 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm with bar-shaker - chocksaway could you please give the seaweed a rinse and come up with a more agreeable weekend prediction. We should be arriving in Le Lac on Saturday evening (non stop from the UK Yellow Giblets permitting) and would kindly request that you organise a weather window from 5pm to 8pm ish. We're ok with Sunday and Monday being duvet days though - need to get over the 'car lag' and check out this years ales in the Marmotts. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Sunday looking like a cracker for our drive from GVA...oo er...
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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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Just keep it coming for the next month until we head out 5th Jan please and then a week of bluebird days with little top ups overnight, if that's not too much to ask!!
In all seriousness, safe travels to all over the upcoming weekend, looks like it might be a shocker.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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A glorious day in the Alps, not a cloud in the sky this morning and very little wind, through the afternoon there was some very high cloud but nothing to spoil the day. There were quite a few altocumulus lenticularis about today, or flying saucers if you like, a sign of things to come tomorrow. We decide to have a big day out to Val so quite a bit of down in the lifts but the Solaise and Le Fornet are in excellent condition on piste. I would post a photo but the media zone seems to be having a sulk with error codes so I'll try later. We did see them preparing Face for the men's race - they were busy injecting it with water - evil you know whats!!
The sky will cloud over tonight and wee will wake up to a snowy day (just) the snowline will creep up to about 2000m by lunchtime, so potentially a bit soggy around town. There may be a glimpse of the sun just before the lifts close. Order is restored on Friday, a pleasant sunny day with the odd fluffy cloud. Post Happy Hour it will deteriorate, the wind will pick up, it will start snowing and the mercury takes a dive. It will be snowy all day Saturday, the latest forecast show wind rather than gales, so some lifts may be open. Sunday will be snowy with full on gales, the wind speeds may go either way on Sat or Sun, stay tuned. next week looks unsettled, bit early to be more specific.
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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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| Quote: |
Just keep it coming for the next month until we head out 5th Jan please and then a week of bluebird days with little top ups overnight, if that's not too much to ask!!
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So do we, and I second that request. Also can it be dry blower pow please not the heavy stuff lol.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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So my timing could be spot on. Just taken the top off my second pint on board the Hull>Zeebrugge overnight ferry. I've booked an overnight stay in Beaune tomorrow and plan to arrive in Tignes early afternoon Friday. (No rush, I'm there until April).
Settle in over weekend (it will take me that long to unload the van) then out into the fresh stuff next week.
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@GeorgeVII,
Look forward to seeing you. Have a safe journey the snow will still be here whatever time you arrive.
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And this morning's breaking news: Palafour and Grand Huit open on Saturday
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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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First day skiing today. Loving all the fresh powder - so much for rain at high altitudes! Really struggling with my confidence though - frustrating when I used to be a lot better. Currently hiding at folie douce with an overpriced chocolat chaud while the other half does some blacks.
Any recommendations for a great instructor who is patient and encouraging for nervous skiers? I don’t want someone who is perplexed by my lack of skill and impatient, as I can get that for free by skiing with my boyfriend.
Staying in Tignes VC so ideally over that way.
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@calbris, made me giggle.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| calbris wrote: |
First day skiing today. Loving all the fresh powder - so much for rain at high altitudes! Really struggling with my confidence though - frustrating when I used to be a lot better. Currently hiding at folie douce with an overpriced chocolat chaud while the other half does some blacks.
Any recommendations for a great instructor who is patient and encouraging for nervous skiers? I don’t want someone who is perplexed by my lack of skill and impatient, as I can get that for free by skiing with my boyfriend.
Staying in Tignes VC so ideally over that way. |
Gavin at TDC was brilliant with my nervous mate last year. Really, any of the TDC team will be good.
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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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We've got an ageing skier with us in April - noting the lift passes are 65-74 for buying online, how do we go about getting a (presumably free) lift pass for the old codger? Is it "buy in resort only with proof of age", can't really see anything blindingly obvious on the Tignes pass sales website?
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You know it makes sense.
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@larkim, Pop to the lift pass office with recycled teenagers passport- done.
@mountainaddict, Other than Yves taxy then you are right, or maybe the odd service bus.
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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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Strange old day, there was a mix of cloud and snow this morning with various layers. Not really enticing but as mate is only here for 4 days and it was his birthday duty called. Still struggling with error codes on the media zone so no ppics today. So we skied all morning which was taxing on the legs. The top of the Grand Motte was closed and most of the pistes elsewhere bumped up.. There were however, tantalizing glimpses of the sun, so with a restorative Aspen burger aboard we set off towards the Bellvarde. Slowly the sun cleared and by the time we got to Grand Pre there was bits of untracked compacted powder to destroy under a low sunshine - result!
The resort is now full of Spaniards for the 'Inmaculada Weekend' they do seem to like to hunt in packs of 20, especially just in front of lift gates! Likewise we have half of the French ski instructors in resort doing their 'controles' with ENSA.
