@Rob Mackley, the cold weather should preserve it until then?
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
sbooker wrote:
@ski3,
I’m using an authentic Italian pasta lunch and afternoon gelato as bribery. The kids will suck up the weather I’m guessing.
Anyone want to recommend a restaurant?
@sbooker, No worries. Lots of Aussies in La Rossiere. One 8-9 year old was seated next to me by his ski instructor. A very chatty boy.
Conditions on La Ros side better than La Thuile. If you do venture to the IT side, forget hot chocolate, ask for a caffee corretto con sambuca.
Small pockets of the lightest FR powder still to be had - one example from today (hope you do not mind me posting the link, happy to delete it! Taken by a friend with his crappy phone)
Update.
Big day on skis today. Mainly stuck to the pistes. Spent time in 2000 bowl this morning before moving to the Derby lift area of Les Arcs. The Belette red is a great run for confidence building for the boarder girls. There were very few patrons in this area compared to the 2000 bowl. It’s a moderate pitch with grippy snow.
Had a picnic lunch at the excellent indoor facilities at the top of the Vallandry gondola. The mountain animal museum is interesting and informative. There is an automated beverage machine that serves hot decent coffee and hot chocolate for 1.4 euro. Bonus. Good toilet facilities too.
We spent the afternoon cruising in the sunshine taking in superb views. I’ve discovered the theory that Mount Blanc is often shrouded in cloud is true - despite every other peak being clear of cloud.
Just got back from a beer at Chez Bou Bou. A lively joint. Got to talking to two English chaps who declared the night before changeover day is always big.
We’re headed to La Thuille tomorrow for an Italian pasta lunch. Will be an early start.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@sbooker, if you head to Roxy, make a booking. It is not a huge place. Had lunch there today and loads of people without a reservation unfortunately could not be seated. Some of those who could not have a table booked for tomorrow. Other places do not require/do not take reservations.
Windy today on IT side again. Wind affected slopes - drift snow, on some areas higher up you can see grass.
Two pics to inspire you for Roxy :
Lunch service starts at 12.30 (with reservations), before that - light snacks, caffee corretto, bombardino (see below):
After all it is free
After all it is free
Quote:
The Belette red is a great run for confidence building for the boarder girls. There were very few patrons in this area compared to the 2000 bowl. It’s a moderate pitch with grippy snow.
This is one of my favourite pistes, especially when as you say the snow is firm and grippy. Superb for practicing those GS turns.
The 2000 bowl is always crowded compared to the 1600 - Vallandry side.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Naive Australians underestimate a trip to Italy for lunch.
How hard can it be? It’s changeover day so the hill will be quiet. The perfect opportunity. Free bus from Bourg to Ecudets. Free bus from Ecudets to Bourg.
The trip down the hill on the funicular went fine. Walking along the long platform in ski boots - that’s not too bad also (kids in snowboard boots doing it easy). Couldn’t find the bus with La Rosiere on it as advised. Happens to have Ecudets in a small paper note on the windscreen. A miracle we didn’t miss that bus. Anyway we catch the bus to the bottom lift. Attempt to buy 6 lift tickets but get stuck in a line of punters. Takes at least 20 minutes. We’re freezing as it’s in the shade. Finally get the tickets and catch perhaps the longest /slowest chair up to La Ros. In the shade the whole way. At what stage to extremities fall off due to frost bite?
Have to go into a boulangerie for a coffee to warm up. Getting better. A couple of laps on the La Rosiere side in the sun taking in superb views. This is good. So let’s make our way to La Thuile. We were prepared for the two long drag lifts and our relative novices handled them nicely. We follow the signs to La Thuille. It’s a red run supposedly. With lots of uphill sections (not idea for the boarders). Toward La Thuile we find the iciest pistes I’ve ever experience and I’ve experienced a few good ones (hello Coronet Peak New Zealand). There was no way to get an edge whatsoever. But we press on.
Arriving in La Thuile we find a restaurant. Quaint. Very Italian. We order pizza. Just ok. Tasty with a good crust and toppings but soggy in the middle. Anyway that experience was fine for Jye and Lily who have never been to Italy. Great novelty value.
By now it’s about 2pm. Let’s head back. More lifts and more uphill sections for the boarders. We press on. Get back to the French side and rip down the hill in grippy snow. Excellent. So we head back to the 4pm bus at the bottom of the Ecudets lift. Half way down we see the piste roped off with a closed sign. Other punters are ducking it and we’ve got no way to get home (can’t even get to a lift to get up to La Rosiere to get a taxi). We have to take the closed piste. My wife is horrified. We have to race down over rocks and grass to get the bus. Made it by seconds.
