 Poster: A snowHead
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Well, actually, today was completely different. Hardly any crowds where we went.
Maybe was coz day started murky with lots of snow, but then around 9.30 the snow stopped and the sun came out.
Straight onto Bergerie, only 5 minute wait for Arpette lift (why is the fun slope closed?), and over to blissful Crozat area in no time.
Day became changeable after lunch, and noticeably colder. Maybe that kept the punters in their apartments, or maybe lots left yesterday.
We'll find out tomorrow, which is forecast to be a lovely sunny day.
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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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Looks lovely this morning.
Clear blue sky, and it snowed some last night - was snowing quite heavily as we went to bed.
Should be a good day, as long as the crowds go somewhere else 
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Well, today was wonderful - just wonderful.
At least 20cm snow in the night, and today was wall-to-wall sunshine.
Snow was fluffy, and we managed first tracks in lots of our favourite places.
Only crowds we met were at Borselier and Verdon Sud lifts mid-morning.
Gave Borselier a miss and went with Verdon Sud - only waited 5 minutes or so.
This side of the ridge much quieter. Lots of fun on Mercedes and Morbleu.
And i have to re-write my review of the 360 restaurant at the top of Montalbert Gondola.
Slated it in 2 previous posts. Advised by skichampcouk it was much improved, we tried it today.
It was excellent. Friendly service, good large pizza for €8.50, loos sorted, nice Rosé.
We will go again.
(also must add that Mrs skichampcouk was skiing wonderfully today  )
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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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@Jonpim, I seemed to encounter lift queues everywhere I went in La Plagne today. Never experienced anything like it. I think a lot of people had picked today to go from Les Arcs to La Plagne, which was probably the main problem and completely unsurprising considering the perfect conditions. Came back early, eager to try the Esselet again on my way - I think it's one of my new favourite runs.
Given the improving reviews of that restaurant, I shall give it a try. Hopefully the slopes and lifts will be a bit quieter next week.
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Alastair, i think its a matter of being in the right place at the right time.
There were not queues at Verdon Sud or Borselier at 10.00, but we made the mistake of a long coffee break at the Borselier restaurant, and by 11.00 the queues had built up.
But when we got over the ridge, there were no queues at Verdon Nord (so 2 runs on Mercedes), and no queues at Becoin, Crêtes, Envers, Adrets, or Montalbert Gondola, but by then we were skiing through the "lunchhour" of 12 to 2pm.
But after our late lunch (3pm), there was only a short queue on Colorado, and the run down to Plagne Centre and on to 1800 was pleasantly people-free.
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Dull day yesterday: we went shopping.
But did notice for first time this season (?), all lifts were running, the glacier was open, and ALL blacks were open, including Rochu and Bellecote.
Just a pity its probably going to rain today.
Edit: seems Glacier closed today 
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I think it was mentioned earlier in the thread but just to confirm:
If you buy a 6 consecutive day Paradiski lift pass (or more) from the lift pass company (office or online) you get a half day free on the preceding day i.e., the day before you request your lift pass to start (active from 12h30). But if you get your lift pass from a host company, such as an agency/immobiliere/chalet company then it will be the following day from when you request the lift pass until i.e., the departure day.
This is very frustrating for us because we normally arrive late morning and ski the full day on departure. Does anyone know what time the deal expires on departure day i.e., when the lift pass will stop working? Presumably if we want to do a full day we'll have to buy another 4 hours at the relatively expensive 43 Euros.
This is a bit of a pain and I don't quite understand the logic of it.
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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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Hi @Layne, We ve got ours through peak retreats at Easter and they have requested for the free half day to be on the Saturday afternoon on arrival. Im still not confident that this is what we'll receive but I have confirmation from them to indicate this is what we re getting, but I guess we'll find out..
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It's been a bit busy here today but great conditions and heavily snowing now!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| jubnut wrote: |
| Hi @Layne, We ve got ours through peak retreats at Easter and they have requested for the free half day to be on the Saturday afternoon on arrival. Im still not confident that this is what we'll receive but I have confirmation from them to indicate this is what we re getting, but I guess we'll find out.. |
I don't think I am going to get anywhere with the immo. Will probably samediski the first Saturday and ski till the pass runs out the second Saturday. Might ask at the lift pass office if there is a way of swapping the two but I suspect a Gaelic shrug will be forthcoming.
