiing news later in the day!
Ski News
It was another fantastic day with beautiful sunshine following a really good freeze last night! I'm in 'code-mode' as I need my little spots for a few more days yet!
Chris has been on great form as he finished at 3:30 yesterday, and hasn't stopped before 2 o'clock for the past week. Bravo Chris! The skiing has been so good that I've finished late every day of late as well, but 3:30 !!!!!!!!!
Thomas returns from his tour this afternoon. He's had a great time as the weather has been kind and good refreezes every night is a tourers dream! Well done Thomas!
I've just checked the leaderboard, and Andreas is having a tough day. I'll get details later but anyone who plays golf knows that it can be such a cruel game sometimes. Hang in there Andreas! (Just qualifying for this tournament is a huge achievement!)
Pietro has just arrived with a bag of fabulous looking Italian food. Pietro is staying for a week as he has the Ski Club in Tignes.
Karen and Uffe are taking me out to dinner tonight so I'm looking forward to that. We all got ambushed last night at the Salon so it promises to be a much quieter affair!
I was going to take tomorrow off as I only have one client, but I don't want to let her down and I'm enjoying the skiing so much I'm going out in the morning.
Stay tuned!
PS And a big shout out to Lottie, who skied brilliantly last week! And I ran into Clare B, Kurt, and Ruth this morning. They were in on the 'ambush' last night!
14 April 2026
Happy 60th Uffe!
It's Uffe's turn to hit a milestone today as he turns 60! Have a great day Uffe, although I know you're trying to lay low, and many happy returns.
Well, Man U were absolutely terrible last night as Leeds took them apart. It was a well deserved win, and almost eliminates them from the relegation battle. Come on you Hammers!
Skiing news and photos to follow. Stay tuned!
13 April 2026
A Change in Weather!
We had a little snow overnight, but not much, and maybe not enough to make much of a difference? I'll let you know later in the day.
The blog will be late today as we have a ski school meeting this afternoon.
Gill had a fantastic '60th' birthday yesterday, and would like to thank everyone for their well-wished and present contributions. She received loads of lovely walking gear such as a sun hat, waterproof jacket, waterproof trousers, and a gillet, as well as some other great gifts. Thank you all. ( And Gill received a lovely message from Francette)
It was a fantastic weekend for the Hammers! After winning 4-nil Friday night results went in their favour for the most part in other games. Hopefully Man U will take care of Leeds tonight and keep Leeds in sight. And wow, what a Masters! Stay tuned! (Johnnie Alpine and Geoff D are off to Old Trafford after a curry to hopefully cheer United to a victory over Leeds)
Ski News
Well, for a rubbishy looking day it turned out really well. We skied prefect spring snow on the Mattis piste before heading up to the Glacier where we had between 5 and 20 cm's of fresh snow. The skiing was really good and it was nice to feel some winter snow underfoot again. But although it was overcast you could feel the radiation affecting the snow, and when the sun comes out the snow will transform very quickly. This morning was another one of those great results when expectations were low, and that's always appreciated! (see photos)
More snow is forecast for tonight so we should be in business again in the morning.
Stay tuned!
12 April 2026
Happy Birthday Gill!
I'd like to wish my beautiful wife Gill a very happy 60th birthday! I hope you have a fantastic day, and enjoy your festivities. I'm looking forward to hearing about some of the surprises that Millie has in store from you. I wish I was there, but I'm thinking of you, and have a fabulous day! I know you're not looking forward to being 60, but believe me 60 isn't the end of the world!
The forecast for today isn't the best, and we are expecting some much needed snow tomorrow. Stay tuned for skiing and birthday news later in the day!
Skiing News
It was an interesting morning for various reasons, and we ended up having a really good time. There was no freeze and off-piste was a non-starter, but the piste skiing was fantastic. JP, Simon, and I started at the Fornet and worked our way back and ended up skiing the Grande Motte from the cable car.
While waiting for the cable car I spotted Pascale, who was with Peter, Clare, Derek, Paul, and their new friends Hugo and Olwen. Like the entire group they all met through 'Alpine', and it's always nice to see the list of Alpine friends growing. (Alistair, Stuart and their gang were up there as well.)
