THE best bit about skiing in midwinter is finally getting to see some sunshine — but we were in for an even bigger treat when we witnessed the natural phenomenon known as “rainbow clouds”.
We had just been battered by three back-to-back named storms before we arrived in the beautiful French resort of La Rosière.
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The thick snow cover and blue skies made the place look like a picture postcard and after a month without seeing the sun , suddenly it was beating down with abandon.
Then, one day on the slopes, my wife Amanda and I were blessed by something we had never seen before – nacreous clouds.
According to the Met office this occurs when thin discs of cloud at high altitude produce coloured light like “oil on a puddle”.
When seen over Aberdeen last December, observers likened them to a “portal from another dimension”.
And it really did feel like that as we gazed at them from the 9,500ft peak of Mont Valaisan. They were breathtaking and it was hard to take our eyes off them – not ideal when trying to concentrate on the piste!
We’d travelled with Crystal Ski and were fortunate to have picked a week when neither the UK or French schools were on holiday.
Not only did that make our family of four’s trip cheaper, but it meant there were no queues for any of the 38 ski lifts in Espace San Bernardo.
The area boasts 80 runs across 152km (95 miles) between 1,190 (3,900ft) and 2,800m (9,200ft) high and at that altitude you are virtually guaranteed plenty of snow even during a mild winter.
Our 18-year-old daughter Brooke, who has additional needs, took to the slopes in a sit-ski, expertly operated by ESF instructor Clemont, which allowed her to enjoy a day’s skiing with the rest of her family.
There were also fun kiddie snow zone areas, which Brooke was whizzed through, getting to ring marker bells as she went.
The ski area also links La Rosière with La Thuile in Italy and is the only Franco-Italian pistes in the Northern Alps.
However, be warned if you miss the last lift, it will cost you about £170 for the return taxi from Italy!
At the top of the resort lie the ruins of Fort de la Redoute – a 17th century fortress, which became a battleground between French and German and Italian troops during the Second World War.
Sadly its walls were impenetrable due to the snow drifts, some 10ft thick, blocking the entrances.
Back in La Rosière our 4* self-catering accommodation Les Marmottons was a lot more welcoming.
This newly refurbished building had all you needed, a kitchen/dining room area, two bedrooms and a bathroom and separate loo.
Even better it was less than a 10 minute hoof to the slopes and just five minutes to the nearest supermarket, bars and restaurants.
Go La Rosière
GETTING/STAYING THERE: A week self-catering at the 4H CGH Résidence Le Chalet Les Marmottons in La Rosière, France is from £862pp, two sharing, including flights from Edinburgh to Chambéry on January 4 and transfers. See crystalski.co.uk or call 020 8610 3123.
Our favourite watering hole was Appin’s Bar, nicknamed The Dog Cafe by Brooke, as it was so canine friendly it looked more like a doggy day care centre than a pub.
And if you fancy a day away from the slopes then there’s a beautiful forest walk which links La Rosiere with the neighbouring village of Eucherts.
Not only is there an adjoining ski area in Eucherts, but even more shops and eateries to explore along with an igloo pub, made entirely from ice, with ice sculptures in the walls and where punters sit on fur rugs to keep warm while sipping cold beers – Brrr.
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It’s just a 15 minute stroll away along a forest path lit up in an array of lights at night.
However nothing will beat the natural light show from Nacreous, that really did give us a rainbow after the storms.
