 Poster: A snowHead
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| Glosterwolf wrote: |
| @kitenski, Well if its icy and more than about 20 degrees my wife and 1 of the daughters forget how to ski so im just looking at the piste and thinking ahead. |
Then the Boulevard and Rhodos via La Tania is the best choice by far. The top of Biche from the top of the Saulire is as tough as the reds to P-du-L for most 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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@jonathancarty, I see that now you have pointed it out. Might be an option, I will see what I think when I ski it.
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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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@Je suis un Skieur, ah ok, thanks for the advice all.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Marcassin red to the Pas du Lac mid station is an easier ski than Biche blue to Saulire Express mid-station. Very similar "steepest" gradient but shorter.
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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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Anyone know why Coqs has been closed for so long?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Electricity bill. Didn't open at all last season.
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| Glosterwolf wrote: |
| Just planning out routes for a family trip in march, it looks like because the saulire cable car is broken, from the top of vizelle do you have to walk up the start of creux if you want to get the pas du lac back down into mottaret. Is that correct? So the only other way back from courchevel on lifts would be going down to lanches? |
No walking required. Just follow the gentle downhill track to the big rock above Creux, on the ridge between Courchevel and Meribel valleys.
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| Bergmeister wrote: |
| Glosterwolf wrote: |
| Just planning out routes for a family trip in march, it looks like because the saulire cable car is broken, from the top of vizelle do you have to walk up the start of creux if you want to get the pas du lac back down into mottaret. Is that correct? So the only other way back from courchevel on lifts would be going down to lanches? |
No walking required. Just follow the gentle downhill track to the big rock above Creux, on the ridge between Courchevel and Meribel valleys. |
I think if I'm reading things correctly @Glosterwolf was considering downloading on PdL which would mean having to climb up to the PdL top station from the big rock which I wouldn't fancy with kids.....
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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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| jonathancarty wrote: |
| I think if I'm reading things correctly @Glosterwolf was considering downloading on PdL which would mean having to climb up to the PdL top station from the big rock which I wouldn't fancy with kids..... |
Exactly
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| jonathancarty wrote: |
| Bergmeister wrote: |
| Glosterwolf wrote: |
| Just planning out routes for a family trip in march, it looks like because the saulire cable car is broken, from the top of vizelle do you have to walk up the start of creux if you want to get the pas du lac back down into mottaret. Is that correct? So the only other way back from courchevel on lifts would be going down to lanches? |
No walking required. Just follow the gentle downhill track to the big rock above Creux, on the ridge between Courchevel and Meribel valleys. |
I think if I'm reading things correctly @Glosterwolf was considering downloading on PdL which would mean having to climb up to the PdL top station from the big rock which I wouldn't fancy with kids..... |
I would definitely NOT fancy walking up to the PdL top station from Vizelle with children - particularly, at the end of the day.
Both Biche and Marcassin / Niverolle can be very intimidating for timid skiers / boarders at the end of the day. The ridge run from Vizelle can be very busy with different level of abilities trying to coexist in a narrow space. I would avoid it.
I would head up via Plantrey and then head down to the bottom of Lanches via Arolles (or the very short Bouc Blanc red) - if the Boulevard is open then you can head towards the top of Rhodos 2 and download to the Chaudanne. Then up Tougnette - get off at the top, turn right and whizz down Perdrix. Granted, it's a long-winded plan but you'll all still be smiling and talking to each other at the end.
If the Boulevard is closed then come down Pic Bleu (there's a couple of steep pitches so take your time) - then ski through the Altiport sector and head for the Altiport 8 seater. That will take you to just above the top of Rhodos 2.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| franga wrote: |
| If the Boulevard is closed then come down Pic Bleu (there's a couple of steep pitches so take your time) - then ski through the Altiport sector and head for the Altiport 8 seater. That will take you to just above the top of Rhodos 2. |
Pic Bleu is a tough run for tired or nervous skiers and more so as it rucks up during the day. Loze is a designated pedestrian lift so if the Boulevard is shut, you'd be better off downloading on Loze than trying to ski Pic Bleu. Send Dad to recce the Boulevard, you only need to go about 30m past the top of the Loze to see if the net is across or not. Or just check the 3V App (though that sometimes shows it as shut when it's actually open - depends if they've updated the App after avi control).
