This year’s ski trip was just incredible. Considering the weather for skiing in the Alps this year has been mixed, we were incredibly fortunate to have bright blue skies, 90cm of fresh powder and reasonably dry weather throughout the week.

The first two days saw 44 Years 7 & 8 pupils skiing, split into six groups, based on ability. From beginners, who had never skied before, to pupils with over 13 weeks’ experience! The instructors were all amazing. Group 6 were the most experienced, and their instructor, Tomas, spent more time off-piste than on-piste! They were masters of the powder by the end of the week, notwithstanding some impressive falls! Thankfully, the deep snow offered a soft landing. Group 1 made excellent progress, too, and Group 2 were covering huge distances by the latter part of the week, so much so that that you could barely tell the difference between the groups by day 5, as lines of skiers parallel-turned down the mountainside.

The après-ski was always enjoyable, in part due to the lovely, cosy hotel we stayed in in the heart of the village of Villeneuve. It was a two-minute walk to the bubble lift, and we had sole occupancy of the hotel, which boasted its own table tennis room and snug, a large foyer area with lots of wide tables (perfect for playing cards). One of the best activities was a trip to the thermal spa at Monêtier les Bains, where there was so much on offer, from an icy-cold plunge pool to hot springs; a musical dome, where you lay in shallow water with your head submerged beneath the water listening to calming music; fountains, perfect for massaging the neck and back; and an outside pool under the mountains. The children were all so well behaved and it was wonderful to hear members of the public remark on how polite they were.

The food was excellent and typically French, whilst being child-friendly. The tartiflette was delicious and of course a real hit with the pupils. Each day, the children had cake and hot chocolate to restore them after their five hours of lessons on the slopes. All in all, a superb trip, and thank you to the staff who made it such a positive experience, as well as the instructing team at Ski Connections in Serre Chevalier.  We are pleased to report that there were no injuries, from pupils or staff, and we are very much looking forward to next year’s trip!

Ben Wood