Tignes and The Espace Killy (Or Tignes/Val D'Isere) 2021/2022. (Useful links updated on Page 1)

A snowHead

@bobski62, Thank you, much appreciated. Will be putting the mini monsters in the car about 7.30 to clear the valley by 10 ish then!

A snowHead

Happy New Year!

Well the roadside webcams look very quiet at the moment and the terraces and slopes look a lot busier than a normal Saturday, so I expect the big traffic issues are going to be later today and tomorrow.

The weather is beginning to change, the high pressure is going to collapse as more unsettled weather approaches (probably, the transition is a little uncertain beyond Tuesday. There will also be a gradual cooling of the temperatures such that by Wednesday normal winter service will have resumed, and some snow will appear to improve the off piste. The depth of the sillon caused by the rain is quite distinct at the bottle of Double Mayhem in VC. This also means that unbroken sunny days will be disappearing for a bit and the wind may become a bit more bothersome.

Tomorrow will be another essentially nice day, maybe a thin veil of cloud at height now and again. Good day for travel which is probably a good thing! Monday will be a bit cooler, especially at altitude where there will be a gusty wind, maybe a bit more cloud as well. It looks like there will be more of a veil of cloud on Tuesday and the gusty wind will be more of a feature across the whole mountain, this may of course change if the transition between the two weather systems alters. Winter will be back on Wednesday with snow showers and sunny spells changing places at high speeds because of the pesky wind. Beyond that its all a bit unsure.

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

Just arrived in Tignes after an early departure from Geneva. Traffic on the way in was moderate…

Valley basically a car park heading out between Aime and Bourg.

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Well done @raino! Today: 30,000 cars coming up the valley and 42,000 heading down. So even splitting changeovers over both days doesn't fix Tarantaise traffic troubles at busy periods.

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Our poor "Tignes and The Espace Killy..." thread isn't getting much love these days, I'm guessing for reasons discussed elsewhere, namely, lack of UK visitors to make their contributions... So, I thought I should put in a quick update.

Skiing conditions off piste remain totally impractical. Either breakable crust or unbreakable crust and neither is tempting anyone. At all. Perhaps if you head up above 2,800m but I haven't and nor has anyone I know.

On piste, a steady improvement from cast iron straight after the rain to pretty nice 'spring snow' conditions today.

Everyone is jolly cross about UK travel ban but retains the hope that it may be lifted soon and we will hear more English voices on the slopes. Covid regs are being tightened but enforcement is getting slacker. And staff absences are showing themselves with closed restaurants and a gappy bus service.

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Does anyone know when the Vanoise lift on the Grande Motte is likely to reopen?

After all it is free

It's been snowing. Looks like it stopped at around 4-30pm. Every little helps.....

It snowed something like 3-4 inches in Val d'Isère, and it was really hard work on a frozen base on steeper runs (not helped by the fierce wind), not to mention the dodgy visibility from time to time. Great for the mellow green / blue runs higher up though.

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As its snowing in the ancient capital of GOC, I thought it was time for another look at the weather. After tomorrow winter is back - yes just in time for transfer day. Its going to be unsettled, cold, windy and snowy in general for the next few days with good accumulations of snow between now and Monday; somewhere between 25 and 40cm would not be an unreasonable guess.

This afternoon will be bright and very cold, but with little breeze. The clouds will start to build through the day tomorrow, its all a bit variable at the moment as to when they will be thick enough to give snow, could be anywhere between early afternoon and nightfall. It will be light at first and the intensity will increase as will the wind, by midnight it should be snowing reasonably heavily with a howling wind. If you were on a tour op bus then the times would be coming forward! Saturday will be cold, snowy and windy, there might be a short respite around lunchtime but it will be back. Expect little open above 2700m, the Funi will be for the brave! Sunday looks pretty similar, just the intensity of snow will ebb and flow again and the wind will be blowing. Monday will be much better, still windy at altitude and the re is debate as to when the clouds will disappear, this will happen progressively, not sure when it will start its progression. But I imagine the pisteurs will be busy Monday morning so a slow start for some lifts and runs. Tuesday and Wednesday are a long way off in this scenario but look much nicer.

