 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey,
Me, my husband and two friends are going to Tignes Le Lac for the first time in December after doing the last 4 seasons in St Anton and we're looking for some recommendations.
We are 3 intermediate skiers (blue / red runs and maybe an easy black if we fancy terrifying ourselves) and one advanced snowboarder (fast reds, blacks & off-piste, snowpark). Our closest lift is the Palafour.
Any run recommendations? Also where is good for apre ski and maybe some live entertainment and drinks?
G.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Can’t advise on apres but for runs the world is your oyster. Up Palafour and turn left and head for Val Claret all on nice blues. Up to the glacier and either back down to VC by Double M which is my fave red in the resort or via a couple of flat blues. From VC it is easy to head over towards Val d’Isère by blues and reds all the way although the actual descent into Val D’Isère is steep so the Olympique cabin is the safest option if it looks too steep for you. Coming back you can either do the reverse or take the Toviere cabin down to the Lac (your friend could do Johan Clarey, the black that runs underneath it). The easy blues below Parafour are best avoided particularly at lunchtime and end of day as they can be super busy.
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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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This would be better in the Resorts thread, where it will be seen by more people.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Do not be afraid of doing la face de bellevarde, it is very easy in good snow conditions until the lower half which is only tricky when there is lots of ice. One of the best runs....
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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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You can end your day in Tignes Val Claret. Free bus to Le Lac and 2 good places to eat at the end of the day before returning, both of them near the bus stop: a cheap, fast, no frills and clean burger joint (awesome topups) and La Taverne de Neige, where you can go for a good onion soup or a creamy veggie one with bacon bits and grated cheese. Plus burgers etc.
And you have an apres ski nearby, Cocorico.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
Do not be afraid of doing la face de bellevarde
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Given the OP's description of what they like to do, I'd counsel against La Face. Or if you want to give it a go (and you can have a good look at it from the lift) do it in the morning when your legs are fresh rather than with all the nutters at the end of the day. It wouldn't qualify as an "easy black" in my book and the fact that it tends to attract a lot of people who are not really capable of skiing it in control means I prefer to watch the floor show, from the safety of the lift, at the end of the day.
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| Bigtipper wrote: |
| Do not be afraid of doing la face de bellevarde, it is very easy in good snow conditions until the lower half which is only tricky when there is lots of ice. One of the best runs.... |
In December Le Face will be bullet proof boilerplate having been prepared for the world cup.
@GemmaGreenwood, no shortage of good runs in Tignes (or Val'); just take your pick.
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If you can, use the first sunny day after your arrival in order to get to Bellevarde, above Val d'Isere La Daille area.
If possible, do it close to lunch time, everything is shining and the view will enrich your soul. It aways reminds me of Valluga.
On your way back to Tignes, you'll hear La Folie Douce blasting. It's no Mooserwirt but still...
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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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As @adithorp, mentions avoid Face during certain weeks in December.
The men’s race weekend is around 8 - 11 Dec, they will start injecting it with water the week before, turning it into a frozen death trap. Even a week after the race when the piste bashers have tried to break the ice up slightly it’s still like skiing on ball bearings.
@GemmaGreenwood Welcome to Snowheads, you might be better asking questions in the Tignes and Espace Killy section.
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| pam w wrote: |
| ... if you want to give it a go (and you can have a good look at it from the lift) do it in the morning when your legs are fresh rather than with all the nutters at the end of the day. |
Given that the OP has endured the chaos of St Anton for their last 3 ski holidays, it's safe to say that they'll be well-accustomed to sharing ski slopes with out of control nutters.
FWIW, my recollection of the Face de Bellevarde is that it is a pretty wide and forgiving ski run, both when firm in the morning, or when slushed up in the afternoon. I don't recall any of it being actually steep, nor do I remember any bits in which a tumbling novice could come a cropper and hit something hard (other than another skier) and hurt themselves. I'd imagine the biggest danger for most skiers might come from a lack of fitness as it's pretty long, and/or whiteout conditions that might get you into some kind of accidental mischief.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I remember one trip skiing Face in good snow. It seemed so easy, I had to check the piste markers several times to make sure they were black not blue.
