 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello
Any suggestions for the easier red runs in the 3 valleys? Ones with less steep pitches or wide slopes? Thanks.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I can tell you about Val Thorens and those I've tried/seen.
Christine (of the top of furnitel peclet) and Rhodos (see below) are easy reds
Fond is a blue but IMO, is at least as hard as Rhodos - both accessed via portette or down from the top of several routes
Portette (Red) has a really steep pitch right at the top, but is then OK - off the top of portette lift
Col de l'audzin(Red) - from Cime Caron is a doddle apart from a really evil short bit more or less in the middle
Lac blanc (Red) of the top of fernitel peclet is moderately steep for much of its length, but is fairly wide - it is damn evil in any other than decent weather
I haven't tried asters (red) of the top of Thorens lift, but it isn't so long and doesn't look too difficult with good snow. If you get up there and don't like the look of it there is always chocard (blue down).
Mauriennaise down into Orelle is def. the darker side of red and wants skiing early in the day on decent snow
The top part of Lac de la Chambre down into the meribel mottaret valley is nice and wide, but fairly steep for the first part.
Of course all the above advice depends on weather and snow conditions
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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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Creux in 1850
Jerusalem in St Martin
Bel Air in 1650
.....or is this my top 3 3v red list?
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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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I found Lac de la Chambre one of the most difficult reds in Meribel valley when I did it - extremely mogully near the top.
Jerusalem is an excellent, wide piste, as is the Pramint red run in St Martin.
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Saulire in Courchevel! Wonderful red first thing in the morning when freshly pisted.
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Saulire is wonderful, but very steep at the start to be described as easy.
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| Frosty the Snowman wrote: |
Creux in 1850
Jerusalem in St Martin
Bel Air in 1650
.....or is this my top 3 3v red list? |
I would personally have Saulire on my 3vs top 3, but unless you scoot around the track the top can be considered a bit steep for some.
Creux is lovely, bel air quiet and Jerusalem juse awesome
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| tccambs wrote: |
I found Lac de la Chambre one of the most difficult reds in Meribel valley when I did it - extremely mogully near the top.
Jerusalem is an excellent, wide piste, as is the Pramint red run in St Martin. |
Jerusalem gets a lot of reviews; I've heard it described a few times as the best pisted run in the 3V. But for me Pramint is a better run; absolutely lovely.
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It's difficult not to just give a list of all my favourite red runs in the 3Vs, as there are loads of good ones!
Combe de Saulire was my favourite from my trip there last year, but is pretty steep at the top, and can get a bit moghulled lower down. It's good because it's a bit challenging, but it's not one I'd recommend as a first red run. Every time I did it there seemed to be a line of gibbering people standing at the top looking down the initial entry slope.
I haven't tried them all but think the easiest ones I've done are Jerusalem and Pramint (both above St Martin in the Les Menuires valley) and Creux from the top of Saulire, which is very wide and not that steep. The Marquetty in 1850 is nice and wide and quite short and always seemed to be well-groomed, but a little steeper.
All the reds over at 1650 seemed about average difficulty for reds. Not too easy but nothing too hard about any of them. All nice.
The hardest reds I did were Mur in 1850 (mostly because it was covered in 4 ft high porridge moghuls) and Jean Pachod after it had been left unpisted for 2 or 3 days, so the steep bits were covered in 4ft high ice moghuls (it actually had a rope across the top saying 'Expert Skiers Only', which I stupidly ignored). I need to work on my moghuls!
Its always going to depend partly on the snow and conditions.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Many of them are manageable for intermediates as they're so wide. Perhaps we should do a list of those to avoid instead?
Meribel:
Piste bleu, although blue can be horrendously bumpy and busy, and is very narrow.
Maduit. An amazingly long and fun run, but used to be a black and some might think that it still should be
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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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| Dav wrote: |
| tccambs wrote: |
I found Lac de la Chambre one of the most difficult reds in Meribel valley when I did it - extremely mogully near the top.
Jerusalem is an excellent, wide piste, as is the Pramint red run in St Martin. |
Jerusalem gets a lot of reviews; I've heard it described a few times as the best pisted run in the 3V. But for me Pramint is a better run; absolutely lovely. |
We followed recommendations and skied Jerusalem in January. It's a fabulous run. The only warning I'd give is that in spite of us sking it early January, when the snow was generally excellent everywhere, the piste was pretty much an ice sheet for a segment somewhere around piste marker 2. However, don't let that put you off, as the rest of the piste more than made up for it.
