France: Les Arcs 2011 / 2012

A snowHead

bertie bassett, thank you Cool

A snowHead

Lou, I think he's extracting the michael - there is indeed a family about 15-20 marmottes there... of the cuddly variety.

In the summer the best place is under the Arcabulle lift - either from the lift or the walking paths (ie the toboggan run). If they are out this early, then that is a great place to start looking - for tracks, or for the critters themselves.

boredsurfing don't think so, that part of the journey was the usual 55 mins from Albertville to Bourg. Although, I suppose the density of trains might be restricted, hence backing up all the way to London. But in that case why not let us start off later?

No, I think I'll still blame politics. Smile

Weather today was glorious, and after a lateish start we had good on-piste conditions all the way until about 4pm. Heavy down at Peisey height, and the predicted high temps through the rest of the week don't bode well for the end of the season out there. Even in 1950 by 5pm the streets were turning into slushy puddles, although freezing over again by 7.

But I will reiterate, conditions up high were lovely. and after last year, I'm sure the bashers will be well experienced in eeking out any small amounts left down low.

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

Just got back from two days up at La Rosiere/La Thuile. There is some great off piste in the ski area, some quite near the piste, but most requiring a little effort and the pistes are all good. Toofy Grin

As we get a discount on our ski pass it was good to spend a couple of days in another area. Take a look at the pics to see what it has to offer. They will be posted in the March 2012 Album Two.

We skied the whole ski domain on piste and much of the easy to reach off piste. Even did a little unplanned walking. The pistes are all in good conditions, hard in the morning and soft lower down in the afternoon. Off piste it was chalky hard packed snow on the north/NW facing slopes and spring snow if you caught it right on other slopes.

I will post a more detailed description of the routes when I have time.

I look forward to going back again before the end of the season.

They still have loads of snow so not a problem although the Italian side does have less than the French side after all the hot weather we have been having. If you fancy a nice Italian lunch it is well worth the effort and it is cheaper than France!!! You can get a free shuttle from the bottom of the funi at 9am across to the La Rosiere ski domain lower down above Seez and come back the same way at 4.30/5pm on the free shuttle and funi back up to Les Arcs. It makes a great day out at little cost. Very Happy

Arctic Roll, look forward to seeing you this week. I should be in George's after skiing on Tuesday if you are around and fancy meeting up. Smile

Lou, I agree with Arctic Roll, best place to see them is under the Arcabulle, but with all the snow around they might not be about up there yet. I will post if I see any and where they can be found. Toofy Grin

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Arrived Sunday morning by train. Loved the train, meal in Paris, no stress and not a bad nights sleep on the couchette. I will write a full train report when I get back separately as more should consider it. We were in our the apartment in Arc 2000 by 9am having our breakfast. On slopes soon after.

Lazy day around Les Arcs yesterday. Quite warm. The wife was skiing without here full ski jacket on!! Down low it was a bit porridge like but overall the snow is in amazing condition. We went up glacier, down to 1800, just did a lot of messing around and relaxing. Slow lunch by the waterslide watching some great fall ins. Overall felling very relaxed. Of to La Plagne today for the day. I will get a chance to try my new boots on NehNeh

. Couldn't resist the 30% off in 1950 yesterday, very nice guy in one of the boot shops, took his time and for the price it was a no brainer, especially as I can pop back with any issues. We went in Ski set in 2000, very unimpressed with the guy even though he kept telling me he had 15 years experience. Yawn....

More later, have a great day in work everyone NehNeh

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Having lunch in La Roche in La Plagne. New boots and fully serviced skis (didn't have time to get them serviced before we went out yesterday, it was like skiing on rolling pins). Lovely sun. Breen down in Montchavin, up to Roche, did Inversion there and Les Sources. Now in La Roche fir lunch. Lovely day and snow good so far. Warming up a bit.

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Having a beer outside the Irish pub in 1950. Glorious day. Considering the heat the snow is amazing. Seen worse conditions in a January.

