Back in Argentiere

Back again in residence in Argentière for a couple of weeks. Having been out in mid April last year and enjoyed a week of blue skies and 20 degrees plus and some very spring snow conditions we weren’t really expecting the depths of winter when we arrived. But that’s exactly what we got! A big storm over the Easter weekend brought stacks of new snow to low levels (about 500m). Don’t know the final count but last we looked the fall in Argentière at around 1100m was 60+cm.


We arrived late Sunday to find that it was still snowing – and it continued into Monday. And with a chill wind behind it, the weather felt decidedly more wintry than it had done on our previous trips out in December and February, and we’d had some big snowfalls on both occasions.

The difference being, however, that in late March the sun rises much earlier in the depths of the valley and once the storms clear, the snow in the valley at least, soon gets quite wet. That said, it’ll be a while before the 60+cm thaws and we see the swimming pool again.


The days on the mountains have been as enjoyable as ever. Jodie, who turned 6 just last week has progressed beyond the red runs and is now attempting to shred the powder behind mum. And Sam, at just 3 years old, is into his 2nd season on skis and yesterday was let loose on the blue runs at Le Tour on his own. He’s getting quite good at ‘pizza and chips’ and I suspect it won’t be long before he’s chasing his sister into the off piste. And thre’s always time for a little hedonism for dad. First tracks this morning under blue skies and untracked powder in the combe and under the herse at the Grand Montets. A little slice of heaven…