Tignes and The Espace Killy 2018/19 (Useful Links Page 1)

A snowHead

This mornings surprise was about half a mm of snow on the balcony and some mist that was floating around between 19 and 2300m. But that soon cleared. It was much colder and the winds did shut one or two lifts; but maybe it should have been two more layers not one. Much busier this morning for some reason but we did a cruise round Grand Pré and the Bellvarde before a couple of goes at Trolles, because it was quiet! After an early lunch we took the day 2 and a half day skier down Palafour 3 times (no falls on the third so he was allowed home for a siesta!!). Most of the pistes ar still fine but the high movement areas are getting scraped earlier. Not much else to say really, the pic somes up the day - well wrapped up!

After a very cold night, tomorrow will be broadly similar to today, a little less wind perhaps (but still enough breeze to chill the bare bits!) but cold and sunny. Another cold night will follow, but the breeze will be lighter on Friday and a thinish layer of high altitude cloud will form in the afternoon, the air will be a little less cold. The wind will return on Saturday, the morning will be mainly sunny, a few more clouds later. The large orange thing is set to dominate on Sunday, a bit warmer to.

Now to the big $64 million question: when will it snow. Having had a shake of the pine cones, a sniff of the seaweed and a throw of the dice there appears to be a breakdown in this dominant high pressure system from the middle of next week which might lead to light snow showers mid week. Its still early but the jetstream alters track towards the weekend of 12/13th Jan and a stream of Atlantic fronts (ie snow) seems like the probable outcome - here's hoping. snowHead

A snowHead

Fingers crossed! I'm coming out on the 26th.. Was about to shave my beard off, but think I'll keep it until I'm back now Very Happy

I hope a few more dustings come down before we're out there, as I convinced 3 newbies and 3 experienced people (that haven't been there before) to come with me to Tignes as it's such a nice and snow sure resort snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@bar shaker, A pretty slick ride down to Rosies' today. Not helped by the fact that Stade has remained closed over the holidays. +1 For the new Gondola. I think the seats were on maximum toaster setting today.

Lapped around Tommueses a few times around lunch/early afternoon as it was blissfully quiet.

One thing that I did spot this morning was that they appeared to have run out of Ambulances in Val Claret. Rescue sleds were lined up at the roadside waiting to offload casualties!

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@chocksaway, sounds good so long as it don't stop me getting to resort on 13 Jan.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

i really hope it comes midweek as i get there this saturday for a week. On a separate note. this will be the first time i will be driving myself to Tignes. Does anyone know where Lac 3 parking is please?

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I've given up on any fresh stuff for our week from this Saturday, so if we do get a little freshen up midweek it will be a bonus!

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Keeping a keen eye on these updates - arrive on the 13th!

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App is showing a slightly Baltic -13 this morning. Time for another bowl of porridge wink

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Do I spy a little whitening of the roads in the Village on the webcams this morning?

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Can anyone recommend a shop in Val for servicing. I know they all do it but if someone knows of a good one (i'll put this in Steve's topic too). Given it's probs going to be icy starts I want to get them done when I arrive on Saturday pm for a Sunday morning start. We are staying right in the middle of town at Alpina lodge. Thanks.

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A medic friend of mine told me that steak is fine served rare as you cook it on the outside which is where the bacteria would be sitting. Once you mince it up to make a steak haché, the bacteria from the outside are spread throughout the burger - and thus cooking it on the outside does not help one bit to kill the bacteria on the inside.

I've never really fancied burgers since...

A snowHead

A snowHead

Anyway, back to what matters! It was jolly cold today! Bright blue skies from the off and mainly light breezes but the Pissailas Glacier lifts were closed to wind (according to the Skiplan site), it must have been the northerlies funnelling up the valley as there was hardly a breeze up on the Solaise. I did see 2 small clouds about the size of a sheep and Mont Blanc looked like it was smoking (or is that vaping) but the only trouble today was cold fingers! Two of us had a charge down to La Daille at 0900, where there seemed to have been a collective alarm clock failure, the place was deserted. The snow cannons were still on, which reduced vis a bit but made for pleasurable skiing. We hopped on the bus to Laisinant (looking at the massive queues in Val Centre) on the way through where there was no queue. We then skied direct to the Solaise - great snow and not many people. Even Arcelle was in good nick, apart from the bottom 20% where cover is a bit thin (reflecting the early season snowline). I have to say the snowmakers in Val have done a good job down the front of the Solaise, it was a pleasure to ski down Plan M and Rhone Alpes - its not often you can say that! I am guessing we were in the first 100 down so not sure if it lasts till late afternoon.

