 Poster: A snowHead
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Love Tim's optimism ... however, a big chunk of prospective overseas visitors are now being put-off by the new Swiss measures which also impact GVA arrivals ... I know of 3 families who are hastily trying to cancel their Christmas and NY stays in La Tania. Such a real shame - a coordinated approach and response by the French and the Swiss authorities would have been much more preferable. Fingers crossed for everyone.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@franga, hoping something happens before our January planned trip to Meribel.
As it stands if the rules don't change, i'll be moving our flights from Geneva to Grenoble or Lyon. It means we'll get less ski time, 6 days rather than 8, but that's still 6 more than if we stayed at home!
Fingers crossed.
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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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@franga, its of course up to o your friends, but why panic so early? a lot can change in 3 weeks, other airports are available and we don't yet know what, If any, measures France brings in.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Oleski wrote: |
| @franga, its of course up to o your friends, but why panic so early? a lot can change in 3 weeks, other airports are available and we don't yet know what, If any, measures France brings in. |
Yes completely agree - all the current measures are precautionary, until they get more evidence. So it makes sense to wait a few days (or a couple of weeks) and that picture will become clearer. I really believe whatever measures are happening now, won't reflect what will be happening in 3 weeks (it'll go one of two ways!).
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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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Oh, I absolutely agree. My first trip out is at the end of January ... not panicking or worrying about it at all. The friends in question all have children, are part of larger groups with complicated logistics etc. I don't think they'll entertain the idea of not being able to go to LT (if it gets to that) without having alternative plans in place. They spent this weekend looking at alternatives in the UK (lodges in the highlands that can accommodate large groups).
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To add a small glimmer of positivity in amongst the current doom and gloom of the latest travel news, the garden-snow-o-meter was looking good this morning:
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Off to the PSB then back to our place in St Martin to (hopefully) ski the first day of the season. Incredibly I have Covid to thank for this opportunity. Normally we would be dashing back to UK on Saturday as there is an annual village Christmas event on the Sunday. But as we will now have to quarantine until getting the results of the PCR we can travel back on the Sunday. Every cloud eh.
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Belleville Valley in all it's glory today
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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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Great photos @Oleski, @offpisteskiing!! Conditions must be glorious today!
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@Oleski, how much is open and assume the recent snow has improved things a fair bit??
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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| Oleski wrote: |
Belleville Valley in all it's glory today
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Glorious, 44 days and counting!
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| Handy Turnip wrote: |
@Bergmeister,
Looks like a white-out on the webcams, and could stay like that for the weekend. How long are you in VT for? |
We had 4 consecutive days of snow/whiteout but still had a fantastic time. Our last day was yesterday, when we squeezed in a few more runs between 9 and 12.30, before heading back to Geneva.
Yesterday was incredible! Although the sun (as forecast) didn't materialise, the snow stopped falling and (despite the flattish light) conditions were fantastic. We had perfect, soft corduroy pistes and a foot of fresh at the sides. Although we didn't venture more than four feet off piste, in view of the lurking, early season rocks we enjoyed soft, deep powder bumps, mixed with fresh, untracked stuff 
And it was straight onto every lift, with no queues.
All in all it was a great way to sign off the trip!
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You know it makes sense.
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@Bergmeister, did they demand the 'special' buffs in the lift queues or any old buff was fine?
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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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| Oleski wrote: |
| @Bergmeister, did they demand the 'special' buffs in the lift queues or any old buff was fine? |
There was no requirement for any "special" face covering, although some lift attendants were actively enforcing the face covering rule - one, ridiculously, to a girl 10 yards ahead of us who was the only one (other than us) anywhere near the chairlift (which was in the open air). 
So, in answer to your question, "any old buff was fine."
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Bassman, where’s your place in St M? We’re up in Villarabout. Have we met without realising we are fellow SHs?(Well..I am, but Mr P just has the benefit of all my nerdy insights gleaned from the forum).
Mr P plus pooch are there at the moment. Meanwhile I’ve been at work living the dream in Derby. Am about to view OH’s footage of his first ski of the winter from today..Jealous? Moi? I think he’s planning to join the hoards for the opening of the new Masse lift tomorrow.
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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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Hi Perty, we’ve not met though have attempted to in the past. We have an apartment in Les Murgers in St Martin. Here Tonight then off to Tignes tomorrow for the PSB. Back next Saturday for the start of the St Martin season. Out here again in January so perhaps will meet then.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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How much of the area is open, are the 3 valleys links open yet?
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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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| Radhika wrote: |
| How much of the area is open, are the 3 valleys links open yet? |
The 3Vs links aren't scheduled to open until next weekend.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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This is what is supposed to be open: [url=] https://www.latania.co.uk/photos/2022/pdf/4DEC3V.pdf [/url] . Saulire 2 and Pas du Lac were certainly closed yesterday but may have opened at some stage today. Tougnette 2 has been open. Cote Brune opened late morning today but it was difficult to get back to the Meribel valley, as the return runs from the top of Bruyeres 2 (Venturon) and Becca (Alouette) were closed. Granges eventually opened allowing return via Mouflon. Great snow conditions.
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@Bergmeister, limited links open today and should be good for tommorrow
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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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Ok sounds like it’ll be mostly linked up 11dec then for when I arrive! Right now map showing so much closed.. never been this early in the season but was quite looking forward to skiing the whole area if my pcr is negative!
