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Aravis - La Clusaz- Le Grand Bornand - Manigod 2015-16

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
If anywhere it would be at the top i.e. At the Col de la Croix Fry or the Col de Merdassier. TBH never actually looked for it from there. Can certainly see it from the Col des Aravis in the next valley.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@gvj, They are trying to keep pistes open for as long as they can and the best time to create snow is when it's actually snowing. Yes we all pay for lift passes but surely some small inconvenience to anyone is worth it to maintain the length of season and quality of the snowpack.

Andy
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
looks like I am at some meetings in Annecy on the 8th and 9th Feb, thinking of skiing the 10th and 11th at Grand Bornard as I have never skied there and like to try new resorts. I've skied La Clusaz before.

I think the French holidays have started that week, so two questions.

1. Will it be rammed?
2. Any recommended hotels in the area that will do 2 nights accomodation mid week?
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@kitenski, you'll be hitting the middle of the first week of the French half term holidays. So it will be busy, but not as busy as the following fortnight. Accommodation might be hard to find for just two nights as it's a peak week. There are some nice hotels both up at Chinaillon (le Cremelliere and L'Alpage) and down near the main bubble in LGB (les Écureuils etc.) probably your best bet would be to phone or email the LGB tourist office, they speak English, and see what's available. Repost or PM me if you want further advice on what they have on offer. Good luck!
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@gvj, thanks, how is the snow out there? I'm also wondering if I just extend my stay in Annecy and drive to GB one day and then either go back the 2nd day or drive to Clusaz??
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Currently can't find taxi to get to Geneva airport for 10:15 tomorrow morning, staying in La Clusaz. Anyone know someone willing to drive me and wife for payment? Super Shuttle cancelled my booking this afternoon!
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@Peter Ross, wow that's bad luck! Have you tried Taxi des Aravis run by Sandrine Perrillat-Monet based in LGB tel 0633860826 or 0450641273; failing that Ski Weekender in St Jean have minibuses going to gva most days and might be able to help.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@kitenski, TBH snow getting to be badly in need of refreshment. No off piste to speak of. Spring like conditions at present, lovely for cruising but possibly rain due this weekend Sad . Maybe hold off booking until it snows again?
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How much do conditions effect driving between the different areas? Looking at Google Maps, they all look within twenty minutes of each other, but do all those roads generally stay open in the winter? Say, if you were in Manigod, is it likely the D16 would shut,making it a long treck to La Clusaz? If you were in Thones, is it a straightforward drive to LGB? etc.

Thanks
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gvj wrote:
@kitenski, TBH snow getting to be badly in need of refreshment. No off piste to speak of. Spring like conditions at present, lovely for cruising but possibly rain due this weekend Sad . Maybe hold off booking until it snows again?


I'll be in Annecy regardless, looks like somewhere high like Tignes is within 2 hours so I think I'll book accom only the week before!
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@gvj, Thanks I got one at about 9pm, €170 for 2, Ouch, was meant to pay €90 with Super Shuttle but hadn't time to be bargain hunting. Apparently the French taxi protests were making it difficult to find taxis. I'll look to book earlier next time. I did see a bus pull in to airport with st Jean De sixt written on side, might that be ski weekender, that might have saved a bit.
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
On snow, just home today, had 4 days in La Clusaz and 2 in Grand Bornand. It has been warm but thought shaded snow holding up well. Off piste varied from powder to crust, to hard to soft to slush to tracked out. Just needed to pick the right time of day or right slope direction. South faces getting very heavy in afternoon.

In La Clusaz hardly any off-piste unskied in GB more off-piste terrain untracked and lots of nice cruisey off piste around vallee de Maroly with room for fresh tracks.

