Frankly, after breaking my leg in 2010, I was doubtful for months that I'd actually get back to ski in 2011, let alone return to the 3 Vallees where I'd done it. As late as early March I was considering taking a warm holiday at Easter and maybe doing some more diving this year.
Thanks to the care I'd received in Val Thorens and at home at the Clare Park and Frimley Park Hospitals, I'd avoided the need for surgery and physiotherapy had got me back to 80-90% fitness in my knee (generally more than that, as I'd spent a lot of time in the gym which I hadn't for over 15 years!).
We didn't set out to return to the 3 Valleys, but the best offers we could find for Easter were there and so we ended up in a Chalet in Courchevel 1650.
Above : Hot, sunny and snow free 1650!
In previous years this would've been fine, but 2011 wasn't a great season, especially at the end and there was absolutely no skiing in 1650 by the time we arrived.
Things were little better in 1850 (a 5 minute bus ride away), but there were lifts operating there and a solitary green run back to the resort. Hardly thrilling, but it did give us access to the runs high above 1850, like Pylons, and to the Meribel-Mottaret valley, were we could interconnect to reach the runs into Val Thorens where conditions remained remarkably good.
Above : Top of run to Mottaret was in good condition, but you could only ski to the mid station.
The first couple of runs towards Mottaret were nerve wracking, as the snow was hard and I felt distinct fear at the thought of crashing and damaging my knee again, even though it didn't feel bad to ski on.
The runs around Val Thorens were softer and throughout that first day my confidence grew. It was with considerable relief that I finished the first day and we returned to the Cascades Chalet hotel.
Above : Glacier from 'Christine'
The large Chalet was reasonably good, located right opposite the main lift (not running) in 1650 and the bus stop. The room for 3 of us (Ryan stayed at home with his Aunt this year) was decently sized, with a mezzanine area for the 3rd bed. It was rather sparsely furnished, though, and the cleaning left a bit to be desired (halfway through the week I found an empty beer bottle just under my side of the bed!).
Food was good, if not as excellent as it has been in some Chalets, and the company was generally good, which always helps in a chalet.
The second (and every other day) followed a similar pattern to the first, with a bus ride to 1850, a lift up the mountain and then a ski half way down to Mottaret to catch the gondola the rest of the way down. Then a chair lift and sometimes a button to ski down to pick up the Cote Brune chair or Plattieres 2 gondola up to reach the runs into Val Thorens.
Above : View towards Mont Blanc from top of cable car in VT
Above : High up, the snow was still good
The Cote Brune run was often good as was Venturons and we found that red runs like Christine, Portette, Rhodos, Rosael and the long Corala/Peyrons combo on the Glacier De La Pointe Renod with a peak of 3230M (reached by two slow and chilly chair lifts and icy on the steep pitch just off the lift) still had good snow on to the end of the week.
The run back from Val Thorens was a bit of a chore, with Lac de la Chambre being very slushy at the top (some days the off piste section to its right - skiing down - was actually really good, but it was crudy on the cooler days later in the week).
Above : Bottom of Lac de la Chambre was unskiiable by the end of the week
We had a good week, considering the threat of dire snow conditions, but it could have been so much better had the conditions even been as good as 2010.
The journey out and back, flights via Gatwick and Chambery (little bigger, it seemed, than Blackbushe!) had been smooth and trouble free and the runs had, mostly been quiet and well groomed (at least in the mornings).
Above : This is the main run down to 1650!
For me, though, the main thing was I'd got back on my skis a year after breaking my leg and enjoyed a full week's skiing, even making it onto some black and off piste runs, which I'd never imagined I would be comfortable taking on this year.
Another year and my knee, which was feeling a little sore on my return, but not worryingly so, will be much stronger and I should be fully fit for skiing - roll on 2012!