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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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| Je suis un Skieur wrote: |
| franga wrote: |
| If the Boulevard is closed then come down Pic Bleu (there's a couple of steep pitches so take your time) - then ski through the Altiport sector and head for the Altiport 8 seater. That will take you to just above the top of Rhodos 2. |
Pic Bleu is a tough run for tired or nervous skiers and more so as it rucks up during the day. Loze is a designated pedestrian lift so if the Boulevard is shut, you'd be better off downloading on Loze than trying to ski Pic Bleu. Send Dad to recce the Boulevard, you only need to go about 30m past the top of the Loze to see if the net is across or not. Or just check the 3V App (though that sometimes shows it as shut when it's actually open - depends if they've updated the App after avi control). |
Yes, good point. Agreed.
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Great advice, thanks @franga and @Je suis un Skieur
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You know it makes sense.
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To add to the above, while the Boulevard is an easy blue it deposits you on the steepest pitch of Geai, which is very steep for a blue and often firm / icy. In some conditions the best option is to continue straight on (off piste) to the Saulire mid station rather than turning right down Geai. That off piste is currently pretty polished though, so no easy options to get from the end of the Boulevard onto the Blanchot green. Downloading on the Loze chair recommended if you want an easy life.
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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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| kitenski wrote: |
| Anyone know why Coqs has been closed for so long? |
Only open peak weeks this year, and theoretically being taken out next summer (I believe the Chenus refurb due next summer is meant to take up some of the volume of traffic...)
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Poster: A snowHead
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| snowrider wrote: |
| To add to the above, while the Boulevard is an easy blue it deposits you on the steepest pitch of Geai, which is very steep for a blue and often firm / icy. In some conditions the best option is to continue straight on (off piste) to the Saulire mid station rather than turning right down Geai. That off piste is currently pretty polished though, so no easy options to get from the end of the Boulevard onto the Blanchot green. |
That's interesting. I haven't been out this year yet but I thought they'd officially extended the Boulevard to carry on across Geai to meet up with Blanchot. It's marked that way on both the 3V App and the 3V piste map (and has been since at least 2020) but maybe they can only do it with a certain snow depth and there isn't enough at the moment? I was sure I'd seen that path extension but now I'm wondering if my mind is playing tricks on me. Older 3V piste maps show the Boulevard as finishing at Renard, let alone Geai.
I've just checked the Meribel only piste map and that does indeed show it still terminating at Geai, and the two piste maps don't correlate!
https://www.latania.co.uk/skiing/maps/2024/3v.pdf
https://www.latania.co.uk/skiing/maps/2024/meribel.pdf
So agreed, a download on Loze, up Altiport, a bit of Blanchot and a download on Rhodos would definitely be the easiest way to go.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| offpisteskiing wrote: |
| kitenski wrote: |
| Anyone know why Coqs has been closed for so long? |
Only open peak weeks this year, and theoretically being taken out next summer (I believe the Chenus refurb due next summer is meant to take up some of the volume of traffic...) |
Please don't tell me we are going to lose the pink bubble ....
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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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3-Valley hivemind, hopefully you can help with a few questions. I'm thinking about a day trip to Courchevel on Thursday, and rather than buy a full price lift pass I was wondering about the Courchevel Mini Pass (€35.50).
It appears to cover a large middle area incorporating 1850, 1550 and 1300, up to the top of the Pralong chair. And then the Ariondaz gondola in 1850, and finally the La Tania bubble and Bouc Blanc chair above 1350 (I think they're calling it 1400 these days).
My plan would be to start in the La Tania zone, then later ski across to the 1850 area (by gravity - no lift required). Then if time, could hop on a free navette from Aquamotion to 1650 to explore that area. After lifts shut, free navettes back to La Tania.
It seems like a huge area for the price - is there a catch? Obviously the highest lifts are excluded, but there's a good mix of run grades and 1,000m vertical still available. Or is there a better lift pass option?
Also, some specific questions:
- where should I park either in Le Praz or La Tania? (Are there free options?)
- are the navettes between resorts free regardless of the lift pass you have?
