Portes du Soleil 2023/2024 - Avoriaz/Morzine/Les Gets/Chatel/Swiss Side etc.

A snowHead

We have skied Chatel over to Avoriaz over the last two days. Snow is hard but plenty of it , going slushy late in the day down in the low parts towards the car parks as would be expected for March. It's not busy, even the restos are empty but it could be down people sun bathing on the terraces.

A snowHead

Half way through our trip and we’ve skied Les Gets, Avoriaz, Chatel and done the circuit today. Lots of catastrophising on local FB groups but conditions are fine - not great, but fine for some on-piste entertainment. There’s more snow on the Swiss side than there was for large parts of last season (for example the run down from Pointe de l’Aup is white instead of brown, as it was a lot last year).

Signs of some big slides in various places, including a HUGE crack above a lad pootling down off piste below one of the lifts in CH.

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

@andy from embsay, There's a very common cracking point under the Point de l'Au lift (or is it the Champeys, I misremember) which I've often seen people skiing. On the plus side, because it's above more well-skied areas and not far from the piste and indeed the lift infrastructure it's regularly bombed so is not generally considered to be a great risk.

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Report from kid #1 is that Chéry Nord (Chevreuil ?) was bashed today. No moguls.

A few more days until the weekend... In LG on Saturday, but for once neither kids have any race so we were hoping to head towards the CH part of PdS, is there a circuit that doesn't force us down Chavanettes (we'd start a Ardent)? I don't think the conditions are ideal for the Swiss Wall right now...

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Yes go up mossettes lift and follow the piste round past the top of the black round the back down the red, direction towards Champousin

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@plasmastorm, agreed. Got to the top of Gentiane for about 9:30 and have had a very enjoyable morning. The piste conditions are far better than I expected. A little hard in patches, true, but it’s decent enough.

The runs off Rosta are stating to get a bit claggy now but I can’t complain.

Given the forecast for tomorrow I think getting the first lift up and skiing through to a late lunch is the order.

On that, I’ll need some entertainment in the afternoon, is there a public swimming pool in LG anywhere?

After all it is free

I'm off to Morzine tomorrow for a few days, first time skiing in France (AUT is usual)! Looking warm, but as I didn't get out last year and wasn't expecting to this year, I'm going to have fun no matter what. Good information here so I'll keep checking and reporting back for others.
Are any runs closed that result in needing to get a bus to certain areas rather than skiing there? Cheers!

I'm told its snowing in the PDS, didn't think that was in the forecast?

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That's Sunday sorted! Thanks

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You know it makes sense.

@Disaster, have you got transport? Super Morzine will have big queues, better driving or getting the bus to Prodains I'd suggest.

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

A snowHead

Thanks both and noted. I hate queues so I'd be happy to bus it avoid one.

A snowHead

It was snowing at lunchtime in Avoriaz, forecast was suggesting a chance of rain showers. As we skied back to Chatel it had turned to drizzle and most people were giving up for the day.

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

@Dashed, Cheers.

Very light snow at the top of the pistes in LG, but rain at village level. Nothing to write home about either way.

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First day skiing today from Châtel. Conditions better than expected. We did the loop from Super Châtel via Morgins and around to Linderets. Super Châtel, Les Crosets, Linderets and Châtel PLJ and Linga sectors all good. Snowed from around 1500m all afternoon.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Where is everyone skiing today? Skipping today but planning to ski tomorrow. I imagine Swiss side will be soft and mushy in no time, Avoriaz has been hard and icy per reports from earlier in the week. Linga still very hard from racing earlier in the week? Roc d'Enfer perhaps? Though the descent down into St Jean is very exposed to the sun and might be rather thin cover.
The 2-seaters on Mt Chery seem to be closed in preparation for the snowbike championships, really limiting the appeal of the sector Sad

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St Jean is rammed this morning. Parking is chaos (from about 0800 when I popped out for bread). There’s racing on over here today - not sure about tomorrow.

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Pretty sure racing ends today so tomorrow should be all clear.

After all it is free

Linga is fine and able to ski the race course as netting still present. We skiied Grand Combes in Avoiriz yesterday - the run was closed due to ice but we found that not to be the case and had many runs on the piste with others who also realised how great it was despite being closed. We were Swiss side this morning and it’s now too soft - having a break at Opadcha where it feels like a beach bar in the sun!

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The women’s GS was up in Avoriaz today - could have been why grands Combes was shut yesterday?

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Skied from Super M to Super Chatel and back today - some good, some slushy, but plenty of snow around. Looking like some snow, maybe up to 60cm, from late next week. I’m off home Monday but back on 23rd after the worst of the half term madness - despite all the catastrophising from some I think the snow is better than last season in all locations. Off piste a non-starter but the pistes are generally in decent nick.

LG slopes were empty this morning, with crispy snow. It all turned to slush before midday in sunny slopes, but held well later on in the shade - plus they did run the water cannons, lower TKs are all running. Lifts running later already. Altogether not too bad, considering.

The town started to be very busy mid afternoon.
The whole domain is getting ready for the hols next weekend...

