With flying time costing 2000 euros per hour only the most prestigious ski resorts have a helicopter on stand-by.

It's Spring Break in the mountains and that means snowboard dudes, pneumatic bikini clad co-eds, beer and er sharks.

On the 17th April I was able to witness this fantastic avalanche in the ruisseau d'Andagne, between Bonneval-sur-Arc and Bessans in the Maurienne valley.The film isn't great.

Snow cover is still excellent in the Alps and Pyrenees above 1800 meters.

Researchers have developed a camera system that shoots pure snowflakes as they fall from the sky. It seems the classic picture of a snowflake is the exception rather than the rule.

Snow cover is still excellent in the French Alps and Pyrénées. Skiable snow can be found down to 1000m on many slopes with a 100cm of snow at 1500 meters altitude.

Ski tourers will be happy, the RD 530 road from St Christophe en Oisans has reopened for the spring season although poor weather has prevented helicopters from supplying refuges.

A 69 year old ski tourer has been killed by an avalanche at the start of this afternoon in the Queyras Valley. The slide occured at the Col du Tronchet (2661m - 44.6122/6.84637).

A 33 year old Czech skier, resident of Prague, has been killed skiing off piste at La Rosière in the Savoie. He was skiing with a friend who avoided the slide and was able to give the alert.

The strong north winds and fresh snow have led to a series of avalanche incidents in the Savoie, Isère and Hautes-alpes.