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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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Question for La Plagne experts please; I need to get from Plagne Soleil to Oxygène Belle Plagne meeting place (in the centre of Belle Plagne) for 9.15 in the morning (9.30 at absolute latest) for a SCGB instructor-led guiding session. Piste map suggests a minimum of 2 lifts involved; either the little drag at Soleil and then the first stage of the Roche de Mio, or the Bergerie chair and same first stage of R d M. Any views on which is likely to be the most reliable route and whether the lifts will open early enough to make it easy to make the meet time? Many thanks
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Hi @swoafs. Ski down to Bergerie and take the chair. (The drag is above Soleil.) Ski over to Bellecote and then up the Roche de Mio. 15 mins is ample and lift openings are pretty punctual IME.
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You know it makes sense.
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@swoafs, The RDM gondola queue can be quite long. You can also get there from Arpette or Blanchets. You can also cut across from the restaurant you pass by ( trieuse ? ) take the track to the Col de Forcle drag, then jump off at the first corner to avoid Bellecote altogether.
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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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Thanks both; most helpful; things like the cut through to the Col de Forcle that don’t look possible from a piste map but on-the-ground knowledge knows it is possible which is fab.
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Poster: A snowHead
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We’ve just had the same discussion/argument with our chalet company about the extra 1/2 day as we’ll be arriving early in Sat and want to ski straight away. In the end to get the sale they are buying us 7 day passes but we are getting 8 passes so helps them with their quotas - I was happy to go to the lift office myself. Seems daft to have 2 different options.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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More advice from the experts please; if this amazing season continues in the current vein and there’s snow but with a relatively high snow line, which runs tend to have half decent visibility? Obviously a pay-off between skiing blind and skiing in the rain, but any particular tips for making the most of it? I always find a covered chair or gondola for the way back up helps too!
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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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Interesting you mention "skiing blind", last week we were in La Plagne and there a number of Blind Skiers with their guides around Aime - absolutely amazing, very inspiring!
Going down to Montalbert is good when its snowing as it's tree lined and a bubble back to Le Fornelet. Also Les Coches, tree lined with a bubble half way back. Champany home run has good visability, but a little narrow, they is bubble back - this was the 8year old's favourite run! We were able to ski down to the bottom villages no problem through the week, the only slushy snow near the bottom. It didn't feel like mid March skiing.
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Well, conditions just fantastic here in La Plagne just now.
Dull dingy day, not exactly enticing, so we didn't head out until after 11am.
So glad we did.
Few people about, and all runs in superb condition.
And with yesterday's snow plus staying cold, the off piste within the resort area is exceeding lovely.
Glacier area shut yet again - its been hardly open since beginning of March - when it does open it should be wunderbar.
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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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@Jonpim, Thanks for that. I've now been waiting 10 hours for my flight, so that really made me feel better 
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Thanks @MelH for the ideas; those sound great. As for the blind and partially sighted skiers, I’ve been watching their events at the para olympics; absolutely incredible.
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@Jonpim, Got here early this PM eventually ! Got into Grenoble at about 10pm from an 8-20 am flight .
At least no chains needed
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Well, eblunt, at least you have picked the right week.
People round here reckon they can count the number of bright sunny days this season on one hand.
According to most weather forecasts, you are going to get maybe 4 of them: starting tomorrow.
Pistes are in excellent condition. Its staying cold. Off-piste within the resort still has lots of untracked fluffy snow.
And if you are really lucky: they will open the Glacier area at last.
Enjoy.
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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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The Glacier was open last Wednesday, we had gloriously sunny afternoon there. The free ice cream was excellent (and the skiing not too bad ;-0).
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| Jonpim wrote: |
People round here reckon they can count the number of bright sunny days this season on one hand.
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And it's doing my head in! Lets hope the decent week does materialise....
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Jonpim wrote: |
Well, eblunt, at least you have picked the right week.
People round here reckon they can count the number of bright sunny days this season on one hand.
According to most weather forecasts, you are going to get maybe 4 of them: starting tomorrow.
Pistes are in excellent condition. Its staying cold. Off-piste within the resort still has lots of untracked fluffy snow.
And if you are really lucky: they will open the Glacier area at last.
Enjoy. |
Yes, all the long termers (not saisonnaires as you would normally think of them because they are retired and just bum about with no agenda) say this has been the worst year in the last 15.
