Day 2: A flying start

Day 2: A flying start First day of ski school - an overwhelming success, though I only remembered on the way up the mountain that number 2 son doesn’t like heights. I was beginning to worry that I really hadn’t thought this holiday through. The lower green runs were open and we enjoyed meandering down with our respective classes. My children declared they were now semi-professional. In the afternoon, we walked the dogs up the mountain in Le Bettex. We had two choices: take the cable car or drive. I’m ashamed to admit that our courage failed us and we drove. A combined total weight of 150 kgs of excited dog in a cable car, was at this stage, an adventure too far! his wooden balcony, admiring Mont Blanc. An old lady doing her spring cleaning with half her furniture out on the grass after the long winter. We meandered through woods and across slopes with wonderful views. You get the occasional glimpse of magnificent chalets set in regal grounds. We rewarded ourselves with a G and T on our return. Gin and fresh mountain air in the sunshine with views across les Alpes. What a cure for the stresses of life. The drive from Saint Gervais to Le Bettex is not hard and it’s worth it. The mountain is dripping with pretty wooden chalets in all shapes and sizes and it’s a chance to see some of the local life. An elderly gent sat on

Day 3: It all falls apart The exceptionally mild weather meant all the lower slopes and most of the green runs were closed and ski school moved up the mountain. This revealed that my children were not the professional skiers that they’d come to believe they were. By lunch time, my husband swore his knees were finished and two of the children were declaring they would never ski again. Full credit to the ski school instructor who’d spent 2 ½ hours coaxing no. 2 son down the mountain as his fear of heights kicked in. And to my husband who spent the evening balancing the children on his feet (whilst wincing in pain) so that he could teach them about shifting their weight when they turn rather than shooting straight down the mountain. It’s at those moments of your life when you realise that three boisterous children, two large excited dogs and a dose of stress and fatigue is not the best combination for a small apartment. We went out for dinner that night. Our dog walk that day was around the town of Saint Gervais, our sense of adventure flagging. The old town is pretty and as you come into it from below it has some beautiful, mid-19th century buildings with intricate iron and glass arcades. Day 4: A turn for the better We chucked the kids out at ski school and ran. My concussion was finally easing and a combination of Voltarol and knee straps were holding my husband together. We reconvened at midday and were greeted with smiles. The kids had mastered “the turn”, the snow plough and had a great morning. We treated ourselves to an afternoon at the “Bains du Mont Blanc” back at the Thermal Park. They do a family session on a Wednesday and it’s well worth it. The thermal baths are warm, bubbly, outside and restorative. My snow burnt, rosacea covered cheeks needed some love and this hit the spot. A beautiful setting, a great chance to unwind and recover.