 Poster: A snowHead
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Off to Val in a few weeks time and noticed that use of the swimming pool is included with the lift pass. Having had previous experience of French pools does anyone know the dress code? Do they insist on budgie smuggler style trunks or will they let shorts style ones in?
If it's speedos then I might just give it a miss. I don't think Val D'Isere (or the world) is ready for me in speedos. I'm not exactly Daniel Craig!!
Not been to Val before so getting quite excited. What would people recommend as 'must do' routes for an average intermediate?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Swim trunks only. But if you refuse to go swimming just because you have to wear swimming kit, you're a fool - Val d'Isere has what's possibly the best pool in the alps.
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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 doesn't matter what size and shape they are, just so long of they're made out of an elastane-type material.
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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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I went in my board shorts and they didn't moan. It's a great pool - especially if you have kids - but from what I remember you only get one f.o.c. visit with your lift pass and then you get a discount on other visits.
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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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| TommyJ wrote: |
| Not been to Val before so getting quite excited. What would people recommend as 'must do' routes for an average intermediate? |
On-piste or off-piste? Val D'Isere or the full Espace Killy?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Why don't they let you wear normal shorts?
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The French are weird.
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| TommyJ wrote: |
Not been to Val before so getting quite excited. What would people recommend as 'must do' routes for an average intermediate? |
It remains my favourite resort - despite some serious competition from Saalbach. I LOVE the place.
I would say on your first day jump on the bus and head over the Fornet area. Jump on the Fornet cable car, then up on the Iseran bubble and ski down the little green called Cema. From there, take the Cascade chair and lap around on the runs on the Pissaillas glacier. They are marked red, but they are really very gentle and could all be blue. You will find the area wonderfully quiet with great snow.
After a few runs, head to the Leissieres Express chairlift (an interesting experience in itself as you will see!!) and over into the next valley. Here you will find a range of nice blues to play on. If you fancy a fun red, head up the Madeleine Express, then half way down the green cut left onto Arcelle. It's a wonderful long, undulating red. It ends in the beautiful Manchet Valley. Hop on the Manchet Express back up (the only life you can take), then you could either take the Piste L blue gully to the bottom, or head down Madeleine to the Lac chair and check out the Solaise sector. From here there is no easy way down. Plan/Piste M is a steep, quite challenging red (although wide) which narrows into a nasty bumpy section lower down (I really dislike this run!!). You can cut off to the right half way down onto the black Rhone Alps, which I always do as the snow is better and it's not that steep.
Either way, I reckon it'll be about lunchtime by then! In the afternoon, head up the Olympique gondola to Bellevarde, which will probably be busy. Head to the right down the blue Diebold and aim for the Tomeusses chairlift. That will take you up to the point called Toviere, from where you can head down Piste H into Tignes. Go up the Tichot Chair, then head to the Grattalu chair, and get on (it's always cold!). You will want to have a few goes down Grattalu, it's a fabulous blue which was made for fast carving.
Then from the top of the Grattalu chair, cut off down Lac and Anenome blues into Le Lac, then jump on the new Toviere bubble back up to the Toviere spot. Then go down Edelwiess (KEEP RIGHT), down past the snow park, and go left at the bottom.
Depending on the timing, halfway down you may start to hear some loud music. If so, go and investigate. You will ski over a small hill and see a large crowd of people having a great time in La Folie Douce. It's arguably the best apres party in the Alps, so go and join in and have a couple of (very expensive) beers. Then if you can extricate yourself, have a blast down the OK run. If you have some stamina left, do a few laps of the runs in La Daille, then jump on the bus back to the town centre and head to the hot new apres spot called Cocorico near the nursery slopes.
For the rest of the week, make sure you go up to the top of the glacier in Tignes, and have a go at the black Face de Bellevarde if you're up for a challenge. Do it at about 11am for the best conditions, NOT at 4.30. It's a fabulous run and you will (hopefully) get a sense of achievement if you ski it. The experts on here dismiss it as crap, boring and easy, but I don't think so - and I love it.
Have fun in the EK, it's amazing!!
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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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If you want the pool to yourself,
Get a Mars Bar, get it nice and warm and mould it a bit, then let it sink to the bottom.
Oh, and make sure the S hasn't worn off your Speedos
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@FullyTucked, @madlondoner, apparently it's about filtration systems and clean shorts. Just get over yourselves, nobody is interested in your willies. 
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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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@FullyTucked, Just pay somebody and smile 
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You know it makes sense.
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| Lizzard wrote: |
| Swim trunks only. But if you refuse to go swimming just because you have to wear swimming kit, you're a fool - Val d'Isere has what's possibly the best pool in the alps. |
Not been myself - but beento the new pool in Chatel and ValDi'zzle would be have to be doing well to beat it
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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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Have been: it is a nice pool but the changing area could have done with being a bit warmer! Those planning to use their ski lift free entry like we did should note that the free entry is only valid as long as the ski pass is. Therefore, when we went there on our last day in resort prior to being picked up, as the pass had run out the day before, we weren't eligible for the free swim.
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Poster: A snowHead
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HoneyBunny - I think you missed the Grand Huit chair your circuit 
I'd recommend trying to do the 6 points - (1) top of Pissaillas glacier; (2) Fornet village; (3) La Daille village; (4) top of Grande Motte glacier; (5) the Eye of the Needle (Aiguille Percee): (6) Les Brevieres village
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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^ definitely, but might be a bit much all in the first day!! Forgot about Brevs (how could I?). I highly recommend Sache for braver intermediates then lunch at the L'Armailly at the bottom.
Isn't Grand Huit the really slow one?
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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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@HoneyBunny, Slowish (but not as bad as Cugnai, Marais and a few others) and its got a spiffing new ramp at the loading area which can be raised to make it easier for the rugrats to board.
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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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@chocksaway mmm I know there are still a few slow ones (Lac probably being the worst! Lucky it's short).
I'm more disappointed that @TommyJ hasn't come back to thank me for my excellent itinerary 
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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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@HoneyBunny - I have just cut and pasted your excellent itinerary into a separate document for my first day on March 9th 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| HoneyBunny wrote: |
^ definitely, but might be a bit much all in the first day!! Forgot about Brevs (how could I?). I highly recommend Sache for braver intermediates then lunch at the L'Armailly at the bottom.
Isn't Grand Huit the really slow one? |
Grand Huit is slow, but to get from Grattalu to le Lac it is up that, or a bit of a poling session.
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@Skikitten1972, Aww thanks! Just add in that you have to go up Grand Huit to get back to Le Lac (my mistake)
@Kenzie, oooh of course, I forgot that - thank you!
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Sorry for not getting back. Been away with limited wifi
Thanks for the tips and especially the itinery. Been pouring over piste maps. Looks like there might be more snow even.
Thanks and sorry again
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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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I've been in the Val pool many times (in sports shorts!) and have never seen any dress code enforcement, I think they are happy as long as your bits are covered, it's a family friendly facility after all.
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@TommyJ,
Enjoy. Amazing resort.
Make the most of the EK and the last thing on your mind will be a few lengths of a swimming pool at end of day's skiing. Take advice above and head for La Folie Douce instead!!
You can swim away to your heart's content when you're back in Yorkshire!
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