Then on the way down from the Motte I noticed this man following us. Every time I stopped, he stopped. It turns out that he was 87, and thought that we looked like good people to follow. We ended up riding a chair with him and had a chat, but instead of continuing on with us he decided to download as a nasty fog arrived out of nowhere. (I hope I'm that sensible at 87!)
A couple of weeks ago I learned from Robert A that the right-hand piste markers have an orange florescent top to them. This came in handy today coming down from the Motte as it was seriously white. I kept to the left of the markers as we worked our way down, and we came across Clare C in the fog who had become separated from her group. She joined us for the decent, and we eventually came across her team further down once we were below the cloud.
It was a fun morning with some great piste skiing, some unexpected social, a 87-year-old character thrown into the mix, and the mountains had a stark beauty to them.
I also had a laugh with Jean Z as I ran into him at the Fornet. On the most dreadful of days I often seem to see Jean out with his clients. Like me, he doesn't give up easily!
I'm waiting for some birthday news and more photos, and I'm looking forward to some football and golf this afternoon.
Stay tuned!
11 April 2026
Zoe G!
It was Adam's 12-year-old daughter Zoe's first off-piste morning, and she did herself proud! We had a fantastic morning of excellent spring snow, great slopes, and a 25 minute 'skin' thrown in for the complete experience, all of which she handled really well.
We opened up with a nicely 'cooked' lower Charvet, followed by a 'skin' to the Crete du Genepy. The bonus there was the the ski out at the bottom was relatively smooth and extremely good skiing for an 'exit' route. Instead of the Cugnai we then decided on the Combe du Foin, which was surprisingly good. Next up was the Marmottons, which got better and better the lower we skied before cutting back to the Manchet lift. By this time everyone was totally satisfied so we had a team bubble and downloaded to finish the morning. It was a fantastic first experience for Zoe, and a great way to Tilly and Terry to finish their season!
Thomas was skiing this morning as well, and had a group of young kids who needed some tuition before venturing off-piste. He was planning on training them for a Tour du Charvet before the end of the morning. All the other boys were off today, but Chris and Suzanne went for a recce over the Col Pers. Chris said the skiing was actually pretty good, but getting over the Col is becoming problematic.
After West Ham's brilliant victory last night I was in a particularly good mood this morning. After a great morning I'm relaxing with an afternoon of Premiership football action and the Masters, and a Saturday afternoon doesn't get much better than that!
Last night's gig at the Danois was brilliant as usual, and Karen and 'Slash' finished their gigging season in style. Thank you both for a fantastic winter of great music and fun!
And thank you to Zoe and her mum Sarah for the homemade chocolates. I'm saving them in a cool place waiting for Gill and Millie's arrival. (They don't travel so Katie will miss out unfortunately) Sarah used to make chocolates for the Queen and Royal occasions, and that is pretty impressive. I can hardly wait to try them! Thanks again!
It's so nice to have three points in the bag and just relax while waiting for tomorrow's results. Hopefully the fixtures will go the Hammers way and we'll still be out of the relegation zone tomorrow night. Stay tuned!
10 April 2026
A Lighter Freeze!
We had some cloud cover overnight, which resulted in a lighter freeze. I meant we needed to get a feel for what we could get away with as the support layer wasn't going to last as long this morning.
With that said I skied pretty much the same as yesterday as I had a new group, and knew yesterday's itinerary would work well again today. Chris did the same with a couple of variations, and Andreas, Alex, and Jerome all skied in Tignes as well. Thomas skied Val d'Isere 'classics' while Henry had the day off.
The weather is changing, but hopefully we'll get a freeze tonight and another 'spring' morning before possible snow on Sunday and Monday.
Tonight is one of the biggest games in the Hammers history as they host Wolves. A win would take us out of the relegation zone if only for 24 hours, and keep us within striking distance of the teams ahead. But a loss would make survival very difficult with games running out. Come on boys!