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@Radhika, the area never fully opens until Xmas week (from 18 Dec this year). That's why the lift pass price is reduced for the first 2 weeks of the season. Link opening is usually dependent on snow conditions more than lifts - there's been high avalanche risk this weekend, should be alright in a day or so.
If you want to know what is/isn't open, download the 3V app on your smartphone - it has live listings. Right now, there are 58 lifts and 114 pistes open. VT is about 60% open, other areas about 30%. It's normal, next week will see the other areas get up to about 60% too.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Fabulous conditions today with 3V links open and few people around.
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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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Mr P making me dribble with jealousy. FYI, he and a friend skied from Les Men to Le Praz and back (Forêt lift shut so he didn’t get to La Tania). I have yet to have a full debrief, but spectacular already springs to mind…
Here are a few pics..including one of our pooch in the garden (1450m) which gives you a really good idea of the snow quality. He’s standing on Venturon. And no, he didn’t go OP, avi risk is 4, though clearly others did!
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You know it makes sense.
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All being well (fingers crossed considering the current travel crisis) I'll be in Courchevel 1650 on Saturday 11th for my first trip! I've been told to head towards Indiens / Rochers / Signal but those lifts are not showing as open, does anyone know when they will be open?
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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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A lot more will be open on Saturday 11th so you will have a lot more to do. I’ll be there on Wednesday the 15th too.
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Poster: A snowHead
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At least 30 cm of overnight snow in Mottaret
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Very excited to get out on Saturday, looks amazing!
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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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Hope the roads clear by the weekend. Apparently, there is gridlock in the valley this morning.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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Huge amounts of snow coming down at the moment - roads log-jammed since early doors - a friend took more than 45 minutes to get from Le Praz down to the roundabout at Grand Carrey this morning (15 minutes normally). Reports of 60cms at resort level - easily 40cms down in Bozel. Was meant to be skiing with Little Miss Offpisteskiing and Offpisteskiing Junior today, but not too optimistic about being able to get up the hill..!! Belleville Mairie are advising necessary travel only and i believe the road between Les Menuires and Val T was closed temporarily for avalanche danger...
Garden snow-o-meter at 8 this morning:
already 10cms more at 12!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Too much snow? There was about a foot of snow in Le Praz this morning. I got the bubble up to 1850 to find that nothing would be open until 1000. So I skied back down to Le Praz on my piste skis. I soon realised that they were not the right tools for the job! So I called in at Olympic sport for some 100mm powder skis. By the time I got back up to 1850, the Loze drag was running so I did six laps of that before lunch. Strewth! So much snow! I had first tracks down Coqs (red) and it was as much as I could do to keep the skis going. Up to the knee in quite heavy but loose snow. Very hard work and I fell over many times. Towards the end I did three runs down Jansen (a hidden red that nobody skis coz you cannot see the entry as its over a lip) and snow there was mid thigh. Unfortunately I stopped and then I had to try and restart with a heavy weight of snow on each ski. After lunch I ventured up Verdons and Biollay. Poor vis but nobody there and still fresh tracks to be had down the right hand side of the piste, past the top of Jardin Alpine and back down to the bottom. Once again had to straight line it in order to maintain any momentum.
Blue-sky skiing is nice, but I like the more challenging days too. I haven't had so much fun in ages.
Its been snowing all day and its still coming down. Looking forward to mote fun tomorrow…
Anybody thinking of coming but not sure that they can be bothered with all the travel crap? Do it!!!!
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Does anyone know what's likely to be open from the 11th December? Will the links be open at least?
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| venomizer wrote: |
| Does anyone know what's likely to be open from the 11th December? Will the links be open at least? |
it's going to be sunny and calm and there are tons of snow, so pretty much everything, including links, should be open.
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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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| Oleski wrote: |
| venomizer wrote: |
| Does anyone know what's likely to be open from the 11th December? Will the links be open at least? |
it's going to be sunny and calm and there are tons of snow, so pretty much everything, including links, should be open. |
As I've already posted above, no it won't all be open. About 60% will be open, full opening isn't until w/c 18th Dec.
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Expect disruptions on the roads in the Savoie region if you are travelling on Friday or Saturday.
Announcement from the Prefecture of the Savoie:
"Due to exceptional snowfall tomorrow on the day of Friday, December 10, Pascal Bolot, Préfet de la Savoie, calls on motorists entering the department's ski stations to be particularly vigilant.
From dawn, snowfalls will take place on all the massive Savoryards. They will be intense in the morning, especially in the valleys (about 20 cm in Albertville). The snowy episode will continue throughout the afternoon and some into the night. Over 1,200 meters of altitude, at least 50 cm of snow is expected.
Traffic conditions will be particularly difficult on the access routes serving ski stations.
Chaining vehicles will be mandatory to be able to drive from 1000 meters altitude.
Pascal Bolot, prefect of la Savoie, invites to the highest precaution and calls on drivers to equip themselves with essential equipment to access the stations.
It encourages drivers who are not equipped with special equipment to postpone, 24 hours, their arrival at stations, from Friday to Saturday. It is recommended that drivers keep a hotel for the night of Friday, December 10th to Saturday, December 11th before arriving at the confluence of the Tarantaise and Maurienne valleys
and to get into the station at the end of the episode."
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Thu 9-12-21 18:18; edited 1 time in total
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FAQ
