 Poster: A snowHead
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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'm in Samoens on the 15th till 2 Jan so hoping for some nice early snow. Will be interesting to see how the new lifts and pistes are, and really hoping the Club Med hotel in Samoens wont lead to overcrowding. Anyway - can't wait.
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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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Looking forward to 2017/18 in Grand Massif and the new areas & lifts. Entering my 60’s now, hope knees etc. hold out again for the 120ish day winter season. We are certainly due early season snow after the poor starts to the last 4 seasons, come on!
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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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@Ghanny So do I and I'm staying at the CM  but not until March
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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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Thanks, @Zorrac, I'm dancing.........
We'll be heading out as soon as there is enough snow. We didn't make it out in the Summer, so looking forward to seeing everything that has happened since March.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@sj1608, Quite a bit of remodelling of the village centre roads in the summer, we are there from about 14th december ish
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Thanks @Zorrac. We will be in Flaine (if there's snow) for the weekend from 15th December. Like @sj1608, I'm dancing. We were there for the same weekend last year. Just about got away with it snow-wise, so have high hopes. Everything crossed.
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thanks @Zorrac, season pass is a bargain 
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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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Trying not to look at the webcams every half hour. I got far too excited by the early snowfalls in the last few seasons and jinxed ourselves. Aiming to be on the slopes for the first Sunday of the season, if all goes well.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Just about to press the button on the season ski passes for the kids. We are going to give Skilico a go this season. Will report back at the end of the season whether or not it was cheaper.
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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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@Cheesie168, I've just made that call and went for season passes in the end. I think that we'll ski for about 15 days this year, but we will also use the lifts in the summer. I thought that the annual pass worked out slightly cheaper, but it was a close one. I'm interested to see how it works out for you.
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@Cheesie168, @rachelharrisonsmith,
If it helps with your decision, we changed to skilico 2 years ago when injured and not skiing as much. Last year when skiing about 20 days we still thought it was worth it. It meant that we didn’t feel obliged to ski as often or as far as we normally would. The main benefit is that we started to ski away from the GM. Had some great days in Avoriaz, Courmayeur. Planning chamonix this winter. Whatever you do have a great winter, snow looking good so far !
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You know it makes sense.
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One thing to note is for the season pass children are up to and including 17, whereas with day passes they are up to 15, after than an adult. So if you have a 16 or 17 year old then the season pass pays for itself very quickly
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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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@AP1, did you ski in Courmeyer using Skilico? We ski elsewhere each season as well as our children race (both France & Italy this season) and I was hoping that Skilico covered a lot of resorts outside the area but from what I could gather it was focussed on resorts near the Grand Massif which doesn't benefit us massively.
@Zorrac, thanks for pointing that out. It doesn't affect us yet, but I'll remember that for future years!
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Poster: A snowHead
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@rachelharrisonsmith, hi Rachel, . No it doesn’t cover Courmayeur or Porte de soleil, which is a shame. I just meant that we ventured further as we didn’t feel obliged to ski GM all the time. This explains the benefits well
https://www.skialacarte.fr/FrontOffice/
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hello!
Anyone in Flaine or nearby and can vouch for the conditions?
Cheers!
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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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@biatwc, 4 sleeps and we'll be there, so will be posting after that. 
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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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Will be there Wednesday evening....
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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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Thanks for any and all updates @sj1608 and @AP1 - I will be monitoring for photos and comments on the new pistes and lift. Still over 3 months to go so need to have something to keep me patient.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@sj1608, @AP1, from the looks of it you could have timed it just right. Will check back in next week.
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Having checked the weather forecast we decided to drive to Les Carroz Saturday rather than Sunday, right decision as we had good weather all the way.
There was already snow in the village when we arrived, and it’s been snowing and blowing all morning, with a total of around 20cm now in the village. It’s due to change to rain at village level later.
There should have been an ‘exceptional opening’ this weekend for Les Carroz, Samoens and Morillon and I think they were open yesterday. But it’s so windy they’ve closed the entire ski area, with the exception of two tapis in Flaine. 
Les Carroz, Samoens and Morillon are now all due to open fully from Friday 15th, no sign of being open during this week, but we can hope.
In town, the market place has moved and the through road been re-routed, as Zorrac said. L’Ours Blanc is closed for refurbishment (again) and the Saint Jack is also being gutted and turned into a Café. The old town-centre Spar that went downhill and eventually closed has turned into a smart new Carrefour Montagne with very friendly staff and far more choice than the Casino, which has also had a refurb since last season.
After a walk round the town, we’re now on household tasks for the day, rather than the skiing we’d planned....... 