Skied the freeride zone yesterday but flat light meant I struggled down it. Quite a bit of avalanche debris made it a bit bumpy. I'll see can I upload photos later.
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So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@eversolazy, roads between the resorts are kept open, no worries. Only an exceptional blizzard would close any of the routes you mention for more than an hour or so. TBH could do with a few of those in the next few weeks....one can but dream....
@Peter Ross, glad you got home safely. Taxis to GVA are not cheap. Worth asking on here if stuck (ideally with a bit more notice) as lots of us are making the trip regularly. Hats off if you survived the LGB free ride area, it avalanched last week after the new snow and has looked distinctly unappetising ever since!
ski holidays
 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Off here in two weeks at Feb half term. Hoping for another decent up before then as the lower slopes are sounding a bit thin
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@gvj, Yes I 'skied' it twice, once each last two days. Bit challenging, especially as my googles crap in bad light. I was trying to work out the entry point for all the tracks on skiers right. Where do they come in?

I thought I had sorted for transfer back but super (not so super) shuttle cancelled on me yesterday afternoon, lucky I found WiFi and checked my email or I'd have never known. Pity the freeride comp in La Clusaz got cancelled. I'll have to come back for the lake skiing at the end of season!

Restaurants in Grand Bo much better value than La Clusaz, had some really good lunches at Chalet du Maroly.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@Peter Ross, re the Freeride area alternative entry point....When you come off the Lachat chair at the top, instead of going straight over the edge in front of you, head right between the first aid hut and the Gypaete red. You'll follow a cat track around the summit which curves back into the freeride zone. It's a less exposed start to the run.
Chalet du Maroly deservedly popular. Colombier de Neige, Terre Rouge and La Taverne also well worth a visit. LGB probably one of the few resorts where you can gain weight rather than lose it on a ski holiday without needing a second mortgage wink .
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Thanks for the info. Yes it was hard to leave after lunch the food was so good! Bit more hit and miss over in La Clusaz, L'Arthur in La Clusaz was good value and I liked their salads, Le Grizzily at top of Beauregard awful in terms of price and food. In general is LGB better value than La Clusaz?

Some photos from last week

LGB freeride zone from top


LGB freeride zone from bottom


South facing slopes getting a lot of sun




High Point of Aravis Pointe Percee


Mont Blanc from the top of Balme area of La Clusaz
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Hi all heading to St Grand Bornand at the end of Feb/start of March, so will be glued to this thread for conditions. Looks like there has been a good covering of snow?
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After the rain yesterday the piste conditions were surprisingly good today. Off piste, found some lovely stuff off the top of the almet and turn left and also at col des annes. Pessotays had been left unpisted and was a bit grippy this morning but other than that it was a good day with even the sun deciding to come out from time to time! There is snow forecast for next week but there is still some very nice skiing to be had in lgb. @Peter Ross, nice pics!
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@loatie, trust you guys to still be finding fresh tracks!
Sad news from La Clusaz at the weekend


http://pistehors.com/risk-levels-and-the-aravis-avalanche-24238748.htm

Happened in a very popular off piste area near La Balme.
Even in LGB an avalanche fracture line is still visible on Peter's second photo of the freeride area above.
Seems ironic to have such a relatively thin snow pack and an unstable base....
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@gvj, that is sad news indeed.
@B1g_browner, it's been snowing on and off all day again today. Went out at lunch time when there was a slight window - very windy up top and got a free facial coming down the maroly in a bit of a gale! Quite nice for about an hour and there was some nice fresh snow to play about in for a while when the visibility allowed. I've given up and come in for a nice cup of tea but needless to say mr Loatie is still out there somewhere!!
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gvj wrote:

Seems ironic to have such a relatively thin snow pack and an unstable base....