Bus ride to Bourg is great. We’re reflecting on the madness of the last 15 minutes. Spirits are high. We get to Bourg train station. To borrow an Australian term it’s like Oxford Street. (Thank you changeover day).
Another walk up the platform to the funicular. Wow. I’ve seen such a crowd complete with suitcases, bedding, pressure cookers and even a record player. Somehow we get on the funicular with a gazzillion other people. I’m thinking to myself if the idiocy of physical distancing we all experienced. I can taste what the lady beside me had for lunch.
The same process is repeated for the bus to 1800. There must be a limit to the amount of people permitted in a bus.
Be prepared for an adventurous day if you attempt this. Beer never tasted so good.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Wow, what a day@sbooker, glad you all survived it.
La Rosiere and La Thuile, two connected resorts with such differing conditions.
A group of circa 20 Aussies checked out at the same time as us this morning and all were raving about their 2 weeks in La Ros.
Enjoy the rest of your stay. Greetings from a train running at 300km/h, so jealous of you staying longer
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Very entertaining, @sbooker
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.
@sbooker,
Lots of aussie accents in Tignes today. Apparently about 100 race team kids are here for 4 weeks race training.
Hope they brought their woollies it's bloody freezing
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@sbooker, re-read your story. Next time try St Foy for a week. No crowds, no nonsense. Just pure quality, relaxation and smiling at crowds in BSM or at those rushing to big resorts.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@mooney058, I’ll keep it in mind. We’ve had a great time though. Today was just too big.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@stewart woodward, It’s cool that’s for sure.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@sbooker, you won't forget the adventure! It does sound as if you missed the best skiing over there somehow. And the crucial piste closing is very unlucky.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@sbooker, as j b says a story you can dine out on for many years.
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?
@sbooker, character building day, which should stand you in good stead for Chamonix
Good report @sbooker, and certainly helps anyone appreciate how fundamental the sunshine it too us.
I always think advice on here to take that trip doesn't encompass just what's included.
Its actually quite typical of a country border in alpine regions of Europe, reason for that delineating divide is generally serious geographic feature, either very significant ridge, or as here an end of valley pass over to another domain (defendable by Fort etc) all usually having strong weather patterns, exposure.
Quite an adventure though for you. I think I may have favoured a change over day in LA though as it's particularly nice.
Chamonix, obviously a even more serious mountain environment to come can be brutal temperature wise as general routine to another level too in January. Amazing area though.
If weather dictates lower level skiing, many wil advocate Vallorcine at the head of the valley. Similar in that it's a high mountain pass to this one and can be absolutely, astonishing in it's abilities to chill you. Slopes generally reasonably gentle, but you'll probably need all of the clothes you have if windy
The trees in Les Houches are for more "comfortable" given that eventuality.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I haven’t updated this as we’ve been busy skiing.
A big shout out to LaBuche restaurant in 1600. We went there for dinner last night. Very nice and reasonable priced meals. We met friends from USA that I met online. We caught up with them at their home mountain Mammoth in California a few years ago. We skied with them today. We took the cable car to Aiguille Rouge and skied most of the way to Villaroger. Great fun.
My group splits tomorrow. Kylie takes the lads to Geneva and flys back to Oz the next day. I take the girls to Chamonix for a while.
I don’t know how I’ll cope without Kylie who is a organisational wonder. She usually does all the paperwork (flight boarding passes etc). I guess as a mostly functioning 50 year old I’ll have to step up.
Cooking in for our last night in Les Arcs. Big tip. A pack of 6 Nestle Extreme (Cornetto style) ice creams are only 5 euro.
@sbooker, I admire your fortitude in going over to La Rosiere. In almost 40 years of going to Les Arcs I've never tried the Navette to Ecudets. And doing it on a trasfer day as well when the funicular will be at its busiest. A lot of people come to Les Arcs on the train and use the funicular. It can get very crowded when a train comes in.
Quote:
A big shout out to LaBuche restaurant in 1600. We went there for dinner last night. Very nice and reasonable priced meals.
A favourite of mine as well with a small but good menu. What did you have? Another good choice in 1600 is Les Geneux. Its a very small restaurant so like La Bouche booking is essential.
Did the lads, especially the extra one enjoy their trip.