A few days later with no fresh snow I can't tell you how different it was. It seemed so much steeper and the snow was like glass. It was simply dangerous. I took one particular very long fall and I wasn't only one. There was just no way of stopping yourself once you've fallen
I wouldn't encourage intermediate skiers on Face unless you know the snow is definitely very 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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Haha I love these replies. St Anton does get super busy, especially happy valley at the end of the day but it's SO worth it. We are in Tignes 14th December for a week so fingers crossed we won't have too much ice from the mens race. We usually ski in February but after so many cancelled trips we didn't want to wait.
Thank you everyone for the recommendations & apologies for posting in the wrong section.
I don't mind steep and I don't mind a long run, it's the narrow ones that I'm nervous about still. I haven't been skiing very long (4 years, I'm 32) but I'm happy to just try stuff. My skiing turns into a newborn giraffe on narrow runs.
I'm going to have a few morning lessons out there too this time as I've not done that before.
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| muppet wrote: |
As @adithorp, mentions avoid Face during certain weeks in December.
The men’s race weekend is around 8 - 11 Dec, they will start injecting it with water the week before, turning it into a frozen death trap. Even a week after the race when the piste bashers have tried to break the ice up slightly it’s still like skiing on ball bearings.. |
Yip, was basically a sheet of ice one year I was there, people stuck on it crying because they couldn’t move and when they did eventually dare to try to get going it was a fall after the first or second turn.
Even worse on the single edge of a board 
Was great when dumping with snow though
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You know it makes sense.
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| GemmaGreenwood wrote: |
Hey,
Me, my husband and two friends are going to Tignes Le Lac for the first time in December after doing the last 4 seasons in St Anton and we're looking for some recommendations.
We are 3 intermediate skiers (blue / red runs and maybe an easy black if we fancy terrifying ourselves) and one advanced snowboarder (fast reds, blacks & off-piste, snowpark). Our closest lift is the Palafour.
Any run recommendations? Also where is good for apre ski and maybe some live entertainment and drinks?
G. |
Hi Gemma,
some decent detail already.
Probably also worth you re-posting your Q on the following thread. https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=153540
There are 2 or 3 people who spend all winter in Tignes on there, and there is a wealth of useful info.
A new thread is put up every year by Chocksaway.
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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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@GemmaGreenwood, there'll be a snowheads group in Tignes le lac that week so keep an eye peeled for anyone wearing a sH buff or sporting sH stickers on their skis/helmets. Don't be afraid to say hello if you do see them.
https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=155578#4823282
I'd deffinatly expect LeFace to still have the effects of race prep then.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@GemmaGreenwood,
If the lift openings follow the pattern of previous seasons (big IF there!) you may be in Tignes when the runs down to Boisses/1800 and Brevieres open - the chance to be first down them this season!
If so (keep a look out on en.tignes.net & the Tignes app), then up Palafour lift, straight ahead of the top, down the blue run (Beau Plan) to Aiguille Percee chairlift, up that & straight ahead, past the Eye of the Needle (photo op). You then have the choice of runs down, starting on Corniche (blue) - off to left of that as you go down is Sache (black), then a slight reverse slope, then off to the left are Silene (black naturide) and Myosotis (red), or you can stick to the blues all the way down - Rhododendron, Melezes, Colchique and Myrtille. From the top of the Aiguille Percee chair to Brevieres is (I think) 1178m vertical.
https://en.tignes.net/skiing/ski-area/ski-map
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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This is super helpful, thank you! Saving all these recommendations.
On another note, has anyone used Carv Ski? What did you think?
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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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| Kenzie wrote: |
@GemmaGreenwood,
If the lift openings follow the pattern of previous seasons (big IF there!) you may be in Tignes when the runs down to Boisses/1800 and Brevieres open - the chance to be first down them this season!
