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

A snowHead

The webcams were showing cars and vans parked near Cascades although the webpage says it is opening tomorrow.

CORRECTION: it now says it is open.

A snowHead

@Gaza, the road or the glacier ski area?

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

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The Val Glacier was looking good on Saturday.

http://youtube.com/v/SqPATurzs3Q

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

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Just back from a great Euros footy and Alps combo trip. After a game in St Etienne (Czech R 2 Croatia 2), we spent a couple of nights in Tignes for some hiking.

WOW! The snow cover is just incredible for this time of year - despite a couple of narrow bits, Double M is just about skiable to Val Claret and it's amazing winter cover above about 2500m on north facing runs.

We spent a night in the Col du Palet refuge and it was a full-on winter walk to get there. Mixed weather overall though - zero visibility on a car ride over the Col de L'Iseran; snowing on arrival at the refuge; glorious yesterday for my first (hair-raising) via ferrata trip at Les Menuires.

The glacier will be amazing when it opens next weekend Very Happy

- pics to follow once I sort them.

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

@mountainaddict

Don't tell Whitegold wink

Shame I won't be there for another 4 weeks, here's hoping for a chilly early summer (yes I know.....)[b

After all it is free

@mountainaddict, All the restaurant owners have to go to Switzerland once a year you know wink

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chocksaway Very Happy

And here are some photos, as mentioned earlier....ridiculous snow for 20th June!

Czech Republic v Croatia

6m of snow near the Col De L'Iseran

Double M still skiable - just

Leaving the Col du Palet Refuge (2500m)

Heading back to Tignes

Lac du Chevril

Les Menuires via ferrata

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Blimey, I don't think I had that much to wade through during the winter to get back from Nicolas' great lunches at the Palet Refuge. With that amount of snow the glacier may start growing - time to sell in Val Claret Twisted Evil

Having looked at the Via F, I am now going to lie down to get over a giddy spell.

snow reports

We were staggered by the amount of snow over the back to the refuge. Two of the three of us are ski tourers - just wish we'd had our kit! In fact arriving at the hut felt just like ski touring, not 'summer' hiking. It snowed on arrival too.

Is Nicolas the permanent warden? ie the pleasant young-ish fella with the blonde little daughter?

The via ferrata was indeed terrifying in places - life hanging on a couple of carabiners - but it was great fun retrospectively and I'd probably do it again....

@mountainaddict, That's the fella.

You know it makes sense.

Hi folks, popped out to do a bit of summer walking and activities plus some small jobs on the apartment. Well that was the plan until I found one of my windows had cracked since I left in April, more organisation than outdoor fun now!

Having arrived late on Tuesday - no snags through Dover 12 mins from the flyover to the waiting zone for the boat - I fancied a lie in on Wednesday. Mmmmm that was until a helicopter arrived at 7.50 to deliver concrete to what will be the new top station of the new Les Almes chairlift. The Millonex drags and the Les Almes drag have been ripped out and the new chair is rapidly being built. It follows the track of the old Almes poma and will allow easier access to the Montana Area and they are going to create a green piste all the way down to the gentle slops that run into the Palafour, I can only assume this will be a zig zaggy track affair. I think Tigski will be able to get to the Bec Rouge still! Anyway here is how you get concrete to the top station:

The mixer is parked near the gorge that is half way down Bluets. And 10 secs later it is part of a chairlift:

They have down some earthworks to accommodate the new chairs - or we have been struck by a meteorite:

There is also some stuff happening in the beginner area in Val Claret - more when I find out what is going on. Scaffolding abounds round the resort as a lot of the blocks are being made more environmentally friendly. They are continuing work on the social housing near the stables between Lavachet and Lac, there is also a new site near the Chaudannes chair - not sure yet what that is.

The weather has been warm by day and chilly by night and we had a famous Belgia singist last night, no it was not Plastic Betrand, Selah Sue evidently. Still she was very popular with the yoof, though it was a good job it was free as it only lasted 50 minutes. More in a few days when I escape the glaziers.

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

Glazier now booked for Monday! Meanwhile today the weather has just turned for the worse, just after I had finished staining the balcony we had a shower of rain, so may have to do another coat Sad

. There may be the chance of storms later Shocked

However that may refresh the snow on the Grande Motte, so a chance of skiing on Tuesday perhaps Very Happy

. Reports down in the village suggest the skiing is still quite good up there and far better than recent years. Mountain biking seems too becoming ever more popular as do a lot of the other summer activities. There are certainly a lot more bars open than when I was here 2 summers ago. Hopefully it is going to warm up later next week so a chance of getting out onto the lake.

Life up here is very tranquil - unlike the roads of France - today is Black Saturday - the biggest crossover. The Radio has said that the road authorities reported 670 km of start stop traffic on the autoroutes at lunchtime - eek

The big news in Val (other than the building of the Solaise Chair) has been a cow stuck in a stream - picture here:

http://www.radiovaldisere.com/index.php?p=infos&id=6391

It would appear that the Pompiers are multi-skilled up here!