You know it makes sense.

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

We were at Mt Chery yesterday and saw a bit of the bike activity. Really didn’t impinge too much, Marmotte Red still very hard at 12, we were back home by 1 as friends leaving. LG heaving with people in the afternoon. Having my final coffee, or two, at La Paika in the sun.

A snowHead

A snowHead

Spent the day in Les Gets, better conditions than expected, really nice. The Perrières red was very good to great much of the day. Crowds came quite late, 11ish

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

The latest weather runs seem to have dialled back the amount of precipitation this week which is probably a good thing given the forecast snowline. Thursday looks pretty soggy but less soggy than before. The weekend a bit snowy.

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With non skiers friends in town, we missed La Paika on Saturday. It will hopefully be for next week, alongside mid term crowds, but also snow and cold that should avoid Perrières turning into a mud bath by 8am...

And on Sunday we did our first PdS mini circuit, aiming at getting a peek at Montreux from above Torgon. No traffic into Ardent, with space at 10am - amazing considering reports from previous weekends. I reckon it won't stay free for long though.

The route ended up being:
- Ardent TC
- Prolays Express
- Mossettes France TSD (with #1 looking with envy at Frontalière which was fortunately closed, last time he took me there I was a tzd bit scared... and that was a good 2 years ago)

Then onto sunny but really quickly mushy Switzerland:
- Gueilly TK (maybe they should turn it into a telecorde)
- Pointe de l'Au TS
- Derriere Perthuis TK (first ever t bar for #2, she was startled at first)
- Chaux TS
- bus in Morgins, fail of stopping in a Migros or Coop or whatever
- Corbeau TS
- Culet2 TK (where we realise #2 will need help on every of these non detachable button lifts as she's way too small to grab them at the start)
- missed the turn so quick return to France to take Morcland TSD
- Ornaz TK
- Chaux Longe TSD... no view! But we went down to the corner of Panoramique where you catch a glimpse of Lake Geneva, with Montreux and the Castle of Chillon. Sense of achievement, except my better half starts to remind me of the time (via remarks about lunch).

Sensing the dire situation I was in I led the family back to civilisation via:
- Cherneu TK

In Le Cret we actually stopped a few minutes to eat, albeit sandwiches (I'd have munched on the lift) due to the crowds. Then onto better snow (and ice) with North facing slopes via:
- Portes du Soleil TS
- Gabelous TS
- Linga TC
- Echo Alpin TS
- Cornebois TS
- Rochassons TS

We had a final compulsory stop at the village des chèvres, #2 was talking about it all day after all.

Overall a very enjoyable day, crowded in Avo and Chatel (but better snow), totally empty on the Swiss side (but older lifts and slush).

Next weekend will bring plenty of snow but also even more crowds.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I realise my post uses the word "crowd" repeatably. Seeing the number of skiers on the icy slopes the main task of the day was "let's ensure nobody hits #2".

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Hi everyone,

can anyone help with my noobie question? Thinking of a quick trip to Morzine on the 18th February for a few days. Is it a reasonable assumption that if the BBC weather forecast is showing -3/+3 degrees celcius with sleet showers:

a) This will be the forecast for the valley and it will probably be colder / snowing on the mountain?
b) The sub zero temparatures will mean snow cannons will be in action during the night?
c) Therefore groomed pistes first thing in the morning with it possibly turning slushy in the afternoon?

Or should I avoid and go somewhere higher altitude?

Thanks in advance.

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Hi @frank_bough, and welcome to snowHead

a) yes the BBC weather app will likely be showing the town, and it stands to reason that it will be colder higher up.

b) if it’s sub zero (and the pistuers seem it is necessary), then the cannons will likely be running.

c) if the temps are 3 or below during the day (particularly if that is the town temp) then even the south facing slopes should hold up fairly well for most of the day.

But the most important thing to point out is that weather forecast 2 weeks out are not likely to be accurate.

If the forecast 1 week out (which is for the temp to drop significantly and with that snow), then I would have zero qualms about booking then (apart from the half term crowds).

To put that in context, I’ve just come back from Les Gets (the other side of the hill) where it hasn’t snowed for weeks and the temps were double digits during the day and I had a great time (though the double digit temps did indeed make it slushy).

After all it is free

Thanks for your kind welcome and reply, Timmy.

Yeah, agree about the 2 week forecast but need to book sooner rather than later and the dates are not *that* flexible.

So, given your comments about Les Gets, roughly speaking, finger in the air, no warranties provided or implied, etc. You think it I'd probably ok?

@frank_bough, hopefully one of the lads with a better understanding of the models will be along soon, but if the temp/snow forecast for 1 week out is accurate, then it should be fine.

I’ve already pulled the trigger on a week in Easter though, so I’m ever the optimist.

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Yeah, we've booked for the family in Morzine for Easter hols as well - this is a reccy mission on my own. Eh oh!

Help!!

Portes du Soleil 2023/2024 - Avoriaz/Morzine/Les Gets/Chatel/Swiss Side etc.

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