Loze and Lac Blue

The advantages of being in the Alps for an early summer after a heavy winter, far outweigh those of a mid to late summer. What we are lacking in the chanterelles and berry counts, most of us are gaining in spectacular floral displays, and others from the odd choice couloir. 

I had to work hard for my ski today. Knowing that we were going to try to walk the kids up to Lac Blue, I ran up early to check if it might be worth carrying my skis. I had a quick dip in the lake and then sussed out some of the west-facing couloirs running off Loze, only one of which looked skiable but pretty good all the same. Then back down for breaky.

I set off with Balti and Luce, both of them amazing me yet again with their stamina. And whilst the kids chased trout, I climbed up the couloir to the top of Loze for some great views of the Grand Casse. It skied pretty well, although there was lots of sun-cupping and runnels. 

Then we all plodded down to Bouc Blanc for a well-earned beer and lunch before a nice saunter home through the Foret du Praz.

Lacs Merlet

There was a bit of a mix up this-morning which was in no way due to my lousy French. Roland had just missed my text confirming our 5a.m. rendezvous for Mt Pourri. As fate would have it, it looked pretty stormy over that way anyway by mid-afternoon.

On the way back to Courchevel, I scouted a dirt track that might lead to some nice couloirs later on in the week. The kids were up and about gathering flowers to feed their snails in snail-farm boxes, and after a lazy morning we decided on a walk and picnique to Lac Merlet.

I thought I'd take my skis along for the picnic just in case any of the slopes behind the Aiguille de Fruit were skiable - and for the novelty of skiing on the 1st of July in France (it is now considered high summer here). 

There was far more snow than usual on the path, with a few tricky sections for both young and old alike, but I was very proud of my 3 year old who made it all the way there and back by himself, and also with both girls who seem to enjoy running in the mountains now nearly as much as their daddy.

By the time we got to the lake it was quite warm, with the accompanying wet slides and rockfall smashing down from the Aiguille. I took a few softer lines down to the lake, which almost reminded me of Falls Creek! And whilst red snow in Australia has usually blown in from Uluru, in the Alps it is due to some weird algae. It still skis OK though.

We had a very nice picnique - and I snared a lovely little slushy summer drift on the way home just before the storms rolled in.