Tignes and the Espace Killy 2015/16 (Useful Links Post 1)

A snowHead

Morning folks. I'm hoping some of you lucky residents can help with a question. We are back in Tignes for Feb half term staying at the Campanules. My other half was going to look after our 2 year old while I skied with our two teenagers, but we've just spotted the mini kids ski school Les Marmottons, which is perfectly located in Le Lac. Our little lad will be just on the minimum age of 2.5yrs but he's big and active so that shouldn't be a problem. My question is - what do you think of the set-up - do they have a good reputation etc? It looks right up his street as it's outside and active, but it's the adults in charge that make these things work or fail. Any views?
Thanks
Mick

A snowHead

@stewart woodward, With the webcams showing another beautiful morning in Tignes, it made me wonder what the poubelle meter is showing? even if there was a picture of it? Laughing

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

@Floss,

Beautiful in terms of more snow you mean! The lift status page shows the Glacier is shut due to strong winds. Indeed no pistes open anywhere in resort. Looks a bit of a stinker to walk around in. I think I would be in the jam bar or somewhere sipping a vin chaud by now. That page indicates today's fresh to be 10cm in Le Lac and 20cm on the Motte; rain/snow level is at 600m. Snowing in Brevieres.
I am a happy bunny as I will be there on Saturday morning
Very Happy

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@Mark1863, Yes sorry not the slopes/lifts etc. But good there is alot of snow around to get it all packed down ready for the season opening this weekend. Enjoy your weekend!

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Mark1863, It started snowing heavily again at noon, there has been at least 5cm more since then.

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

@rjs,
Thanks for info. Week is going slower by the day. The long wait is almost over. 5 weeks to look forward to!!

After all it is free

Also out there next week. Anyone have a rough idea of what may or may not be open following this weeks snowfalls?

@fullenglish, I'd guess a fair bit of the area will be open including the links over to val d'isere - the runs down to les boisses and les brevieres are unlikely to be open this early though

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@stewart woodward, Hi Stewart. Weather back to normal here.

Defo more snow today and Tignes FB page says that they will have Double M open tomorrow. Cool

More openings to be announced on Saturday. I was surprised to see how quickly the bulk of the lakes surface has frozen over. Shocked

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Hoping so. According to Tignes Facebook Double M is opening tomorrow, and more info on the weekend piste openings to be announced tomorrow too. https://www.facebook.com/Tignes.net[/url]

snow reports

More snow overnight, about 10cm Very Happy

Still very cold rolling eyes

Hopefully the wind has died down and they can open today Puzzled

Here's a picture from last Saturday, showing the Poubelles

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153774427294345&set=pcb.640076879465912&type=3&relevant_count=1

@mickv, They have a very good reputation, they are based in the bottom of my building. Multilingual and specialists in kids alone. Friends have used them for their rugrats and have been very happy. (bet the Campanules at half term broke the bank though!)

Well I have arrived in the snowy paradise - started snowing as I came through Bourg last night and they have been using the snow cannons all night. Interesting journey - spotted a new shipwreck just outside the harbour at Zeebrugge (on the right heading in) didn't see that on the news. Crossing from Belgium into France was little hassle thankfully - just a chicane and a cursory glance from a Gendarme as I passed through at 20kph. Shame about the new motorway from Brugge to Lille - less than a year old and full of potholes. Lots of police and army activity especially at the peages - but with a doofer they didn't have chance to stop me Very Happy

On to the important stuff - Lanches has opened this morning but the top of the glacier is shut due to high winds. There is a meeting this afternoon to determine which runs are opening on Sat, but they were pisteing Grattalu and Carline and the cannons have been going on Palafour all day (and the chair ran empty for an hour or so) so there will be a lot more than last year. So those look like a good bet - can't see why the links to t'other side of the hill couldn't be open but not sure about the base down in Val yet.

Off into the village now - for the expensive afternoon, car park, carte neige etc. Back later when I have had chance to study the weather.

You know it makes sense.

Cheerschocksaway - keep us posted!

We arrive on Sat 5th for a 1-day-off-work, 2.5days' skiing dash. Very Happy

.

Can't wait - trips like that aways feel like a week off work.

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

And the News:
TIGNES (from November 28th)

Grande Motte area
- Cable car / access to Glacier piste
- Funicular / access to dahu, Face, Double M pistes
- Lanches chair lift / access to Double M piste
- Vanoise chair lift / access to Rimaye, Dahu, Face pistes

Tovière area
- Bollin chair lift / access to Bollin piste
- Tufs chair lift / access Henri, Creux pistes
- Tommeuses chair lift / access to Creux, Edelweiss, Rocs, Crêtes, Violettes pistes
- Tovière gondola / access to Henri, Creux pistes

Palafour area
- Palafour chair lift/ access to Anémone, Lys pistes
- Grand Huit chair lift / access to Perce-neige piste

Palet area
- Tichot chair lift / access to Carline piste
- Grattalu chair lift / access to Grattalu piste
- Merles chair lift / access to Lac, Prémou pistes

VAL D’ISERE (from November 28th)
All the areas will be opened : Pissaillas / Iseran, Solaise, Bellevarde & Daille.
Possibility to ski back to the the heart of he resort from Daille & Solaise areas.