As promised I have had a look round at what they are preparing for next winter - here is Episode 2. They have taken out the drag the Claret Drag (near the Tufs Chair) and it will be replaced by another Magic Carpet, at the same time they are doing a lot of earthworks to make the beginner area around there a lot more user friendly (the relatively new mayor is head of ESF in VC so one of his focusses is the improvement of beginner areas). Pic of the ongoing works:

Additionally they are altering Piste Boice (I think that's the windy green track down from the Bollin lift but it has had a couple of names over the years). We are also getting more snowmaking on Anenome (one of the Palafour runs) and Lac (the blue from the top of Merles to the bottom of Grand Huit0. The beginners area in Boisses is being reorganised and lights are being put in. Finally they are installing a Gazex at the top of Paquerettes to allow that area to be opened quicker (and also allowing an earlier morning alarm for those of us in Lac Shocked

).

A snowHead

Well that was a night! We had a couple of rain showers during the evening and after a walk round the village I ended up in the Jam Bar when a fella whipped out a flute and started playing with Rocco - Wow!. Turns out he was performing as part of the 'Festival Music Alp' which runs until 19 Aug. Talk about 2 professional musicians making the place rock. So much so that we didn't notice 'le trembelment de terre' (earthquake) at 2230, that is the talk of the village this morning.

We then had a colossal thunderstorm at about 1.30 - with hail, high winds and a sound at light show all arriving simultaneously. I though it was the four horsemen of the apocalypse coming through the bedroom window. Unfortunately it wasn't snow on the GM as the freezing level was too high, if it falls this evening there may be some snow..... So now all the bike trails are mud, I felt sorry for the bike techs this lunchtime as they spend a lot of time on the powerwashers!

A snowHead

Sounds like a great evening- hope the snow-gods smile upon you and you fit it a bit of fun on the GM. Great to have a summer update- it brings the season a bit closer somehow! Have a good visit.

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

Nice updates@chocksaway, thank you! I love hearing about all the stuff going on in the summer, there are changes every year when I come back.

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As I have been covered in plaster dust most of the day, there is not a great deal to say today. Phase one of the estimate process is complete, but today was the salesman the technical guy comes later, and as for fitting - that will be in the winter - might be a chilly day in the pad with 3mx2m of window missing! But I did notice that Pokémen seems to have arrived in Tignes - at least I think that was what a gang of yoof were following up Rue de la Poste. So this begs a question for the winter, that I have blatantly copied from my post in Apres - if can I become some kind of Pokémon Grand Wizard and put things out there for capture - here's my list of I where I would place my chocksémons:

Half way down the Sache Bumps when its really icy.
Underneath the Grattalu Gazex's after a dump
The gents at the Carline (eeuk)
Top of the Grand Motte during a gale (get yer skins out poké-jedi!)

So Espace-Killians, where would you put them if you were feeling a little mischievous Laughing

PS Weather much better today - warm and just a few fluffy clouds, but I don't think there was any snow on high yesterday.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

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What about in the back carriage of the funicular last Dec when I am told it became detached.
Indeed anywhere when a gale is blowing (Grattalu lift can be nasty)
Down the silene where it can get rocky and icy
all the toilets where you are obliged to pay

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

^ Nice to know there are folks with equally warped minds as mine wink

It has been a little hectic over the last couple of days, but the repairing to the plasterwork is done (the job only took a third of the time it took to clear up after the electric sander had been in action Shocked

). The carpets are now down in the bedrooms - just one door to trim. I also popped down to Bourg to sign the contract for the new sliding doors, thanks to Brexit it is going to be a bit more expensive - I think I may call one Boris and the other Gove Grrrr! As I set off down the hill a lorry was just disgorging a load of cyclists from Cofidis - who then proceeded to overtake me going down the hill - even on blind bends - at one stage one overtook to be faced with a car coming up the hill - the gap between the cars must have been a bike and 2 fag papers wide! Of course by the time I caught them up near Seez they were riding in a gaggle doing 20kph - so no one could get past........

Work has been progressing fast on the new Almes chair, the helicopter was back to build the top station. The concrete mixer was parked at the top corner of the Montana, 3 guys disconnected one bucket and connected the full one, he then flew to the to station where another 3 guys emptied the bucket in about 3 seconds, it was then flown back for another one. Each cycle took 2 mins 30 secs and he was flying for 2 hours. I wish I could concentrate that hard for that long, whilst operating a helicopter with an underslung load on the edges of its performance envelope!!

It has been very warm, but last night we had another big storm and it was damp and miserable this morning, but not much sign of any new snow on top despite the snow level at 2800m.

Back to the cleaning!

After all it is free

Its another great day in the Alps, glorious blue skies, but it is the last day of skiing. There was a bit of sleet up there over the last couple of days but not really enough to make it worthwhile going up. From Le Lac its fair to say that the glacier looks past its best, but there is still a lot more white than grey (especially when compared with the last couple of years). So all the ski kit is on the balcony having been Tec-washed.

