 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi,
Doing a bit of a trip via the alps in August 2006, I'm considering trying summer skiing. Several posting already refer to Tignes or Les Deux Alpes as a viable places for summer glacier ski-ing. Looking at 3 days maybe, between 12 - 20th Aug. I can make he dates fit the advice.
First things that come to mind are:-
1) Hotel recommendations for Tignes (Val Claret) Edited .... also Les Deux Alpes
2) Opening hours of lifts in August.
3) Clothing, apparel advice.
4) Ski hire in summer, recommendations.
5) Is it a holiday in France during this period?
6) Any existing forum posts (that i've missed) or web site links.
However, if there's any advice on matters not listed above I'd still welcome it.
Thanks
EDITED
To include Les Deux Alpes
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Sat 13-05-06 20:53; edited 3 times in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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fraserp, hi. To be honest I would recommend 2 Alpes over Tignes, especially in August. 2 Alpes has a more favourable aspect, so retains snow better into August. I'll leave it to Charlotte (easiski) to explain more of the merits of 2 Alpes, but I've had a fair few stays there - some in the summer - and I've always enjoyed it. The Lutins ran by Cathy is a great hotel, the Souleil'Or more upmarket but barely more comfortable and far more expensive! I've usually self-catered though.
Wind can be a problem - I was caught out for two days last August when the 2 Alpes glacier was inaccessible as a result, but it was unusual for that time of year.
I live near Tignes, plenty of hotel choice. Probably more expensive even in August than 2 Alpes. what sort of comfort level are you looking for?
No problem with ski hire, the ones that are open are all pretty much of a muchness really in Val Claret.
First funicular is usually 7.30am in Tignes, the same if I remember correctly for the gondolas up from 2 Alpes. Glacier shuts shortly after lunch.
France is on holiday all of August. Whatever you do, don't drive anywhere in France on the first weekend, the middle weekend or the last weekend of the month, unless you've got several litres of water, air conditioning and a good book or two, and enjoy studying the same piece of countryside in great detail through the car windows for several hours.
Clothing? Can be bitterly cold first thing in the morning on the glacier, but then hits tee-shirt weather by mid-morning. A blast of heat can greet you when you step off the lift back down in the village.
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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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Can only offer advice on item 1.
I stayed in Tignes 2 weeks ago at Hotel Le Vanoise. Basic 2 star, small, but clean, owner very friendly & helpful. Cost 55 Euros B&B, about 2 minutes walk from funicular.
Would have preferred to stay at Hotel D'or, which is a 4 star at approx £84 night, but that was full.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Sat 13-05-06 19:57; edited 1 time in total
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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fraserp,
| Quote: |
1) Hotel recommendations for Tignes (Val Claret)
2) Opening hours of lifts in August.
3) Clothing, apparel advice.
4) Ski hire in summer, recommendations.
5) Is it a holiday in France during this period?
6) Any existing forum posts (that i've missed) or web site links.
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1) - Dunno - stayed in the Diva and the Vanoise - outside of Tignes - Optimumski have a really nice chalet in Villaroger. You will have to drive 30mins to get to the skiing tho...
2) 7:30 ish - 2 ish - but the snow will be rubbish after 11
3) It can be very cold in the morning and very hot by lunchtime...layers you can take off and carry are good. Remember you googles it can snow (or rain) !
4) Anywhere will be ok - you don't need great skis. We usually use the shop nearest the funicular. There is a ski depot opposite the Grand Motte telepeherique.
5) Yes - but Tignes won't be crowded.....
Wot else - rafting is fun - hydrospeeding more so. The Parc D'Aventures below Les Arc is a sort of ropes course in the trees thingy, that's fun too...
