Skiing holiday day 2 afternoon

After an excellent lunch back at the hotel, which is full board and fully inclusive and of course the food is excellent, we would probably stay out on the mountain all day if it wasn't and get some lunch in one of the many mountain restaurants, but as the hotel is ski to the door, good food and wine and a coffee before setting out to try and burn off the calories just eaten!
This afternoon was going to be completely off piste, not just in the powder just next to a freshly groomed piste, but walking past the sign that states 'hors piste' and in some cases 'danger' signs.  But we were with an experienced guide from the French ski school, which I regard as one of the best.  Our guide had arranged some avalanche transponder units for us to wear around our waists and checked they worked from his unit.  I asked what happens if he gets caught in an avalanche how do we find him?  To the reply 'well we are in trouble then!' but seriously he had what is called an ABS which is a avalanche bag, when he pulls the cord it inflates a large bag with the idea he floats on top of the avalanche.  Nice idea, hope you never have to use it I thought.  He then explained there are other avalanche aids such as an oxygen bag with a tube, this sits in the front of your jacket and gives you 3 hours of oxygen, hopefully enough to survive until you are found.
The snow had been kind to us, we had 30cm the night before and the sun was out so there was some nice fresh powder, not loads to enough to do what we wanted to do.
Our first area we visited was an area called 'Charvet' not steep but some virgin snow and away from the pistes.  The views and the tranquil surroundings were just amazing, and straight away the feeling of the busy day to day world had been forgotten.  The mountain goats watched us as we skied down to a path that followed a route back in to some civilization.  Although the ski down this side of the mountain was not too difficult, probably just right for someone that only skies once a year, it was still a thrill of a lifetime, being able to look back at the fresh tracks just made by our small group.
We skied some other off piste areas with some walking and trudging through the snow, which can be quite difficult at a high altitude.  Through using the lift system and pistes were used to only get to another off piste, we covered quite a lot of ground in one afternoon.  Some tumbles but unfortunately I never got them on my new iPod with video, which was a shame as I could have put them on here to show all.
A fantastic first day and a well earned drink and cake back at the hotel.