A day on the slopes - La Tuille

After an uncomfortable night sleep in a rock hard bed and lots of irregular noises I got up for breakfast. Hotel breakfasts are always interesting as you're never quite sure what you'll get. Large hotels always have a big selection of regular continental food as well as a more cooked English breakfast option. This hotel was definitely not catering for the full English and a fairly simple continental breakfast was for me, with an English breakfast team con latte (with milk)!

Quick change into ski gear and then the short walk from the hotel to the main planibel area to get skis etc and hit the slopes.

Now I am not a proskier by any stretch of the imagination and skiing on your own in a new resort where you don't know the slopes is actually a little nerve wracking. 

The weather was perfect for the morning runs. Sunny and not too windy so perfect. I jumped on the very packed cable car up and looked at the map to see where I'd try to go. First run was a red straight back down. Far from straight so a nice long sweeping run. A couple of faster bits where of course I lost my nerves and stacked it! And stacked it and again!

Still I actually really enjoyed the run and was proud that I made it down relatively well.

New tact for the next run. I studied the map a little closer to discover a whole region of blue runs further up the mountain. Excellent. Second trip up and a chair lift later I was fairly close to the top. Mont Blanc was in and out of sight but a really nice view the other way.

So the start of my second run and a quick steep blue into the learning area where it was seriously grate fun and a chance to get my confidence back.

I got most of the slopes and lifts before a later than planned lunch break as the cafes on the mountain were packed and not so easy for a solo person to grab a seat and food so I carried on skiing for a bit. 

Finally decided to go back to town for some lunch and a break. The afternoon was quieter on the slopes. Great for me to see what other runs I can do and see if I can get down without stacking it. Success! Now can't come off the mountain without a hot chocolate so stopped in before making my decent. Good and bad idea right here in one. Hot chocolate was great but delaying getting back down meant fatigue had really kicked in. That with the poor sleep meant legs didn't want to do what they were supposed to and tumble after tumble on my way back down put a negative end to the day. Still nothing broken apart from my confidence again which will be fine when we get back with our instructors in March. At least I'll know the slopes, lifts and runs albeit with memories of where I stacked it!

Got my skis back to the ski hire and the amazing reps managed to get me a table booked in a restaurant that was full when I tried!

I already decided if they did burgers that's what I was going to have. Now when in a ski resort at night and Google maps gives you directions. The footpaths may or may not actually be there! My route was across the end of the runs which were being prepared for tomorrow so a little nuts but I survived!

The restaurant didn't let me down. Burgers and pizza specialists so I went for the burger and a rather large beer. I figured I'd drink it over a while and was cheaper than buying two!

The beer in the photo makes the burner look far less impressive than it was but actually it was absolutely delicious. Perfectly cooked and seasoned. Really good burger!

This meal was perfect and just the right amount of food.

Post dinner stroll back into town to look at the church and see if there is a massive tomorrow. Disappointingly there are services but in the neighbouring chapel. I'll take my chances in the morning on my way out of town and see what the service is like and see if I can have a peek inside the church itself.

The church is clearly a landmark within the church but I guess there isn't a resident priest in the town.

Back in my hotel room and ready for sleep. I think there will be little to disturb my sleep tonight. Absolutely exhausted.

Still a good night sleep.followed by a relaxing drive back to Turin. Maybe there will be some sights to see on the way.