The Circuit

I wanted a long day on the mountain before heading back to the UK for graduation so Ross and I headed out to do a circuit on the Portes du Soleil. Apparently, there used to be a suggested circuit on the piste map but this no longer exists so I decided on a rough route doing pretty much what Noogy and Jimmie took me on at Easter. We started at the Super Morzine as per usual, then went down to Avoriaz, up the Indrets lift and round to the Fornet bowl. Up the Choucas then down to the Cuboré. The latter is a horrible little fast lift that goes up from both sides of the mountain meaning you have to jump off very quickly in a sideways direction. Down a very mogully red run and to the first button lift of the day – something of a theme. Up that and down to Les Crosets – Switzerland. All of that took as an hour so we were thinking we were making good progress but apparently Switzerland had a different idea. On the piste map at Les Crosets there's a lift clearly marked Pointe de L'Au which would take us over the other side of the mountain to Morgins. On the ground it didn't exist, and we were directed up the Mossettes lift (back to France!). From there on the map it looks like you should be able to get to the long blue cat track to Morgins (what we did at Easter) but this also doesn't seem to exist. The cat track we went on went the other side of the Pointe de L'Au and actually went uphill, to the point where even skiers were taking off their skis and carrying them. The next lift we got to was another that went up the Pointe de L'Au and was shut – a shame as the snow was lovely down there. Finally ended up at a t-bar – fun – which I duly fell off halfway up, serves me right for daydreaming. Finally found a chair lift which took us up to somewhere with a sign to Torgon, useful, and on the way down we found some snow and ended up in Morgins. Quick bus across town and then it all got a bit complicated. After numerous lifts and buttons (including one that was seemingly run by a farmer in his back field) we ended up at the Panoramic restaurant at Torgon with the view of Geneva – and had a well deserved beer. Slid down to Chatel, got a bus to Linga and went up and down a few times before getting back to Super Morzine – just in time for last lifts. In the end I think we did:

2 bubbles

11 chairs

6 buttons

1 t bar

and only had 1 beer and a few sips of Grand Marnier