Val Thorens 22-26 Dec, thanks to Johnnyboy

A snowHead

Excitment levels are racing, just an hour and a bit to go... I'm bolting out of the office at 4 to get to Kings Cross for the train at 5.30pm - should be enough time even for the Jubilee and Northern lines to take their sweet time. Not looking forward to the commute across London avec skis et baggage though. What's the betting I trip up some unsuspecting shopper in the process of cutting in front of me 'cause I'm walking too slowly for their liking. What is the form for such incidents these days? To apologise and help them to their feet (is politeness still met with total derision?) in which case should I just laugh?

I've been keeping a close eye on every snow forecast possible and finally found one that is showing me exactly what I want to see in beautiful colourful pictures too: EDIT - I've removed the link (Sat 22nd Dec 20:00hrs) because it no longer shows me what I want to see; or show you Puzzled

"the swines!"

Of course I'd like more but considering there wasn't any snow forecast a few days ago this makes me very happy indeed.

I must have looked at 20 different reports for VT in the past couple of weeks and they all contradict each other. So I'll keep you posted on actual conditions once in resort.

Don't hate me 'cause I'm beaut... I mean, skiing when you're not Toofy Grin

A snowHead

This isn't quite a snow report yet but will turn into one in about 13hours. Apologies if you feel hoodwinked in the meantime.

Inspired by Johnnyboy's blogs, though I fear I can't compete on the wit and repost, I thought I'd share some of the flavour of my journey.

Made it to the train with a healthy 15 mins to spare, in spite of leaving 20 mins earlier, and managed not to trip anyone up in the process but I wish Eurostar was still at Waterloo - the trip to Kings Cross was awful!

By a lovely stroke of luck when I bought my Eurostar tickets there were still deals for 1st Class tickets at the same price as a standard fare - due to all those deals having been snuffled up months ago no doubt. Anyway the upshot is that I am presently enjoying a very comfortable ride to Paris drinking champagne and supping on smoked salmon. Johnnyboy has told me not to expect such luxuries upon arrival at VT but a goyle can hope, can't she?

I'm dreading the schlep across Paris to get the o'night train to Moutiers.. My 'holdall' is rediculously heavy and with skis too it's a bit too hard to contemplate feeling a little tipsy as I do (no sympathy? Whyever not?!?). I think this high life on the train might spill over to getting a taxi to Gare Austerlitz.

Train is slowing. Clock says just 5 mins to Gare du Nord. Smile

excitement is building. How will I sleep!? I'm about to shift back to the real world. Not even a couchette, just a reclining seat Sad

. No hardship really, I'd have stood up all night to get there in time to ski Sat am.

Oh my, we're pulling into the station Smile

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Talk about up to the minute running commentary!

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Ok, I toughed it out on the metro and am now firmly back in the real world - fully 'reclined' as I am in a full carriage. I've got my holdall in the seat next to mine but fear there may be a last-minute passenger to cause me to have to pfaff about with it any moment. (aaarrrgh, I think they've just delayed departure for 10 mins)
Blisters are already forming from dragging my gear down so many stairs in the metro - which was far easier than London - more room to manouver - but sadly no lifts or elevators!
Ear plugs in. Eye mask poised on forehead. Ready to roll.... To the snow Smile

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

flowa, Did I forget to mention we've had a sudden heat wave and it's all gone?

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johnnyboy, flowa, Really enjoying both your blogs---so please continue keeping us up to date --even with up to minute commentary! (Only problem is that I might forget to book my own skitrip while engrossed in reading yours!) Very Happy

flowa, hope you get some sleep on the train you're on now!

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Johnnyboy, that is NOT funny.
Cheers Julieanne - but I've woken up and can't get back to sleep. Oh well, I got a good hour I think.
Wow, I can see snow on the tracks!!! - I must be anywhere but the UK 'cause the train is still moving. It's dark out there. Nothing but countryside and stars. I'm no astronomer so there the obsrvation must end.
Might try my book for a bit...

After all it is free

Dijon Ville. No snow on the grond here, well at the station anyway. On a better note, can't see the stars anymore Wink

flowa, why aren't you in a couchette?

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Jonpim - Too expensive on top of hefty last-minute Eurostar tix Sad

Tonight's Top Tip: Unless you are the sort who can 'sleep anywhere' - get a couchette!