Yes, the snow depth may be X metres but the days that you look out and say " yeah, it's a good day to ski" haven't been that numerous in comparison with other years.... until this week..forecast is great and although today the visibility wasn't that good (in and out all day) the snow is wonderful.
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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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@Layne, Guess what? Yep they have added the free half day to the departure saturday. Looks like I will be encountering the Gallic shrug also. 
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Scamper, it does depend on what you call a yeah-its-a-good-day-to-ski day.
Our group of Long Termers agree the number of sunny days has been few, but the days of Glorious Skiing have been many.
Never in my memory have the pistes been in such good nick, and each day we are finding lovely untracked powder somewhere.
Today it was Mont de la Guerre. Superb. Bit scary on the road in due to low cloud making visibility near white-out, but fortunately a braver group came along and we followed them down. Just round the corner the cloud disappeared, and the ski down was lovely.
Weather today was meant to be sun and cloud. We got cloud and sun am, then just cloud pm.
And now it is snowing hard. Only forecast to get that right was yr.no
Lets hope we get the promised sun tomorrow (we're off to have lunch in Italy via La Rosiere).
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You know it makes sense.
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Same this side, only about 30 mins of sun and, for me, difficult light to ski in.
Still, we gave it a go and remain hopeful for the next 3 days.
Absolutely agree with you regarding the pistes - they are superb and uncrowded - straight onto the lifts with no waiting 😁
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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Just ten days to go until we arrive now. I can’t wait! Sorry, I’ve been lurking since about December 
Jonpim do you think the Mont de la Guerre piste will last another ten days or so? It’s one I really want to try but has been closed every time we’ve gone to La Plagne!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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SkiWithThree!, the top will be fine, but the bottom could get to its usual tricky state: islands of snow among the mud for the final 100m or so. Quite fun, if you like that sort of thing.
Does depend on whether the forecast precipitation for the next week or so arrives as rain or snow.
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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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Thanks @Jonpim. Much appreciated. Really looking forward to our trip now. Just hoping a week Saturday isn’t too busy on the way up. Staying in Chambery overnight as that was the nearest we could get...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Arrived in Montalbert yesterday afternoon after an uneventful drive down, loads of snow in the village certainly more than I can remember at Easter ever. A light covering of snow fell last night. Off down to the valley today to do some odds and ends...
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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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Best snow at this time of year for as long as anyone can remember. Everything is open.
The snow depths are truly remarkable
Still snowing now, more forecast.
Today was as cold as any day in January. Spring skiing it is not!
BUT keep an eye on the local weather forecast http://www.meteofrance.com/previsions-meteo-montagne/la-plagne/73210
The weather for the day on the lift state page is pretty accurate as well
http://www.skiplan.com/bulletin/bulletin.php?station=la-plagne®ion=alpes&pays=france&lang=en
Lovely sunny day to start then the cloud crept over and the flat light spoilt the fun. Always looking for places that we haven't skied for a while, today was Piste Sapin. Lovely and quiet with great views up and down the valley.
Also went down to Chalet Friolin on the Bauches piste which normally would be closed this late in the season but it was in great condition all the way down. This is a Bluey / red piste following a mountain lane and really good for Blue runners looking for a bit steeper, narrower and bendier. There are also off piste sections going straight down between the bends.
Then we headed over to Champagny which sadly has been affected by the rain and sheets of ice were coming through from under the recent top up of fresh snow.
Off piste was hard crust and not much fun....
Good news on the Loo front The new loos at the top of the Arpette chair are open at last and as a surpise extra there are now Loos in the arrival building of the new Crozats lift.
In short good conditions on piste, all pistes open and a top up of snow falling now to improve those icy bits in Champagny. As cold as winter and certainly no slushy spring snow.
As I type this it is now snowing quite heavily
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To give an idea of snow depth this is the small picnic hut in a sunny spot on the side of Piste Pralioud just above Montalbert so probably around 1500m and in the sun all day.
Oh yes, the hut sits on a bank and has two or three steps up to the door...
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boredsurfin, i know that hut well. Great place for pic- nic.
We were there last week.
No way in now, unless you get out your shovel.
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Really looking forward to our break now. Sounds fantastic!
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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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@boredsurfin, I wonder what it'll be like when the weather turns good .
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FAQ
. Agree about the piste conditions - the snow has been superb. 
