 Poster: A snowHead
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Lets get back on topic please folks. There are enough Brexit threads
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I work the lifts in a ski area in the Pyrenees and up to now I still have not got a definitive start date for this season, but once I get an idea I shall post and let everyone know. Now that is on topic!!!
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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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@jimmjimm, point accepted, post deleted.
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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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@abc, yes. I appreciate the posts from locals but I am now only looking sporadically and even then I glance through threads and give up due to every thread being overtaken by debate which has nothing to do with skiing.
I really value SnowHeads and have been given untold advice and help over the years by very generous people. The tone seems to be changing sadly - I hope this is just a temporary phenomenon in response to extraordinary times. I feel myself drifting away from it now, which, TBH, saddens me.
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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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| brianatab wrote: |
@Claude B, Do you know if the resorts are to fully open, or are Bars/restaurants etc to remain closed?
This would effectively mean only open to Locals or day trippers within a local area. |
I don't get this. If you are really keen to ski why would the absence of bars and restaurants put you off.
As I mentioned on another thread I was planning to go out on the 9th (since changed to 31st jan). Im certainly unwilling to go into bars and restaurants here or in Europe, whether it is allowed or not. Same for airplanes, hotels and enclosed lifts. Plus I and my 2 friends were planning to get a test before going and have asked our guide to do the same.
I am told a 1 metre distancing rule is expected, which presumably means only alternate seats on chairlifts used. Distancing on pistes too, I gather, though this doesn't really affect us.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| lynnecha wrote: |
@abc, yes. I appreciate the posts from locals but I am now only looking sporadically and even then I glance through threads and give up due to every thread being overtaken by debate which has nothing to do with skiing.
I really value SnowHeads and have been given untold advice and help over the years by very generous people. The tone seems to be changing sadly - I hope this is just a temporary phenomenon in response to extraordinary times. I feel myself drifting away from it now, which, TBH, saddens me. |
Don’t say that! I only just found it! Although I must say that in my short time here I have found a fair few “political” threads creeping into threads ostensibly about something else; mostly rehashing debates that we’ve heard for the last 4 years. Skiing for me is about escapism and friendship (cheesy I know, it must be all the Christmas films rubbing off on me). There is more than enough opportunity to bash heads about Covid, Brexit, Trump and climate change in the other areas of my life. Geeking out about edge angles, tartiflette and French autoroutes is a lot more fun. 
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| PrinceJohn wrote: |
| Geeking out about edge angles, tartiflette and French autoroutes is a lot more fun. |
You should never edge your tartiflette unless you are semi-professional level or above
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| Pastorius wrote: |
| PrinceJohn wrote: |
| Geeking out about edge angles, tartiflette and French autoroutes is a lot more fun. |
You should never edge your tartiflette unless you are semi-professional level or above |
Thanks for the concern but luckily my tartiflette eating skills are Olympic standard. My skiing on the other hand...
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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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@skimastaaah, Mine too. 
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| PrinceJohn wrote: |
| Pastorius wrote: |
| PrinceJohn wrote: |
| Geeking out about edge angles, tartiflette and French autoroutes is a lot more fun. |
You should never edge your tartiflette unless you are semi-professional level or above |
Thanks for the concern but luckily my tartiflette eating skills are Olympic standard. My skiing on the other hand... |
Nobody cares about skiing when you can wolf down tartiflette like a pro
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| lynnecha wrote: |
@abc, yes. I appreciate the posts from locals but I am now only looking sporadically and even then I glance through threads and give up due to every thread being overtaken by debate which has nothing to do with skiing.
I really value SnowHeads and have been given untold advice and help over the years by very generous people. The tone seems to be changing sadly - I hope this is just a temporary phenomenon in response to extraordinary times. I feel myself drifting away from it now, which, TBH, saddens me. |
100 % agree. For those of us who can only ski one or two weeks a year, and have to plan that a long way in advance it's a great source of info and distraction from everyday life. Until it isn't...
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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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Tartiflette. A bit like Marmite.
Also. There is the usual stuff and there is the patates aux reblochon at “Chez Nannon” above Morzine.
Which is a world apart. And you do need the charcuterie supplement. A reason for visiting Morzine in its own right.
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We are super keen on the info and while Covid and Brexit are relevant to the reopening it would be lovely for everyone to stick to facts rather than being cross or magnanimous. @lynnecha you make a wonderful point.
And, we are where we are........which seems like we may get some skiing.
Forums should be like dinner parties, no religion (unless its Skiing/Boarding) and no politics.
So anyway......we a trying to book with Family ski for our dose of the white stuff and originally were planning to travel early feb and moved to March instead to increase our chances.
Things seem to be changing a lot all the time according to them. The 7th Jan opening date seems to be placatting the ski industry as they've started getting v cross at government.
