 Poster: A snowHead
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About 15 years ago I went with a friend to a big French ski resort. But for the life of me, I can't recall what it was called, and I'm no longer in touch with the friend. I kinda think it was Val d'isere / Espace Killy, but I'm not sure. All I do remember, was this unique combined modern chairlift: At the base, there were two sets of gates, one took you one lift up the mountain, and the second set of gates took you up on a different lift. The chairs all sort of fed together at the bottom, and there were two moving walkways.
So both lifts met at this base. And there were lots of cafes around the base, it was pretty busy.
All works well if folks are paying attention; but if you were too slow, or jumped the gate, then you would end up on the wrong chair etc. And/or you would fall off. I remember sitting in a cafe nearby, and every 15 minutes or so there would be a scream, and they would stop the lifts!
Does anyone here know that lift and could tell me where I was??? Who knows, maybe they have changed those lifts now; but they did seem pretty modern.
I'd be really grateful for your help — I'm trying to make a list of all the resorts I have visited! 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Tignes Val Claret - Bollin/Fresse lifts?
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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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@PeDaSp, Get back under the bridge 
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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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| VaDinci wrote: |
| Tignes Val Claret - Bollin/Fresse lifts? |
Thanks — but I don't think that's it, as one lift is arriving, and a second is leaving. In the lift I mentioned, both lifts were leaving to go up the mountain.
But a big thanks anyway!
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I think also Bollin/Fresse. Here's a schematic: http://www.remontees-mecaniques.net/photos/uploads/Octobre07/schema%20bollin%20fresse.jpg
At the bottom there is one chair lift track, with alternate chairs going to either Bollin or Fresse. There are two lines for the one lift - if you catch a Bollin chair about half-way up your chair swings off to the left and you get off, but if on a Fresse chair you see the chair in front swing lift, but you carry on up to the top. Seems to match your description pretty accurately.
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@halfhand, 
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@PeDaSp, were you drunk all the time you were going to, in resort skiing, and coming home? I can name every resort I have been to going back the last 25 years!!!!
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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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@VaDinci, @rdk, A very big thanks to you both. That indeed is the lift - I had a good look around on Google Maps camera, and you can see the restaurant I was seated at.
It's even more confusing then I recall, because there is just one lift going up, and the two entrances enable exit at the mid-station; or, to carry on to the top.
I can't recall much else about the trip - and I don't even drink!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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So the lift even has its own Wikipedia page:
http://tinyurl.com/z3rwexd
Apparently, when they first constructed it, you could get in the Bollin queue, but then jump chairs when you got past the gates and end up on a Fresse chair. Thus by-passing the much longer Fresse queue. But they put a stop to that little game by changing the layout of the entrance gates!
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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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@PeDaSp,
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terrygasson wrote:
@PeDaSp, were you drunk all the time you were going to, in resort skiing, and coming home? I can name every resort I have been to going back the last 25 years!!!!
Ha! Good point
I don't drink - so I must have been a bit dreamy. It was when I first started sking (my second trip), and so all these strange foreign names were just a blur.
But like you, I do want to be able to name all the ski resorts I have been to - and now I can
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@PeDaSp, thing is I can barely name the time and weight of my kids births, but I could probably tell you the flight times and coach transfer (even make of the coach!!!) times to the resorts I have been to when I first started, but don't tell the wife  , I am such a sad git!!!!!
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The bar next to it is much cheaper during happy hour than out of it, I remember that!!!
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You know it makes sense.
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@blahblahblah, yep, and the best snow to be had is on the upper slopes
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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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A couple of years ago on that very lift, I walked slowly forward with my family (as you do) and when I came to sit down there was a man already in my seat. Much confusion and loss of skis ensued. The following year I was recalling the story at Aple D'huez and exactly the same thing happened. I can see how at Tignes (its confusing, and the other skier was a newbie) but I've no idea how the same stunt was pulled at Alpe d'Huez.
Rob
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Poster: A snowHead
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FAQ