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Another vote for Jerasulem and Pramint. I'm quite partial to Les Allamands too. Blaireau in the Meribel valley often has very good snow and can be very quiet, lovely rollers on this piste.
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You know it makes sense.
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Heading to the 3 vallees next week, staying in La Tania. Travelling with my 63 yr old mother, who is fine on blues and ok on reds but like to avoid what she calls red reds! I have been to the 3 vallees before but never stayed on the La Tania or Courcheval side so have limited knowledge of the pistes.
Can anyone let me know which red runs (red reds) to avoid please. I will try and recce most before I take her down them, however any advice in advance would be much appreciated. Mostly she will dislike any particular steep bits or narrow bits if that helps!
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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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The reds off Creux Noirs and Mont Vallon are, IMO, rather dark... and the Combe de Saulire in the afternoon after everyone's scraped it.
But it all depends on conditions 
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Poster: A snowHead
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laura1182, The red down to La Tania is no problem and no more difficult than the famous (and excellent) Folyeres. Likewise, the run down to La Praz is quite easy - and the black Jockeys OK too, at least that bit is.
The really steep reds are over Meribel way. Both Vallon runs are hard. Mouflon is lovely but steep in parts. Likewise Alouette.
At Courchevel, avoid Roc de Mugnier. Quite steep and icy last time I went that way.
Cruex is great and is now classed as blue, I believe.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Sorry, but surely
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easier red runs in the 3 valleys? Ones with less steep pitches or wide slopes?
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are called BLUE runs!?!
Why the seeming fixation with the colour of the run? It would make sense to me jayjayjam, if you were asking for guidance on "the runs in the 3V that were wide and with less steep pitches", but I really don't get why Red ones. I'm probably missing something though.
Enjoy your trip!
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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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It is self-evident that red runs range from "only just a bit more difficult than a blue" to "only just a teeny bit easier than a black."
Apart from that, we all know that the grading of runs is "political" in the sense that resorts will regrade a run for commercial reasons in certain circumstances.
The critical point is that snow conditions are often much more significant in the experience of skiing a run than the grading.
We all know these things. I still can see no problem with asking for information particularly in the circumstances of wanting to get more nervous skiers down runs they lack confidence on.
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Thanks Chris Bish, - I've skied the mont vallon runs and had a bit of a moment at the top myself so definetly won't be taking mother up there - may try and conquer my demons on them though!
Confidence is her major issue and fear of the unknown. She is perfectly capable in good conditions (fair weather skier) however the long range forecast looks fairly unsettled so we shall see! Who knows I may get her down Jockeys which would be her first black run and something she would dine out on for years!
As altis says it is the conditions that make the difference, whilst most are looking at the forecasts for fresh snowfall, I wouldn't mind a few bluebird days that week!
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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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laura1182, If you pick up Jockeys from the turn left off the green run as you come down towards La Tania then itis quite gentle as you miss out the steepest bit. Still counts as a black though!
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is "an easy red run" not in fact a blue run? 
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jayjayjam, Portette is a good one to cut your teeth. Small steep bit at the start - the rest is cruisy blue. Plenty of space on the steep bit for traversing if you aren't happy pointing your skis down the hill.
Christine doesn't have any steep bits. There are a few narrow places with a steep drop off the side. Otherwise it is a blue.
Jerusalem is fantastic. You can get some air if you are keen 
Lac de la Chambre is nice, but it seems to be the run of choice for getting from VT into Meribel, so can have lots of nervous people around the place.
Over in Orelle there are really only a couple of runs.
Mauriennaise is nice. Has a couple of steep bits, but if you fall you aren't going anywhere dangerous.
The top of Bouchet is steep but if you get a few other reds under your belt it is worth doing as the view from the top is astonishing. The Bouchet lift gave me two broken fingers though, so pay attention when you are getting on.
Overall, 3V reds aren't like Chamonix reds. Still prefer 3V for a holiday though. I think the colour of the poles is largely irrelevant.
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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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FAQ
I'm very much a blue run early intermediate and did my first ever red runs in Val Thorens last year - so here are my thoughts:
