The view from............ Val d'Isere and the Espace Killy

A snowHead

@Steve Angus,
Wondered if I could pick your brains as I've been down in Haute Savoie since Dec with 2 boys (8 and 10). Managed to get out for a couple of days in Switzerland before they tightened the rules. Wondered what you'd advise as is possible on the French side? I know there are a few carpets open etc but could do with some pointers to which areas are worth a visit at the moment??

Thanks

A snowHead

@savoie stuck, afaiaa there’s zero lifts for the public, only ESF, race training and athletes. The local Club des Sports are able to use limited lifts/Staden de slalom. Join a ski club, not sure what the requirements are?
Val has put up a snow park at the bottom of the Face which looks ace - foot-powered ascents by the look!
Good luck.

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

hawkesbaynz - France isnt in lockdown as case numbers are stable but I'm more concerned about the influx of people locally pushing the cases up after they leave! But agree it could be a long road to the PSB!
j b - Yea sorry but tried to be realistic - I wish I could be more optimistic I really wish I could! Keep those digits crossed!
VolklAttivaS5 - cool glad I answered OK! Yes cases are high indeed! It has bounced about somewhat but currently very high!
PeakyB - quite!!!!! Its a little reckless allowing so much travel I think - the buses are busy / the numbers of holiday makers is off the scale. I dont deny those businesses that aren't getting that much government support and are desperate for the income but I feel that a little gain now will be the end of the season very shortly therefore longer term loss!
GreenDay - perhaps but they're not 'thinking' about it at the moment! What annoys me a little is when the attitude of 'no-one should be considering' (this or that) without considering some of the implications of that - that of committing some persons life and their ability to feed mouths to the suffering pile. The season goes on a long time here so the chance of a few weeks work in lets say April could be the difference between a business going under or not. Also dont forget that by the time next season comes around there will be some of us that will not have had a chance to earn ANYTHING at all for 18 months! With so much focussed on only a few months of the year the ski industry needs every opportunity to earn any chance it can get this season! So for now the chances are not there but hopefully there might become a chance in say April and we will all take the opportunity with two hands I can assure you of that!
PeakyB - haha
savoie stuck - not sure exactly what you are getting at; are you all happy to skin; day trips from HS or something else. What sort of standard are the boys? Basically what are you looking for. I cant really speak about other resorts as such but in reality all you have here in Val is the opportunity to skin up whereas in Tignes you have some carpets open (just for the school hols). So I dont think you'll get what I think you might be looking for. Please message back on here with some more details / specific details and ill happily answer some more.
Grinning - you pretty much nailed it there! But no ESF unless working with FFS racers!

Proud dad

So not only is Olivia just loving here club des sports skiing this week - they are bombing up and down on the La Daille gondola, but she is doing really well. It looks (its cool being able to spy from the front window) like she might be in the stronger group and is dead keen sticking near the front of the group! When I picked her up yesterday she wanted to carry on skiing and was sad when I said that I couldn't / didnt have touring skis on etc! The group have been skiing through some trees, hitting a few little ridges here and there. Being down in La Daille it means the 90 min lunch break is not quite so hectic as it is for others who have to travel by car, collect and go home and back again etc (although today our lifts were out of order so we had to walk up all 8 flights of stairs!!!!)

And Ben is loving his ESF ski lessons in the kids pen - he is now ready (if there was another lift open!) to leave the kids pen thats for sure. Of he goes for his lessons happy as larry! Its giving Clare and I a little chance to get things done in these school holidays too!

I spent much of today doing jobs in town; visiting Credit Agricole, Val Agence, the Mairie and other jobs that need doing!

The weather is a little colder than it has been and we even had a couple of cm's of snow this am but for most of today it has been lovely and sunny! When I took Ben to his ski lesson this afternoon I could not believe not only how busy the bus was (they are only every 20 mins so it part explains it) but also how busy the snow front was.... it feels quite busy amazingly!

They are working hard to entertain those people who are here on holiday and indeed things like a 'walking' band on the snow front or the jump park at the bottom of the Face have been built! The photos give a flavour!

TTFN

Sorry I know you cant really see it properly but there is a makeshift snowpack that has been built at the bottom of the Face

Quite busy on the snow front - couldnt get a 360 picture but trust me it was quite busy!

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@Steve Angus, thanks for the update. I remember our own daughter at that age (skiing just one week a year) being so pleased about the instructor taking her on "off piste" loops through the trees.

She tried to take us on a route she remembered, and either she was in error or the ease of passage was very much easier on kids' length skis!

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

j b - haha happy memories eh! One of the nice things about my 'normal' job is when you see the light in kids eyes and the excitement about doing things that they dont normally do with mum and dad and / or they are happy that they showed mummy and daddy the afternoon before having done it with me the previous morning if you get my drift! Sometimes even the parents are excited! All happy things!

Tired

For some reason I am absolutely whacked today! Nothing in particular just lots of things catching up with me I think!

Anyway the last couple of days have been a lot more shuttling the kids about! Yesterday morning the weather was a little colder again and snowier and we had to get Olivia to skiing (in town again for some reason) for 0900 which was a rush. Ben had a relaxed one and then in the afternoon she was ice-skating which she loves and Ben was at ski school.... he is doing well and loves it - they even built a couple of little jumps for them and he happily shot over them! Got on my son!

Today was different totally as Olivia was spending the whole day snowboarding with club down on Les Boisses magic carpets and had a picnic lunch! The weather was beaming and she seems to have had an amazing day but boy she is beyond tired now! Ben on the other hand is still loving his lessons! It was a very weird couple of days and to be honest the only thing I seem to have done is shuttle the kids about etc!

Meanwhile Clare finally got around to seeing the doc as her knee has been 'coming and going' in terms of pain etc all the way since the small injury she took to it doing some exercise during lockdown one! Over the last 11 months or so there are days and weeks when there are no problems at all and then it gets really bad and then goes again! So she finally decided enough is enough so went to see the doc who has referred her for an MRI in Chambery in a few weeks time.... she is happy with that!

I have made some contact with the mairie regarding some meetings we need to have to try and get our planning permissions through and that in itself was a battle of wills just attempting to get a meeting set up!

Also I am trying to sort through loads of admin at the moment (its never ending).

But apart from that Im just trying to get through day by day.... I think an early night may be the best way forward!

TTFN

My little Club des Sports pro off to race train (at the age of 6 she did her first ski race yesterday!!!! She enjoyed it thankfully - no idea of any results as they didnt tell us but not worried at all)

Strange to see the lift pass ticket office totally boarded up in the middle of the Winter eh!

Today the glorious sun returned and for some reason these two huge tunnel pipe things have appeared on the snow front - we think they may shovel snow inside them tonight so the toboggan run can go through them by tomorrow!!!!

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@Steve Angus,

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Hi Steve, just had to log on to say that Julie & myself think the pic of Olivia, off training with the CdS, is absolutely fantastic. You must be mega proud. Looks like she's been carrying ski's forever - brilliant.

After all it is free

@Steve Angus,

Happy New Year to you.

It's the start of the Chinese year of the Ox which will be a better year than last year which was the year of the Pig!!

@welshflyer, 2020 was year of the rat (felt like a pig though!).

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PeakyB - I know bonkers how cold it got eh! Its currently only about 0C here at 2100!!!!!! That wet snow drizzle stuff falling!
mrkn - Yes I thought it was a good pic too! Mega proud and a half! I caught her at just the right moment so she looks like a pro walking along but she doesn't always carry her skis like that - her shoulders ache she says so often changes to carrying them.... well whatever way she can really! How are you guys - long time no see / speak!
welshflyer / DJL - haha thanks! Anything that gets us into a new year is a good move in my book! Roll on 2022 the way this year is already starting to pan out. Doh!

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

@DJL,

Thanks for correcting my mistake, I can't believe I got that wrong. I'm a Chinese Dragon.

It's colder here in Salisbury than it is in Val d'isere but this morning I get my first COVID Jab in our beautiful cathedral.

snow reports

Half term madness

The Savoie region has forecast slightly less cars than the week before but crucially with so many Parisian 2nd home owners Val was forecasting it to be busier this week than last and indeed it feels quite busy about town! Gulp!