I've skied the 3 Valleys a long time ago and will surely be back properly at some point but this would just be a taster - and for my partner, who hasn't been before.
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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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| denfinella wrote: |
| And then the Ariondaz gondola in 1850, and finally the La Tania bubble and Bouc Blanc chair above 1350 (I think they're calling it 1400 these days). |
Ariondaz is in 1650, now Courchevel Moriond. Le Praz and La Tania are now Courchevel Le Praz and Courchevel La Tania respectively. Bouc Blanc is above La Tania, not Le Praz. Le Praz used to be known as Courchevel 1300 until Google Earth proved to everyone that almost all of it's at 1,250m. 
| denfinella wrote: |
| My plan would be to start in the La Tania zone, then later ski across to the 1850 area (by gravity - no lift required). Then if time, could hop on a free navette from Aquamotion to 1650 to explore that area. After lifts shut, free navettes back to La Tania. |
That all works.
The pity is that with the freezing level so high (I'm not there at the moment, but) I'd be amazed if the best late-in-the-day snow isn't under the Bouc Blanc lift and for sure the reds will be more skiable than the ones above Le Praz. I could quite happily spend the last couple of hours just doing the various circuits off La Tania and Bouc Blanc (and frequently do). La Tania is also the last lift to close (at 16:40), unless you count Le Praz and Grangettes staying open for pedestrians.
So I'd be tempted to park in the Alpinium in Le Praz and start and finish the day there. Means a bit more faff though - you'll have to take the bus from Le Praz to LT at some point rather than ski. The bus stop's right outside the Alpinium though and you can ski back to Le Praz from the LT gondola. Or you could finish the day going right to the top and skiing the Eclipse (Men's Downhill) home - if it's open all the way down, which is a big if. I think the top half is open at the moment but not the bottom.
| denfinella wrote: |
Also, some specific questions:
- where should I park either in Le Praz or La Tania? (Are there free options?)
- are the navettes between resorts free regardless of the lift pass you have? |
The Alpinium in Le Praz is chargeable but right under the lift with nice changing rooms, the two open air public car parks in LT are both (I think) still free and about a 200m walk. All buses are free, full stop.
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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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| franga wrote: |
| jonathancarty wrote: |
| Bergmeister wrote: |
| Glosterwolf wrote: |
| Just planning out routes for a family trip in march, it looks like because the saulire cable car is broken, from the top of vizelle do you have to walk up the start of creux if you want to get the pas du lac back down into mottaret. Is that correct? So the only other way back from courchevel on lifts would be going down to lanches? |
No walking required. Just follow the gentle downhill track to the big rock above Creux, on the ridge between Courchevel and Meribel valleys. |
I think if I'm reading things correctly @Glosterwolf was considering downloading on PdL which would mean having to climb up to the PdL top station from the big rock which I wouldn't fancy with kids..... |
I would definitely NOT fancy walking up to the PdL top station from Vizelle with children - particularly, at the end of the day.
Both Biche and Marcassin / Niverolle can be very intimidating for timid skiers / boarders at the end of the day. The ridge run from Vizelle can be very busy with different level of abilities trying to coexist in a narrow space. I would avoid it.
I would head up via Plantrey and then head down to the bottom of Lanches via Arolles (or the very short Bouc Blanc red) - if the Boulevard is open then you can head towards the top of Rhodos 2 and download to the Chaudanne. Then up Tougnette - get off at the top, turn right and whizz down Perdrix. Granted, it's a long-winded plan but you'll all still be smiling and talking to each other at the end.
If the Boulevard is closed then come down Pic Bleu (there's a couple of steep pitches so take your time) - then ski through the Altiport sector and head for the Altiport 8 seater. That will take you to just above the top of Rhodos 2. |
I still get somewhat psyched out by Marcassin and Aigle - never enjoyed the ski down from that side of Saulire. I’ve also never ski’d Biche as I’ve been heading back to VT most times.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Je suis un Skieur, thank you for your detailed reply, that's really useful. And sorry for the mixups with altitudes / names, it's confusing that everything's renamed since I was last there 20 years ago!
If it's like the other nearby areas, the best snow is currently on gentler slopes which catch more sun. Anything steep and north facing has been bulletproof at all the resorts I've visited this week.
