A girls-only week in France is perfect for learning to look cool on a board
Let me start with a confession. The Rudegirls' Week has given me the fear. Rudegirls? Sounds more like I'll be joining a gang of Asbo teens rather than improving my snow skills away from the machismo of male boarders. It doesn't help that I arrive late at the funky, spacious Chalet Joseph, my home for the next six nights, to find the hosts clearing away supper and the place deserted apart from Helen and Chris Lavender who own the Rudechalets empire. But over a plate of delicious boeuf bourguignon, Helen explains the itinerary before Chris takes me off to the Burton test centre downstairs to fit me out with a boxfresh Feelgood board. Recklessly, when I filled in my forms before arriving, I mentioned I could get down pretty much any slope without breaking anything (OK, that's not strictly true, I've ended up in plaster a couple of times...), which, according to the Rudegirls grading system, makes me 'advanced'. We get four two-hour lessons this week and are divided into beginners (those who've never been on snow before), beginners two (people who're familiar with the white stuff, such as skiers), intermediates (who can turn on a snowboard and get down easy slopes fairly competently) and, erm, advanced. It's a relief to learn that among the 18 girls here there's a pretty even spread, but I'm worried that I've overplayed my experience. I have a fitful night's sleep in the cosy twin room I'm sharing with Antonia, a beginner.
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