 Poster: A snowHead
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Traveling here for Christmas week - staying in Val D'Isere. Never skied in France. What can I expect that week? Anything cool to do/see? Please tell me it will not be busy and 100% of terrain will be open 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Belllevarde has a natural covering overnight
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Having booked on the PIPAU3, I now find myself resuming my hourly trawl of the webcams. Down one rabbit hole I found this
https://openskimap.org/#12.57/45.39242/7.07903
Seems to show 2 or 3 new lifts off the end of the glacier area in ValD towards Bonneval. They're marked as "projet" which I assume means "planned", so almost certainly not in place yet. But, do the locals believe they are actually going to happen any time soon-ish? Or is it wishful thinking by one of the Maries?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@kitenski, testing with no expectation of making snow only cold enough up high
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@Judwin, I’ve never heard of that other than wishful thinking! I can’t find anything to corroborate those projects. Especially as they are on the heartland of the Vanoise National Park and they are generally adamant about no new lifts.
Be nice though!
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@Rob Mackley, indeed
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Judwin wrote: |
Seems to show 2 or 3 new lifts off the end of the glacier area in ValD towards Bonneval. They're marked as "projet" which I assume means "planned", so almost certainly not in place yet. But, do the locals believe they are actually going to happen any time soon-ish? Or is it wishful thinking by one of the Maries? |
A project since 1962 !
It is in a nature reserve.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@davidof, That’s a lucky monitor
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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.
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@davidof, That’s a lucky monitor
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@Rob Mackley, well looks promising at altitude, watch the crevasses though !
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You know it makes sense.
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Just had an e mail saying it’s 30 days until the opening in Tignes and the GM is looking quite snowy so here’s a few things that have changed/are changing to whet your appetite.
There has been quite a lot of earthworks on Petit Col to make it wider and they have been remodeling the land below the waterworks buildings (above Bluets after the gorge sides).
In commercial news The Kaya has been sold to the Escale Blanche team, it will be an upmarket Italian called Juilietta, plans have been posted to rebuild The Gentiana as a 4*, The Fromagerie du Lac is moving from the Palafour Gallery to Promenade du Rosset(so closer to the other cheese shop!) and being replaced by a gift shop.
Thanks to all my spies around resort 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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The tyres seem to be going into place in le Lac according to the webcam! They weren't there yesterday morning - can you tell I'm excited for my skiing holiday?? I'm not even going until April 2024 but already checking the webcams. Sad or what?
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Poster: A snowHead
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| chocksaway wrote: |
Just had an e mail saying it’s 30 days until the opening in Tignes and the GM is looking quite snowy so here’s a few things that have changed/are changing to whet your appetite.
There has been quite a lot of earthworks on Petit Col to make it wider and they have been remodeling the land below the waterworks buildings (above Bluets after the gorge sides).
In commercial news The Kaya has been sold to the Escale Blanche team, it will be an upmarket Italian called Juilietta, plans have been posted to rebuild The Gentiana as a 4*, The Fromagerie du Lac is moving from the Palafour Gallery to Promenade du Rosset(so closer to the other cheese shop!) and being replaced by a gift shop.
Thanks to all my spies around resort |
They really need some more retailers in the gallery du palafour, when i walk through it i always think it could be amazing what with all those terraces but it just looks so sad and unloved.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Just for info for anyone wanting to get early turns there is a sand layer which blew in on monday (brought fine particle pollution to Corsica) about 20-30cm under the surface with a weak layer below and above. Nothing too frisky at the moment.
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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?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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A clear sign of winter, and as early as I can remember it, is the removal of the tennis court fencing in Le Lac and the placement of tyres on the courts. Only one set of courts remain with the fencing up. One assumes this is a response to the current forecast for significant snowfall at resort level later in the week and possibly ongoing on for a week or so.
We all take these large fall predictions with a huge level of salt but the locals are preparing for the possibility.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Had a look at the Le Lac webcams this morning and its white! Nice coverage of the green grass in front of Le Maison. With more forecast over the next few days this is hopefully the start of the winter chill.
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They have now removed all the tennis fencing and laid all the tyres. So they are prepared for resort level coverage.
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Yay!!
