Corcheval

A snowHead

Hi
I am going to Corcheval 1850 and would like some advice as to how to get my wife who is only up to easy blues, out of 1850 and back. I have been looking at prameruel and gravelles for instance as a way in and out of 1650.
If anyone has any advice or knows where I can get acurtae pieste descriptions I would appreciate it.

Thanks
John

A snowHead

Stay in Courchevel 1850! This would be much better for her! From memory there is a blue run out of 1650 towards the lift above the altiport at 1850, but have never took it!

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

Thanks
We are staying in 1850 would you know how or wher I could get hold of some run descriptions?

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Worth working your way over to 1650 it's much quieter over there. Need to look at the piste map to figure if it can be done on blue/greens though.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Courchevel (not val wink

! Easy mistake...)

That would be the best way in and out sticking to blues, Prameruel is a pretty run through the trees once you are past the Altiport. Then the Roc Mugnier lift up to some fine blue runs above in 1650.

Do stop off at the Bel Air on your way back!

Very Happy

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1850 to 1650 and back can definitely be done on greens/blues. The runs down to 1650 such as Ariondaz and Grandes Bosses are superbly wide confidence builders. If you want to get over to Meribel and beyond via the Saulire cable car. you will have to go part of the way down on a red, but it is really not tricky and joins onto a blue, or there is a gondola Pas du Lac to Mottaret. The way back to 1850 will entail a short uphil walk to get back to the Saulire cable car.

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

Hi
Thanks is Prameruel nice and easy?
As for getting back it looks like gravelles is the only way for her, is this a easy blue would you know?

Regards
John

After all it is free

Thanks
Janska would you know if gravelles is very easy as a way back?

Pramereul is straightforward. The last section of Gravelles is a little steep (for maybe 50m) for someone used to greens and blues, but I am sure she will be fine (up unitl then it is very straightforward).

As Shimmy Alcott says it tends to be quieter in 1650. And there are plenty of good blue runs to build confidence both down towards 1650 and above near Roc Mugnier (like Pyramide, Mont Russes and Plan Mugnier). If she wants to take things really gently there is a pleasant little area called Petite Bosse which she can enjoy with a restaurant at the bottom or the run for hot chocolate.

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Both Gravelles and Prameruel are easy runs and neither has any hidden surprises!

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johnbushrod, Your initial question was how to get in and out of 1850. Is that because you already know where to ski with her within 1850? If not, then I would advise starting there as I think that some of the easiest runs are within 1850. I'm pretty sure the ski schools start off on the Jardin Alpin and Verdon gondolas. From the Verdon gondola, there's a pretty easy run down Verdon back to the bottom. You can alternate that with the Jardin Alpin back through Bellecote. Then over to the Pralong chair and lots of variation around there.

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Hi - yes, relatively straightforward but with a steepish section (can easily be managed - not intimidating at all) at the junction with the Roc Mugnier red (just before you get to the Prameruel crossroads).
However, not sure you'd be able to head back to 1850 without having to go on a red / black from there.
I would definitely endorse the 1650 recommendation - very underrated part of the area. There' a cracking pizza place for lunch in the village - just behind the main meeting point at the bottom (L'Eterlou).
Why don't you ski over to 1650, have lunch, a bit more skiing in the afternoon and get the free ski bus back to 1850 when you're done?

Thanks very much it seems 1650 has easier runs than 1850 would this be the case also would you know if plan fontaine is an easy green and is cretes and arolles easy blues.

Thanks again for so much information so quickly it is appreciated

You know it makes sense.

Hi DCG
No we have never been before.
My wife has been skiing before but cannot really manage any more than easy blues. The trouble is that, as you know, the colours do not always tell the full story !
After using the greens and any easy blues it is nice to be able to go a little further a field for variation if nothing else but without knowing (or me heading off alone) we are a liitle unsure has to weher we could enjoyably head for and on what runs - hence the question.
Last year in Valdsare for instance the blues back to town were somwhat understated in my opinion and certainly to difficult for the wife.