So that's quite a lot of the playpen to keep us going
Very Happy

I spoke to the Palafour lifty (that lives in the top hut) he says that conditions at 2500m are very good but perhaps a bit thin at the bottom so hopefully the cannons will be going at full blast.

As for the weather over the next few days - hedge ones bets as we are right on the boundary of a battle between high pressure to the south and unsettled weather (and wind) to the north. So Saturday will be cloudy with some snow late on and light snow on Sunday, when it will be windy (perhaps the top lifts wlll be shut). After that the sun returns and it will warm up significantly during the day - but as the nights will be clear and very cold I don't think the snow pack will suffer greatly as there is complete cover - which means the snow will reflect a lot of the rays back upwards. I would guess the avalanche risk may rise and around the village it will be a bit slushy next week.

All in all not a bad start Very Happy

A snowHead

@chocksaway, thanks for a comprehensive report and look forward to updates through the season. Who knows might meet you again this year. Depends on what we do in January

A snowHead

@chocksaway
Thanks a lot for that. I've since read elsewhere on the forum that Marmottons is well run so we'll give it a go.
And yes, Campanules not exactly cheap that week but that's half term for you. I'm averaging down with a boys trip to Flims for 5 nights in Jan.

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

@chocksaway, Welcome back. All in order at the control tower wink

?

@mickv, We stayed at the Campanules a few seasons back. We were the only English people in there but I have to say they really looked after us Smile

p.s. It almost felt like we were in France Laughing

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@stewart woodward, Thanks for the picture of the Poubelles!! Looks like alot of snow on them.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

You'll need to Register first of course.

Not sure where to pose this question, but didn't think it was worth a new topic on its own so apologies if this is slightly off piste. I'll be staying at Hotel Tignes 2100 in January and the hotel has said that it has its own ski rental shop on site. I'm a once a year skier, about intermediate (been about a dozen times) level and mainly on piste. Prices notwithstanding and given my skill level, should I rent from them or get my equipment from the usual culprits (SkiSet, Intersport etc.)?

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

@chocksaway, Excellent news Very Happy

After all it is free

@Kennyboyo, Looking at where you are, https://www.google.com/maps/place/Langley+Hotel+Tignes+2100/@45.4687166,6.9051993,18z/data=, you have plenty of choices when it comes to rental shops.

Looking at it from the street pov, I think the onsite Hotel rental shop is a Sport2000. That's only a guess though.

When are you going to Tignes? I'm there on the 16th January. Cool

RichardB - snap! There were going to be 4 of us going but 2 have dropped out. Managed to get hotel with buy one get one half price deal on lift passes.

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Are you saying that your in Tignes on the 16th? If so we could meet up if you want, I'm mostly a red runs man myself.

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Looks great this morning. Sunshine, lifts running, skiers having a blast down Double M. What's not to like? Cool

snow reports

RichardB - yep, in Tignes same time as you. Can certainly meet up. Blues and Reds for me. My mate Gordon is about the same, although probably more of a daredevil than me. Checked out the map link you sent - great to see I'll be spoilt for choice on rental shops.

@GeorgeVII, All in order - except someone had been using the foyer as a chippies shop so a bit dusty in the porch and the usual bleeding of the radiators!! Are you on your way soon?

@Kennyboyo,

In house ski rental can be a bit hit and miss IMHO with average kit serviced by drunken teenagers who have done a 20 min course. The choice of champions for most expats in Le Lac is Jean-Charles at Ski Fast - the shop is 80mm up the street you are on (last shop on the right) - website here:
http://www.skifast.notresphere.com/
You also have a Sport 2000 franchise opposite the hotel at Guy Clarey's - just as good and his son knows a bit about skiing wink

(google Johan Clarey).

And now for those coming on the Bash tomorrow here is why you are standing in an airport queue somewhere (or driving through the night):

On the snow front - just after Itook this a piste basher arrived to make it all smooth and make sure that you can get on the Palafour. Not enough snow for off piste to the side of Double M by the looks of it.

Palafour still needs pisting and a few poles but I'm sure it will be good to go - some tracks off piste - but looking at the depths lower down I would suggest renters!

Nice tracks down Bluet (well earned) and une peu de solidarité at the Refuge.

Bed now covered with ski kit - just got to make sure I have everything for an early start.

Very Happy

You know it makes sense.

And now for the weather:

The boundary between the high pressure and low has become a tad more complicated, Tignes is under a thin ridge of high pressure but the weather is not far away to the North. So we are now expecting a bit of snow tomorrow afternoon after a cloudy start. It will be windy up top and so will Sunday and Monday as well now. After that it warms up by day and the sun comes out Very Happy

But the temps will drop rapidly late afternoon so it will be that time of year when you are basking in at shirt on the Loop Terrace and then suddenly frozen!!

Fulll avalanche bulletins are not being issued yet, but they have been blasting a bit and the resort site is showing risk 3 - stay safe off piste and watch out for the rocks and crevasses - they are not that well buried!