Lunch was taken at the Savouna on Palafour - great omelettes! Having collected the aspiring intermediate (no longer a beginner!) we cruised Creux whilst everyone was at lunch. By 3 it was getting chilly so back for tea and medals.

After a barkingly cold night tomorrow should start with clear skies but a few clouds may well appear fairly quickly. A thin layer of high cloud will appear for the afternoon, blocking out the sun. From an academic point of view the air will be a couple of degrees warmer, I don't think we will notice. As the lifts shut the wind will pick up ahead of another cold night. Saturday will feel cold despite being sunny with some fluffy clouds about as there will be a gusty wind especially at altitude. Most of the clouds will disappear for Sunday, there will be a breeze but it might feel a degree or two warmer. Currently Monday looks similar, potentially a few more clouds. Beyond that the forecasts are disagreeing, but a slightly higher chance of mid week snow showers than yesterday, remember the cheques in the post.........

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@chocksaway, The snow cannons were still running after lunch all the way down to Rosie's. I also lapped Creux around lunchtime. The crowds seem to move around like migrating wildebeest. Grattalu was rammed yesterday with a fair old queue at the lift yet everywhere else I went was relatively quiet.

Couple of "tea bags" in the gloves today. Temperature was showing as -8c mid afternoon at Tommueses entry point.

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@GeorgeVII, Now't like tea bagging on a cold day wink

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Does anyone have any experience renting from AB Skishop (https://www.skimium.fr/store/ab-skishop-163)?

I was looking around and they seem to have one of the best deals available for a snowboard package, almost €40 cheaper than InterSport for a better model of board.

Has anyone rented from there before?

Thanks

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Hi @dunc999, go to Killy Sport, head upstairs and ask for Jeremy (or Nicolas if Jeremy is not there). It should be convenient if you are in the centre of town: Killy Sport is behind the main roundabout, opposite direction to the tunnel that the bus takes. Next door to the tourist office.

Feel free to be fussy about what you want. They have the latest Wintersteiger monster machine (you will see it behind the counter) and can do exactly what you want on the base in .25 degree steps, ditto on the sides. And if you are not happy they will do it again until you are. Mention that Bob sent you wink

who was delighted with Jeremy's work on his Heads both the first time and the second...

Good shout getting them done. La Face was bodies everywhere this evening and you might note above that Val C ran out of ambulances!

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

@bobski62, thank you!!

Hey guys!

Counting down the days until the 15th when myself and the girlfriend commence our run for the border! We’re both hoping for good things snow wise - been keeping an eye on the long range forecast that work conveniently provides.

Does anyone have any recommendations for quiet restaurants or bars that we could safely have a romantic birthday meal in around the Val Claret area? Not looking for night life or anything, just somewhere with hearty portions and decent beer!

Fio

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@Fionelo, Hi I do know a few restos in VC, I know them all in Lac and Lacachet. If you want an evening do then let me know your budget (inc wine) and any major dislikes and I will do what I can wink

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Thanks for the updates. I’m taking my first trip to Tignes Le Lac arriving Sat 13th and hoping for a top up of fresh snow before then.

A snowHead

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@Fionelo, In Lavachet the Brasero (the other decent places are €45 per head for food). Its right by the bus stop so easy from anywhere. In Val Claret have a look at The Couloir (its in the middle, pedestrian area), same owners as previous. For the obscure: the Breton Creperie in Le Lac (on Rosset Promenade) is good. Some mates ate their last night and were raving, I've had lunch there and it was excellent. Burger in a crepe is a real winner, beware the strength of the Breton cider Shocked

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Back to today. Another very chilly morning and a thin layer of very high cloud over the top of us made it seem a bit parky! The blue sky was not far away though, here's Mont Blanc, Le Dent du Géant and Les Grandes Jorasses looking splendid:

Another morning of charging round hardish pistes complicated by the fact that Val D'Isere seemed shut early on. Whether the power problems (caused by a 20KV transformer going pop) which led to 2 out of the 3 main phone/data networks going down had anything to do with it I don't know, but the Bellvarde was spookily quiet and still at 0920. The La Daille gondy had a morning off as well (seems to share new gondy disease with the one on Brev!). So we ended up with a replan and went to Brev, hard but doable. Following another early lunch the embryonic intermediate was subjected to a couple of runs down Genepy, before an 'early bath' to avoid frantic Friday.

