Last week I spent my long lunchtimes snowboarding the excellent Plan de l’Aiguille area in Chamonix. This is the mid station of the Aiguille du Midi lift and is a complex and therefore hugely underused off piste route.

This means for those who do run it, it’s one of the best powder day skiing spots in Chamonix. Snow conditions on this long run are perfect for probably just a few weeks a year and last week was probably the last time this year! The complex route finding, frequent snow slides/avalanches and the long, narrow and oftern icy run out back to town all combine to put people off. However when the snow is good the steep tree riding littered with deep steep fluffy pillows is some of the best in Chamonix. It is also literally on our flat’s doorstep which helps!

So as well as Plan de l’Aiguille we also got up to the Aiguille du Midi for a few runs. The snow was superb after the clouds lifted. We were also treated to an excellent cloud  inversion that left the Chamonix valley dark and gloomy. Those on the glacier were meanwhile getting sunburnt and stoked on deep bluebird powder runs.