 Poster: A snowHead
|
| Arctic Roll wrote: |
@CH1975, If you're staying at the new Base Camp Lodge, they do an addtional discount at Precision Ski, opposite the station, on top of the standard "50% off" BS that all of them seem to do online:
https://www.precisionski-rent.com/ |
Thanks but we are staying at the Huttopia site in one of the wooden huts. They are better than they sound 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
thats great - thanks johnE
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
@Artois, I had a friend stayed 5 days in Vallandry, then with a sports holdall on his back, skied over to join us in 1950... Admittedly he didn't have 2 weeks clothing but, you know, with a bit of clever pruning...
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
The amount I travel with, I’d have to take a chainsaw to my packing- pruning just wouldn’t cut it
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hi! I'm new to the forum, first post here.
Two friends and I will be staying at Residence Tournavelles frpm January 11th to 18th. After reading some horror stories about ski rental on this and other forums, I'm now a bit worried to be scammed. Can someone recommend a good shop near where we will stay where the likelyhood of foul play is lower? From reading here I've understood that it's less likely to be treated bad if you negotiate directly with the shop than if you order online, is that correct?
If been 4 times to the Alps so far, and what I have experienced so far (and come to expect) is:
* If there's something wrong with the equipment you get to exchange it, no hassle and free of charge.
* They do not charge you for scratches etc that can occur after a week's hard skiing.
* They are friendly and helpful, and don't accuse you of anything if something is wrong (a friend returned with a broken snowboard binding, he got an apology and a new snowboard)
* In short: great customer service!
So far I am 4 for 4 on the above, but reading here and in other forums recently has got me worried. Which shops do you recommend if I wish to keep my streak? 
Thanks!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@Taking_the_piste, where is Residence Tournavelles?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Sorry, Arc 1800. I believe the area is called Les Villards? Could've sworn I specified 1800, but I managed to miss that part.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@Taking_the_piste, welcome  to snowHeads. The Tournavelle buildings are well positioned in Villards and there are plenty of ski shops around but I'm not in a position to recommend any particular shop. However, from further up this thread @ipken whose judgement I would trust as a regular in the area says:
| ipken wrote: |
| we, and all of our friends who stay with us, use the skiset at Tournavelles, opposite the Intersport, at the Villards end of the resort. The guys in the shop are always very helpful and keen to sort things out for you. The manager Gaetan is a very good all mountain skier, and I mean all mountain, and brings his knowledge to boot and ski selection for our very mixed bag of skiers and boarders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Thanks Alastair!
I get a bit worried when I read "skiset", but then again I've read that it's the online booking you should avoid, not the shops.
Can anyone confirm if you can get, if not as low, then almost as low prices when renting directly though the shop compared to online? I'm prepared to pay a premium for not getting screwed, but it has to be within reason 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Various friends have used the ski set on line booking service for years and never once had an issue. Perfect service with the assortment of actual shops they have hired from being perfectly happy to change equipment and be helpful all through the rental period. Maybe they have just always been lucky.
Also looks like it can't make up it's mind whether to snow or rain in 1800 today?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| wills_h wrote: |
| Also looks like it can't make up it's mind whether to snow or rain in 1800 today? |
Freezing line will drop soon. It was snowing when I checked the 1800 LiveCam about an hour ago, but now looks more like rain. The forecast looks decent for the next three days, allowing Les Arcs and the rest of the northern French Alps to watch up with some of the bountifulness seen elsewhere. Hopefully the drier, high pressure period which follows will be nice and cold, allowing the resort to continue preparations for opening
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
Fingers crossed. It already looks great at altitude but a little bare and patchy lower down.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
I never get excited about snow in November. A bit of early season rain ontop of the snow is not a bad thing either. It makes the snowbase much more solid when it subsequently freezes.
Having said that the snowpark livecam looks suitably dramatic today
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| johnE wrote: |
| I never get excited about snow in November. |
It can make an awesome start to the season, or it can mean nothing at all. I was in Les Arcs in early November 2016 and there was a cold, snowy week and it was literally thigh deep at 1800m:
But after that it stayed dry and got warm, so by the time of Christmas snow cover was pretty thin everywhere, with scratchy pistes and no off-piste. All very disappointing after the excitement of November. But in other years when early snow has been followed by consistently low temperatures it helps get a solid base down, allowing the resort to prep the pistes to take advantage of whatever winter snow falls in December and January. If it stays cold next week and the week after this week's snowfall will be important.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
@johnE, Oh my head agrees with what you are saying however I get excited about any snow at all. I was in Scotland last week and there was snow on the distant peaks one morning whilst I was out driving and I got my other half to take a photo of it, because I was excited about it 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
@johnE, I too am super excited by all snow. I'm like a kid in a sweet shop My mates all make fun of me about it...