Still the issue seems to be the high covid rates in both UK and France. We are waiting to be allowed to book only 2 of 3 rooms in a chalet. Our 3rd family needs to book later if at all due to work commitments changing.
Fingers crossed we won't have to book and the last room and fill the room after the fact.
We've all got preschool children so the child care is essential for our ability to have a holiday.
They have put in place some good Covid guarantees so feel pretty confident. Travel insurance we've found a great thread on Monsysavingexpert giving covid cover.
We're choosing to drive as it will give more flexibility too.
My sister lives in France and says they are prioritizing french half terms and easter, so backing up what we've heard so far.
We can't wait to get our snow fix.
As long as people follow the rules, where masks, socially distance and don't mix or travel with symptoms fingers crossed it'll all be fine and dandy.
Personally we won't be après-ing even if the bars are open. As long as the weather isn't bad we'll look to eat outside too.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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| xanderajma wrote: |
We've all got preschool children so the child care is essential for our ability to have a holiday.
They have put in place some good Covid guarantees so feel pretty confident. |
That a joke, right? 
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Tristero, Surprised they haven't enrolled the grandparents to take care of the burdensome children!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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| Tristero wrote: |
| xanderajma wrote: |
We've all got preschool children so the child care is essential for our ability to have a holiday.
They have put in place some good Covid guarantees so feel pretty confident. |
That a joke, right? |
Why on earth should it be a joke ? The statement was made by someone trying to arrange a family ski holiday with a couple of other families, all of whom have pre-school children.
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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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| jonty wrote: |
| Tristero wrote: |
| xanderajma wrote: |
We've all got preschool children so the child care is essential for our ability to have a holiday.
They have put in place some good Covid guarantees so feel pretty confident. |
That a joke, right? |
Why on earth should it be a joke ? The statement was made by someone trying to arrange a family ski holiday with a couple of other families, all of whom have pre-school children. |
Also missed the humour in this? Why shouldn't the kids be looked after in a creche? They'll have a ball, parents get to ski. Unless you mean you're concerned about Covid situation and IIRC u5s rarely if ever get it or are at risk
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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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Don't worry got the joke.
And sadly the grandparents ski so are less helpful than thought. Yeah they love the creche and the older ones are off to ski school......so we may get an hour in a day of skiing between nervous parents dropping off and tantrums and then a boozy lunch!?!
I jest.
We've been put in a holding pattern now as to see if they can take our deposit if it's not for the whole chalet.
Strange times when you try to give a ski company money and they have to do lots of checks.
At least there is lots of snow it seems this year!!! 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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.deleted duplicate
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Tue 15-12-20 13:47; edited 1 time in total
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So just had an update from Family ski: France is looking less likely now. We've just had our hold on our chalet cancelled, we were about to pay deposits, for 7th March but they called to say they aren't taking any bookings now.
So their info from the French government to their business is as follows.
They've said the recent opening date for lifts is a placatting move until the new year, as the french government have said the opening is dependent on decreasing Covid cases and they are rising again in France.
The same applies to getting a travel corridor sorted and London going into tier 3, which will resume after the Christmas Cornafest, was the last straw.
Personally I think they'll open for half term but at short notice so will allow self catering side but will not leave enough time for chalets and even some hotels.
Anyway fingers crossed there isnt too much of a ballooning of cases. Will keep updates coming when they send them to us
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The can't see the lifts reopening on the 7th, I'm pretty sceptical about Switzerland staying open too. I have a eurotunnel booking for 29 December which I made months ago but I am almost certainly going to end up cancelling 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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I have deposits on both February and April HT in the hope one of them happens, more than likely April (if any). Although April is cheaper I'd rather go February but I'll take either.
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The "nobody knows" couldn't be any louder here.
Mrs WoC has been told that her ESF job won't start until February but one of the boys has been offered a liftie job starting at the end of December.
Admittedly these are 2 different resorts in PdS, but both on French side.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@WindOfChange, yeah, exactly. And meanwhile, if you sell any alternative winter sports kit, you could well be doing OK.
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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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But there are a number of pistes open and lifts running here for ski clubs so some lifties working. Most of the pisteurs seem to be.
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| under a new name wrote: |
| ....And meanwhile, if you sell any alternative winter sports kit, you could well be doing OK...... |
Coming soon to a field/plateau soon in Serre Che, think I'm going to outdo the Frenchies as a novel mode of propulsion / having fun in the snow 
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You know it makes sense.
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| Claude B wrote: |
I'm not posting on this thread again. It's got f**k all to do with Brexit, covid testing in UK or any of the normal sh*t plastered over every other post  |
Well said sir!
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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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Some resorts are taking the government advice of contracting their staff, (lifties, pisteurs, dammeurs) and they will then put them on chômage partielle which means the state will take up the majority of the employment costs whilst enabling the ski areas to ensure they will have staff when they are allowed to open. The dammeurs will be working anyway to safeguard the snowpack, and the pisteurs will be working to a certain extent in preparing the resort, putting in place protection around pylons, avvy control etc.