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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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fraserp, Naturally I concur with PG,,  and as he's spent more time on the glacier in tignes in summer than I have he knows more about it's normal condition. All I can say is 2 Alpes is cheaper, livelier, has a really good atmosphere, and has just as much skiing as Tignes in summer, with a better snowpark. Everywhere's crowded in August in France. tignes has more race training than we do, so if the snow's poor by then, there's less space to ski. I always take a backpack to carry my boots in and take an extra fleece + a hat and goggles and warmer gloves just in case. Otherwise T shirt + jacket, headband and sunglasses, with waterproof, but not warm gloves (I use old ones that have splits in!). Ski hire: if you're going up early, make sure you get skis with sharp edges. Do a search for Les 2 Alpes in summer - lots of info. www.les2alpes.com for the Tourist Office website; www.2alpes.com for the lift company one. Mine is below (also lots of info). Lifts here start at 07.15 and run until 13.15. Last lift down is about 16.30 (you can still access the glacier and the ice grotto etc. without skis) Huge terrace at the restaurant. Don't know Cathy's summer prices, but B & B is about €30 - yes euros - not £!!!
By all means PM me for more info, but I'll be off air for a couple of days while travelling back to the UK.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I have updated he title and Questions to include DeuxAlpes.
I started looking at this area now. As I can be around for the whole week, maybe a two villiage trip on the cards.
Which lift goes to the glacier? Is it the Jandri Express? Tourist map seems to show that the Lutins is very near this.
Now trying to get more detail on the Lutins in DeuxAlpes.
Thanks again for such quick replies.
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i'm bound to get flamed for this but it has to be said
late augutst Tignes isn't worth it, i'm not sure its even open that late.
But
Either resort in summer is nothing at all like it is in the winter. DO NOT expect to get much skiing in unless you are very much into park. It is very very busy, you have to wait for ages for lifts and when you do eventually get on t-bars you often find many other people 'snake' the line half way up and jump on a t-bar with you, this can end up with you have anything up to 6 people on one t-bar, they do try to stop it but it still happens.
The terrain is just to small to make it worth while if you ask me and it is incredibalby expensive.
Infact thinking about it i found that tignes had more skiable terrain than 2alpes, but the park at 2 alpes is unbeatable, even if the pipes often close by 9. it all depends how hot this summer turns out.
Saying that i will be there at least 2 times this year as i have 2 free passes and a son who needs more photo's taken of him in the park for his sponsor.
please bear what i said in mind before thinking your going to have lots of terrain to ski on as you wont
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oh i forgot, hotels to stay in in 2 alpes. Try La Meije, directly oposite the main lift station, run by brits, cheap food luvly jubly
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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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I'd be a total dork if I thought it'd be like winter. Just going for a bit of fun and to spend afew days in a resort I've never been to.
I'll be coming back from spain so stopping off for a few days is on the cards.
Anything has to be better than an indoor slope.
Thanks again.
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you haven't been yet, there's not much difference just you can get a tan while your there.!!!!!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| snowangel. wrote: |
i'm bound to get flamed for this but it has to be said
late augutst Tignes isn't worth it, i'm not sure its even open that late. |
Sorry, but barring extreme conditions it is always open then. And you cannot categorically say it won't be worth it at that time - I have seen snow on the glacier late August more than once, with some excellent conditions. The opposite can be true as well of course, you just have to check first. Anyway, for a non-racer the point of going to a glacier resort in the summer is to take advantage of other activities as well as skiing - that's what really makes it work.
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But
Either resort in summer is nothing at all like it is in the winter. DO NOT expect to get much skiing in unless you are very much into park. It is very very busy, you have to wait for ages for lifts and when you do eventually get on t-bars you often find many other people 'snake' the line half way up and jump on a t-bar with you, this can end up with you have anything up to 6 people on one t-bar, they do try to stop it but it still happens. |
No, that's not the case. Terrain is limited of course, but you can ski sizeable free areas (outside the race lanes) and queues are not that bad most of the time, other than first thing to get on the funicular (Tignes), or at the end of the day. Some lifts are better than others. Bear in mind that 95%+ of the skiers are race training in an allocated lane and mostly use the same lifts all day, while the boarders are in the park (ditto). Easy to find the quieter spots.
You never - ever - get six people on a T-bar. Two max, now and again a couple of kids clinging on to each other on the same side, but very rarely. Just occasionally when you are alone on the T-bar a race skier skiing down will cadge a lift on the empty side. Being mostly expert skiers they virtually always do this without incident.