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Just past Chambery - No Snow! (That's supposed to sound indignant but I don't have an emoticon for that)
In fact there hasn't been snow for hours?! Glad I kept an eye on the Webcam at VT so am not falling for Johnnyboy's cruel trick.
Managed to get a few hours sleep, thankfully. Just went to freshen up but the loos pong, hum, stink to bleedin high heaven! Yuck.
Not long now Smile

snow reports

Huh! Not long now! We've been stopped at Albertville for 20 mins. Were supposed to arrive in Moutiers at 07:03 and it's already 07:10. At this rate I think I might miss my coach at 07:45 (and I'd been hoping to get the 07:00 up to now). Oh well Sad

surely it won't be too much longer. There's an engineer steering at a bit of our coach and seemingly waiting for a signal. Hurry up, there's skiing to be done.
Oh my god, we're backing up!!! Oh, hang on, I think that's right actually. Decoupled some coaches for the last push to Moutiers and Bourg.
Smile

happy again, train running at some speed. Roy Ayers Running Away on phones, fingers crossed to make it for 07:45

Made it onto the coach, just. The driver announced it was full to a baying crowd of families and groups as I came upon it but I could see a few single seats and pleaded for a solo to be let on (I also showed him my reserved ticket - so I think that had more to do with it than my feminine whiles). Anyway it worked and we're just taking the first hairpin corner to Val T Smile

. There's snow around. Not much and it's old but there is a bit. Certainly far more than April! Nice to see Moutiers with it's winter hat on.
Now listening to Ernesto Lecuona's Malaguena - superb! Just the right emotion for climibing the hills to VT. Smile

You know it makes sense.

A live trip blog!!! Fantastic effort flowa, please give my regards to the little fella.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Done Frosty, we've just had a coffee (4euros each!) At knife and fork - usual suspects working here and as happy as usual. How is the debate for a new lunch spot going? Just done Plein Sud - very hard packed - and Dallas/2Combes - much softer Smile

. Off to Peclet now for a bit of Christine.
So happy. Wind has picked up, pretty overcast, the odd bit of lush sleet (if that makes sense). More to follow.

A snowHead

flowa, Can you do a Tete Ronde for me please Very Happy

Without the lardy bad taste fly by wink

This is great:
07.22 - Stuck on a train miles away
11.24 - Been skiing and having a coffee at the K&F
Very Happy

A snowHead

flowa, I love the "in the moment" commentary. I have a question. I'm a 360 webcam addict and notice that a large clump of trees have appeared on the flat bit just above the nursery slope, what's that all about? Best wishes for the rest of your trip.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Great blog flowa. Live infi from the slopes - wow - we even have an assurance that the same miserable barsteward is at the K&F - amazing!

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Will do Frosty. Christine onto Fond back to K&F absolutely gorgeous. Feeling like the legs are returning.

Headplant. I too was a 360 addict. Aven't spotted the trees bit will have a look.

Lunching now. Yum.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Headplant, I think the trees are for Christmas decorations. There aren't any signs up so not entirely sur.

FTS - Tete Ronde fabulous! Many from the Darkside there dwell.

Had a great afternoon. Did TR straight after lunch. Conditions were perfect. Lovely snow! Boshed straight through town dowm to Moutier lift and down to Funitel Fond and over to Orelle.very rocky on the traverse from lift to top of Orelle! Very hard packed (not my preference) so stopped for a restorative coffee at The Goat and headed back home via Chamois - again very rocky at the top: poor new skis Sad

I'm lying prone on the sofa. Johnnyboy has a beer. I'm too knackered even for a demi!

We've had a great fun day. Smile

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oh dear, I see that posting from my blackberry is not only riddled with typos but no-one's name is highlighted either. Sorry about that but c'est la vie rolling eyes

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Atleast you have managed to get the smilies to work and even gat names, better than me. Hope you are having fun

After all it is free

Cheers, RayScoops Smile

Limited emotions unfortunately as I have to do them manually so I'm down to 3. Smile

Right, onto the important stuff. Johnnyboy is trying to convince me that the important information this morning is that Westham won. Won what? I say.
We're off to Meribel via Mont de la Chambre in about 20 mins. Just let breakfast settle a bit.
A bit more detail about snow conditions yesterday as I think I glossed over them a bit.
Tete Rond and Christine have lovely dry, squeaky, snow and have been sheltered from the wind so are softer than many other runs.
Fond is the best I've ever known it too and made the last achey run yesterday bareable.
Going through town down to Moutier and Boismont lifts the snow is a little sugary - granulated. If the sun were out and it was warmer - instant slush.
Plein Sud and Orelle seem to be suffering from frozen windy conditions hard packed is an understatement.
Let's see what Meribel has to offer. Smile

great up to date blog!!! have a great time snowHead

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flowa, great fun. Just said to my husband that someone on snowheads was posting a minute by minute blog on a blackberry. His answer? "What's a blackberrty?". Not an early adopter, my old man.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Hehehe Pam W. Well, it's a very useful thing to have on your person Smile

Golly, just sat down for a demi at Restaurant le Grenier at the bottom of Matre having taken lac de la Chambre lift up to Rossignol and down into Mottaret. The conditions everywhere (even looking at Plein Sud on the way up) are PERFECT pisted! Soft underfoot but not too much depth, so 'ol Jetpack Johnny is riding high Smile