And it's Karen and Andreas' last gig of the season tonight kicking off at 5:30,
Stay tuned!
9 April 2026
A Change of Scenery!
After five days of Val d'Isere 'classics' it was time for a change of scenery. Sometimes leaving a good thing behind for a change backfires, but we had fantastic skiing in Tignes today. Great slopes, 'clean' snow for the most part, and some good ambiance. Chris, Thomas and I were all in the neighbourhood. (See photos)
Alex was heading to the couloir 3500, and Jerome and Andreas were going for a little 'skin' for 'clean' snow and great scenery. Henry was also skiing today but I don't know what he decided on.
There is some cloud cover forecast for the next couple of days, which won't be helpful, but some snow is forecast for Sunday. We could use a 'fresh canvas' now as we've had excellent skiing but we've milked our current conditions dry.
Karen and Andreas play their last gig of the season tomorrow so if you're in town do come along. It starts at 5:30 at the Danois.
Stay tuned!
8 April 2026
Blog to Come!
We've had a long ski school meeting and I've a Pilates class so blog and photos will be posted later tonight.
Stay tuned!
Ski News
We all skied 'classic' Val d'Isere spring slopes again today, except for Andreas who went to Tignes for a change of scenery with Ian.
It's a little frightening how quickly our escapes routes are melting away on the Charvet. From one day to the next the paths out that we count on dwindle into a crossing over grass or worse! Like Andreas, I need a change of scenery for my team as well, but I'm reluctant to not milk the Charvet for all it's worth, because the slopes there are quite stunning! Steep, atmospheric, and very hard to beat!
We had a good Alpine meeting this afternoon as we need to plan for Alpine moving forward without Chris and I. Neither of us are quite ready to stop as we both love what we are doing, but we are coming to the end of the most wonderful ride one could ever ask for. We've had some of the best days of our lives here together, and backed each other up for 45 years, and it's weird to think that we are in our twilight. I remember Rob Cochran used to say, 'you know you're getting old when your mind makes promises that your body can't keep'!
With all that said I'll hang in there as long as I can protect myself while skiing.
Stay tuned!
7 April 2026
'Classic' Spring at it's Best!
We had a spectacular day two days ago followed by transition day yesterday due to a lack of freeze, but today we were back to 'classic' spring slopes at their best! Wow, what a morning!
It was Big Steve's last off-piste day of the season and what a way to finish, while Chris' team of Mike with his daughters Charlotte and Eleanor were treat to some stunning slopes on only their second-ever morning off-piste. Chris doesn't take prisoners and the girls handled everything in front of them incredibly well. Bravo girls!
Andreas and Jerome were both on the spring circuit and having a fantastic time, while Thomas and Henry had a great trip to Bonneval. (Alex had the morning off)
Unfortunately a couple of my favourite sneaky routes only have another day or two in them before the escape routes melt, so with four new skiers tomorrow I'll be skiing in the same neighbourhood. It's too good not to!
I had a chairlift with Ricki this morning and it was great to see him again. We had some great years together at Top Ski with Chris and TJ, and some fantastic nights in Bananas. Wow, talk about 'legends'!
And thanks for the beers last night Simon!
Stay tuned!
6 April 2026
Ambushed!
We were all ambushed by unexpected conditions this morning. After a spectacular day yesterday we all went to bed last night thinking 'more of the same' please. Thomas and Henry had booked a trip to Bonneval while the rest of us were thinking we were in for another big morning of spring skiing.
But, we had a very mild night with cloud cover, a dusting of snow at altitude, and rain in the village. There was no freeze to speak of and we knew it was going to be a tricky morning. Thomas and Henry cancelled their trip and the rest of us mulled over our options at the Gourmandine.
We started off on the Olympique and tested the snow, and it was evident that we needed to stay high. So I skied a fantastic run down the Santons to escape with lovely spring snow on the piste, and then Andreas, Chris, Jerome, and I all circled back around and headed up to the Fornet. (I have no idea what Alex skied?)