As for flying, after a wet and windy night there will still be showers in the UK with gusty winds Manchester and North. Over here Geneva is forecasting light snow showers in the morning which may necessitate the odd sweeper down the runway but I would not expect any major delays. All OK at Lyon.

So if you are up north fasten your seatbelts tightly sit back and look forward to a fab weeks skiing.

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

@chocksaway, Thanks for the report!! Lets hope nothing melts thats all im worried about Puzzled

A snowHead

I love it when pics like the above are posted- off to Tignes Jan 30th so always nice to be able to email pics to others in the group. Helps increase the anticipation!

A snowHead

Logistics as follows RetroBod. We booked eaayjet flights about 3 weeks ago for about £50 each.

- Fri 4 Dec - Overnight at cheap Manchester Airport hotel.
- Sat 5 Dec - Fly MAN to GVA @ 07.45 (arr. 10.35).
- Hire car to Tignes.
- Collect hire skis (cheaper than ski carriage if booked in advance online).
- Ski from about 14.45 on Sat to close of play.
- Ski all day Sun then until approx 16.00 on Mon.
- Drive to GVA for apres ski beer and pizza in the place at the train station next to the airport.
- Fly GVA - MAN @ 21.40 (arr. 22.40).
- 2 hr drive home; bed approx 02.00, Tues morning.
- Knackered for work next day - but it'll be worth it Very Happy

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

I love your reports Chocksaway, especially the flight overviews, it's got me excited for the season already snowHead

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@chocksaway, Sadly not on our way just yet. ( see my earlier reply to Mrs. W )

Already beginning to regret not coming out at Xmas rolling eyes

. Looking like January now. Good to hear all's well with your apartment and great to see your reports and pictures. Cool

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As dawn broke the weather was not great - grey skies and light snow which continued all morning. However, undeterred I set sail and was on the first Palafour chair of the season. The snow pack on piste is good - just the odd bare patch as you approach the resort. Off piste there are some turns in some areas (especially where its grassy) but a lot of hazards just below the surface. After a couple of warm up runs I met a chum at the top of the Tov to explore the Bellvarde. Again great snow down to tree level. After a quick chat with a friendly pisteur we launched down to La Daille - snow cover complete but a lot of artificial. It really was the snow-cannon ball run as every one was blasting to but a deeper base for the racing to come. I guess they have to crack on as it will be too warm next week for the cannons to work by day. By the tie we arrived down at La Daille it was time for a defrost at the Rosée Blanche (quelle surprise). A few more runs and it was time for an early lunch at the Aspen which proved to be a great move as the place was rammed by 1215. During lunch we started to get sunny periods but the wind (which had been a bit cheeky above 2400m) stepped up making it quite cold (and closed both glaciers). So an early stack to watch F1. Very Happy

Tomorrow looks like being cloudy with light snow all day again with the wind picking up significantly in the afternoon (high lift closing levels at a guess. The wind will then be an issue for Monday and Tuesday but it will be sunny. After that there will be increasing cloud through the Wed and Thu before unsettled weather really returns on Friday (the Jetstream marches south over Thursday). The daytime temps will be high early next week and cold overnight but the timing of the precipitation and the temperature dropping will be crucial on Friday - there could be rain until lunchtime up to 2200 m - but it should be snow all the way down by nightfall.. However, its all a bit unpredictable beyond Wed so no promises.

Travel tomorrow - it will be very windy and showery across the UK so it will be bumpy on take off and landing but shouldn't be at a level where it causes delays. Nothing of concern at the snowy side of the Channel. I'm glad I'm not on the ferry from Hull tonight as it will be bumpy across the North Sea (sorry Tigski!!!!!!!!!).

Finally the two tonne rock Shocked

that rolled on to the road between Moutiers and Bourg has now been shifted so traffic is back to normal.

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

Well today the forecast was right - windy and snowing lightly - mainly small hard lumps of hail and snow so all in all not the most pleasant of mornings to be out. I did venture up Lanches (the glacier was basically shut) and the snow down Double M was in very good nick so had a couple of laps of that. The wind seemed to pick up at the top of Grattalu and as I have now been thoroughly exfoliated I have stacked early for Pumpkin and Chilli soup and the Grand Prix.

Tomorrow should be sunny and the isobars seemed to have moved apart so maybe not too windy. The high pressure now seems to dominate until at least Thursday - so sunny days, with temps above freezing here in Le lac, cold clear nights so the skiing should be excellent. There is change afoot on Friday but a week is a long time in meteorology wink

After all it is free

@chocksaway, Looks like you could have skied down from your front door this morning. wink

The snow conditions off the palafour are so good right now with deserted slopes - think we've picked a great week to visit especially with some bluebird days forecast

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@GeorgeVII, Indeed, especially as there were no pesky MW guests blocking the path!! wink

Had quite a heavy shower of snow at about 2 this afty, but its now stopped but the wind is very gusty and it is about 0 degs - which means the roads are clearing quickly.
Popping out for dinner now so I hereby deny any responsibility for any posts between now and breakfast time Very Happy

Help!!

Tignes and the Espace Killy 2015/16 (Useful Links Post 1)

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