 Poster: A snowHead
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Had a fantastic week, 30 cms of fresh last Monday and then the sun shone. Skiied in a sweater all week apart from the first 2 days, I've never done that before. We could still find fresh powder last Thurs above San Bernadino. There was a Snowheads meet at the Roxi bar at the bottom of Fourclaz, Masque has promised to post the pictures. Mark Hunter got his Bronze medal in the Fleche, Masque dnf, met RachelQ and her hubby and had some great skiing. The only surface we didn't ski was spring-snow, just couldn't find any, it was probably too warm. The apre ski wasn't too bad either, there were 2 good groups giving their final gigs of the season. On Friday we had the Goolle and a big-air just to wind everything up, a real party atmosphere. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Yep! Was a stunning week's ski=ing with some very entertaining evenings - the Rolling Stones tribute band at the Yeti was excellent.
Was good to meet again David. And great guiding over in La Thuile - does ski=ing get any better than the conditions offered on Tuesday? Same time next year? 
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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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Going off topic - sorry 
Mark - that band also played in Les Arcs last week - got everyone dancing to Jumpin Jack Flash - excellent. Did a great drumming solo towards the end...
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Sounds great but didn't your 'lower parts' get a bit cold or was it a long sweater?
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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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David@traxvax, I'm glad the rest of the week was so good. That was the sunshine we were waiting for. It was very hard leaving all you guys at the Roxi on Tuesday - next year we'll stay for the whole week.
Good to ski with you all, and thanks for introducing us to a great place.
Well done for the bronze, Mark.
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Thanks RachelQ, was good to meet you.
mountain mad, yeah that was a good solo wasn't it. And as for their rendition of Paint It Black...........really very good 
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Mountain Mad, the only song they shouldn't cover is Under My Thumb, it just doesn't sound the same, but you're right the drummer is great. Rachel, good to meet you & I'm glad you enjoyed yourself but the rest of the week was fantastic, we were still finding powder on Thurs.
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Taken with a telephoto lens from across the valley on top of the Aiguille Rouge (3226m) today, looks like there's plenty of snow still over at La Rosière....
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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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PG,
Looking at Aiguille Rouge early March it was like this
Boug St Maurice was like this
How about next time we do it together and get each other in the picture. Haven't got a telephoto lens. The digital camera, that took the pictures, was stolen last weekend in a house break-in.
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saikee, good idea.... hop on that plane, there's still time! Stormy weather forecast on Friday so might join ise at VD tomorrow... took a load more photos at Les Arcs today, on line at http://alpesprovence.net/bsm/les%20arcs.htm
Bad luck with camera...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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PG,
Exceelent photos. Even has the restaurant we lunched.
Bring back good memory. I think Les Arc is really nice at the top and I enjoyed the long run from Aiguille Rouge to Villaroger though I took the red at the top and rejoined it with a chairlift from Arc2000.
Les Arc should be good for the late season skiing. It got altitude and wide open space. No comparison to the mole hills in La plagne.
La Rosiere is very small even including the run down to 1176m level, which I don't think it would be open after March. I tend to spend more time in La Thuile side where it is wide and open. The terrain is more interesting there too. Wonder how the snowheads here rate the two sides. I suppose the French always beats the Italian when it comes to Apres ski.
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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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I can only speak from a 1 day visit in January but the mountain restaurant lunch on the Italian side was much better quality and value than in France and the waitresses/barmaids were absolutely gorgeous
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saikee, I skied the run down to 1176m back in early March, and it was already patchy with a few areas roped off. Quite a nice long run, worth considering if there's a white out further up - which there was when we did it. Slow and long lift up though, but very peaceful. That drag is also a bit of a killer! The skiing is certainly more varied in Italy.
As for the apres ski, the Traversette in La Ros is a pleasant enough place for lunch - fantastic Southerly views over towards the Aiguille Rouge. On the Italian side, the Belvedere's quite nice, but to really find a good restaurant a trip right down to La Thuile would appear to be the best bet - come in David Last (the cuisine expert).
Alan, no arguements about the waitresses from me 
Nice photo PG, amazing how the topography gives such a different perspective - it's not how I have the resort pictured in my minds eye at all.
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You know it makes sense.
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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 Reindet by the side of piste 7, an 11kms red that goes from the top of Fourclaz down to la Thuile is supposedly the best mountain restuarant in Italy. Unfortunately, it was closed last week so we had to go on to the Rascard, which can be reached from piste 7 or piste 2 or 3. There's an interesting little bit of off-piste via someone's garden to reach the restaurant which isn't signed, all adds to the ambience. Both well worth a visit.
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Poster: A snowHead
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David
I spent one day in La Ros / La Thuile this year (from Courmayeur) and it was definately the best days ski-ing. Restaurants not bad either - altho I cannot remeber which we stopped in.
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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 must have gone to the wrong restaurant because the waitress/barmaid doesn't look that gorgeous.
All I found was this [url=http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0RQDyAgwVl!SNzzn!RqW1cWX083xhY45VDeeLhpLI8JZgnah7rd5SWaLdBAGFtjMDzWavyg4Pi0TJV2ONDqnxJJQARyUIQPOlgS*7fNFpRAU/goat.bmp?dc=4675470162062866095] animal [/url]
The restaurant was fantastic though.
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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 the apres ski in la Thuile, I've never stayed there, but the main centre for accommodation is Pananbel,which is right next to the lower gondola station and some way from the village of La Thuile. Like a lot of villages in the Val d'Aosta, La Thuile has duty-free status so booze and cigarettes are very cheap there. The apres ski in La Rosiere is, IMHO, pretty good for a small resort, which also has some advantages because nowhere is more than a determined stagger away and it doesn't take long to get to know all the best bars.
