 Poster: A snowHead
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trainee snowboard jedi..... you asked about "snowsureness" in the ED.
Depends what you mean. It's not at all "snowsure" in that pistes at 11 - 1300m in the Arly Valley have some very poor snow sometimes and the top altitude is only 2009m. Goes with the territory. Les Saisies itself is very snowsure - when we discovered the place in January 2002 it had better snow than anywhere in the 3 Valleys (including Val Thorens where pistes were hard and scattered with stones). I have been able to ski back to my apartment - down a south facing piste at 1550m till the end of season except one year when everything closed early - Les Saisies lasted longer than Brevent, Flegere and Les Houches that year. The Beaufortain normally has greater snow depths than the Tarentaise at any given altitude.
There are more snow cannons every year but they are useless when the problem is that weather is too warm (a fact often overlooked in the irritating brochure assurances that skiing is "guaranteed" by snow cannons. 
Any ski area involves compromises as you are evidently discovering in your search for the perfect location. It doesn't exist.
The Espace Diamant is not a good area to buy if you plan to make money renting your apartment to Brits because very few visit the area. Thankfully most Brits think that French skiing means the EK, the 3 V, the PdS or the GM and are wont to pontificate about "France" based on their experience of those areas. Outside peak holiday times rents are quite low.
Photo is looking down over my apartment and surroundings.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The Espace Diamant is a wonderful area, my favourite Alpine area with fantastic scenery, brilliant intermediate skiing, increasingly modern lift systems, uncrowded pistes , cheap lift pass, quick access for Geneva , good skiing in NDB and Praz d'Arly and lots of other resorts e.g La Giettaz, Areches,Megeves and Les Contamines and the Chamonix valley nearby if you fancy a change.
The most overrated resorts are Vail ( dull mountains miles from anywhere), Whistler (invariably wet below 2000m), Engelburg ( not much below 2000m so badly affected by any wind), Lake Louise (not much there for all the effort getting there)
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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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@pam w, Hope the payment systems got sorted out ok - it's amazing how much we depend on these, and how things can be effected when there's a glitch. Just got back from Niseko and they have an issue with a lot of UK cards - a royal pain!
How's the current snow looking over there?
Thanks
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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How's the current snow looking over there?
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it's been raining, like most places, since yesterday mid day (my friends needed chains yesterday morning, though they have 4 snow tyres, but it's warmed up since and looks horrible on the webcams this morning). But's it's going to get cold and snow today, thankfully. I'm going back next Sunday.
Yes, the payment systems got sorted out after a few hours.
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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 arrived yesterday, and having to go to Gva to pick up friends tomorrow, had a potter round the ED today. Beautiful weather, visibility, snow. A few slushy spots but nothing serious and everything open. I went right down the bottom of Praz sur Arly and also right down to Notre Dame 1150. All good, all very, very quiet except the Saisies bowl which is always the busiest - I had to wait a good four minutes for the Bisanne lift! Just about everything open. Didn't see many people off piste, which looked a bit scrappy. Excellent "salade Savoyarde" a beer and a coffee on a sunny terrace with a view across to Megeve and Mont Blanc. £11.40. It sounds like a healthy option but actually consisted mainly of bacon, egg and cheese. The people on the next table had the most delicious looking chips....
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@pam w, stop making the rest of us stuck at our desks jealous 
Good to hear that conditions are good for you.
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Hmm sounds terrible!!! On the countdown now, expecting to be down 4th April for the week so hoping for a decent end to the season 
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Where will you stay?
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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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Cover is still good but typical spring conditions. Some lovely skiing today on almost deserted slopes. Tomorrow will be a lot busier but only in comparison!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I'd take that all day long! What is cover like around Crest and lower parts of NDdB?
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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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Friends who went to Crest Voland yesterday, without great hopes, said it was really good, though they didn't go everywhere. I have a very beginner friend with me this week so it would take us approximately three weeks to get down to the lower parts of NDdB. 
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 I noticed barme was still showing as open even though its pretty green looking down in Hauteluce so must be fairly good as that's south facing if I remember correctly.
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You know it makes sense.
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@skinutter, yes, I suspect it's not too great down there. Would have gone down yesterday, just to see, but my friend and I had a rendezvous back with his wife, who was finishing a ski lesson, and we had no time.
Conditions are generally OK but much more like late March than mid-March, really.
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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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skinutter, Everything is covered in Crest Voland that I could see today, will do a bit more of a tour tomorrow to check for you.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@rjs, Hey that's fantastic, I appreciate it I'm sure it will all change before we arrive on the 4th April but be good to know none the less.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@pam w, sorry not to get back to you until now - can't access PMs, won't get over your way this time but thank you for guiding offer for friends. We are back at Easter and boys might use a free day in Les Saisies
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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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We are back at Easter and boys might use a free day in Les Saisies
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It'd better cool down a bit before Easter or it'll all be looking pretty sad! My friends are leaving tomorrow - one of those Geneva airport transfer days - via Lake Annecy. Fortunately some other friends have invited me to supper when I get back. Always fun to have company but also quite nice when they go home!!