After another cold night tomorrow will be sunny but windy, there will be a few clouds around, a bit like today. The wind may cause some lifts to close (later especially), we are still trapped between the UK High and the Grecian Low that I talked about the other day which wind is going to be an on and off feature of the next few days. Wrap up tomorrow. Sunday looks similar, maybe a couple of degrees warmer, but in a biting wind you wont notice. Monday should be more benign as the wind should drop, but expect more clouds especially in the afternoon. The changes start on Tuesday, it will be mainly cloudy, windy, with the sun maybe peeping from behind a cloud. The cloud should thicken enough to give light snow showers in the afternoon, a dusting at least. Fast moving snow showers are on the cards for Wednesday, cold windy and 5-10cm of snow on current forecasts. Which is probably enough (as Kenzie pointed out) given the potential for avalanches if we have a dump on this hard base.

For the travellers tomorrow, really the only problems will be the roads heading home. 29000 vehicles are forecast to converge on Moutiers, so jams are inevitable at peak times. Be gone by 8! With only 17000 vehicles heading towards the snow there will be few problems (yellow jackets permitting). The weather for flying is benign on both sides of the Channel. Worthy of note is the northerly wind, if it is towards the higher end of the forecast at Chambery, you may be treated to a dramatic but safe approach as the aircraft descends over the lake and then flies lowish over the town of Aix Les Bains to land heading north. Seats A-C will get a good view of the mountains, in D to F a view through the velux windows below.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@chocksaway, re. restaurants in VC, is Pignatta any good these days? I recall (vaguely) some epic late lunches in there on bad weather days

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@moosepig, It was very nice in March, an old fave of ours.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@moosepig, Not been myself, but heard nothing bad, I know its sister Oh La Vache! is very good.

The calm after the storm........... As the hordes departed (not many traffic probs by the look of it) we were left with blue skies and empty pistes (and relax!). The only fly in the ointment was a biting wind above 2500m, which closed the Le Fornet higher lifts and made exposed parts suffer. No lessons for the intermediate today (thanks New Gen - good job!) so we explored the blue runs down to Brevieres, still in good nick, I think the reds are a little more tricky. It was then round to Grattalu, a great place to practice as its such an even and wide slope. Creux followed lunch and then back round the Palet blues to the ski shop and a spot of packing before they get the 0 dark hundred bus in the morning. Its great to see the transformation from absolute novice to blue run skier in a week.

Tomorrows weather will be similar to todays, sun with a few clouds scurrying quickly across the heavens, so wrap up warm if its Day 1 and you are going higher than the main villages. Monday will be sunny with fewer clouds and less wind, so a nice winters day ahead of the changes. The tug of war between weather systems continues but Tuesday now looks like being cloudy, windy and snowy all day, light snow until lunchtime and heavier in the afternoon, maybe around 5cm in total. Wednesday will be windy with snow showers all day, with perhaps a hint of sun in between, again another 5 -7 cm of snow. The forecast for Thursday and beyond is up for grabs, just about anything could happen, I will just settle for more unsettled!

For the travellers tomorrow it will be a good day for flying both over here and over there (it might be a bit drizzly oop north and at Lyon early on) and the roads will be quiet. So from mid week with a few cm of new snow, very few jolliday makers its all going to be a lot easier Very Happy

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@chocksaway, we are setting off on Friday so all good news. Thanks for the update. Maybe a few more cm’s?? wink

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What a cracker of a day. Sunshine, blue skies and less windy.

However, about an hour ago I witnessed some remarkably accurate heli flying. If it was a drill then I doubt that they could have found a more difficult place to practice. The helicopter was inching into one of the "Fingers" couloirs above the Lake. At one point it looked like he had a toe down on the dividing ridge. This was repeated a couple of times as they ferried personnel from the top of the Toviere area. Winch man was busy.

@chocksaway, may have more info on the incident.

Help!!

Tignes and The Espace Killy 2018/19 (Useful Links Page 1)

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