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I agree, David, more late nights in La Rosiere than anywhere else I've stayed. Mind the stripper on the pool table in the karaoke bar was a bit of a shock. 
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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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Helen, we've missed that one, we were dancing on the pool table in Arpin's Bar last Xmas eve and that could have been an even more shocking sight.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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David, some of us would pay good money to see that sort of thing Shame to back, eh? What a waste of good snow!
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We've just booked for La Rosiere at Christmas, as we don't seem to be able to get to Zermatt with Kuoni at half term as there are no scheduled flights available at all. I'm really looking forward to it, so are the kids.
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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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Who are you going with Jane L? Or have you sorted DIY?
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Where would be the best places to stay in either La Rosiere or La Thile? No family this time, just looking for good skiing and a bit of night life. B&B would be fine if there are good restaurants around.
Also when would be the best time to go? January or later in the season.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Steve, mail me for details of what we can offer. Jamuary is usually a goog time, slopes aren't crowded and the Heli-Skiing ususally starts around 10th Jan.
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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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La Rosière, May 21st: Stormy day, sultry temperatures, rain on and off below 3100m. The resort was pretty much closed for business, with the '8 à Huit' supermarket the one place open, shelves virtually stripped of goods, reminiscent of a Soviet era shop! Strolled up past the barrier restricting access to the Col du Petit Saint Bernard (the road across to Italy) until we reached a small landslide that had swept across into the valley below ... it's not just snow and ice that stops the authorities from opening the road until the end of May at the earliest; it's in a sorry state after exposure to the elements through the winter. One or two motorcyclists had made it across from Italy despite the conditions, so the promised opening for next weekend might yet be possible.
One restaurant had stayed open to cater for the building contractors and other workers scattered around the resort. 'Le Chalet', excellent fare, the set four course meal was well-prepared, and with wine, came to just 15 euros per head....
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You know it makes sense.
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The manager certainly seemed a cheerful, if laid-back sort of guy!....
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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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| PG wrote: |
La Rosière, May 21st: Stormy day, sultry temperatures, rain on and off below 3100m. The resort was pretty much closed for business, with the '8 à Huit' supermarket the one place open, shelves virtually stripped of goods, reminiscent of a Soviet era shop! Strolled up past the barrier restricting access to the Col du Petit Saint Bernard (the road across to Italy) until we reached a small landslide that had swept across into the valley below ... it's not just snow and ice that stops the authorities from opening the road until the end of May at the earliest; it's in a sorry state after exposure to the elements through the winter. One or two motorcyclists had made it across from Italy despite the conditions, so the promised opening for next weekend might yet be possible.
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The Gothard pass will open around the same time, according to the local paper there's a 3km section under 4m of snow and they had a great photo of a route being cut through it (which is not on their web site sadly)
On a similar note, we were in at Meiringen yesterday in glorious weather, today we were over in the Jura and went by Tete de Ran one of the stations there near my office, foggy and very wet.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Mark - we're going with Thomson, by overnight Eurostar.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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David@traxvax, PG, Flying_squirrel
A question for you all. If you were skiing in Les arcs with a guide for a weekend, how tempted would you be to make the half hour drive up the valley to La Rosiere for an off piste run down to La Thuile as our hosts seem keen to take us? Obviously there is "that restaurant" on the Italian side, but then again there is Beliou la Fumee in Les Arcs, so the skiing has to be the arbiter.
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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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Are you staying in Les Arcs? If you were in Bourg St Maurice that might be different, but it's a fair way to travel (from Les Arcs) if you're there just for the weekend. Especially given all the off piste possibilities around the Les Arcs domain. From BSM it's not far at all to La Ros or Ste Foy.
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PG, We are actually staying in Le Villaret bit of Peisey Vallandrey, so about 15 mins to Landry. Personally I would rather spend my weekend on snow than on tarmac, but thought I would canvass opinion.
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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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So 20 minutes to BSM, another 30 minutes to La Ros.... not too bad... all the same, for a long weekend ...
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Thanks PG, I hope the weather is clement in Vaison
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Martin, depends when you are there. There is some fabulous off-piste skiing to found in the Espace San Bernadino but like everywhere else depends on snow conditions. If you really want to make it an event, book some heli-skiing, which usually starts in Mid Jan. That's definitely worth the drive from PV The route down the Ruitor glacier (20 kms) is one of the best off-piste intineries in the world. The heli skiing pick up is at Petit San Bernard, which is about 30 mins skiing from La Rosiere. Most of the locals go to Sainte Foy after a fresh dump, theres some good skiing there but not really worth the trip without fresh powder.
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Yeah, I'd only bother if the conditions we significantly better in La Ros, or if there was some heli-skiing on the cards, esp if you've only got a weekend.
One thing Les Arcs lacks a bit is really good mountain restaurants, in my view, so if "that restaurant" is all its cracked up to be, that might be enough to tempt you over!
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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 do rate the "Chalets de l'Arc" at 2000 though...... and I really like the little restaurant down at 1600, "La Malouine" - great fish dishes.
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Fair point about Chalets de l'Arc. Never been to La Malouine though...
Whats the name of the place down towards Villaroger that's quite good? Good pormonier sausages!
Its places like La Poudreuse in P-V that are such a disappointment - great location, but no effort put into it. Blanche Muree is probably the best in P-V, but mainly cos they are good fun if they know you and you like being forced to drink genepi!
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FAQ
