Second day in Sammy Ski School

After my weak performance on Thursday, I think I may have been put into the special measures section of SSS.

It was a lovely day and I was keen to ski, but a little nervous that a couple of days earlier my legs had basically given up after three hours.

Sam had chosen some different runs and there was minimal gradient and maximum width. I was determined to focus on the advice a little more. I can see how body position affects the dynamics of skiing and not leaning forward enough is my biggest crime.

So I'm trying to ski as if I'm carrying an invisible tray of drinks (these are the tricks Sam's Ski School plays on its pupils), pointing my shoulder downhill and planting ski poles on the inside of my turns.

We went up Cachette, skied down Belvedere to the Arpette lift at 2413m then down into the bowl. It was lovely and sunny with no wind in the bowl and I could see the snow really well. We went all the way down the Plan Blue run to the Arcabulle lift which takes you up to 2600m, then there's a long gentle blue called Col de la Chal (which is so flat you have to skate in places) then the steeper, but wide, Vallee de l'Arc back down to bottom of Arcabulle.

We did that a couple of times and I felt I was skiing pretty well. On the second run, I started to feel it in my legs, so suggested a cafe break. Sam left to to find Lucy and when they got back, we decided to ski down into 1950 for lunch. Of the four Les Arcs resorts, 1950 is the most pretty (and also the most expensive). You can ski through the resort and it's really nice cruising past expensive shops and restaurants.

Chilling in the sun above 1950

From 1950, there's a steeper blue down to the Comborciere lift and I was starting to feel my legs tiring by the time I got to the lift. The sunny sky had gone and as we got up to the top of Belvedere, the light was flat and a snowstorm was coming.

It was really tricky to see the snow at the top and, to make matters worse, the piste was quite rutted and steep, so it was hard work down to the smooth bit. We took it steady down Arpette to 1600, but my legs had gone again and I fell for first time on the steep bit just above the resort, losing both skis. I was really shattered.

That night, we had Morteau sausage with mustard and gherkins, boiled potatoes and cabbage. Margaret has voted it the best meal of the holiday.