AWESOME SKI DAY

The view of Praz de Lys from the piste 

I FINALLY got in a fantastic day of skiing!!!!! Mid week got an invite from Sir Ian Coombes to go up- JUMPED @ it to get up there as its been a good year since I went up to meet Rox @ Mageve. 
This time we were heading to Praz de Lys-Sommand in France. Hadn't been there before- though Ian & Jaime had gone the week prior & said it was great. So I rented a FANTASTIC new pair of Scott skis from Penseyres that is just up the street in the Paquis & I was set.
Couldn't have picked a better day to go- woke up early to sunny skies & just knew it was going to be beautiful up there. Best of all- I actually had some confidence I was going to ski really well- don't know if it was because I was on a new set of skis or the weather- just had that feeling.
Ian picked me up @ 9 in their fancy pants Land Rover (NICE) & we were off. It wasn't long until we hit the border of France & then started seeing more & more cars loaded up with skis...... Hit the toll booths & wham- a complete jam of cars all heading up to the mountains for the day- took us a good 25 min to get through. Once through there it was smooth sailing up to Praz de Lys- we figured it too a good hour to get there- door to door- would have been much faster if we weren't stuck @ the toll booths- but it was the weekend & it was a beautiful day & everyone had smiles on their faces.
Arrived @ Praz de Lys @ about 10am- got a good parking spot & we quickly geared up to get up on the slopes. Its interesting here, when you buy your lift tickets they ask you if you want insurance- its an additional 3 Euros- I don't really understand what it covers- but I got it anyway- you never know- could end up being the best 3 Euros ever spent. Lift tickets were 18 Euros for the day- so a great price compared to Washington or Whistler- figured there are so many ski resorts in the area that they are all competing for your $$$- you could easily keep driving another 10/15 min & go to another area that offers a better price & very similar skiing. So its best to shop around. ANYWAY- got locked into the skis & got in line for one of their quad chairs. A beautiful ride up- we were facing the sun the entire way up. Ended up just below Haut Fleury (1980m) & started our day. Really felt nice to be on good skis- they are much wider than my Olin's & really responded nicely- I will rent these again & think about purchasing them @ the end of the season- we'll see how much they are then. But really did well on the 1st run- just warming up the legs & back- nothing too fast or too slow- just technique as I have been told I am a "sloppy" skier by a friend who was a former US Ski team member...... I take it as constructive criticism as I know I'm sloppy & need to take a few lessons just to refine.....
Nice groomed, packed, soft, powder swooshing below my skis. Smiles all around, sun on my face- couldn't have asked for a better day. 
 Did a couple of nice long runs then mentioned "I'm hungry" as the pain au chocolate & OJ I had for breakfast really wasn't enough to nourish this big body- so we opted to locate a restaurant. Had to ski from Sommond over to the Praz de Lys part of the mountain as there is more of a village on that side. Ended up skiing a bit to far & had to hike a bit back & up through a parking lot to the restaurant. Ian assured me it was worth it as I was huffing & puffing my way.

Sorry- crappy Iphone shot of inside the chalet restaurant

Le Tartiflette- mon Dieu.......

Arrived @ the restaurant- they had a lovely outdoor deck in the sunshine with a million dollar view- we opted for indoor seating. Waited a few min for a table & when no one was leaving, one of the waiters said to go take a table upstairs. Walked through the restaurant that smelled of burning fireplace & fondue. Seeing all the people enjoying their food & hearing the different languages put a smile on my face. Hoofed it up the stairs- got a nice table by the window- opened the menu & ordered "un grande beire" I needed the beer as well!!! Ian noticed in the menu "Tartiflette"- he said he & Jaime had had it the week prior- I hadn't heard of it before but when he said it was "a pan of sauteed potatoes, onions, bacon covered in melted cheese" I was sold- order it!!!! When it arrived- it was just as I though it would be- & I think we had something similar @ the wine festival in Russin a few years ago. Although this one came with a board of assorted mountain meats- prosciutto, dry cured salami & rashers of bacon. In other words a pan of fat & a platter of fat :) But OOOHHHH so delicious- had to snap a few photos!!!

Savoie Mountain Meats

This will be something I take back to the US!!! Had a great lunch & a bit of a rest then it was up the mountain again. With our full bellies we decided to take a different lift up this time. As we were climbing higher & higher, looked down to a huge bowl that looked to be off piste- not many people on it, the snow appeared to be deep & fluffy. Most certainly a black run. Mentioned to Ian that it might be fun to go down- but then saw how vertical  it was @ the top- so it was a unanimous "NO" an a laugh..... So we got off the lift @ the very top of the area- Haut Fleury- low & behold guess what the only way down was..... Yep that bowl...... It was certainly a challenge- there was a red run off to the right & the black was on the left- I luckily had managed to get stuck on the black run..... I sucked it up & just did it- albeit ever so slowly as other skiers zipped by me- every one of them I called an asshole for obvious reasons. But we did it- Ian was a little slower but he did it as well- proud of us both for sure. That run really zapped the energy out of us, at the same time it boosted our confidence- never been down a run so difficult before & I have been on black runs before- by mistake...... Anyway- a few more runs here & there in the sun-  we stuck more to the blue runs & really did well. Looking @ the time it was just 3:30- we were done as we were getting a little worn out & my ski mantra has always been "When you want to take that last run of the day- even though you think you shouldn't- don't take it- its the one that always does you in" So reciting that mantra- we made our way to the car, packed up & hit the road @ 3:45 & was back in the Paquis right @ 5pm- in time to return the "confidence building" skis. Will rent them the next time for sure- Looking @ going up to Les Contamines next Sunday- hopefully this time Jaime can make it. Last time I skid with him I had the equipment malfunction & had my WORST day skiing. SO embarrassing!!!!

The view from our lunch table