Early this morning Le Lac awoke to the tinkling of cowbells - les vaches arrivent:

As the summer progresses they move the cows further up the hill as the grass and flowers grow, each day they move the electric fencing and let them chomp away. I believe most of the milk goes to make Beaufort eté - summer Beaufort cheese which is made from milk produced on the slopes rather than the winter which is hay fed (hopefully Pam W may know more!). The bells start tinkling as soon as the sun is up, which is fine when you are 300m away, but I imagine its loud in the bedrooms at the Montana as those bells are big. Shocked

I am sat listening to the cricket - which was incongruously interrupted by a brass band coming up the street:

I've really no idea........

I popped up to Val Claret last night, a huge amount of earth moving as happened in the last week as they remodel the beginners area, I'll take my camera next time.

Sun again, so today was the day for a mini hike - up Trolles and down Piste Henri and back round the lake. It was mainly to try out my new trekking boots - no blisters Cool

.

So here is less monochromic picture of Piste Henri from a different angle:

Its amazing what you find, its also good for the winter knowledge watching the landscape and all the hols and gullies that have to be filled in before a piste can be declared skiable. This ruin is at the foot of the North Face of the Petite Balme, we must have skied over it because there is a huge distinctive triangular rock behind it:

I'm sure with a lick of paint it could be opened as seasonaire accommodation Shocked

The earthworks around Tufs chair continue at a pace:

Some proper Tonka toys involved.

And if you fancy turning yourself upside down there is the more extreme water jumps:

He is really quite a long way above the water.

The Wellbeing festival continues in Le Lac, everything from aromatherapy oils to jewellery that seems to cure all known ills to a clairvoyant. Can't help thinking that the little tents will be put to a more useful purpose come Thursday when the Wine Festival takes over wink

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Its still sunny but cool (if not cold on a morning) out of the sun. But unperturbed a motley collection of expats met for lunch at Lo Terrachu by the Lake. As ever the food was fantastic - Duncan and Sarah of La Queue de Cochon in the winter emerge from their underground lair to get a tan! As you can see from the aftermath it was quite liquid:

We were royally entertained by some professional fly-boarders. Basically a jet ski exhaust is connected to a tube fastened to the riders feet and the efflux is ejected through jets allowing you to fly. 2 Years ago it was a bit pedestrian when they only got a few feet in the air - this year more power was provided and it was much more spectacular:

Levels of skill have also increased allowing aerial ballet:

Quite Spectacular Shocked

This morning the pursuits on the lake were much more wholesome, Tigski took me for Lesson 1 in Stand-Up Paddle Boarding, I made it to the other side of the lake and back so the tuition must have been good. After that it was time for a sit down and a gentle kayak as well, I suspect I may ache in a few places tonight.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Another glorious day so Tigski and I decided to walk the route of some of our epic skinning adventures over the Col de Tourne and round to the Palet Refuge. We initially took the Palafour chair to avoid a lot of the mountain bikeists, walked down towards the bottom of the Aiguille Percee Chair and then to the top of the Grand Huit and over to the Col de Tourne, where there was still a bit of snow:

This next shot is towards Col de Grassaz - the top of our big day out last season:

Most of the Alpine Flowers are still in full bloom - the Gentianes are in fine form and we evn found some of the elusive Eidelweiss. We contoured round to the Lac de Grattalu and up to the refuge, where lunch was taken in true tigski/chocks tradition:

The Refuge has a new permanent resident, now I know the interpipes are chocker with cat pics but this little kitten stole the show, clearly rucksacks are irresistible to a ginger kitten:

After lunch we returned over the Col de Palet, down to the Croix de Lognan and Tignes Le Lac for a well deserved ice cream at the Jam Bar!!

snow reports

The end of the summer approaches and the long drag up the AutoRoute des Anglais beckons Sad

.
Had a mate visiting so been doing a lot of walking and larking about on the lake, no pictures from yesterday as thunderstorms threatened so the camera was left in the dry. But a grand walk up Genepy and then up the valley just below Piste Creux where we found 100s of Edelweiss which is most unusual. Perhaps the most incongruous sight was the cows grazing in the half pipe, a far more peaceful spectacle than the lights and hulabaloo of the X games. I was trying to think of a commentators pun but will have to do with 'here comes Shaun White followed by Daisy the Charolaise doing a daffy chomp with reverse rumination.......'

The Grand Motte cable car has now closed for a couple of months as part of a 3 year refurb programme, they are currently replacing 2 suspension cables, then another 2 next year along with a new control system and machine room and in 2018 we get 2 shiny new cabins and new traction cables.

Back to the packing and not long until we can start a new seasons thread Very Happy

I have now opened the 16/17 thread - so no more posts here please (pretty please), it just makes managing the information simpler

Help!!

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

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