The retour d'est forecast was a real rollercoaster last week. Last week it looked like there was going to be a huge amount of snow, then the forecast got less and less. But a retour d'est is known to be difficult to predict and can have surprises in store. This time it was a positive surprise. A total of one meter of fresh snow fell above 2000 on the border of Italy and France!
We were in doubt whether to go to the ski resort of Abries or to tour. But once we arrived in Abries it was extremely crowded. It seemed like all the guides from all over Europe had come to this small area with their clients. So we decided to go touring. That way we had to share the powder with fewer people. We climbed up through the forest above the village of Ristolas, and that turned out to be not a bad choice!