Keep up the blog until the end it makes a good read.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Indeed, keep it coming, interesting read!
After all it is free
After all it is free
@johnE,
I hadn’t had a steak in a while so went with that. My wife had the gnocchi.
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.
Oh. And the boys have had a great time. The cold has been a bit of a shock to Jye though.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@sbooker,
Quote:
I take the girls to Chamonix for a while.
I can't remember whether you've been to Chamonix before?
Compared with Les Arcs and even Tignes, need to prepare the girls for a fascinating but altogether gnarlier experience, I'd say.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
And a lot more disjointed
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.
@PeakyB,
We visited the town for a day while based in Aosta a few years ago. It was an extremely windy day so we had the day off skiing.
I’m far from gnarly. I will have a day in Courmayeur and hope to do the Vallee Blanche. I expect I’ll have a day at Brevent in the sun so I can gawk at the big hill over the valley.
The girls will do a couple of day trips. Annecy, Geneva and I supposed they’ll check out the glacier and catch the train to Martigny or something. They’ll have a day or two on skis/board. We’re only there for 5 days. Then we head to Milan for a couple of days before flying out.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@pam w, I understand this. I also understand it’s not a great location for a wannabe skier but I’m keen to check out the vibe of the place and it’s also not a bad location for non ski activities.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@sbooker,
Quote:
I also understand it’s not a great location for a wannabe skier
I know what you mean. However, if you carefully pick your places to ski, it can be very good for 'wannabe' skiers. An inspirational alpine area, I think. Also serious high mountain terrain, even more important not to underestimate it than usual.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
I know that on here people often major on the buses, but don't find any real impediment to using the area, agree a different concept in comparison to an area you can step out into and not have to remove skis. But surely if there's any good reason to stay in a place that you are not necessarily located in a "step out onto snow" convenience, then this is it. Definitely not to be avoided, one of consicerable stature to have in your ski experience log.
Brèvent giving access direct from town and competently linked to Flegere area in combining all that side of the valley for general piste skiing would make a ski area on it's own.
Plus of course Argentière as another whole discreet area, each considered as a whole day destination sorts out any low valley travel easily.
Obviously vallee blanche as another day out too. The guide really informative in our trip, and makes you feel truly very small against a vast high mountain landscape, skied it in a wooley trouser to for that nostalgic feel.
Absolutely worth getting out on ski/board.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
sbooker wrote:
@pam w, I understand this. I also understand it’s not a great location for a wannabe skier but I’m keen to check out the vibe of the place and it’s also not a bad location for non ski activities.
On my first trip to Chamonix as a novice skier, I fell in love with the place, and decided that I was going to get married in the little church in Les Praz, at the bottom of the Flegere lift. I didn't have a boyfriend at the time.
A few years later, brought my now-husband back to ski there, and thankfully he agreed! We couldn't get married in the church at Les Praz, so had to settle for the church in the middle of the town. Not a bad second choice.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Rois1980 wrote:
sbooker wrote:
@pam w, I understand this. I also understand it’s not a great location for a wannabe skier but I’m keen to check out the vibe of the place and it’s also not a bad location for non ski activities.
On my first trip to Chamonix as a novice skier, I fell in love with the place, and decided that I was going to get married in the little church in Les Praz, at the bottom of the Flegere lift. I didn't have a boyfriend at the time.
A few years later, brought my now-husband back to ski there, and thankfully he agreed! We couldn't get married in the church at Les Praz, so had to settle for the church in the middle of the town. Not a bad second choice.
What a lovely story
I particularly like that Chamonix love arrived first and then the need to get a boyfriend after, hats off and some considerable style too
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?
Update.
We yesterday caught the train/bus from Les Arcs to Chamonix. The girls and I checked out the town and bought groceries in the afternoon. We had a good Indian dinner at Annapurna in town.
Today the girls caught the train up the valley to check out the glacier. Given the day was predicted to be warm and clear I opted to ski at Brevent/Flegere. I’m writing this having just just finished my lunch at a little snack hut with tables and south facing sun chairs. I’m bathed in warm sunshine, am wearing no gloves or hat and have an incredible view of Mount Blanc across the valley. Just wow. So far easily my best solo ski day of my life. (I say solo but I skied for a couple of hours this morning with two nice Irish gents. Their names were apparently Michael and Sean. If they had said one was a Paddy I would have know they were having fun at my expense. I’m still not certain).