So with the weather getting a little colder but sunnier it feels nice about town. The 20cm or so of extra snow has taken away the 'yellow' look from the Saharan sand we had the other week which has made it look cleaner thats for sure - haha!

On Friday I was so proud as my little man got his next level of badge and he is doing really well but crucially really loving his skiing - yay! Another proud dad moment! Also on Friday Olivia went for a sleep over at one of her friends house. To say she was excited would be an understatement! Haha!

So we had a very quiet Friday evening thats for sure. The weekend since then has mainly revolved around playing on the snow outside either up at the snow front or down here in La Daille, maybe making some fun family memories and really trying to manage energy levels ahead of the week upcoming! Olivia has a whole 2nd week of school hols with the club des sports and we have lucked out as the whole week they are lapping around on the La Daille gondola so the daily commute will be minimal! However on a personal note Apex start back this week so I will be juggling working with doing my bit with the family.! Talking of going back to Apex I need to get a full PCR test tomorrow morning before I start teaching back there so it will be a busy morning as I need to be in town for 0900!

I mentioned earlier that it is pretty busy about town and being the half term week with the Parisians about it is overly busy perhaps! Indeed the little ESF kids beginners area down here in La Daille is open for lessons amazingly - I find it amazing how busy it is here this week - that does not bode well for COVID rates in a couple of weeks time but hey ho!!!!!

The ESF pen here in La Daille today.

Clare and Ben find one of the several igloos that others have dug on the snow front!!!! Cosy!

TTFN

@Steve Angus, cool igloo pic Eh oh!

All hunker down in there until those Parisians have gone home?

Stay safe.

You know it makes sense.

PeakyB - tell me about the pesky people!!!!!

and zooming in closer!!!!

Yes I am gobsmacked about how busy it is!

Sun and skiing

The sun has been shining brightly and will continue to do so all week so it feels really nice out there. I have been lesson planning and spent most of this morning at our little place we rent out as there are big sewage problems (they have been going on for years so its nothing new!). Anyway we seem to have progress forward today thankfully. Wont bore you all with the details but just another thing to sort out!

Olivia continues her action packed school holidays non stop... as an example this afternoon they were up at the makeshift freestyle park at the bottom of the Face - she was so excited about all the jumps they had been doing! Luckily one of the other dads in her group has a mountain bike (electric one) with big fat snow tyres on so he was doing laps towing them all up the slope after each run on a long rope behind - she thought it was the coolest afternoon ever!

Ben on the other hand has been busy too and spent the afternoon with Clare at the magic carpet in Tignes Les Boisses with one his little friends and his mum!

Both kids somehow ended up having a double play date yesterday afternoon too (long story) so basically it has (as usual) been go, go, go this last couple of days!

I am not back to Apex teaching until Thursday so have some more time tomorrow and tonight sorting thankfully!

TTFN

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

@Steve Angus, OMG
The bus queue looks like the Folie has just closed for the afternoon!
Hope they are using the bigger buses on the red route not the little buses they use in summer.

A snowHead

@steve Angus it’s been exactly the same here in la plagne. Huge ques foe the buses doing an aime 2000 to la Roche loop....
Won’t do our figures any good Eh oh!

A snowHead

@Steve Angus, Puzzled

those people stood shoulder to shoulder ...do they all skin up for one run down ?? Or some other cunning way of getting up the hill? Can’t get much elevation by road as far as I recall.

Well at least it sounds like your kids are still having a whale of a time and making some happy memories. Very Happy

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

Lots of resorts seem to have magic carpets running... Can't see how being inside a tunnel with other folk can be deemed safe. Meanwhile, chairlifts, in the open air remain shut. Seems weird!

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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@GreenDay,

I think the emergency exists are normally closed and only opened by pressing a large button.

Have you had any descent snow to ski on at Hillend this winter? I learned to ski there in the early 70s when I was at Uni.

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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@GreenDay, Good point... tho have just had a look at the VT webcam, and none appear to be open. Wonder why - would make sense...