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noticed the run back to your side looked a bit baked on the turn above the chair... hopefully it will hold out until the 10th 
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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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@skinutter, the blue run down to our place (Planay) is very well covered and white, but gets mogully at the end of the day. The black (Bouquetin) is still open but the bottom section is full of holes - it's south facing and steep - and it won't be open much longer unless there's more snow. The bottom part of that, down to the lift, is horrible where the chairlift crosses it. maybe that was the one you could see?
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phew! you can see it in the Bisanne webcam on the far left of the pan view. I'd just presumed it was the bottom of Planay and usually given its snow cannoned it is pretty deep, even if mushy in the hot sun but was surprised when i noticed it earlier. I've never skied Bouquetin, its usually been sun baked by the time we get over.
Booked and paid for today so we will ski whatever is left or enjoy a walk and lots of cheese and wine lol
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skinutter, Snow cover was fine this morning, the next few days are forecast to be warm though. I went down to Le Cernix as well as the main bit of Crest Voland.
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Thanks for the heads up...as you say looks to be warming them possibly some flakes at the weekend....possibly
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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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I've not been skiing today - drove to Gva, via Lake Annecy (lunch at the Chalet du Port in Menton St Bernard, very nice salad, very warm outside in the sun) but I have to say that the deterioration in the snow in the Arly Valley, from last Tuesday, was marked. I don't think I'll bother going down again unless there's a drastic change in the weather. Going out with friends tomorrow and will report back but yes, it's very warm. Temperature just about zero at 1550 at 2223 local time.
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@pam w, where best snow in Espace D at present? Thinking of a trip over to Les Saises tomorrow, never been before, nicest blues/reds currently?? Many thanks 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The best snow will be in Les Saisies and the top runs in Notre Dame de Bellecombe. If you don't want to go over to NDdB pretty well everything in Les Saisies is in reasonable nick though best skied between 10 - 2. I'll probably be out and about if you want a local guide.
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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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@pam w, thanks will PM you.
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Had fun today showing @gvj and Mrs gvj a bit of Les Saisies, with a quick dip into Notre Dame de Bellecombe after lunch. Snow not in great nick, to be frank - very soft and puddingy in places but all the Les Saisies pistes except 3 of the south-facing blacks are open and it wasn't too busy.
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You know it makes sense.
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@pam w,
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lunch at the Chalet du Port in Menton St Bernard, very nice salad, very warm outside in the sun
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Nice spot!
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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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@pam w, thanks ever so much for the guided tour today. Absolutely certain we wouldn't have done half the runs we did without your tracks to follow. Really impressed with how extensive the ED is. Will definitely be back when snow in better shape though sadly that looks like being next year. Thanks again for your kindness in sparing the time and all the best for the rest of the season
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Poster: A snowHead
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no problem, @gvj, I thoroughly enjoyed it - and would probably not have done nearly as much left to myself. Look forward to another session next year; you only scraped the surface today.
Since coming back I've been drinking tea, eating shortbread biscuits and watching the astonishing film about Candide Thovex, linked on another thread by Mike Pow. About as far from our stately progress round the gentle pistes of Les Saisies as it's possible to be and still call it skiing!!!
I'm about to move on to a glass of something. Not sure I can be bothered to cook, after a good salad at lunchtime. Might just crack open some salted cashew nuts.
You know the Chalet du Port in Menton St Bernard, mentioned above. Have you ever rented one of the rowing boats for hire nearby? I've always fancied taking one out and lazing around with a picnic.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@pam w, yes, we love the Chalet du Port, lovely spot, though we've only taken bikes not boats. Mrs gvj's thoughts are turning to gin after a long soak in the bath. For a quick further blast of Candide I recommend "One of those Days 1 and 2" both on YouTube and filmed ( mostly) at La Balme in La Clusaz. All the best.
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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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Am hoping the snow is less pudding like this time in 2 weeks time but sounds like you all had a good day
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@pam w,
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You know the Chalet du Port in Menton St Bernard, mentioned above. Have you ever rented one of the rowing boats for hire nearby? I've always fancied taking one out and lazing around with a picnic.
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YES! More than once and done just that. Reading, swimming from the boat, picnicking, bliss. I used to have to slip into the water whenever a pleasure boat went by, as the wake made me seasick.  Happy Days...
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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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respect, @Hurtle. Getting into the water from a rowing boat is not too difficult but getting back in can be another matter.....
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@pam w, there was someone to pull me in at the time, I wouldn't have had a hope in hell on my own!
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Temperatures have been dropping steadily; miserable rain now turning to sleet outside my window at 1550m. Snowing at the top.
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There looked to be some wet snow on the cars driving down past Crest Voland.
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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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Well, the good news is that it's nice and cold. The bad? Nothing has been falling out of the sky for a long time now......
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