The area is probably as steep on average as any ski areas that I’ve attended with perhaps the exception of Snowbird. The difference aside from that is stark as we are above the tree line here and facing direct north. They obviously have to groom the reds with a winch cat. The black runs seem to be roughly the same gradient but are either partky groomed or not groomed. Plenty of punters clearly shocked that the nice manicured run suddenly becomes a bump run.
I’m no great skier but I’m finding that I have to skid turn some areas on the red runs. They really are quite steep in places. There is obviously a tonne of serious off piste terrain for good skiers.
Anyway I’m going to ski now. The south west facing slopes off the sides of the marked runs have softened and are really nice to ski. I expect that will be the case all afternoon. Incidentally I paid 62 euro for a day pass. I’d happily pay that for a lift to the top to check out the view - without skiing.
@pam w, I understand this. I also understand it’s not a great location for a wannabe skier but I’m keen to check out the vibe of the place and it’s also not a bad location for non ski activities.
On my first trip to Chamonix as a novice skier, I fell in love with the place, and decided that I was going to get married in the little church in Les Praz, at the bottom of the Flegere lift. I didn't have a boyfriend at the time.
A few years later, brought my now-husband back to ski there, and thankfully he agreed! We couldn't get married in the church at Les Praz, so had to settle for the church in the middle of the town. Not a bad second choice.
What a lovely story
I particularly like that Chamonix love arrived first and then the need to get a boyfriend after, hats off and some considerable style too
I second that. I hope your beau is a skier too.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@sbooker, to make you feel better Niseko today was -17, 65kph winds, light snow and no visibilty. They stopped the telecabines due to the wind. The slow 2 man chairlifts were a tad chilly. The one man lifts at the top of the resort were closed. Lots of skiers were struggling (well there were only a few dozen out) one was blood waggoned off. I was blown over once. But the powder skiing was good.
@johnE,
Sounds interesting. Two person chairs are often referred to as ‘romance’ chairs in Japan.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Omg @sbooker, your day trip to La Rosiere sounds stressful but hilarious. I’m in Bourg at the moment and was considering the same day trip but decided against it as I’m a bit bussed out at the moment. I think us Aussies try and pack so much in because who knows when we’ll next be back, right? Most of the time it works out but not always. Even if it wasn’t the best ski day it’s a great story.
Not sure if you’d heard but the funicular is broken until at least Saturday at the moment. What was meant to be a genius idea for cheap accommodation in Bourg close to the regular and efficient funicular up the mountain hasn’t exactly worked out that way for me but what can you do.
Yesterday while waiting in the line in Arc 1600 for the bus to Bourg I met a friendly Dutch couple. The first thing the husband asked me was ‘what do you think about the Aborigine situation’ I was lost for words. I am not used to such bluntness and I suspect most Dutch people would also consider it a ride thing to ask. I mumbled something about it being close to Australia Day and something I’d rather not talk about.
After all it is free
After all it is free
@Rois1980, what a lovely story
Similarly I wanted to marry the liftie on the Aiguille du Midi cable car, mostly to avoid the extra charge to get to the very top.
Sadly he declined.
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.
@sbooker, I’m so glad you’ve experienced the Chamonix -Mont Blanc magic. It really is a very special place.
I had one of my best 3 ski days ever from the top of the Aiguille du Midi, long ago. Despite encountering moguls the size of cars, which I hate, the views and feel of the place were breathtaking.
Interesting that you find Flegere-Brevent quite steep. I’d say Argentiere is another step up on the steepness scale, if you fancied that.
Les Houches more comfortable and relaxed skiing.
If you have a car, a day trip to the Evasion Mont Blanc area is different and suitable for all skiing levels.
Keep on keeping on
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@Raven, you’re having terrible luck on the travel front ! Good thing you intrepid Aussies are resilient.
It’s a helluva long and winding road from Bourg to Arcs 1600, with the funicular broken down.
Don’t know if you’ve invested in a lift pass for Paradiski already? If not tied to there then St Foye is a good day trip.
Alternatively the bus to Tignes is another option.
BTW, what do you think of the
Sir Les Patterson situation? Retire or plough on?
Hope your fortunes improve and that you enjoy the Tarentaise.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
I was lost for words. I am not used to such bluntness and I suspect most Dutch people would also consider it a ride thing to ask. I mumbled something about it being close to Australia Day and something I’d rather not talk about.
you’re having terrible luck on the travel front ! Good thing you intrepid Aussies are resilient.
