Mid-April and it’s hot. Very, very hot. The snow is like liquid cement and wet slides are running to the valley. We had to sit in the Montenvers train for 40 minutes as an avalanche cut the track and on arriving in the Val d’Aoste we couldn’t get an espresso anywhere as the power had been completely cut, again by avalanche. I do like my coffee, particularly in Italy.
The Gran Paradiso is one of the great ski peaks of the Alps. It deserves its popularity as it gives a wonderful day out particularly with the glorious weather that we had. We took our time, enjoying every moment. Lemon sodas and, at last, a perfect coffee in the sun at Pont rounded things off nicely.