 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi, and sorry for daft questions...
1. How does an intermediate (me) get his very beginner wife from the Chaudanne to the top of the Truite run in Mottaret? The run looks perfect from videos- but how to access it!
2. Similarly, is there an easy route from the Saulire to the Altiport at Courchevel?
Any help appreciated, as well as any secrets for her to ski. She has done 2 weeks; can snowplough and stop; can do buttons, chairs and bubbles; and is JUST starting to get confident. We are there 3rd Jan.
Ta
CG
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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From Saulire go down Creux right to the bottom, take the Gravelles lift and then the blue down to the Altiport. Creux might seem steep at the start, but it is very wide.
Or, you can take the Saulire cable car down and then the Petit Lac piste to the Altiport.
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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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Can't comment on 1.
2. I'd probably look at lift down from Saulire for a beginner. Saulire lift down, then through the lift building and cut past top of verdons lift onto petit lac (it's narrow but not steep, it'd probably be a green if it was wider), down bellecote to the side of the jardin alpin lift, then across to the freme/altiport lift, it's diagonally opposite when coming down bellecote over a very open area.
You could possibly do creux, but that used to be a red, half way cut onto the lac creux, but thats narrow, and very bad if icy. That then joins altiport, you'll need to keep speed up as it flattens goes up hill slightly.
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Take the bus from Chaudanne to Mottaret
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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'd agree with Little M, Saulire, even if you cut out the top steeper section wouldnt be ideal for a genuine beginner and the same for Creux. Though wide and not the steepest pitch it still isnt flat and does get busy.
If she is a genuine beginner follow Little Martins advice. Lift down, out the back and down the track, keeping skiers right to cut across to bellecote and then across to the chair. That does still leave the run down to the altiport which is a slightly (IMV) pitchy blue but with plenty of traverse should be okay. One thing to note with this way, you will be crossing bellecote/jardin alpin just make sure you keep an eye on the uphill skiers as you go past the courcheneige restaurant quite often get very fast folks down that bit.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Brilliant! Thanks. It is her aim to ski over to Courchevel and back by the end of the week. We did the 'lift only, no ski' route last season to meet up with the expert kids and have a nice lunch at Cap Horn. All the better to ski there! Thanks again.
Thanks PBJ too- there doesn't look like an easy way!
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Re getting to the top of Truite. Whatever you do, don't go up the Saulire side and attempt Aigle, which was once graded a blue, but I think has now rightly been graded a red. It can be very icy and scary! Best option is probably to take the Plan de L'Homme chair or the Tougnette bubble and then I see on the latest map there is a new green run- Perdrix - to Mottaret, though again, it can may a little icy at the end. For a green and easy blue to do laps on, I think another option may the green Blanchot area and then down to Meribel Village on Lapin. Access from Chaudanne is up to the top of Rhodos bubble (don't get off at midstation).
On the Courchevel side, I second the suggestions already made. However, if your wife can manage the top of Creux which is lovely and wide, and would be excellent if tackled first thing when freshly groomed, then she should (just don't tell her it used to be a red run, as that sort of thing freaks beginners out!) The bottom half to the new Aguille de Fruit lift is great, much more gentle and winds through the trees. At the top of that lift it's pretty straightforward to go round and head down towards Courchevel. Alternatively, have you thought about taking Rog Mugnier up to the lovely blues above Courchevel 1650. The snow is invariably good there.
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@Charliegolf, I think the easiest route is to not start from Saulire, but if you are there then return back to Meribel and go down to the Loze express and cross over from there to Courcehval
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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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@Charliegolf, creux at the end of the week - is she having lessons, it's certainly help build up confidence and if the instructor knows that's the plan for end of week, may be able to structure the lessons with that in mind.
Alternatively, a longer route would be to head up to the top of la tania, then down to courchevel and go from there, would be an easier run for a beginner imho and no down lifts. Ski to meribel 1450, rhondos lift up, ski down to loze lift and up, then col de la loze down join loze est green, cross verdons to biollay lift, then you have an option of several blues, either direct to altiport, down pralong, biollay. I can't remember off hand how steep it is direct to altiport - biollay is usually good for beginners who are wanting to move to steeper stuff.
Some good views on that route.
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If you have the 3v's app it shows which runs have been pisted and can help select your first few runs as a corduroy red is very flattering for a beginner.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@LM: noted your route via Rhodos and Loze lifts then down to the altiport. Yes she will have lessons, so the Saulire/Creux blue might be an aim for later in the week.
We are going to do another week later on, just the 2 of us. First week, we'll have daughter and son in law who are quite expert- they'll take care of us! But an instructor I ain't, and the last thing I want to do is dent her confidence. Second week we may go to Courchevel, having seen the lie of the land. The confidence of being to go to Meribel knowing we can ski back would be great.
CG
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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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@Charliegolf,
1. As well as the bus option, I wonder if you can take Tougnete 1 gondola, then down the green graded Perdrix piste. That should take you to the top of the Truite piste. I'm not sure how close Chaudanne is to Tougnete 1 base. Can anyone else confirm please?
2. I'd be cautious about taking a relative beginner down Creux in early January. You may be lucky with great snow conditions but the probability of ice is higher that time of year. Crossing valleys via the Col de la Loze usually easier. Also opens up plenty of relatively easy pistes above Courchevel 1850. Agree with Perty that the area above Courchevel 1650 should suit well. Just need to leave enough time to return to Meribel. The pistes above Les Menuires are also good for an aspiring intermediate and if there's any sun they get plenty of it there.
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Not daft questions, very good questions.
1. The bus.
Or Up Tougnete 1 and then down Perdrix. Be aware the first 100m of Perdrix is more red than green. Better to go down the first 50m of Lieve then take the cat track cut on the right to get onto Perdrix. Make sure you have figured out where this is before hand. Once you get to the top of Mottaret it used to get steep again but should have all been regraded this year with the new lifts and pistes.
Or up Saulire, ski the 200m to the top of Pas de Lac and then download Pas de Lac. This is 200m that is technically red but is green gradient, just dont miss the top of Pas de Lac.
Interested what you think is perfect about Truite from videos, it is far from the best green in the valley as narrow in places and can have better skiers shooting past at busy times.
2. DO NOT take someone who is snowploughing down Creux! Download the cablecar from top of Saulire.
The Col de Loze blue is an easy blue. After that it is slightly tricky to find the Loze Est green, you need to walk 100m across flat / slightly up hill to left. Otherwise straight ahead is Lac Bleu which is a medium blue and too steep for a snowplougher. Loze Est is a narrow cat track, not steep. Return to Meribel by Cablecar then download Saulire.
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You know it makes sense.
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Find her a super-cute instructor...
. The right lessons are more important than. the right route. And after lessons, only ski together on runs the instructor has taken her on. If after two weeks she can only snowplough and stop, perhaps she needs a new approach. A difficult experience with you could shatter her confidence. 
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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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Which school?
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Poster: A snowHead
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David: Snow d'Light (sp?). Used them last year- seemed good, but nothing to gauge against.
Pam W: She certainly was very nervous at Meribel last year; but loosened up considerably when we went alone to Avoriaz a couple of months later. She can link turns- I was being a bit conservative!
CG
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We always use a personal instructor there are a couple of good ones is you ask in the ski shops they always recommend etc
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