 Poster: A snowHead
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@Steve Angus, When my son moved up to secondary school I was surprised at the number of kids who owned a car. There are so many that they have their own dedicated car park.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| dunc999 wrote: |
| @Steve Angus, were the students Oxford Brookes by any chance - lot's of wealthy ex-public school kids go there to get away with doing as little work as possible!! (My ex-wife is in the industry!!) |
- careful i almost went to Brookes..... in fact one of my colleagues was there.... but no seriously it was Durham actually! haha!
Kenzie - hmmmmmmmmm yes possibly who knows!
russ_e "moved up to secondary school....." - blimey at what age do they start driving in your parts! haha!
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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.
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Finished my shift this morning at the mass vac centre in Bristol Army/Navy in attendance about 2500 boosters/1st/2nd jabs done today, so many people we know here with infections now so yes defo get boosted Steve.
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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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| Pirate42 wrote: |
| Finished my shift this morning at the mass vac centre in Bristol Army/Navy in attendance about 2500 boosters/1st/2nd jabs done today, so many people we know here with infections now so yes defo get boosted Steve. |
Wow well done good on you. Yes got boosted today... more on that in a moment
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks for posting even after a tiring day.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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11:57
France restrictions will see many plans cancelled
Hugh Schofield
BBC News, Paris
A lot of people will be urgently consulting the French government’s list of what constitutes a compelling reason for coming to France. And a lot of people are going to be disappointed.
 If you have booked a skiing holiday, for example, you will not be able to come. That’s clear - all holidaying is out.
If you are a UK citizen wishing to spend Christmas with your retired parents who live in France, it doesn’t look good either. The list appears to state that the only Britons allowed in are those with registered homes in France, plus transport workers and some students.
Without question, the end-of-year plans of many families will be badly affected, and travel companies are predicting a wave of cancellations.
In fact, Alpine resorts say a lot of British skiers have already cancelled, because they foresaw there would be difficulties.
With travel to the UK from France already hit by tough restrictions decreed from London (self-isolation till results of compulsory PCR test), the two countries feel more apart than ever.
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Thanks guys. Been well aware of the situation and bombarded with messages and 'bad news' all morning since the story broke so totally aware of what the situation is. To say this is about the very very worst news possible is an understatement. Having re refund everything at the busiest time of the year (well almost) after not earning anything for 18 months whilst not getting any government help (we dont think we will ) and of course still having to pay mortgages and bills etc is crippling! there have been lots of tears from locals already this morning.... a lot. Tour operators have spent thousands and thousands and thousands on opening their bookings up / paying contracts / hiring staff / ordering in food / sponsoring visas (the list goes on and on) and now the income will be €0 for the foreseeable future.
To put this into perspective this announcement is probably more severe than when Covid first hit in 2020 as there is no financial back up and no help. It will be the end of so many people and businesses..... to be perfectly honest there is an air of feelings in town that it would be better if cases and the 'situation' got much better so there was a complete lockdown so financial aid comes forward... a town like Val and ALL of its associated business / ski rental shops / school / restaurants / bars / transfer companies / laundry businesses / wholesale caterers etc etc etc are at LEAST 50% dependent on the British £ so this is HUGE for the town!
In a nutshell I think I and we all need time to adjust to this blow and see what happens next... suddenly the busy Xmas and NY period will probably be filled with skiing with our kids and not a lot else - at least we have our season passes so that will be the 'cheapest' thing to do. Clare and I need to chat this evening about what happens next and depending on how long this is likely to last (hmmmm let me look into my crystal ball) I'm tempted to come back to the UK and drive a bus or supply teach in a school - at least will get some £ that way! ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
So keen to just look over this and the pain this is causing for the time being.....
Will do a days update later on this evening!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Jehu wrote: |
| Thanks for posting even after a tiring day. |
thanks
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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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@Steve Angus, really feel for you, and the rest of TDC. Also Helen & Ash at Snowdrone, Kim at Simply Val D'Isere, John YSE and all the other businesses, Brit or otherwise that I know and will be devastated by this news. I'll be in town Friday for two weeks, doing my bit to keep the tills ringing as much as I can.
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@Steve Angus, a lot tougher on you than us - all we are missing is a ski trip, it's your livelihood.
However I think I am right in saying the French government spokesman said something about the travel restrictions buying time to administer more boosters. If that is true, they may reconsider in a couple of weeks. We certainly hope so!
(The UK put some African countries on the red list, but has now taken them off again. So it is possible).
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You know it makes sense.