Will report back afterwards in the trip reports subforum 
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Will be skiing from the 3rd till the 8th this coming week. Staying in Courchevel. What are the best runs in Courchevel and Meribel at the moment? Also, any recommendations for places to eat on the mountain and also in Le praz at resort level?
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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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Just in case it is helpful to anyone on this chat - we've just been out in the 3V for 3.5 weeks and today is our last day skiing until March (we go back to the Uk to avoid February half term crowds) - so here's my take on the conditions and where is enjoyable just now.
1. The lower slopes aren't slushy but are mogully and sugary - in all 3 valleys. The run into Mottarret is catching a few people out - not recommended for beginners or anyone who isn't confident on moguls and good turning.
2. Jerusalem (top of Tougnette 2 down to St Martin Express lift) has been excellent this last few weeks - I half expected it to be pretty horrible/icy but it's been well maintained and is lovely and quiet. Excellent skiing there this week. Plus some nice sunny lunches at Corbeleys.
3. Staying high in Courcheval has been fantastic skiing - Particularly off the top of Saulire or Signal (1650 side).
4. If you are staying Meribel - try the Morel lift and a quick ski to the bottom of the Altiport lift. It avoids the Chaudanne - Warm up on the Altiport green then off to the loze lift to Courcheval for the day. Head towards the Biollay lift and ski around there - the slopes are good. I haven't had an issue with returning to Meribel via Pic Bleu this season - its been a good run down.
5. I'd avoid skiing back into the Chaudanne (the run from Mottaret is ok) if possible - especially with children during half term. Its never particularly good and its a bit treacherous for beginners/intermediates at the moment.
6. New snow looks like it's arriving next Friday - and with temperatures dropping significantly - any half term skiing should be great.
7. Finally ski through lunchtime - empty slopes and a nice gap between ski schools.
8. Happy to answer any questions - we live in Meribel in the winters so know the area.
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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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Yes we do
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You know it makes sense.
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Great day around Courchevel today despite less sunny weather than earlier this week.
Snow is in pretty good condition and certainly better than many of the Haute Savoie resorts closer to Geneva.
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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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Evening heads...
We maybe looking at a week away end of Feb / early March up in VT...how are the conditions looking?
Reading mixed reviews on social media atm
LB
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Poster: A snowHead
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@leeboy, see the post directly above your question!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@snowqueen50, I know the half term in England starts on the 12th. Do you know when the French half term is or if next week gets busier? We are going tomorrow for a week.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Joehdhchdhd FR holidays start 10/2
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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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17-24 will be v busy - it has GB + 2/3 of the Fr half terms including Paris. Which means the 3V and Val d’Isere will be very very busy
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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But unlike some previous years, perhaps only half of GB? In the south-east, for example, Kent, Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire all have the previous week.
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A question for the 3V Hive Mind.
Does anyone know what happened to the Plattieres 2 lift ? (in Mottaret)
Why its gone and been replaced by Bouquetin ?
It carried on after Plattieres (1) and took you over the "3 Marches" peak. More importantly it gave you access to a big powder field up high on that ridge to the left of Ibex as you come down. To the right of Ibex as you are on the lift/look at map. You can still see some of the big Pylons that have been left there.
Was it high winds at altitude ?
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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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| UtahGetMeTwo wrote: |
A question for the 3V Hive Mind.
Does anyone know what happened to the Plattieres 2 lift ? (in Mottaret)
Why its gone and been replaced by Bouquetin ?
It carried on after Plattieres (1) and took you over the "3 Marches" peak. More importantly it gave you access to a big powder field up high on that ridge to the left of Ibex as you come down. To the right of Ibex as you are on the lift/look at map. You can still see some of the big Pylons that have been left there.
Was it high winds at altitude ? |
I'm confused... 
Plattieres 1 and 2 were replaced by Plattieres single gondola that covers more or less the same route as old 1 and 2 (but with no mid station). Plattieres 3 was replaced by Bouqetin chair, which terminates in the same spot as the former Plattieres 3 gondola (ie at the top of 3 Marches, next to the restaurant).
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apologies - it's Plattieres 3 i'm thinking of. Do you know why it was replaced by the Bouquetin chair.
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FAQ
. Although for both I last visited 4 years ago!
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