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| rob@rar wrote: |
| Freezing line will drop soon. It was snowing when I checked the 1800 LiveCam about an hour ago, but now looks more like rain. The forecast looks decent for the next three days, allowing Les Arcs and the rest of the northern French Alps to watch up with some of the bountifulness seen elsewhere. Hopefully the drier, high pressure period which follows will be nice and cold, allowing the resort to continue preparations for opening |
It's been alternating between rain and snow at 1800 for much of the day but the temperature is dropping as you say - I saw 11 degrees Centigrade yesterday, now down to 3 on the balcony. Fingers crossed!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Yes, it's only November and it could all melt still, but looking at the web cam its belting down with snow at least as far as 1600, HURRAH!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Looks like 80 cm predicted between now and Sunday in 1950... whoop de doo!
4 weeks til we go, can't wait.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The livecams are looking good. I see that the piste basher is still parked in the middle of Arc1950. @Alastair, could you nip over and see if the keys are still in it. If so could you park it out of the way. It spoils the webcam view.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyone in Bourg on 2 December might wish to know that a major security exercise is being conducted, centred around the train station with the scenario of a bomb being detained in the main station hall. Lots of different first response services will be involved.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
*** REMINDER TO ALL ***
If you're planning on a season pass for Paradiski / Les Arcs / La Plagne - or planning on more than a couple of weeks here - then buy your pass before the end of November as the 20% discount expires at the end of the month. The current adult price of €856 for a whole season in Paradiski is currently below the price of a 17 day pass, so get in there while you can!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
@johnE, I'll check it out.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
@rob@rar, don't say it too loudly but it's a bit of a bargain, really. It's a good deal for anyone expecting to spend more than a couple of weeks here (not just the seasonaires) and includes lift access in the summer, which I made use of this year. A loyalty discount that's actually worth something.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@Alastair, A bit more of a bargin for us em! senior citizens. 685 euro for a paradiski pass for what is shaping up to be 6 weeks skiing is quite a deal (36%discount). It is only 300 more than my son is paying for 12 days of Christmas/New Year.
We'll ski the same pistes at the same pace and use exactly the same lifts so I really cannot see the justification for a discounted rate for over 65s. We don't even vote in France so it is not like British politicians trying to bribe the pensioner vote.
Which reminds me the tax d'habitation has just come through 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
@johnE, you don't look old enough  .
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
@Alastair, No one is too young for Tax d'habitation
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
@rob@rar, It looks good. With luck that damp snow will pack down and freeze to form an excellent base for the whole season.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Looks nice anyway... 15 days to go until arrival on the mountain!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
@Alastair, https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2019/oct/07/charlotte-perriand-le-corbusier-design and https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2019/nov/30/skiing-les-arcs-an-architectural-ski-tour-50-years-anniversary-modernist use exactly the same photo with the same person coming down the steps.
Unlike the authors of the articles I have actually stayed in an apartment in that building (Cascades) and it was the worst apartment I have ever stayed in. I've listed the problems before.
The building used in the 'Skiing Holidays' section looks slightly less striking but is much nicer to stay in.
The article was clearly written last year and just published.
For those really interested in the history of Les Arcs have a look at this blog http://grangedalice.blogspot.com/. I enjoy reading it a lot and find it a pity that it has been discontinued.
In the begining there was Courbaton, the old construction workers dwellings for the Malgovert power station and the tunnelling operation bringing the water from the Lac de Chevril to the high pressure pipes in the village. http://grangedalice.blogspot.com/2014/04/tignes-semper-vivens-part-1-old-village.html has some pictures of Tignes before the lake flooded it.
Finally last year my neighbour, Patrick, showed me his collection of family photographs taken by his grandfather of Les Arcs and La Plagne in the 1950s and 60s. His granfather was a professional photographer and the photographs were beautiful. There was some skiing in the area at that time. One picture showed a wooden framed drag lift. I tried to persuade him to publish them as a book but the family objected. In fact I promised I would not show any of them to anyone else. Sorry, they were truely beautiful.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Bulle Café earlier today:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Love it Rob!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| Arctic Roll wrote: |
| Love it Rob! |
It is encouraging for the beginning of December
Not my photo I hasten to add. From Bulle Café’s Facebook page.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Awesome views on the webcams today
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