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@Steve Angus, it's shit mate, it really is. Worst possible outcome at the world possible time. Hope things work out OK for you and Clare this winter.
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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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@Steve Angus, really feel for you guys, and all those out in Val who have got the season up and running but rely on the Brit £. Hopefully it will blow over and we'll still get out there in March - I am going to talk my wife in to having those lessons!!!
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Steve Angus, absolutely awful news and terrible timing - so sorry for you guys. Fingers crossed this blows over soon.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Dreadful news.
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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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Just awful news
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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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@Steve Angus, really sorry for you guys, and everyone else affected. I just hope there is some form of assistance in the pipeline.
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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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It will be a big hit for the local economy, just before two of the busiest weeks of the season.
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@snowhound,
Interesting article.
Re Denmark (and others) - if/when banning Brits doesn't have a noticeable effect then Macron has the option of extending the ban to other countries - trying to project the image of a proactive politician.
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@Kenzie, Yep. I need to look strong-like I'm doing something. This is something strong. So I will do it.
And the fact it's the Brits will get me a few more votes (maybe not in ski resorts though). We lose a holiday, it is French people (and also the likes of Steve) who will really suffer from losing income though.
And yes, I know some of our politicians like to take any opportunity to bash the French too.
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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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@Steve Angus, commiserations Steve, to you and all out there having their livelihoods affected by this latest twist. 
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Dr John - thats good to know and THANK YOU.... yes the whole town and especially the expat community feeling a lot of pain today! However some persons like you are making it out before the deadline tomorrow and you will be welcomed with open arms that is for sure! In fact apparently all the flights and ferry crossings are now over subscribed for tomorrow suddenly as everyone rushing to beat the border guards!
j_b - thanks - glad someone sees that.... of course we want everyone to have their holidays but for many people this is our livelihood and the difference between paying the mortgage or not! Yes re buying time (France is about 2 weeks behind the UK they think) to get boosters in arms and of course the red list in the UK was dropped the other day! Fingers crossed it happens here sooner rather than later BUT of course with only 20 odd weeks of the season losing say 2 of the busiest weeks is a MAJOR loss in turnover.
rob@rar - thanks so much.... complete nightmare! Hope you are well.
dunc999 - really hope by March it'll be MUCH better and yes get working on the wife - haha
PaulO78 - thank you - indeed you guys got the best week going in the end!
Hells Bells / 2waterford - indeed nightmare
davejsy - would be nice to think so but problem is the French can still come so doubt any help will come forward as its not the government fault that Val amongst other resorts are so dependent on the Brits and in some cases entirely dependent.
Kenzie - yea dont we know!
snowhound / Kenzie - god knows what the next kink in the road will be
PeakyB - thanks... solidarity is what we need!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Wind out the sails
Well I dont really want to dwell on todays events as much has and IS being said about it non stop. Needless to say this is devastating beyond words. All I hope is that either the French change their mind asap or lots of people get out here tomorrow and stay for 2 weeks or the government bails us out again - non I dont think will happen or happen quick / likely enough unfortunately.
Anyway this morning I got the kids out the door and headed to the meeting point asap in the sunshine and once again it was unseasonably warm - hopefully by the end of this weekend this will have changed! With a small change in my grouping and one of the guys needing to get his skis from the shop after servicing it was onto the Olympic lift (there was quite a big queue) and up. I started with a nice warm up lap on the Fontaine Froid before doing my first descent of the Face. The Face was in very good condition and yes certainly there are large patches of blue ice lower down but overall excellent condition as I say.
Needing something slightly easier to work on terrain wise we headed up Solaise and aimed for a few laps of the Arcelle. The actual piste was in good shape as we did some drills and exercises but boy are there lots of people who really can't see - skiing down picking up more and more speed until an emergency stop is needed to slow down - its not good skiing idiots! Anyway lots of students being back seat billys with upper body steering going on! Grrrr!
Anyway we did some great drills and there were some good changes.... I even did some videoing and they liked seeing themselves on video so they could see what I was getting out. On one lap we were doing some drills when one of my team lost control right at the top of the Arcelle on that steep section and fell and managed to take me out - all going slow speed I hasten to add. Anyway I was left on my back bottom as David slid head first down the slope leaving one ski at the top of the slope and the other at the bottom and him elsewhere - twas quite funny actually but took him an age to fish all the snow out his gloves and down his neck etc!
All morning however there was a constant buzzing on my phone on instagram as well as twitter as everyone was commenting and talking about the days developments. And on top of that there was the group WhatsApp amongst the ski school going crazy.
