Yesterday’s miles of skinning are already a distant memory. Today, we’re skiing; just skiing. After a less than auspicious start –  from the top of Bellevarde down the Super-Santons on yet-untransformed snow and amid brown grassy patches – we headed back up the hill, then through the jardins de Borsat, across to the Charvet and down a depleted but good couloir du Mont Blanc. Once again, with snow being in limited supply, guide Chris ushered us about the mountain in an attempt to avoid crowds, and mostly, as usual, he succeeded .

Then it was up the Arcelle lift and over to Cugnai where the snow was, in turns, powdery and spring-like – and the area almost empty. Terrain got icy and tracked as we reached the ferme de l’Arsellaz, but in the sunshine, there were no complaints. We naturally ended up at the Arcelle lift again and from the top, made our way down to resort by the Marmottons, tracking in between the cliffs of the Arcelle back to resort. Although breakable in place, the snow was mainly powder – a nice surprise – or softly transformed.