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The terrain is just to small to make it worth while if you ask me and it is incredibalby expensive.
Infact thinking about it i found that tignes had more skiable terrain than 2alpes, but the park at 2 alpes is unbeatable, even if the pipes often close by 9. it all depends how hot this summer turns out. |
It not cheap, but it's value for money when you consider the cost of maintaining a lift system on a glacier in the summer. The lift operators make next to nothing out of it. And it's still cheap - and huge - in comparison to a snowdome! 
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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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What's the best method for identifying conditions on a glacier during the summer months?
Clear the Snowheads may be a starter, but is there any others?
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fraserp, If you're looking at conditions on the Tignes and 2 Alpes glaciers, easiski's up on the 2 Alpes glacier virtually every day, and I can easily check conditions up there by asking my daughter or other race team members how it is at Tignes, even if I haven't been up myself.
Webcams won't show much. Resort websites don't give out much info in summer - especially if the snow's poor .
(As easiski wrote, make sure you hire top quality skis - ie with very sharp edges.)
(2 Alpes) Yes, it's the Jandri lift. Cathy's hotel, the Lutins, is 30 seconds walk away. Not surprised you can't find a website, there may not be one, not exactly their style! Take my word for it, at the price it really is good value, and perfectly comfortable.
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You know it makes sense.
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[quote="PG"][quote="snowangel."]You never - ever - get six people on a T-bar. Two max, now and again a couple of kids clinging on to each other on the same side, but very rarely. Just occasionally when you are alone on the T-bar a race skier skiing down will cadge a lift on the empty side. Being mostly expert skiers they virtually always do this without incident.
so i must have been dreaming last year when i had 6 of us on a t-bar. And this happends every time we go. Even at mondial du ski and snow it was happening.
I have been to both resorts many times over the summer. They are not worth the money for what they offer.
the only time they are worth the money is if your are training for races or in the park.
35e (approx) which is the same as the winter for half the amount of time, quarter of the amount of terrain, and double the amount of people on that terrain.
this is my personal opinion shared with a lot of people i know
if you've never skied/snowboarded on a summer glacier and want to go you should be aware of the down side to it as well as the up this, is all i'm making you aware of.
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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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It didn't happen to us at the Mondial. Skied LDA glacier in 2004. We had a lesson with Easiski, started around 9am and finished at lunchtime. Although snow conditions wern't excellent, being with Charlotte meant we did find the best snow up there. I would definitely do it again (and probably this summer).
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Poster: A snowHead
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6 on a T bar? Hmmm...
Once had a local yahoo in Mayrhofen try to bum a lift with me and a friend, nearly pulling us over in the process. He eventually got the message half way up the steepest part! So it's not what you say it's where you say it that matters!
Joking appart, yes I understand all the issues brought up, but I'm trying to get positive info on the best way to enjoy the situation.
I've skied on and off for over 20 years, jusy thought that I'd give the sun a chance this time. I accept I'll spend more time in the bars and sunning myself, but that's what my holiday is for. Regarding the terrain park, i've no interest in that at all, s'pose I can have a beer and watch all the experts slide off metal frames and through the pipes.
My main reason, is that I'm passing (within 100 miles) and as long as eash day I can get a few hours on the slope and a good few hours in a bar , it'll do me fine.
So at the moment. its' mid August, mid week, Tuesday Wednesday Thursday and 2Alpes appears to be the starting point.
Any other hotel recomendations in 2Alpes? Good bars etc.....
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
| so i must have been dreaming last year |
Reckon so!
I've spent a awful lot of days on glaciers over the summer months and during the Mondial week, and never seen the like. Still, when Charlotte (easiski) gets back on the Internet in a day or two, perhaps she'll give us a definitive answer. She lives in 2 Alpes, and instructs there for three months each summer plus during the Mondial, and has done so for many years. I'll be interested to hear how many times she's spotted such behaviour. I haven't seen more than two (or a rare 3) people on a T-bar in a total of 15 weeks or so, and my club and every club there (club/national kids/teens/seniors make up 95% of the people sliding on the glacier as I said), would ban team members mucking about like that.