At lunchtime I headed home for lunch and was very deflated this pm - so was Clare who finished at lunchtime.... it feels worse than when Covid first hit to be honest! Anyway I watched a couple of things on tv that I had been meaning to watch for ages and watched the set up for the World Cup over the road (the first training run was this morning!)
We had a ski school meeting this evening (including getting our uniforms (finally) for this season. It was ironic that the last time we had a ski school meeting was Friday 13/3/20 which was the day France announced lockdown 1!!!!! We covered a few things in the meeting before I had to dash and collect the kids from school / homework club and get them home!
That brings you all up to date. So a full day tomorrow teaching and then doing some maintenance work for Mountain Rooms in the afternoon and then over the weekend a little more ski teaching BUT crucially after that there is uncertainty as I dont know how many clients will have made it to Val before the midnight tomorrow night cut off!!!! Doh!
TTFN
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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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@Steve Angus, love your commentary, always:-)
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Such sad news , gutted for those that can't get out to ski.
It really hits home to hear your feelings Steve and those of my many friends in the tourist industry.
This year due to personal circumstances I was not due to be out at christmas hence the dash out for opening week and my words re the season seem so empty now.
Let's hope it's temporary, I hope you find a way to pull through and you embrace the time with the family if nothing else but hoping you have work to keep ticking over.
Fingers crossed as watching this weekends events on Eurosport will feel very sad in many ways.
Regards to all of you currently in resort.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Steve Angus,
We're all gutted about the current situation. We want to be out there with you spending our money in all of the places we love in Val d'isere. Keep our fingers crossed and hope the situation changes very soon.
I will probably have to postpone my drinks invitation to the week commencing the 30th of Jan. Keep your spirits up, hope to see you soon.
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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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@Steve Angus, we will be there tomorrow! Already in Dijon. Boys have Pass Sanitaires waiting for them at the pharmacy
If you have any days freed up from cancellations we would be up for a private lesson
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Poster: A snowHead
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| ma94jcg wrote: |
@Steve Angus, we will be there tomorrow! Already in Dijon. Boys have Pass Sanitaires waiting for them at the pharmacy
If you have any days freed up from cancellations we would be up for a private lesson |
Amazing..... Urmmm yea i don't think there are any / many bookings left so think you'll be able to take your pick really???? When you arrive in town and settle in drop me a bell via a pm here and we can set something up. Amazing. Thank you.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Steve Angus, hope the UK ban is short lived for you.
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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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Really feel for you, but hopefully this is a temporary interruption and sense will prevail and the substance beneath the headline numbers being flung around the media will seep through. This more than anything feels like a real overkill for not much tangible gain. If it was really that bad why aren't we in lockdown?
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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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| Steve Angus wrote: |
| ma94jcg wrote: |
@Steve Angus, we will be there tomorrow! Already in Dijon. Boys have Pass Sanitaires waiting for them at the pharmacy
If you have any days freed up from cancellations we would be up for a private lesson |
Amazing..... Urmmm yea i don't think there are any / many bookings left so think you'll be able to take your pick really???? When you arrive in town and settle in drop me a bell via a pm here and we can set something up. Amazing. Thank you. |
Will do. Arrived at our overnight hotel at Aime Le Plagne. Amazing to be back in the mountains again! 
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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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under a new name - thanks
harvsurrey - indeed... hopefully every cloud and all that!
welshflyer - I can understand. Everything crossed this end too naturally!
ma94jcg - fantastic - a stones throw away... sun shine will greet you tomorrow!
VolklAttivaS5 - you me and 10,000,000,000 other people on that one.
FrediKanoute - yes you could be right but then again a lockdown will be the next thing talked about probably!!!!!!
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We are still holding out hope for March, hopefully decisions will be reversed pretty quickly. Don't refund or cancel any of our bookings, if anything we may add more when possible. Plans afoot to become a bit of a geezonaire next season as well... Shall speak with you about that in a couple of months time.
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I read somewhere that the head of Brittany Ferries was expecting this to be 'only' a two week issue....which of course hits across two of the busiest weeks of the ski season, and would still make people think twice about booking in case similar measures are imposed again.
We're booked for Tignes at the end of March, having cancelled this week in Les Menuires (two 12-15 yo daughters, not doing 24 hours tests but would have put with them every 72 hours).
A lot depends on whether politicians accept the inevitable with omicron that anything other than a hard lockdown will do little to slow it down...and trying to look strong will just have an big economic impact whilst making little health impact.
Good luck Steve-love the thread.
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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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Will be in Val tomorrow for the week. will do my bit to support the locals. Steve will see you on Monday morning for our lessons.
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FAQ
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