. I'm feeling far more positive (downhill, carve) today and am lapping it up. Two demis just arrived (3euros; that's better!)
Haven't got a clue what we're going to do now. Everywhere is,sadly, packed out, so any hints for out of the way rus will be most welcome.
Temps must have been warmer last night because even offpiste looks do-able today. Yesterday it liiked wind hardened and frozen - too much to have any fun, IMHO. Not so today Smile

woohoo!

snow reports

Found a quiet run - Grieve out of Meribel. Now heading up Tougnet 1 and onwards to Ecureuil (spelling?).
This day just gets better and better Smile

. Sun is out now too. Sigh.

flowa, Looked at the web cam this morning and the place was full of children. Mad

It must be a fight to get on the lifts as I know the little French one's area bit ferocious and do everything at full volume. Confused

I've be looking at the clump of trees again and think it might be a Santa's grotto or a place for child catchers to hide, hang on isn't that the same thing. Laughing

It sounds a good day hope it continues. Very Happy

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Back in Val T. Having a demi at le Scarpin in centre of town. (5.90euros! JB just said the one's thismorning were 'on special'. We didn't do Ecuriel (?) back to Meribel/Motaret. Saw the view at the top of Tougnete2 and were seduced by the view so much, stopped to picnic for lunch ON TOP OF THE WORLD! Beautiful. Came back via very empty pistes so managing to avoid the crowds. An awesome day so far. I took a tumble in my first bit of offP. Great float with my Dynastar Exclusive Legends but stuffed up my third turn and flipped over. Buried in the snow I opted to take both skis off and head back to the piste. Good job too 'cause it was above my knees every step. Finally made it back to sure ground, popped back into the bindings and skied off blushing. JB had very kindly stopped. So, a bit more practice required!

A snowHead

Day over. Feeling nicely tired, we've retired to the apartment in time to meet JB's friend Martyn who is due on the coach at 4. Thought it best to call it a day to make the most of Day 3 Smile

A snowHead

flowa, thanks for a great days' skiing! - almost felt I was there Smile

(but wasn't Sad

)

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

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Thanks NickL and PamW. Look out for JohnnyBoy's post tonight or tomorrow for a full run-down of our return from lunch. We had the best day! Smile

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Day 3. Sipping a chocolat chaud at the top of Funitel Peclet having started with Christine, up Portette lift down top of Fond and onto Plateau (where the EoSB ski race happens) then up the Funitel Grand Fond, down Niverolles and onto Rhodos down to Funitel Peclet - and here we are Smile

Sun is shining. Not a cloud in the ski. Pistes are superb but offP too compact to bother.
Off to lac Blanc next.
This is turning into a ski report rather than a snow report so I may stop soon. Unless you really want the detail to ski along vicariously and/or conditions drastically change.
We're not having any issues with crowds - don't know what the webcam makes it look like but we feel like we've had the pistes to ourselves all morning. Smile

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Stopped for lunch at le Grenier in Motaret again, having taken the same route as yesterday. Still supreme conditions. You may be aware by now, if you've read johnnyboy's latest post, that he took his first black run yesterday. He's so confident!
Three of us today, his friend Martyn arrived from Bristol last night. The pace is a LOT quicker today. There are also a lot of reckless skiers around! Idiots!!!

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

flowa, Great report sounds fantastic! Have a great time!

After all it is free

okey dokey NickL
After lunch we had a pretty cruise'y afternoon. Took the beautiful tree-lined path from Mottaret to Meribel and up the Plan de l'homme lift and skied Escargot onto Gelinotte all the way back to Meribel 1450. (Bit icey at the bottom.
We then took Roc de Fer lift and switched to Olympic lift to cross back towards Les Mens via Verdet run to St Martin2 lift. By this stage it was decided to zig zag back to ValT so the route was: Gros Tougne up Granges lift, down Allamands and switch to petits Creux to get to the Mont de la Chambre lift - it was CLOSED. Sad

so we had to trek all the way into Les Mens to take the Bruyeres1&2 to cross back to ValT. The run down to Bruyeres was awful - too many people doing unpredictable things. Very mogled at the very bottom too - which really slowed a lot of them down; not in a good way.
That's where we encountered our only queue of the day - easy 10 mins to get on.
From the top we took the blue til it joined Marielle which was predictably heaving with people not experienced enough doing strange unpredictable things in the middle of the piste - managed to cruise offP for most of it. On the whole it's icey and skied-off - not my cup of tea : bleah!
Back to the apartment via a packed out Plein Sud.
A jacuzzi and sauna later I'm feeling very excited about tomorrow, we're off to Courcheval - I haven't skied there since 1996!

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flowa, great report, enjoy Courchevel, last weekend the snow was great over there and 1650 as usual seemed to be the quietest bit of the 3Vs Very Happy

Help!!

Val Thorens 22-26 Dec, thanks to Johnnyboy

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