It's been a long time since I've skied from the summit of the Dent, 2015 was the last time I think but maybe I lost the appetite for NFZ (no fall zones) as the Americans call them.

Les Saisies is one of France's largest cross country ski areas claiming around 120km of ski runs between 1550 meters at Lachat (summit of the Crest Voland pistes) and 1850 meters at the top of the Mon

I've never nordic skied at les Saisies but we alpine skied here a few years ago and it was very flat so seemed ideal for cross country.

It has snowed a lot during the week, about a meter in total although this has compacted down a bit now.

Session with the SNC classic skiing with Guillaume. Excellent conditions with a return to winter an flurries of snow. The black has reopened (it was covered in spring flowers last week).

I last came this way in 1998 and made exactly the same mistake, climbing via the Bottier chalets rather than taking the normal path.

I decided to head up after work for a final ski at the Col de Marcieu. I was on classic skis and the tracks were made, more or less.

I wanted to cover all the pistes today which I did.

Today we were practising hockey stops, slalom and transitions. Loic had a good tip on V1 transitions from one side to the other which is to do a quick double tap to resynchronize skis and arms.

A return to the Marie. I managed to screw up the entrance and do a loop and land on my head which left me a bit dazed for a minute or two.