The weather: tomorrow will be springlike; there will be a few clouds but warm temperatures and sun should predominate; beware a cheeky breeze at altitude. It will cloud over as the bars open and should start snowing in the evening, the wind will start to howl, this will be a feature of the next few days. Saturday, will be snowy and windy, most of the high lifts will be closed and the air temperature will be 7 or 8 degs colder than tomorrow - another 2 layers! The actual wind speeds are still a bit uncertain, more tomorrow. Sunday looks like an a real shocker, storm force winds will close virtually everything I think, but there will be sunny spells in between supersonic snow showers. Monday looks like being snowy and windy again, winters here folks!
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Poster: A snowHead
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There were some nice bits off Grattalu back to VC. Campanule Ok. Familial fine in morning. Flat bit under Grand Pre flattering in afternoon but well skied. A mixed bag indeed.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Ok so after dithering for a couple of weeks we are off. Sailed across the Irish Sea this morning, pausing in Yorkshire then setting off for Folkestone early Sat morning. Going to try and get as far as we can to minimise driving in bad weather on Sunday. Will be in Val Claret so pleased that the snow is shaping up for us.
Thanks for all the weather info @chocksaway, can we order some blue skies for a couple of days next week please? 
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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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Forecasts are showing 40-70cm between Friday night and Monday night, with Sunday being the worst of it. With the Mens Slalom on in Val, on Sunday, it will be carnage getting in or out on Sunday afternoon/evening. Either arrive/leave early, or travel on Monday. Last year, in similar conditions, it took us 3 hours to down get to Bourg SM at mid afternoon!! Getting up looked worse.
Saturday is looking like the best day of the weekend, but that's not saying much. Hoping we get a few breaks in the cloud.
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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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| bar shaker wrote: |
| calbris wrote: |
First day skiing today. Loving all the fresh powder - so much for rain at high altitudes! Really struggling with my confidence though - frustrating when I used to be a lot better. Currently hiding at folie douce with an overpriced chocolat chaud while the other half does some blacks.
Any recommendations for a great instructor who is patient and encouraging for nervous skiers? I don’t want someone who is perplexed by my lack of skill and impatient, as I can get that for free by skiing with my boyfriend.
Staying in Tignes VC so ideally over that way. |
Gavin at TDC was brilliant with my nervous mate last year. Really, any of the TDC team will be good. |
Thanks for this! I've enquired. 
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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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Looks like they've finally got round to updating the interactive piste/lift map. Now shows the new arrangement of Brev/Boisse Gondolas, and Tunnel 
https://en.tignes.net/what-to-see-do/skiing/ski-map
Just need them to open a bit more of it now. Appears all or favourite mountain haunts are still no-go. Edelweiss, La Bouida, Peau de Vache and top of our run home Lo Soli. Wonder if mad Max will still be there this year.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Judwin, wonder if the interactive/live map on the app is working? Comments on line suggest that app is rubbish, but I've never used it
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@calbris, +1 for Gavin - our "go to" in tignes
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@dobby - no idea. I don't own a mobile phone so have no idea what an app is. Proper interweb on a proper 'puter for me.
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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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Still no photos I'm afraid, I have raised a query with the hamsters.
There were a few clouds this morning, but most of them disappeared by mid morning, leaving a glorious day with great pistes in most places. We went over to Val and skied Solaise and Le Fornet where we made some 'hero tracks' in the 5-10cm of fresh snow. Lunch at the ever dependable and good value Cascades was enhanced by their lager serving area and new 'flow' through the tills. Later in the afternoon we popped up to the top of Vanoise where the wind was picking up and Mont Blanc ahd particularly wacky clouds appearing at the peak - never a good sign.
So to the weather: Batten down the hatches! The sky will rapidly cloud over this evening, the temperature will drop sharply and the wind will pick up and it will start to snow mid evening. It might be a bit slushy around town for an hour or two but the snowline will drop rapidly to just above Bourg. It will snow most of the day tomorrow, perhaps 5-10cm but the story will be the wind, the forecasts are varying but as we have no tree line skiing it may well only be Tichot and Palafour, I doubt the links will open. Expect a slow start as the pisteurs try to make sense of it all! Sunday will be even windier, it will snow all day and potentially 30-40cm will arrive, although it is quite a small area of precipitation so this may vary quite a bit, don't be surprised if we are just about stormbound. Monday will be snowy and windy and cold, but the windspeed should allow some lifts to open once the pisteurs are satisfied. Tuesday currently looks better but confidence is low (MF giving 2 out of 5 - which is very low for 4 days out) so we'll leave it at that.
I know there are snowheads coming and going tomorrow, for those flying - its going to be a bit of a roller coaster the wind speeds in the UK are going to be quite close to the limit for 737s/Airbuses and maybe over them for smaller prop jobs, so expect a bumpy arrival and departure especially in the morning, it will also be showery. An occasional shower may also push it beyond the limits of the jets especially at Bristiol, Leeds and in Scotland so Biggles may opt to lurk for a bit before heading earthwards in a controlled fashion. Over here it will be bump but flyable. For the drivers, snow chains will be essential I think, for the sailors it will be bracing in the Channel
Ladies and Gentlemen as we have now commenced our descent please fasten your seatbelts: TIGHTLY!!