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@sj1608, Re the spa, its no wonder it closed, the chap who ran it basically accused anyone who walked in with a bag with anything in it of stealing the contents from him! The casino till area has got huge and taken loads of shelf space which does not seem to make much sense. They are going to build on the old market place.
Hope you get skiing soon
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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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Driving over on Friday to Samoens so really looking forward to this Xmas. Although the way the forecasts are looking that Friday drive might be interesting.
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@Ghanny, your drive should be fine, as the highest you get I guess is Chatillon.
That said, if the locals don’t buck up their snow ploughing ... 
They were already (in Chamonix) trucking ploughed snow down to the river to get rid of it.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Yeah Chatillon is the highest and shouldn’t be busy on the Friday but not mad keen on driving through a storm.
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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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@Ghanny, not sure a storm is forecast?
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@Ghanny, not sure a storm is forecast?
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You know it makes sense.
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I'm in Flaine at the moment. Drove up yesterday pm, rain turned to snow in Arraches and had to put chains on my hire car just past Carroz. Snowing heavily last night and probably all through the night, still snowing this morning. Apparently it was raining earlier yesterday but there has been about 60 cm of fresh snow since then. I am in meetings all day today so sadly won't be able to enjoy the powder. According to the GM website Aup de Veran and DMC will be open (although low cloud means I can't see whether that is the case) and the Gerats chair will be open, enabling ski in/out access from my apartment in Montsoleil. Provided there is not a sudden warm spell the conditions are looking great for anyone coming out at the weekend. Will be leaving on Friday but will try and post updates when I eventually get some skis on.
The roads are not being cleared very well at the moment but I assume that that is because there are very few people around. If you're driving up to Flaine in the next few days make sure you're prepared for a lot of snow on the roads.
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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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@Chris Mason, Thanks for the update. We're arriving Thursday night for the weekend, so would love to hear more.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Chris Mason, any word about the road between Carroz and Flaine this morning? We're in Carroz and keen to ski, but there is very little traffic going up the mountain, so suspect it may be foolhardy to drive up.
Can't believe it's 12th Dec and the snow is effectively preventing us from skiing!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@sj1608, I can't believe I've only just found this (after 11 years) - http://www.inforoute74.fr/ - haute savoie road conditions...
Carroz to Flaine, "difficult" special equipment required - i.e. chains or 4x4 with snow tyres.
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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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@under a new name, thanks, never been aware of this, either.
But I think it says we've probably got another day of enjoying the view not the skiing........
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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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Loving seeing these reports. Just need to get everything squared away here, so we can head over at the weekend.
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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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@sj1608, just throw the chains on.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@under a new name, still plenty of jobs to do in the apartment, so think we'll wait for tomorrow when forecast is better. Interestingly, no-one seems to have chains on in town at all, so obviously no enforcement going on!
I've sussed why none of us knew about the Haute Savoie road website - no updates since early this morning, so about as much use as a chocolate fireguard.......
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After 3 days of hanging around.......we finally went skiing today.
The road up to Flaine was still snow-covered but fine if you had winter tyres and took it slowly. We did see an Audi 'parked' in a heap of snow, but nothing else.
I've just checked, and the earliest we have ever skied in Flaine was the 15th December (2013). I remember that trip well, all the pistes then were narrow ribbons of snow, with rocks in them.
What a contrast today - loads of snow everywhere and all the pistes that are open at full width, with very few people around. It was sunny with clear blue sky early, clouding up around lunchtime, by which time our legs had decided they were feeling their age, so we called it a day. It's now snowing again in Les Carroz, and forecast to snow for the next 24 hours.
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@sj1608, Sounds good. We're rolling in late tomorrow night (assuming that our transfer makes it into resort  ). Really can't wait.
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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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@sj1608 pretty much summed up my day, without the drive up. Did one run off the Aup de Veran and about 4 off the DMC, then an early lunch. Did one more trip up the DMC after lunch, by which time the visibility was quite poor, the wind had got up a bit and it had started to snow. The pistes were in very good condition but at the moment (and not surprisingly for this stage in the season) the cover is quite thin. Snowing at the moment. The locals I have spoken to say it could be very windy tomorrow, which could affect the opening of the DMC and Aup de Veran. They were test running Tetes des Verds this morning, maybe that was so that they can open that tomorrow if the télécabines can't run.
My advice to anyone thinking of coming to Flaine tomorrow would be to check what lifts are going to be open before you leave and ensure that you have suitable tyres/chains etc because there is very little traffic on the roads and there could be a lot of snow on them by tomorrow morning.
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Tricky drive from Calais yesterday, rain for 7 hours, snow for the other 2.arrived in Samoens, village is white over but mild so roads clear. Forecast is to get colder . GM is open tomorrow so will give you some ski updates tomorrow evening. Snow is in the forecast for next few days but rain was forecast today and we had very little.
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