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A quick update on parking. Have just updated the info on page 1 with this too.

This applies to Les Brevieres and Les Boisses: as of Jan 2022 these car parks remain free but you now have to display a 'vignette' or parking permit in the window else risk being towed away. The permit can be obtained from the parking information office, ground floor of Maison de Tignes in Le Lac or from the company / lodging hosting you. You need to tell them your car registration and the dates you are arriving and leaving; these are all written on the permit that you get and then place on view beneath the windscreen. No idea why this has been introduced. Initially I thought maybe to help manage snow clearing better but there's no contact info put on the permit.

Parking in Tignes has never been easy but with the mess that once used to be the Grande Motte car park and now extra admin even in the free ones, it's become a bigger ball-ache than ever...

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We're due out in Tignes on the 29th, staying at Hotel Diva. Just had an email from Crystal telling us about building work across the road from the hotel. Anyone able to tell me what it is and is it likely to cause us an issue? Thanks.

You know it makes sense.

@blacksheep, Could be a reference to the Club Med development being built in Val Claret. Much of it on the site of the old Grand Motte car park.

https://tignes.roundshot.com/val-claret/#/

It's the new building on the left of the road as the webcam pans North.

I'm not sure if it's likely to cause any disruption. Much of the external work will have been suspended. Cranes have to be dismantled and removed during the ski season. Maybe someone in resort could update us later.

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

@GeorgeVII, thanks. I've seen Steve mention that work in the other thread and from the email it sounds like it could be what they are referring to as it says the work is internal. Doesn't sound like it's much to worry about then if so.

A snowHead

No that's right it'll be the club med development across road from the diva. The view just won't be the same as in some of the marketing blurb. Doubt they'll be any other issues at all

A snowHead

Thanks Steve. All good then. Plenty of good views once on the mountain. Cool

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

Okey dokey a look at the weather, high pressure is going to predominate until late Wednesday, after which there will be a couple of weak fronts which are causing the various models to disagree over the amount of precipitation. All is back in order for Friday and Saturday. tomorrow should be blue skies and sunshine all day, and there is no reason why Wednesday should be the same. It will be cold at altitude though. The clouds will appear late afternoon and there should be some light snow, these clouds may continue to produce snow into Thursday, then again they may not, the system is that weak. There may even be the odd glimpse of the Sun according to the French model. But it will be windy which may preclude higher lifts and make it fell towards the Baltic, especially above 2500m. Friday will startwith clouds which will then clear to leave another blue skies and sunshine, the same for Saturday.

But in breaking news there may be a live report on Saturday (more likely Sunday)
if
if
if
if
if
if
if
and if.
Now there's a quiz!

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Does that mean you might be coming over, @chocksaway?

Another update on parking (groan). What's left of Grande Motte is now seasonaire-only. TBH I'm fairly sympathetic towards the change. Our season workers need looking after and I've heard that some of their perks are being cut back. And the resort is struggling for staff on all fronts.

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@bobski62, If all those ifs turn to yes, then yes!

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With Jojo apparently retired, who is the go to boot fitter in Tignes now?

Flying over next week and in dire need of a new pair.

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@BobbyJ, I needed some new liners for my boots I ended up going over to Mark at surefoot in VDI. I didn't have confidence in anyone I spoke to in the Tignes shops They offered contradictory info to what I know from talking to the likes CEM and SOLE when they've fitted my boots. Also any drama you can go to any profeet shop(1 IN London) in the world to have sorted.i would have gone to JoJo though had he been in biz still

After all it is free

Looking for something specific for my 44 year old wife. She has never had any formal lessons but can ski pretty much all over most mountains that we've been to - on groomed trails and ungroomed.
Whilst she is capable she lacks confidence to let her skis run and when ski picks up speed she feels she has to immediately wash it off with extremely regularly unnecessary turns. She wants to address this fear. She would be happy with a group situation but she speaks zero French.
We'll be in Tignes mid March. Any recommendations for a ski school that may be able to help?
I don't really want to book too much in advance as we're coming from Australia and a positive PCR at the airport on departure is a real risk. Would it be possible to leave booking lessons to last minute that time of year?
Thanks in advance.