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What are the tyres for?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@vegas007, They put the tyres down so when the area is covered in snow and becomes a piste the piste basher drivers know when then they are getting too close to the all weather surface with the ploughs.
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The cols are now mostly closed around the Savoie and the old road from Brev to Boisses shuts on Saturday, all the signs of winter approaching. It looked very moist in Lac this morning but it’s back to snow.
Might be forced to unlock the Met Office tomorrow!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The Val d'isere webcams are showing that it is/has snowed in the village.
Let's hope that there isn't a repeat of last year's warm weather in December.
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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.
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There is even a dusting in Les Brev!! Not worrying about too far ahead. Looks set for at the least the higher runs available on opening day
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Here's a quick look at the next week. The jetstream is quite a long way south until late next week and the air is coming from a cool place (the north west) so all in all its good news. Saturday and Sunday are stormy and snowy with the all important snowline somewhere between Val Centre and Lac. So depths should build up from Le Lac and higher, it might remain a bit slushy in Val and the lower Tignes resorts but its not going to be that warm that melting will happen quickly. It will cool down a bit on Sunday, so expect anywhere above the Dam to turn back white again. Monday and Tuesday will be sunshine and showers, the snowline again around the Dam give or take a bit. Wednesday will be grey and miserable, temps may be just above zero at teh Dam but I cant see a lot of melting going on. Then its back to sunshine and showers, sleet in Val centre by day, snow by dark. Snow in Lac!
If I were to cast the seaweed - the following week looks showery with a similar snow level. All being well you should be able to ski to the back door of the Taos by the end of next week (but things, as ever,, only need to change by a degree or do to damage the snowpack).
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You know it makes sense.
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Just booked our group trip for mid March. First timing coming to Val/Tignes. Can't wait. Always been high on my "next area to ski" list.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Quite a procession going up M this morning
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Rob Mackley, And now some nice wiggles back down!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If we get the fall predicted tonight and tomorrow we should have a decent start. There is a lot of people on the snowheads forum who are eternal pessimists. @chocksaway, has it right. Cautious and educated optimism. I think the GM should be well covered on opening day. It looks cold enough for extensive use of snow cannon for a while. So I think the major thoroughfares like the Double M should be well covered.
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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?
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looking at a 3 day pre xmas trip
found good deals for these two hotels
L'Arbina
l'Aguile du Montana
Both HB.....any locals give any insight as to best option
Thank you
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@stefoy4me, I think you may mean L’Aigle du Montana??
Both are now owned by the Etincelle Group having been built by original Tignes families. The Aigle is about 20 years old and has been recently refurbished, is ski in and a short walk out to the lifts (50m). It’s on the roundabout but in a quiet position.
The Arbina was built in the 50s and is waiting demolition before the space is turned into another Etincelle 5 star (probably). If you have a room at the front you will have a fantastic view of the Motte, but also noise from the Brasserie on the ground floor and a few passing drunks late at night. If you are at the back, no view. The rooms are classically 50s small! Just have to cross the road to the snow front.
I see they are both being marketed by Crystal.
Etincelle often let you eat at their other hotels, depending on the package.
Difficult to choose, but for 3 days the price may well be the most important factor.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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thank you
price differential is about £100 across the 3 nights
i m looking at them via Sunweb.......which includes lift pass
leaning towards L'Aigle..... as yes it appears does offer different restaurant options.............and does look nicer
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I think you are right, hotels due to be demolished are never in tip top condition and as it’s December you’ll be skiing or it’s dark so views not important!
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See the cannons are blasting on Double M today. No surprise. Val seems to have a lot of bashers out working on forming pistes.
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| chocksaway wrote: |
| I think you are right, hotels due to be demolished are never in tip top condition and as it’s December you’ll be skiing or it’s dark so views not important! |
other option is Tetras Lodge ? - is that well located/any good ?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Tetras Lodge is in Les Brevieres. So there is an element of doubt if snow will be down to there or the runs will be open. So you may have take buses which I am not sure if that common. If you are there for just 3 days I would ignore it and go for somewhere more convenient.
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@stefoy4me, As. Mark says it’s in Brev. The pistes and lifts won’t open until the mid teens of December down there. If , that’s the case you will be relying on the Tour Op to move you up and down as there are no free buses to Brev. Stay high!
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