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Arctic Roll, snowcrazy, thank you Very Happy

bertie bassett Evil or Very Mad

After all it is free

Spent the day in Les Arcs and managed to find some nice untracked spring powder over on the back of the Aiguille Rouge in the National Park. Went up early and warmed up in the Arc 2000 bowl before heading over the back. Toofy Grin

The walk up was a pain as always, but it was worth the effort. Fresh tracks and soft snow or spring snow all the way to the forest path. Went all the way down to La Planay and then over to Villaroger with a bit more walking toward the exit of the park. Sorry to say, but for those coming out, the conditions low down are not likely to improve as it is quite warm lower down so you will be walking out from all the routes down into Villaroger for the rest of the season I would think. Evil or Very Mad

After getting to the lift we headed back to Arc 2000 bowl and the Bulle via the Varet lift for a late lunch.

After lunch a bit of piste skiing around Arc 2000 area and then a couple of off piste runs down the middle shoulder before going to the waterslide and then home.

The pistes are still in good conditions, hard and firm in the mornings and soft spring slush on many lower pistes in the afternoon. The snowpark and Bordercross are still in good condition and the waterslide is fun as always. Pics from today will be in the March 2012 Album Two later. Enjoy!!

Just back from les Arcs. Conditions are fine, lower slopes slushy in afternoon but that is to be expected. Don't do any black runs till at least 11 or later as they are still frozen solid. Plenty of great conditions in blacks above 2000 for entire afternoon so lots to do. Also very uncrowded and practically no queueing, even for Aiguille Rouge

I went over to la Plagne one day. Just like last year, conditions awful, slush everywhere. Don't understand why conditions seem so much worse always in LP than at apparently similar altitude and aspect in LA. Throw in much worse lift queues and slow chairs and I would recommend not bothering with Vanoise express.

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Saturday was our last day, drove to Lyon on Saturday evening - back to Calais Sunday which was the quietest, easiest drive we've ever had. TBH I wasn't sad to leave - it may well be OK for the the likes of Snowcrazy being on the big runs off-piste all day - everyday, but for us mortals the pistes were pretty slushy or boiler plate, depending on time of day - and I really can't be bothered with big days everyday - after all it's a holiday and I do like just sandwiches from time to time Very Happy

Sooo.. back home now, got the boat out this afternoon - another type of skiing... perfect day.. bliss!

That's it from me this year, January was absolutely magic - such a difference to last year, later on on was OK, but as I said, glad to be back now.

Allan

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lou disastre! Marmottes lift: la famille des marmottes ce n'est pas la! Must ask the lifties where they've gone.

For anyone not wanting to come out to the Alps, because local BBC/ Daily Fail / UK weather source of choice says it's bad, and everything melting: what a load of tosh. It is glorious, and while Allanm didn't enjoy the pistes, we're lovin' them. No-one but no-one here, no queues, even those runs you think are going to be bad aren't (we went to 1600 at 1:30 today, best conditions I've ever skied down there - not ice, not slush, just great. OK you have to pick your moments, but so do you always. Clair Blanc, probably been worth waiting another hour! for example, but OTOH mogul on Lac were lovverly and did what you told them.
Temps are high ( Radio 'R' this morning maximums: 1000m 19C, 2000 8C, 3000 0C. ) sun cream, really quite necessary. Perhaps we should stop telling everyone how good it is - keep it for ourselves...

Late lunch (hence computer access) and jobs a good'un. Nothing heroic necessary, just enjoying it.

Arctic Roll, Agree 100% dead out here. Loving it. However we did Comborciere at 11am today, if you like 1000 feet of knee high moguls made of porridge then go for it. Only bad run of the day, apart from that the place is great.................. Cool

You know it makes sense.

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

Arctic Roll, Laughing

I don't know who to believe any more

Getting excited now, will be better once tomorrow's interview for my own job out of the way Toofy Grin

A snowHead

Bit limited for free internet here hence not posting so far, just echoing the above: very hard first thing, we've been heading out about 10:30 from 1600, even then theres still plenty of hard snow around. Softens up quite a lot as the day goes on, we've been packing in about 16:30 when it gets a bit porridgy. Skis in for waxing tonight as the snow was getting sticky. Skied to villroger today, was soupy from Droset onward. The return run down Malgovert was great though. Temps around 20° when we got back to 1600 at 4 pm

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FFS, from the reports on here I was planning a couple of hours skiing and then a long lunch leading into happy hour, now you are saying it's all good and skiable all day long. Toofy Grin

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

boredsurfin, I hear you have never managed more than a few hours anyway NehNeh

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Had a very fun day over in the Bellecote Bowl doing various off piste routes today and then headed down to the Bauches chair off piste and through the waterfall gully before going back to Les Arcs.