This one gets many positive reviews from snowHeads.

https://www.tdcski.com/tignes/about_tdc_tignes/tignes_ski_instructors.php?gclid=EAIaIQobChMImOGPvf2_9QIVlO5RCh12TA61EAAYASAAEgJjZvD_BwE

March could be busier than usual this year, so you take your chances with late booking. Depends on what happens with travel and Covid restrictions by then.

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@sbooker, I answered inbthe other thread, but Alan Hole at http://www.ski-instruction-tignes.co.uk/

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@BobbyJ, Last twice J have used Jean Charles at Sport 2000 in Lac. Hopefully, I'll find out on Sunday if he is still there.

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You know it makes sense.

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

A snowHead

A snowHead

From experience I wouldn’t recommend Surefoot. My husband had boots fitted by Mark a few seasons ago.
A lot of time was spent trying to get them correct but after weekly visits for adjustments it became ridiculous. He endured them for about 10 weeks.
Surefoot = Sorefoot in our household.

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

@muppet, oh dear, that's not cool. what was the drama with them?
CEM advised me to go see Mark in Surefoot a few years ago. He's done various alterations and mods for me. He generally regarded as knowledgeable and well respected amoung fellow boot fitters

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@muppet, Sounds like a similar experience to a friend of ours as he too now refers to them as Sorefoot Puzzled

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@BobbyJ, I would second Chocksaway's suggestion of Jean Charles @ Sport 2000 (Rue de la Poste). A couple of months into my Season in Tignes I started to develop a bunion on one foot. Saw Jean who eased the shell of my boot out for me. Cost me 10 euros. He said that he'd left room for more tweaking if req'd and to go back if it was still troubling me. I did end up going back again. He eased the shell a little further but also shaved the liner at the pressure point. Sorted! But he wouldn't let me pay him again.

Then at half-term a mob of the family and in-laws came out to Tignes. One of the group was being crippled by his boots. Bought new pre-trip on recommendation from EB in Manchester. I sent him to see Jean Charles. He got an appointment that afternoon and my son took him round there. He was sat in the shop in his socks, boots by feet and waiting his turn, and hadn't spoken to Jean about his foot issues at that point.
Jean walked past him, glanced at his feet and said "wrong boots, you have wide feet and a narrow boot". He blew the shells about as far as he dare and the rest is history as they.

He's also supplied a couple of ski buddies with touring boots (Dalbello) and neither of them have had issues with them.

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@GeorgeVII, That reminds me of my first fitting with Jean Charles. He asked me to remove my socks and roll my trousers to the knee.

"Ahhh you are like me, you have legs like a flamingo!"

Wish my legs could ski like his though....

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@chocksaway, Laughing

Looking like a great effort on the "Streif" for Mnsr Clarey Jnr this morning.

After all it is free

@GeorgeVII, There will be dancing on Rue de la Poste tonight! Maybe tomorrow will not be a good day to have your boots fitted........hic!

Right, the first 4 of the ifs have turned green, so the weather office has relocated, for one night only, to Manchester Airport. And its an easy one! High pressure dominates, so its going to be fine and beaut!
In greater detail, the next 4 days are going to be fine and beaut.

It may feel a little like spring during the day with quite warm temps, but with the clear skies it will still be cold at night, which may lead to some very hard pistes early doors on sunny aspects. The Avi Risk is one and is unlikely to change, unless there is a bit more wind transport than the elves are expecting.

The outlook does not change until the end of the week when it may be windier and a bit more unsettled, but still not much fresh on the cards. Glad I bought off piste insurance for this trip rolling eyes

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@Steve Angus,
Is it realistically possible to catch the bus from Tignes over to Val before morning lesson starts?

Help!!

Tignes and The Espace Killy (Or Tignes/Val D'Isere) 2021/2022. (Useful links updated on Page 1)

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