 Poster: A snowHead
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Absolutely, great result from some very cool headed and well trained people
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@boredsurfin, @Layne, @chopkins13, Thank you for reading and for the kind replies.
Snowing at the moment in Bellecôte.
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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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Snowing big lumps of snow in Montalbert as well at the moment
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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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Bucketing it down with snow this morning. Good few inches of powder on the pistes. Beautiful conditions and so much quieter than previous days. Imagine will be bumpy and scraped in the usual places later on this afternoon.
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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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What’s the vis like up there ?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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looking forward to being there next week
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| boulevardier wrote: |
| What’s the vis like up there ? |
Who said that? 
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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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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Frosty the Snowman, Who knows.... 
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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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| boredsurfin wrote: |
| boulevardier wrote: |
| What’s the vis like up there ? |
Who said that? |
I’m getting vaguely travel sick just looking out of the window in this white out !
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Its still snowing steadily in Montalbert despite the temperature increasing to +2c
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You know it makes sense.
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Yep still snowing up here in Belle Plagne. Visibility comes and goes. Ended up slightly off-piste coming down from Arpette as lost sight of piste markers at one point! Been great fun though, so much snow around. Home tomorrow for us though, then nothing to do but watch the webcams for 3.5 weeks until I return 
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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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Looks like one week of my March trip will be the last week of French school hols (Zone B if that makes a difference). Any guesses as to how busy this will be compared to the mad Feb half term week/Paris holiday week(s)?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Thinking about La Plagne for a mid-week trip at end of Jan - Is Belle Plagne best part of resort for ski in/out and accommodation?
What's the bar/restaurant situation like there - don't need lively apres just nice to walk out for a beer or glass of wine of an evening for a change of scenery from the hotel.
Any recommendations for appartments or hotels gratefully received
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Ruswit wrote: |
| Looks like one week of my March trip will be the last week of French school hols (Zone B if that makes a difference). Any guesses as to how busy this will be compared to the mad Feb half term week/Paris holiday week(s)? |
I did HT a couple of years back as my options were limited by other factors. It was liveable. You certainly need to be tactical/aware of where and when things will be at their worst - and obviously try to avoid. You also just need to have a bit of patience. A lot of the lifts are high capacity and the wait times not as extreme as you might first fear.
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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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| ol_smokey wrote: |
| Thinking about La Plagne for a mid-week trip at end of Jan - Is Belle Plagne best part of resort for ski in/out and accommodation? |
All are pretty much ski in ski out. Often it's down to the precise location of the accommodation has to how easy it is.
You can usually figure stuff out from online ski station maps.
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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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Evening snowHeads, looking for some advice ...
Heading to La Plagne in early Feb, staying at Odalys in Plagne Villages
Because of flight times (to Lyon) I've to rent a car which I haven't done one any previous ski trips, I've no experience of using snow chains (not needed in Ireland!)
Will I be able to drive to Plagne Villages, do they keep the road there open to cars through the season?
Should I request snow chains from the rental company and have them put them on in advance or would I be okay without?
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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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| ol_smokey wrote: |
Thinking about La Plagne for a mid-week trip at end of Jan - Is Belle Plagne best part of resort for ski in/out and accommodation?
What's the bar/restaurant situation like there - don't need lively apres just nice to walk out for a beer or glass of wine of an evening for a change of scenery from the hotel.
Any recommendations for appartments or hotels gratefully received |
We stayed in Belle Plagne - lovely little place, all ski in ski out and lots of great slopes nearby. We booked our apartment through airbnb. Plenty of restaurants and bars - we had one meal at La Godille which was very good!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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PatrickK_ie, welcome to Snowheads and the most excellent La Plagne thread.
In answer to your questions:
1. You will be able to drive to Plagne Villages, they do keep the roads open to cars through the season. BUT, if there has been recent big snowfall you may well need to use those chains.
2. Presence of snowchains rather depends on who you rent your car from. If you rent from the Swiss side at Geneva airport there will be snow chains in the boot. A good idea to check they are really there, and that they are intact. Even better, if you have the patience and gall, then you could try putting the chains on before setting off - there should be instructions. You will probably get laughed at.
For other companies you may need to ask. Some companies can even provide winter tyres. You pay for the privilege.
Good luck.
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All of the altitude villages (aime 2000, Bellecôte, Plagne Centre, 1800-soleil-villages, Belle Plagne) are either on or very near to the slopes. I put them in order of least esthetically pleasing to most esthetically pleasing there. The most lively places with a few bars and restaurants would be Plagne Centre or the lift linked Belle Plagne/Bellecôte @ol_smokey but every village will have some.
@PatrickK_ie, The weather is unpredictable this far in advance. They try to keep the road as clear as possible but it will sometimes be white and snowy and slippery, such as today. It's not possible to say that you won't need chains. The probability of you needing them is low, but it is possible. They will deliver a leaflet with instructions for use with them should you need them.