If so (keep a look out on en.tignes.net & the Tignes app), then up Palafour lift, straight ahead of the top, down the blue run (Beau Plan) to Aiguille Percee chairlift, up that & straight ahead, past the Eye of the Needle (photo op). You then have the choice of runs down, starting on Corniche (blue) - off to left of that as you go down is Sache (black), then a slight reverse slope, then off to the left are Silene (black naturide) and Myosotis (red), or you can stick to the blues all the way down - Rhododendron, Melezes, Colchique and Myrtille. From the top of the Aiguille Percee chair to Brevieres is (I think) 1178m vertical.
https://en.tignes.net/skiing/ski-area/ski-map |
Ahem. The OP has said "don't mind a long run, it's the narrow ones that I'm nervous about still". So whilst the route is undoubtedly long, and Rhododendron is nice and wide, Melezes & Myrtille are narrow, often chopped up, parts are icy and generally not very pleasant in early season. I get the feeling she probably wouldn't enjoy it much.
That said, it is worth the effort to get down there if the weather is sunny and you can sit out in the deck chairs having a bevvy or three.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Awesome, thanks! Still getting used to the forum 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Bigtipper, I can remember having a very pleasant afternoon, sitting at that coffee shop (possibly even at that table), with my Son and watching the World Cup racers finish. Must be 16 years ago now. Happy memories.
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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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@Kenzie, it has probably changed hands and maybe name since then.
Another one from a mountain hut in Espace killy (Val d'isere side) at lunch time
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Great resort, plenty of skiing.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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It is La Roseé Blanche. Still the same family, 18 months ago great grandma was still living up stairs. Yans 4 year old was already clearing the cups!
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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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It is La Roseé Blanche. Still the same family, 18 months ago great grandma was still living up stairs. Yans 4 year old was already clearing the cups!
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@GemmaGreenwood, The Critérium de la Première Neige starts on the 11th December, Mens Giant Slalom on 11th, Slalom on 12th. The Face will probably be closed for the week before for icing/prep etc. Womens Downhill on the 18th and Super G on the 19th on the OK. OK will probably be closed for preparation and practice during the week before.
Program here https://www.worldcup-valdisere.com/en/program/the-2021-program/
The Face will likely be unskiable by most people until they have a serious snowfall.
One year at the PSB while riding the Olympic gondala down I saw a piste worker who was icing the slalom piste at the top lose his grip with his spiked boots and slide on his back all the way from start hut to finish.
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You know it makes sense.
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| peanuthead wrote: |
| . . . I wouldn't encourage intermediate skiers on Face unless you know the snow is definitely very good |
+1 :: these are very wise words: and lots more good advice on here.
I would mention that it depends on the conditions at the exact time, too.
One time I was there, although it was hardened artificial stuff at first light, it was definitely more OK in the afternoon.
It was softened by air temp/sun and skiers, so the surface had been worked to a softer more slushy condition.
Later on in the afternoon, some people thinking they would prefer to go down Face/Olympique instead of the Santons traffic/collision-fest and poling-bore (which is often closed anyway) made a mistake about their skill level.
The sun had been off the slope for a bit.
In maybe 15 minutes, the slush lower down had transformed into a frozen Somme-like obstacle course, with a similar body count.
Great fun to be on, and hilarious to watch, but only if you're into that kind of thing . . .
And if you thought ducking out onto Joseray halfway down was an easy option, like some of the group I was in, you'd have been wrong about that too - polished, narrow hell, apparently.
I'd say. if in doubt about your ability, or if the conditions at the time are too unknown to you, follow the great advice above: take the gondola down, and watch what's going on below.
It can be wiser to watch other people's mistakes than make those same mistakes yourself. Funnier, too.
If you missed out, and it looks like it was skiable for you after all, so what? Why would you care what other people think of you?
Look after yourself.
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