Unfortunately mine hasn’t given me a contract yet! But never mind, I’m loyal to my particular place of work and grateful to have Christmas with the family anyway!
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Poster: A snowHead
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NO!
Commune has just posted this.
RENCONTRE AVEC LE PRÉFET DE L'ISÈRE
Suite à une sollicitation de Christophe Aubert, Maire des Deux Alpes, et de Jean Yves Noiret, Maire de l'Alpe d'Huez, le préfet de l'Isère a organisé le 5 janvier 2021 une réunion à laquelle participaient nos 2 maires, accompagnés de Jean Luc Boch, Président des maires de Montagne, Gilles Chabert, conseiller à la Montagne de la Région, les Présidents des Communautés de Communes de Montagne de l'Isère, et plusieurs parlementaires du département.
L'objectif de cette réunion était de recueillir la position et les attentes des stations face à la promesse d'une ouverture des remontées mécaniques le 7 janvier prochain faite par le 1er ministre.
Notre maire a insisté sur l'importance vitale pour nos montagnes de cette ouverture rapide afin de relancer notre activité, mais aussi préparer et commercialiser les vacances de février et le reste de la saison.
En complément, l'ensemble des participants a rappelé au préfet la nécessité d'une meilleure prise en compte de la situation des entreprises dans les aides gouvernementales et d'une 'régionalisation' des prises de décision pour coller au mieux aux besoins des territoires et à la situation épidémique locale.
Ces échanges ont permis d'exprimer notre incompréhension totale face aux mesures prises jusqu'à présent, et d'insister sur les conséquences économiques et sociales désastreuses qu'elles engendrent dans toutes nos communes.
Le préfet s'est engagé à faire remonter ces informations au 1er ministre dans la perspective des annonces qui vont être faites en fin de semaine. Il a indiqué toutefois que le gouvernement envisagerait d'attendre 10 jours après les vacances de fin d'année afin de mesurer précisément l'impact de celles-ci sur les niveaux de contamination avant de prendre une décision sur l'ouverture, qui se situerait alors entre le 16 et le 20 janvier 2021
MEETING WITH THE PREFECT OF ISÈRE
Following a request from Christophe Aubert, Mayor of Deux Alpes, and Jean Yves Noiret, Mayor of Alpe d'Huez, the Prefect of Isère organized a meeting on January 5, 2021 in which our 2 mayors participated, accompanied Jean Luc Boch, President of the Mountain Mayors, Gilles Chabert, Mountain Councilor of the Region, the Presidents of the Isère Mountain Communes of Communes, and several parliamentarians from the department.
The objective of this meeting was to gather the position and the expectations of the stations vis-a-vis the promise of an opening of the ski lifts on January 7 next made by the Prime Minister.
Our mayor insisted on the vital importance for our mountains of this rapid opening in order to relaunch our activity, but also to prepare and market the February holidays and the rest of the season.
In addition, all the participants reminded the Prefect of the need for better consideration of the situation of businesses in government aid and for a 'regionalization' of decision-making to best meet the needs of the territories and to the local epidemic situation.
These exchanges made it possible to express our total incomprehension in the face of the measures taken so far, and to insist on the disastrous economic and social consequences which they generate in all our municipalities.
The prefect is committed to forwarding this information to the Prime Minister in view of the announcements that will be made at the end of the week. He indicated, however, that the government would consider waiting 10 days after the end-of-year vacation in order to precisely measure the impact thereof on contamination levels before making a decision on the opening, which would be then between January 16 and 20, 2021
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Claude B, You are back.
The plan seems to be to open ski areas where infection rates and hospital occupation is low. That would mean the H.A. and Isere would remain shut for skiing. Maybe the Pyrenees would open sometime during January, perhaps also the Massif Central resorts (with their 2 meters of snow at the moment).
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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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@davidof, yes I'm back from my 2 week break in Lyon
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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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Just bumped into a seasoned seasonaire, and in typical French style, they're already planning a big demonstration at the end of the week in Briancon. As he said, everyone just wants to know either way so they can make plans.
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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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"Should" find out tomorrow at 18:00.................
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Claude B wrote: |
| @davidof, yes I'm back from my 2 week break in Lyon |
I would say "that must have been nice" but with all the restaurants closed I guess it could have been even better.
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@davidof, it was nice, a very different revellion and New Year, African style
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@KenX, all the ‘leaked’ media I’ve read says mid March for slopes and restaurants
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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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@Nadenoodlee, while I can totally believe that, I can't believe any will actually bother opening. Might as well just close the season.
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@under a new name, unfortunately that’s exactly the same outcome we came to. Mid March is done.
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FAQ