It snowed hard all day, still some light precipitation coming down right now in Bellecôte. Tomorrow, more snow and a rest day after 2 continuous weeks teaching 
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Had dinner at the Matafan when we stayed there last year which was very good. Also had takeaway pizza from La Cabane one night which was good but make sure you order well in advance of when you want it, ours took about 90 minutes from ordering.
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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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| PatrickK_ie wrote: |
Evening snowHeads, looking for some advice ...
Heading to La Plagne in early Feb, staying at Odalys in Plagne Villages |
Hi Patrick ,
Snow chains are horrible to fit, I understand so your concerns are entirely reasonable .
Travelling from Lyon to La Plagne though involves about 100m on the autoroute to Moutiers so it would almost certainly be a bad idea to have chains pre fitted (even if the rental firm were prepared to do so ).
It would be worth asking if they have cars fitted with winter tyres which would be fine on the motorway and would have a sporting chance of getting you up to the resort if the road isn’t too bad . They hava a 3 peak mountain symbol on them so you can check . In the past though we’ve found that this wasn’t a possibility at Lyon but in fairness that was some time ago .
If not , then you will need chains or snow socks for the bit up the mountain . This is now a legal requirement and the police do check . With a bit of luck you won’t need to put them on but you do have a lot of bends to go round for plagne villages and if there is recent snow you might need to use them .
I hope this helps a bit and hope you have a lovely time when you are here !
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@Layne, So this won't be British half terms thankfully, my understanding is the mad week will be in the latter half of Feb, I skied that last year and it wasn't amazing tbh. The other half has only been 4 or so times and really struggled with some of the blue runs that serve as a thoroughfare for getting everyone back to their respective resorts at the end of the day as they were obviously crowded and quite mogully.
Essentially I always hear the Paris weeks are the ones to dodge but have no clue about Zone B and how bad that gets.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Ruswit, yeah, I get that it's not the worst of weeks but still a peak aka busy week. Would probably be similar to Christmas week just gone, when I was there. Either way my comments apply. It will not be a quiet, never queue for a lift or you have the slopes to yourself week, that is for sure.
I can certainly imagine your other half's displeasure. I can't say as I enjoy it myself and I pick my pretty carefully.
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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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| Quote: |
Travelling from Lyon to La Plagne though involves about 100m on the autoroute to Moutiers
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It's a lot further than that. Over 150km.
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Traffic queueing to get out of Belle Plagne this morning - we have been queuing since 8:15am and are still in Belle Plagne 30mins later! Must be a blockage on the road plus volume of traffic. Hopefully we will make our 14:30 flight from Chambery!
Good luck to anyone else trying to leave today.
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You know it makes sense.
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On the move now. Was just coaches blocking the road. Road down the mountain is clear of snow after Plagne 1800. Lots of people driving too far down with chains on, including one who had shredded their tyre!
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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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@chopkins13, Good to hear you are moving hopefully it will stay that way
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Poster: A snowHead
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@boredsurfin, 2.5hrs to Chambery so not too bad at all considering 30mins of that was getting out of Belle Plagne! Chambery airport the usual scenes of chaos and bodies sat on the floor everywhere.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@chopkins13, Well done that sounds perfectly normal
PS. Cloudy and low viz here so you are not missing much...
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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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Chambery run was uneventful for me. Snow tyres made a difference otherwise it would have been chains on to leave village.
Daughter reports airport ok except security who insisted even phone charge cables taken out of bags. Their 4 bags went through in 7 trays!
Snow report, around another 4 ins overnight, snowing now, low viz, low cloud ....
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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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@boredsurfin, They were certainly militant about trays at Chambery security but I got away without removing charges etc. great to hear the snow is continuing to fall. Roll on 1st Feb.
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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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Hoping Geneva is more reasonable. I purposely stopped booking flights via Chambery some years ago given it's a 50% hit or miss on landing there. It's also not a great place to be if there's a delay. I'm on holiday countdown now, fly out next Saturday, bring on the snow!
Just got to make it through my work diary this week.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@chopkins13, Its a repeat of Friday and Saturdays weather today. Radio La Plagne are saying the same weather until Wednesday - so there will be plenty for Feb 1st I reckon
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| Russeh wrote: |
| Hoping Geneva is more reasonable. |
A lot of people slating Geneva on Facebook yesterday.
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@boredsurfin, Looking at the webcams it looks like a decent amount has fallen since we left yesterday morning?
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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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@Layne, Yeah i expect so, but then it was change over day for the busiest week of the year. Checkin/Security can be painful at times but i've never been diverted flying here (touch wood!)
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@chopkins13, Indeed there has - Montalbert is almost all white again
Still lightly snowing now, we are still in the clouds, vis is about 100yds max.
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FAQ