Once in Les Arcs did some tree skiing down to the Derby lift and off piste to the Transarc then over to the Arc 2000 side. Finished with the Bordercross and then down to Arc 1950 for a well earned drink at George's Wine Bar before heading home.

The off piste is still really fun and we did not have to walk today!! The pistes we used were still in good condition and should hold up well during the coming days. If you follow the sun you can have some great skiing. Tomorrow we plan another trip down the North face of the Bellecote!!

I know I am quite behind with the pics, but I will try and catch up. Todays will be in the March 2012 Album Two of my Les Arcs Winter facebook page soon.

boredsurfin, we skied today from 9am to 5.15pm with a short lunch break and had good snow almost the whole time. Well the first runs on the piste crossing the link to la plagne were rather hard, but the rest of the time it was mostly good. Plan to do the same again tomorrow. Twisted Evil

Not sure which person here said it is a waste of time going over to la Plagne, but I do not agree either. La Plagne is also very good right now if you know where to go. If you are coming out for a week it is well worth getting a discovery pass for a one day trip over the other side during the week.

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Took a half day yesterday and came in at 1.30pm. The previous day in La Plagne had tired us out. Anyway it is supposed to be a holiday!!

Bizarelly we have never been here without a car yet so we decided to go down to Bourg yesterday afternoon for a potter using the bus and funicular. All very simple only pain being that the funni station seems closer to Moutiers than Bourg? Its was bloody hot down in Bourg.

We head back down Friday night for a 9pm over night to Paris. Couple of questions for the locals. Is there a shuttle bus that runs from the funni into town or the near the main station, don't fancy lugging our bags down the road.

Another ground hog day here in Arc 2000. Sun making its way round, looks like a good re freeze over night so if skiing early and you have any fillings be pepared for them to come loose. Of to La Plagne for the day to check out the bad snow and slow lifts Laughing

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boredsurfin, I know, must be catching this holiday disease, out at 10am yesterday, in at 1.30pm Embarassed

After all it is free

thefatcontroller, Early start Cool

Early finish again today. Wife knackered. Over in la Plagne again, something about the slow lifts and crap snow that keeps calling us wink

Snow still in good condition. We went straight down to Montchavin which at 1030am was soft but lovely to ski to. Up then to Roche, did Inversions and Les Sources which as always were in great nick. Pierre Blanche had soften by 1pm but still good.

Back in Les Arcs the 2000 bowl is holding up amazingly well considering the heat. Lovely soft, not slushy snow for the most part. Potentially not today but we may get the gay trays out to practice in late afternoon soft snow tomorrow. The again we may not Laughing

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PS...memo to the French. I like the fact that you love your dogs. its kind of cute you bring them on holidays, unlike the Brits who shove them in kennels, but could you please, please pick their turds up. Arc 2000 is covered in dog sh*t. They just don't seem to care?

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thefatcontroller, If only they would - generally they are all very respectful of their environment but ever holiday we've had in France, be it skiing, beach, or lakes in summer has been a case if mind the crap everywhere!

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thefatcontroller with you on the dog turd - we stayed in la Varet (1st time les arcs) and you could almost used them as a slalom course when skiing out the back door down the ramp to the drag lift (wouldn't want to hit those gates) Toofy Grin

Good conditions earlier in the week - pistes good even late afternoon on Monday!

Aiguille Grive:

Secret stash (yes, even some soft turns to be had!):

Views are alright:

Apologies for the slightly bright watermark - having recently found a couple of my own pics randomly on various sites I have started watermarking everything - just need to tone down the settings a bit!

You know it makes sense.

Went up on the first lift out of Arc 1600 this morning and made it over to the Bellecote as planned via a less used route off the ridge of the Roche de Mio and the lower section of the Cable Couloir in soft snow. Very Happy

Then had a run down very mixed snow in the Bellecote Bowl enjoying the spring conditions before heading over the back and down to the Chavel resturant by a different route on the North Face with some very challenging sections. Toofy Grin

Finally after a good lunch we went back to Les Arcs and the Altiport for a little entertainment before arriving at George's Wine Bar in Arc 1950 for a drink just as the lifts were closing. Another fun day in the backcountry. Pics will be posted in the March 2012 Album Two later.