After all it is free

muppet - yes indeed re the Folie kicking out time - my thoughts exactly! No they have been using the full size buses all Winter long thankfully - MUCH more manageable (if nothing else) getting on and off the full size buses with ski gear! But the resort seems like a NORMAL week in lets say January - bearing in mind what is happening in the world it seems madness. Its almost as if the resort know they won't open therefore could not care less and just want to get in as much money as they can now (and in particular a couple of ski schools - no names given) and 'to the hell with the rest of ya' type attitude! As soon as everyone goes home our cases will be off the scale, schools will remain shut and the locals (well some of us) will pay the price. Seems severe but thats how I think it may pan out!
Timg60 - I hear you - desperate!!!!!! Our case level I believe is one of the worst in the whole of France at the moment (commune of Val that is) anyway!
PeakyB - yes my kids are having a good time. The people - they are 99% kids on race courses... so some club des sport kids, some on general race club training and plenty of people (it is mainly kids it has to be said) having the rules bent. As someone said to Clare yesterday (and she is a third generation local so knows her stuff) 'if the parents have the money then they own a place here, they just come here for the week and buy a FFS license for their 'junior' then book a random (no names ski school) instructor who takes them for a ski for the morning, whether they can ski or not' i.e. may not be ANYWHERE near 'race' standard and I have seen lots of snowploughs etc coming down the slope'. It just seems that the 'rules' are being bent sideways - so annoying!
Ricky B - Its weird the magic carpet thing it really is! Yes chair lifts seem safer.... problem is they would have to pull their finger out and manage the lift lines etc!
GreenDay - yes they do and they are trying where possible to keep the doors open! welshflyer - some may be like that but most of the ones around here are just manually sliding (open or closed).

@Steve Angus, re the FFS fiddle, it makes you wonder what’s wrong with people.

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@Steve Angus,

That just shows how observant I am when I'm travelling back up the Lounge on Solaise!

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

VolklAttivaS5 - indeed - bit of a joke id say!!!!! Not a funny joke though!
welshflyer - perhaps a shandy is to blame for that!!!!!!!

We have lift off

Well after a couple of days 'back to the grindstone' as I was teaching a few hours both yesterday and today and with the kids (well mainly Ben) around it has meant some late nights lesson planning. Nevertheless going back to school has been fairly gentle thankfully. Luckily the weather is still very Spring like so the roads have been no problem. Next week should be a busy one as the timetable will be a full one.

Meanwhile each day it has been getting the kids up and Olivia off to club and the highlight of the week was this afternoon as they were allowed to use the airbag that has been installed at the foot of the Face - some really fun videos came out of that!!! One of her friends didnt quite have enough speed and ended up 'splatted' to the uphill side of the airbag which was quite funny to see! Anyway she has been very lucky with the conditions and she has loved every second of the week so hope that enthusiasm continues!

The good news came through today though in that they ARE planning on reopening the schools and creche next week. I was really convinced that schools would be closed for another week or perhaps even more so that is good news here in Val - long may that continue but I am still worried that after all the tourists leave the case rates will be through the roof here and then as locals we will pay the price - hmmmmmmm!

There was some 'excitement' last night in town as an 'elder' went walk abouts. The details are a little blurred but one of Olivias friends Dad apparently reported it to the police as the note left was a little worrying! Anyway the gendarmes, police chopper, fire service were all involved in a late night search in the valley and the PGHM chopper was hovering all over the place (I guess using its thermal imaging camera!) to try and locate the missing person! Anyway after about 5 hours of searching it was called off for the night but at first light this morning and having spent the night in a hut somewhere (not sure what or where) the man returned to his home. Alls well and all that!!!!!!!!

The main even this weekend is to let the kids have some down time before going back to school... but apart from that I am sure we will try and get outside and enjoy the sunshine which will continue to shine!

TTFN

snow reports

@Steve Angus, Always enjoy your posts but not sure if its me but your pictures don't always show. I see this but if right click on the icon and copy the image address into another tab I can see the photo. Anyone else?

@Steve Angus, I just want to say how good it is to be able to read your posts. I really hope next season is a return to normal for you and your family. Smile

You know it makes sense.