Thanks
John

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

franga, just need to get onto the Gravelles lift to get out of 1650 back to 1850 rather than the Aiguille du Fruit, then it is blue altiport all the way home.

johnbushrod, wouldn't say 1650 easier, possibly slightly less people. As DCG says the runs above 1850 round Jardin Alpin and Verdon are all good places to pick up confidence.

The Pralong chair is a good one to use too as it has an area for beginners which is shielded from the main runs and so is much quieter.

Basically Courchevel is set up very nicely for beginners (amongst other things).

A snowHead

Hi Franga
Thanks is the altiport a nice wide easy blue?

A snowHead

johnbushrod, The Val d'Isere runs back to town are much more challenging than in 1850. I agree with other posters that 1650 is a delight and much quietre than 1850, but there's lots of easy skiing in 1850 too. In addition to those I mentioned earlier, there's also an area called Loze accessible from the Chenu gondola on the right of 1850 as you look up the mountain. It has some good and easy skiing, but there is one section of "road" that lots of skiers funnel through and which can be intimidating for a lowere confidence skier.

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

DCG
Thanks again have looked at the Loze would you know if the cretes - arolles - plan fontaine would be feasible for the wife the latter shows green but the first two blues would be unknown would you remember what they are like.

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nozawaonsen - you're absolutley right (just looked it up on map).

johnbushrod - can't comment on the Altiport run, have probably been on it but not for a few years (we normally head up the ADF lift and make our way down via the Combe de Saulire, probably one of my favourite runs in the area). I'm sure nozawaonsen can shed some light on this.

I agree with the previous comment on the Val d'Isere runs back to the village - much more challenging than the Courchevel ones.

Crettes and Arolles are easy runs through the trees - normally very quiet. You can then join the lovely (sometimes tricky for beginners if icy / busy) Folyeres blue down to la Tania. You can then head up to Loze on the bubble and the Dous des Lanches chair. Easy way down to 1850 from there bar the busy section through the trees (think a green run) just above the village.

The area is a delight and I'm sure you'll have a cracking time.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Thanks very much for advice and help
Regards
John

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johnbushrod, Looks like Franga has answered the question regarding Cretes and Arolles. My recollection is that while they may not be hard, they can be icy over there at times and it's not the best part of the area. The bit around Pralong and Verdon is much nicer and very expansive - I'm sure a low level intermediate could spend a day there without getting bored as there's lots of potential variation on the runs. There's also the couple of runs down from 1850 to 1550 which I think are quite easy for beginners. Another difference between Courchevel and Val d'Isere (both favourites of mine) is that in C it's really quite easy to stop off in the centre - the Croisette - for a break while others carry on for another few runs. That's because there are runs that literally go right through the centre of town. So you could scout out some of the runs to see for yourself whether you feel they would be ok while your wife has an extra coffee stop.

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

Thanks again
Yes I am sure the coffee idea will go down really well.
My wife could only get down to Val via the lifts as the runs were much to difficult, the greens however were perfect and some of the blues ok once up the mountain.
I am very grateful for all advice and information recieved so quickly.
Am now looking forward to getting there always nice to explore new areas.

Thanks again

Regards
ohn

After all it is free

Don't forget that there is a free bus that runs between the resorts too. So if you make it to 1650, enjoy the day there and feel its too much of an effort to get back , don't worry. Worth going to the Boulotte restaurant in 1650, good value food.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Check out this link from one of the snowheads on here.
http://www.skimottaret.com/
Lots of useful info on getting arount the 3 vallies in the downloads section on his website.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

"would like some advice as to how to get my wife who is only up to easy blues, out of 1850 and back"

Stick her on a luge to 1550 and then she can get the lift back to 1850

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John, get her some lessons. The skiing around the resort runs of 1850 are almost uphill!

Help!!

Corcheval

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