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Yay, that was your captain speaking. Have fun and hold on 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@chocksaway, a "lager serving area" is a long overdue innovation...
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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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And for those driving, like me, I suggest you check out the Traffic England website sometime after 9pm to try and work out what is and isn't open. http://www.trafficengland.com/
The M20 has had night closures all week from 8pm till 6am, and I can't work out if these occur tonight too. In addition it looks like the A2/M2 will be closed eastbound too. Could easily add 30-60 minutes to travel times, resulting in missed chunnels.
And then once the other side there's the yellow giblets.
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| head_like_a_rock wrote: |
| @chocksaway, a "lager serving area" is a long overdue innovation... |
It's self serve beer in there from a tap. I watched a French chap last year pour himself a large glass , possible a litre, drink the whole lot, pour it again, and then take it to the till round the corner with his food. Wish I had the nerve!!
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You know it makes sense.
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@bar shaker, Yep. It's going to be a mess. We were in La Daille for the season last year and did it four times over the season but managed to time it so that we never actually got caught in the worst of the conditions. This time I think we may not be so lucky. We have a 4wd, snow tyres and chains and we are aiming to be in Bourg for 1pm so fingers crossed we make it up the hill by dark!
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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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Gulp... Storms, race-day crowds...Oo er. Will just have to see what's in store for our Sunday am arrival at GVA and our onward drive to Tignes...
I will love it, love it if we can get a few turns in (heavy snow and wind or not) on arrival pm. Hoping to do so by using Bollin freebie lift...
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Poster: A snowHead
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@lynnecha, Welcome back!!
@endoman, Wish I had the bladder!
@head_like_a_rock, tee hee and what with @Judwin's yellow giblets auto correct is having a ball tonight
To more important matters its snowing but the wind is picking up
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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15cm in the village overnight, 30cm aloft still snowing moderate to heavily on the chocksaway scale, wind not quite as bad as forecast. Palafour and Tichot open, but I suspect it is not good out there given the amount of time it took the first skiers to get down Palafour after the lift opened
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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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@chocksaway, shall we meet for a beer? I’ll send you a message when we’ve got organised.
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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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great race there to watch, wether looks far worse than forecast on snow forecast.
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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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@lynnecha, yip!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Well it was colder today, but not the deep winter cold yet, and it was windy and it was snowy! A few of the lower lifts opened for the hardy but not many managed more than 3 or 4 runs if the clientele in the Jam Bar were anything to go by. There was a brief lull in the snow half an hour ago - but its back now.
The snow intensity will pick up again tonight and the wind speed will increase, so tomorrow looks very windy and snowy. I would not be surprised if it is only the village lifts that are open tomorrow, if at all. The heavy snow will continue into Monday, between now and Monday lunchtime I would not be surprised if we have half a metre of snow. By mid morning on Monday the wind will have abated and the snow will be lighter, there may be the odd hint of the sun. But the snow will continue through the day. After Sundays storm the pisteurs will have a major task on their hands, powder fever will be at a season high so be patient and be careful. Tuesday looks like a good day, mostly sunny with light winds but a good 10 degs colder than last week. Wednesday will be a mixed bag, sunshine and showers, with light snow, more prevalent in the afternoon.
For the travellers tomorrow: the UK will still be covered in bluster showers so still a bumpy ride on take off/approach if you get close to one but not as bad as today. Over here it should not be too bad for flying but you will need snow chains beyond Bourg, even snow tyres and 4x4 may not be enough tomorrow.
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@Judwin, I drove down from Zeebrugge to Tignes staying overnight in Burgundy. The Gilets Jaune were camped at a few key roundabouts and junctions but they weren't disrupting traffic. As Chocksaway has already noted, It's been snowing fairly heavily all day but mostly sideways.
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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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@chocksaway, thanks for the update, we will be prepared for the worst!
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Made it. Got lucky with the Chunnel - was booked on the 06:19 but arrived in time for the 05:40. Made Chambery for about 15:30 via an hour in the metal chicken at Bourg en Bresse.
The Yellow Giblets aren't to be feared. What happens is they take over the motorway payage stations and just wave you through. I think we got through 2 of the 4 from Calais to Albertville without paying. Only hold up was about 20 minutes where the A42 joins the A432 - The motorway into Lyon was blocked/closed which caused the A42 to back up. There are motorway signs warning of "pietons" at all the motorway junctions around Bourg en Bresse. If we'd know we would have left the motorway at one of them and immediately re-joined. Would have wiped out the expensive Reims to Lyon bit.
Anyway, big shop in Chambery, and off up the hill to Tignes arriving around 19:30. Roads are passible without chaines though there is probably about an inch of packed snow on the road up from Boisse to Le Lac. Lots of Spanish in our parking lot, but most of them appear to be leaving tomorrow. Still snowing outside. Not heavy but quite fine flakes settling everywhere.
Nice Pizza in Le Rendezvous, and now waiting for Match of the Day to start.
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FAQ
). Would prefer to avoid shelling out €85 for parking...