Fantastic photo. Captures the traffic jam to the summit. What amused me most was the chap walking DOWN the skin track dedicating all his attention to his mobile presumably googling what nightspots aren’t open.

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

@thefatcontroller, that's your browser or summat. If you have the option to right click you should be able to show images.

A snowHead

@holidayloverxx,

Thanks for that tip. I was having the same issue as the fat controller.

A snowHead

Iski - thank you so much - that is great to hear! Yes I think everyone everywhere hopes that! It cant come soon enough!
Grinning - that made me giggle so much - good spot! It does make you wonder doesn't it!

Not much to report this end here today apart from to say that it is SOOOO warm here that not only was I able to sit on the balcony this afternoon in just a thin jumper having a cuppa BUT at the same time our laundry dried - in a ski resort in February and laundry drying outside! Pretty bonkers!

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

@Steve Angus,

Yes it's warm there!

The Val website is already showing 8 deg C at 0900 this morning.

At least you've got sunshine we're sitting under a blanket of cloud here in Wiltshire.

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Sahara?

With the warm weather and the high pressure pushing up from the south still we were due another Sahara instalment today but it didnt really happen. However it does remain very warm still thats for sure! The kids went back to school this morning (yay!) so it was eerily quiet at home today - first time in silence for a long time! However it was not very nice having such an early alarm call! HaHa.

I spent the day lesson planning as I have a very full week of teaching coming up! I also have to do another evening pastoral duty tomorrow night too at the school - its go, go, go! The kids meanwhile had a good first day back at school which was good and it was nice to get back to some sort of normality that is for sure. Cases seem to be going OK in this corner of France at the moment again so we are hopefully it continues that way - hmmm we shall see eh!

Clare has been busy doing her online learning courses and working very hard on her fitness and since the weather forecast generally at the moment is for sun and more sun she is making the most of being able to get outside for runs etc - it really does still feel Spring like out there!

It was good to catch up with the ski racing from the World Ski Champs over the weekend - just a pity the boy from Pendle couldnt keep on his two feet all the way down. In fact there was GREAT promise from all the GB team in the slalom which bodes well for the future! Meanwhile I am getting excited for the cricket coming up on Wednesday.

I think ill let Radio Val pictures doing the talking today!

TTFN

The billions of people enjoying the outside space - you would not normally see so many people in the Manchet at this time of the year (anytime of the year really!)

It wasnt really too much of a shepherds warning in the end today thankfully

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@Steve Angus, we're enjoying more warmth than for a while here too. Can't see your pics on your latest post. Yes the cricket should be exciting, with over 50,000 in the stadium creating a proper atmosphere. Nice not to have to get up at 4am for the start too, as it's a day/nighter. snowHead

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@Steve Angus, glad the Covid cases are going down and the kids got back to school.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

PeakyB - pics seem to be showing OK for other people - see further up with suggestions how you can get them showing if they're still not showing OK! Yes the lay in was good for the cricket but the cricket itself - doh!!!!!
muppet - yes thanks - long may it continue that way!

Work and more work

Well folks I am not sure how people do all this work business - the hours teaching this week along with family commitments (being a Wednesday today and our kids off school and Clare doing her English lesson for some of the local little kids!) and the countless hours of planning and marking - boy the hours are building up! I have a few hours of planning to get in tonight and then another full days teaching tomorrow.

Yesterday I didnt have that much in the way of teaching hours but what I did have was an evening on pastoral duty and that adds up... trying to get 50 odd teenagers into their bedroom and into bed is no mean feet! When they all have 46 iPhones, laptops, and iPads too and grappling those away from them is somewhat tricky too! Anyway we got them sorted and I got home very late - hey ho!

The weather here continues to be hot, hot, hot and the crowds are all still here so I dont hold out much hope for our case numbers but we shall see.... as long as schools stay open!

Love this photo.

See what I mean!

TTFN

After all it is free

@Steve Angus,

I can't see the pictures either - using a mac

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Aahh..just right-clicked then selected 'Open image in new tab' and can see them on PC now Very Happy

Help!!

The view from............ Val d'Isere and the Espace Killy

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