Then again, if you're talking about boarder antics down in the park, well... perhaps that's different  . I've been to the Mondial du Snow  .
What is "worth the money" is entirely subjective - it depends on your aims and expectations. 25 or so snowHeads had a meet during last year's Mondial du Ski and to a (wo)man, we had a fantastic time. £20 for 6 hours skiing with few queues on a large glacier isn't that bad. Compare it to the rates that Brits would pay to get on to a dry slope or snowdome in the UK, not to the costs and terrain available to skiers in the winter. Costs cannot be pro rata to the amount of miles of piste available in March, obviously.
For someone with a few days to spare, who's passing through anyway, there's very little downside. Sunshine, beautiful scenery, a quiet resort, spot of skiing at a very reasonable £20 in the morning, loads to do in the afternoon and evening, sounds pretty good to me.
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Mon 15-05-06 8:41; edited 1 time in total
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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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| Quote: |
For someone with a few days to spare, who's passing through anyway, there's very little downside. Sunshine, beautiful scenery, a quiet resort, spot of skiing at a very reasonable £20 in the morning, loads to do in the afternoon and evening, sounds pretty good to me.
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Bring it on!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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BTW, Must be a fool question as I'm asking it. What this Modial du ski your refering to?
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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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October half-term week 2 Alpes reopens for this event, then closes again. The Mondial du Snow (for boarders) is the first weekend and a day or so either side, the Mondial du Ski (for skiers) the second weekend. The event has been toned down in recent seasons, unfortunately, as the first weekend was giving the resort a bad name.
An article I did a while back....
And one by davidof on his Pistehors site here.
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Mon 15-05-06 8:17; edited 1 time in total
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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fraserp, there will be a Snowheads trip there again this year. It doesn't coincide with UK half-term this year though.
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| Helen Beaumont wrote: |
| fraserp, there will be a Snowheads trip there again this year. It doesn't coincide with UK half-term this year though. |
What date is the Snowheads trip?
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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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And here's the 29 page 2005 thread...
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| Quote: |
£20 for 6 hours skiing with few queues on a large glacier isn't that bad.
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not, it's not. It costs £20 to do an hour's windsurfing at Hove Lagoon. And how much do people pay to go to those 'orrible theme parks? You have to queue there, too.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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fraserp, the glacier is around 120 hectares, although it's unlikely that all of it will be available late in August. Probably around 60-80 hectares to ski on by then. It can snow in August too you know! You just can't say what the conditions will be like though - it varies so much. I think you should come and try it though. It's huge fun - I always used to take summer skiing holidays when I worked on plastic and in Scotland - what could be nicer? Ski in (hopefully) good weather with staggering views in the morning, warm and sunny (hopefully) in the afternoons, doing all sorts of other things, or just lazing around in the sun!
I HAVE NEVER SEEN 6 ON A T BAR, but then I don't go in the park, and try to avoid the park lift (Soreiller). I'm astonished that snowangel., seems to find this normal. I've now worked 8 summers on the glacier, and have never seen it. Also, if the lifties saw it they'd stop the lift and not re-start until peeps stopped doing this. If more than one person got on with me I'd knock them off - it's strictly forbidden for a reason, it breaks the lifts!!!
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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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| easiski wrote: |
If more than one person got on with me I'd knock them off - it's strictly forbidden for a reason, it breaks the lifts!!!
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So would I.
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brian
brian
Guest
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fraserp, pics from my holidays last summer here.
L2A is a great place to go in summer, the town has a bit of life to it not like the usual ski resort ghost town thing. There's loads to do, mtb'ing, swimming, a wee golf course, fantastic scenery, walking and of course a bit of skiing. The glacier in summer is like valley level in April. Feels hot when the sun's out, can be cold enough to snow, usually starts hard, softens nicely and ends slushy.
Certainly beats the hell out of a snowdome. We're going back again this July 
Never saw more than 2 on a t-bar last year. btw, for t-bar phobes, L2A's summer area has a couple of chairs and a mile long underground funicular.
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FAQ