For those coming out or just arrived. The pistes all the way across to the Bellecote first thing in the morning were quite firm and hard packed with a few re-frozen rutted patches where the sun had not yet softened the piste. Later in the morning the warming effect of the sun had produced nice spring conditions on and off piste. In the more sheltered areas the chalky snow has lasted well and it is still possible to find a few untracked places with nice spring snow. The exit out of the Bellecote North Face is also slowly starting to become thinner and you may be walking out here soon. Smile

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

A snowHead

Which one is Bellecote? Don't have Piste Map to hand and all the online ones I can see seem to helpfully list lifts not runs?

Whatever, I can't be doing more walking next week than I did last Easter!

A snowHead

Great day today. We had a Boredsurfing start to the day, 10.30am out of the door Shocked

. Pottered over to Varet and it was empty, took that up and walked onto the glacier lift Cool

. Glacier down, decided to then potter over to 1600 expecting that to be awful and slushy, it was far from it. Great re-freeze over night and softening slightly at 11.30am. So nice over there we did cachettes, Arolloes and Mont Blanc. Back to apartment then for lunch and then the big decision do we try boarding again......

Thankfully we did, up and down Marmottes 5 times, no falling and doing some turn. The snow had softened which is just brilliant for practising boarding.

All in all great day......and snow holding up wonderfully. Last day tomorrow. Might go boarding again. Shocked

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

thefatcontroller, Yes there is a navette from the funi to the railway station

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holidayloverxx, Thanks wink

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thefatcontroller, The best start to the day Very Happy

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Boris Are you being funny??

This is Bellecote Toofy Grin

As snapped while walking to Les Vernettes last week. I was hoping to be able to see 2 men with red jackets on, walking up it Shocked

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And these are some pics a little closer up.... on previous page

After all it is free

No big routes today. Went up with the first lift to meet up with Arctic Roll, and family. We were planning to go over to La Plagne, but after meeting up we decided to stay in Les Arcs and see how the snow was standing up to the warm weather locally.

After some rather mixed conditions down the middle of the Arc 2000 bowl and a fun ski in the natural half pipe on what was supposed to be a gentle ski day we managed to find some better spring snow to the right of the Dents du Peigne piste. After a couple of runs down this area and a little mishap! ouch! by one of the group we headed over to the bottom of Peisey Vallandry on piste for a nice long run to tune up those turns. The pistes in that area are great for carving. Toofy Grin

Back up the lifts and time for some tree skiing and more off piste from the top of the Derby chair back to Arc 1800. By now the snow had softened and was quite easy to ski in most places with the occasional hard cruddy section. Our youngest member seemed to be having fun! Very Happy

Then back up and over to Arc 2000, down the bordercross and then through the river gully from near the Plan des Eaux piste as far as possible before cutting off into Arc 1950 for a late lunch. Smile

Left some tired legs resting and headed over to the snowpark to meet some friends doing jumps and then the waterslide (only to take photos) before a beer at George's then home. Toofy Grin

As the day progressed the pistes around the resort became soft and were good to ski. Even the off piste after it had softened was quite fun, but you had to be ready for the odd hard cruddy section in sheltered areas. Overall the snow is holding up well and should still be good for those coming out next week. Smile

I will try very hard to catch up on posting all the pics from the last week as I am having a couple of days off and am going to enjoy the spring weather whilst it still lasts. Bad weather is forecast for later next week Very Happy

I will add a few pics here as well as over on my facebook page later. Enjoy!

offpisteskiing, Nice pics, think they are our tracks near to yours on the secret stash as we were skiing there earlier in the week as well wink

I think I have almost the same pic. The couloir on the Grive was nice as well. Loads of tracks down that whole area now. Have you been on the Bellecote in the last few days? It is very nice right now:-D

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Another flash sale of lift passes for Easter week. Must be quiet and potential snow on the horizon....

Help!!

France: Les Arcs 2011 / 2012

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