My team did three short 'skins' way out in the Pays Desert where we were high enough to get support underfoot. The skiing was gentle (although we had an interesting entrance over a steep cornice!) but we had great scenery and solitude. (see photos) We then finished the morning with an outstanding run on perfectly transformed snow down the L. It was a morning where the best skiing was the Santons and the L, with some scenic off-piste sandwiched in between. In the end I thought it was a really good use of a difficult day.
Thomas and Henry definitely made the right decision cancelling their trip to Bonneval. They would have found 'quick-snow' fairly early on, and it would have been a nightmare. Well done boys!
I'm gutted by the Hammers loss in the FA Cup to Leeds yesterday, but I'm looking on the bright side. We don't need to play any extra games, and when we win we need three points more than we need a trip to Wembley! Come on you Hammers!
Stay tuned!
PS Chris skied with Mike Culver and his young daughters Charlotte and Eleanor. It was the girls first morning off-piste, and they had a great time and did themselves proud. Well done girls!
5 April 2026
Spectacular!
That was a spectacular morning of 'gravity fed' spring skiing. Andreas, Thomas and I skied big 'spring classic' slopes all morning long, and with perfect timing. All the slopes had warmed to perfection, and we didn't do any damage and left some slopes 'cleaner' than we found them. (If you ski smoothly and caress the surface without over edging you have a pisting effect, which leaves the surface smooth)
Chris had James S' family for an initiation and they had a lovely morning with an into 'skin'. Meanwhile Alex was heading to the Couloir 3500, and Jerome and Henry had the day off.
There isn't too much more to say as that was quite spectacular! As Philippe in my group said, "C'etait neige du cinema!"
See photos and stay tuned!
PS And a big Happy Birthday to Dawn!
4 April 2026
A Return to St Foy!
Chris and I returned to St Foy today for the first time in ages, and had a great ski on the Foglietta. It was Terry and Jack's first trip to the Foglietta, which always has the 'wow' factor, but especially when looking in for the first time! Considering the Foglietta has been skied we did manage to find 'clean' lines top-to-bottom, and the snow quality was excellent!
My team consisted of Terry, Tilly, Jenny, Adam G, young Jack and Rick Pape. I skied with Rick's dad Colin many years ago in our early-Alpine days, and his brother Alex who became a great friend of Andreas. Please say hello to both of them for me Rick! (Chris had the day off and came down with Suzanne and Louise)
I'm not too sure what the boys skied in the resort today but since I'm in 'code-mode' I'll find out in the morning.
After today's heat the spring slopes will be ready to go. Hopefully they haven't been totally trashed during this cold spell as people have skied the spring slopes without thinking ahead. Fingers crossed!
Last night's gig at the Danois was fantastic! I thought Karen put in her best performance of the winter, which is saying something as she always delivers! And Andreas has turned into a proper rock star, especially in his 'Slash' get up. Wow, what a night!
I ran into Glen Allen's daughter Emily at the gig, and it was great to see her. Glen is in his 90's now and used to ski with Chris and I, way back when we first created Alpine. What a pleasure!
Stay tuned and check today's photos!
PS James, Lottie, and Daisy made their first appearance at the Danois last night and enjoyed a jolly good bop!
3 April 2026
Warmer Weather!
After quite of few days of unseasonably cold temperatures it did start to warm up today. It was chilly to start with, but I shed layers for the first time in several days.
Because of the cold weather the spring slopes haven't really transformed into proper spring snow yet. Unfortunately people have been impatient and many of the spring slopes are totally trashed, and will be out of play in the days to come. For more on spring snow check out Henry's latest snow report on his HAT website.
All the boys are skiing north at the moment to savour what's left of the powder while the spring slopes have a chance to transform. (see photos) I'm in 'code-mode' but Simon can always tell where I've been!
Don't forget Karen and Andreas at the Danois tonight starting at 5:30.
And thanks to Anthony D for sending me some Anti-Trump items of which I'll post a photo. Thanks Ant!
Stay tuned!
2 April 2026
A Scenic Finish!
