Clare D goes skiing

We'd been planning this trip for over a year. Me feeling just a little nervous about whether Isère was going to offer Clare anything like the experience she'd had during family holidays in wilder terrain in Norway. This was half-term and the Arcelle plateau, beautiful though it is, was not a deserted wilderness. The buzz of skiers and toboganners gave it more the atmosphere of a beach than the mountains. But I needn't have worried: wonderful weather and and dramatic Alpine horizons were more than enough:

the Arcelle plateau - Clare: where are your skis?!

The following day we revisited Les Signaraux, scene of Black Friday (see blog entry "Happy to be alive"), climbing through a thick layer of fog...

Clare practising snow-ploughing 

... to emerge on the superb cross-country piste looking towards the Ecrins and Dévoluy:

That evening we feasted on Tartiflette - between us eating a whole Reblochon in a 24-hour period:

Juan had a longer than usual week and didn't join us until Saturday evening. 

The next day the three of us walked up Beauregard (our all-seasons local hill):

... Juan chivalrously lending Clare his snow shoes, and slowed down as a result...

... Clare finding bum-shuffling more effective than walking:

What with yoga sessions, a trip to the flea market, shopping at the Vaulnaveys market, and chats galore it was an action-packed and convivial weekend. Come back soon, Clare!