The two generally go hand in hand.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@loatie, lol brilliant. We are going out for our wedding anniversary and have decided to take the bold step to snowboard for the first time. Conditions obviously wouldn't need to be fresh pow for beginners, but as we arrive early on the Saturday, we intend to take in a half day skiing, before we start lessons the following morning. It would be nice if the snow kept up for that half day alone.
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@B1g_browner,
Congratulations - I'm sure you'll have a great time. It's still French 1/2 term and I think the Paris schools at the end of Feb? So it will be busy but not as busy as the more well known resorts. Good plan to be having lessons which will at least mean that you won't be spending too much time waiting around for lifts. Are you staying in lgb or chinaillon?
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We are staying in LGB, Hotel Le Delta. As I mentioned to @gvj, it looks nice on the website, so hopefully will be up to scratch.
Any tips on who to take lessons with @loatie, would be much appreciated. Also, what's the best way to book, online with lift passes?
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@B1g_browner, oh yes, sorry - I didn't see gvj post earlier.
I can't really say from personal experience as we've not taken lessons but friends who own a chalet here have always spoken highly of starski re lessons. Re lift passes, if you want to buy online, just follow the 'forfaits' link from the lgb website. One word of caution though, you may want to wait until you're actually out here to purchase passes in case (God forbid!) the weather is bad or you decide you don't want to board one day? Whichever way you decide to go, the main thing will be to get to the tourist office early before the other vacationers arrive!
I wouldn't wait any longer to book lessons given that it will be a busy week for instructors.
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
@B1g_browner, oh yes, sorry - I didn't see gvj post earlier.
I can't really say from personal experience as we've not taken lessons but friends who own a chalet here have always spoken highly of starski re lessons. Re lift passes, if you want to buy online, just follow the 'forfaits' link from the lgb website. One word of caution though, you may want to wait until you're actually out here to purchase passes in case (God forbid!) the weather is bad or you decide you don't want to board one day? Whichever way you decide to go, the main thing will be to get to the tourist office early before the other vacationers arrive!
I wouldn't wait any longer to book lessons given that it will be a busy week for instructors.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Thanks once again @loatie, contacted starski this morning. Great advice on both the lessons and the lift passes. I think you have read my mind also, if I don't pick up the boarding after the first day or two, the board will be dumped and the trusty ski's will be brought back into action.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Make sure you check with starski where their meet point for lessons is - if you will be getting the ski bus up to chinaillon each day, they meet at bottom of chatalet lift. But if you are thinking of getting the rosay bubble which would be much quicker I'm not sure where the meet point would be. Just something to bear in mind
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Another super point Loatie. Just had a look at the piste map - if the meet point was at the bottom of the Chatalet lift, could we still not get the Rosay bubble and amble our way across? It would probably be most sensible if we got the bus the first day or two, but if we got our board legs quickly enough, surely there isn't much difficulty getting down to the Chatalet lift from the Rosay Bubble?
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Poster: A snowHead
@B1g_browner, yes, once you've found your boarding legs, you can get across to base of chatalet from rosay bubble.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Well guys, has any of the forecast snow arrived, or has the weatherman got it wrong again?
Also, side note, the 6 nations match between England and Ireland is on the day we arrive - 27th Feb, anyone recommend where to watch it in LGB?
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@B1g_browner, the rain/snow limit has been up and down like a yo-yo since this latest weather system blew in. Plus the pistes are really crowded with half term holidaymakers. There is new snow but it's best preserved off piste according to my friends who were out today. The 27th is too far away to call at this time. However, so far this season, this NW corner of the alps seems to be doing better than most places in Europe.
Re the rugby, the bar near the bus station in LGB or the Green Monkey at Chinaillon are probably your best bets....
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Yeah, I know the 27th is away in the distance, just checking the weather constantly here. When I have a trip booked, it becomes a bit of an obsession. lol. Always annoying when you see a huge dump forecast and it doesn't arrive.
As I'll be wearing my Green, the Green Monkey might be the spot. lol.
Thanks again @gvj.
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@B1g_browner, so you were probably as stressed as I was watching the match in Dublin on Sunday (albeit I was cheering on the visitors).
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@gvj, Stressed indeed, couldn't believe we squandered such an early lead. Watched the same fixture in Cardiff two years previous which was also in Dublin. I have never had a days craic like it, you Welsh love your Rugby and your drink (almost as much as us). lol.
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'Watched the same fixture in Cardiff two years previous which was also in Dublin'

Not Irish are you?

We was robbed......
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@Maersk, I am indeed Irish-referencing the 2014 game. The welsh fans took their beating well. Lol.
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Sorry to interrupt the rugby banter wink but we've now had two days running of lovely fresh snow. Sun's out this morning so will report back later.....
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Will be arriving in La Cluasaz on Saturday & I'm spending far too much time looking at webcams. I'm a bit nervous about the weather & the journey but we'll just have to deal with what we get dealt. Rest of the week looks OK from what we can see from here. Any local insight?
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