It was Carole from Canmore's last day of a fantastic week, and I took here for a scenic tour of the Fornet to finish. You can't come to Val d'Isere for the first time without a trip to the Fornet, and with bright blue skies it was a great outing.
We've all been avoiding the Fornet for almost a month as conditions have been terrible, so it was a bit of a risk skiing there today, but the skiing was actually better than it might have been. We skied a good Pays Desert followed by a trip over the Col, where the entrance is starting to become tricky. The snow was excellent in places and the Grand Torsai was plenty good enough. (We all know how ratty that can get!)
At noon Chris and I threw the dice and took at a trip down Oh My!. To get there you need to traverse all the way across the Grand Vallon so Carole could see what a vast powder bowl it is when the surf is up. Then she had a glimpse of the Vallonnet before turning the corner to Oh My! When taking the road down from the Col and looking back up Oh My! didn't look great as it's been ravaged by the wind, but we went anyway trusting that we'd find something that worked. It turned out really well as we had great scenery, ambiance, and the snow was kind to us. (see photos)
I've really enjoy showing Peter's sister Carole around our most wonderful domain. She has skied her entire life, has lived in Canmore for 40 years, and has toured extensively in the Canadian Rockies. She was married to a Canadian Mountain Guide, and is no stranger to great skiing. She's had a brilliant time here and totally appreciates our domain, and I'm sure she will be back! What a week!
Andreas was also up at the Fornet, Jerome went to St Foy, and since I'm in 'code-mode' I won't report on Henry, Alex and Thomas.
And I've posted an 'April Fool's photo that Andreas took.
Don't forget tomorrow night's gig with Karen and Andreas. Our 'gig' season is drawing to a close and we only have two more gigs, so if you're in town don't miss it!
Stay tuned!
PS Henry has posted his latest snow report that deals with skiing spring snow. It's a great post and well worth reading, and can be found on Henry's HAT website. Thanks Henry!
PPS And goodbye until next time to Stephen S and his daughter Catherine. It's been a pleasure skiing with you both!
PPPS And it was the last day of both Simon and Trevor's off-piste season. It was great skiing with you both and until next season!
1 April 2026
Happy Birthday Tash!
It's Tash's birthday today and we'd like to wish her a big Happy Birthday! Tash will be celebrating tonight in the Danois with her beloved Revolverlites if you'd like to join in on the festivities. And nice guiding yesterday Phil!
Last night's gig at the Danois was exceptional as Fernando and Pedro played with their trademark passion, and played several new songs. My niece Rosie was there with her fiancée Zach, along with their pals Fay and Joost, and they thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Hopefully the boys will get one more gig next week, and I'll keep you posted.
After dealing with some flat light the past few days it was much clearer, and everyone enjoyed the improved visibility. The air temperature remained cold unless you were up against a south-facing slope and out of the wind, and the past few days have been unseasonably cold.
Andreas figures that I should go back into 'code-mode' so I'll leave the photos to tell the story. As you can see it was another cracking morning.
It's Carole from Canmore's last day tomorrow of her first-ever trip to Val d'Isere. We've had a fantastic week, but no first trip here is complete without a trip to the Fornet and an excursion over the Col Pers. I've been avoiding the Fornet for the past two weeks because the wind has played havoc with conditions and the snow has been so good elsewhere, but I'm going tomorrow for better or worse.
Chris had Pat who is a 8-day skier in his group today, but the youngster is an athlete and did incredibly well. I posted a photo of Chris' team's tracks. Bravo Pat!
Stay tuned!
PS Alex returns from a three-day hut-to-hut tour. He had some nightmare white-out conditions on the first day and made it to the refuge at 6PM. Well done Alex!!!!
PPS Stephen S had such a good time skiing with his daughter Catherine this morning. All of us dad's know importance and joy of quality daddy/daughter time. Bravo Stephen!
PPPS And Terry had a fantastic 'splat du jour' today. It was a beauty, and his ski came off and slide all the way down to Peter and I. It was steep and deep and too difficult for him to ski down on one ski so I 'skinned' back up to him with his ski. Full marks for that one Terry!
