 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello! Anyone got any idea whether we might still have snow from 2 April in Crest Voland? Bit of an impossible question I know.
It's a last throw of the (snow?) dice... we were going to go to Crest Voland and stay with french friends at Xmas but had to debook everything when Macron banned Brits. Then we booked a package thing instead at half term for Borovets, Bulgaria, but got Covid.
Now... our French friends are happy to have us back in Albertville for Crest Voland but are saying the snow is melting fast and it's shaping up to be a pretty warm spring. Dunno. The ski school, ESF, say they're going to be running lessons. Webcams look OK-ish... who says risk it??!!
Thanks
L
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Go up to Les Saisies. Subject to what your local friends have to say, the conditions there won't be great, but better than CV.
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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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Thanks Pam. Might be worth seeing if ESF do lessons there. Good thought. We'll be commuting from Albertville, but I think that's doable.
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There is plenty of snow in Crest-Voland. It is warm though today, I stopped at 11, forecast looks a bit cooler.
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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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There'll be no problem with lessons in Saisies. Easy commute from Albertville. Whatever the snow is like in CV, it will be better in Saisies.
The gondola is new, and I don't know the set up there, but it's possible you could have lessons starting in Bisanne 1500 - worth asking the ESI, as well as ESF.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Lots of snow at Saisies yesterday, a bit thin at the bottom in CV.
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Thanks @Idris and @pam w – I'll chat to our friends about switching to Les Saisies>Bisanne 1500
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| BaobabPowder wrote: |
| Thanks Pam. Might be worth seeing if ESF do lessons there. Good thought. We'll be commuting from Albertville, but I think that's doable. |
Another possibility is Areches; should be the same distance from Albertville, no?
CV is kind of low compared to Les Saisies so might be worth the extra 10-15 minutes' drive. Generally LS remains open until mid April, right?
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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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Thanks for the advice all. Les Saisies looks possible. Checked in with our French friends and the conditions aren't great – quite a bit of snow up there but apparently it hasn't really snowed or rained since January and it's pretty warm. Meteo-France suggests rain on the first couple of days we're out there (weekend of 2/3 April staying for a week). My partner is a complete beginner so it may not be ideal, but I guess that's the season. Anyone heard anything about what it's likely to get like weather-wise? Ta
L
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Looking now at forecasts for 2/3 April is probably a bit of a waste of time. It's been a warm spring so far, snow conditions are not great and unlikely to suddenly improve. If I were going to France skiing in early April I'd go to Tignes, not Les Saisies - but I can say confidently that whatever it's like in Saisies, it'll be worse in Crest Voland.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| pam w wrote: |
| It's been a warm spring so far, snow conditions are not great and unlikely to suddenly improve. |
Thanks Pam, but also agh. Missed Xmas and half-term due to virus stuff and was hoping this would be the saviour. But what you’re saying is what our French chum is saying and I’d like my partner’s first xp of skiing to be positive… maybe write this season off, I fear. Ta!
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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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Difficult decision, but there will still be good skiing in Tignes, with the back up of the glacier. And there are excellent ski schools there too.
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| pam w wrote: |
| Difficult decision, but there will still be good skiing in Tignes, with the back up of the glacier. And there are excellent ski schools there too. |
Yes, it's a toughie. I think probably LS is the furthest, as we'd be staying in Albertville with our friends who live there and it's 80 mins drive to Tignes, which is probably a bit of a stretch every day. LS is 30-40 mins which is a bit more than CV but doable... it may be that or nothing!  But in any case, thanks for your advice!
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You know it makes sense.
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Yes - too far to commute from Albertville to Tignes, I agree. But at that time of year a small studio in Tignes Val Claret wouldn't cost much.
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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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@BaobabPowder, I'm guessing you will have made your plans by now but there is plenty of powder in Crest-Voland and hardly any people.
One other option that you could have considered would have been to commute to Les Menuires for lessons, it takes me about 40 minutes from Albertville and there is free parking near the centre.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| rjs wrote: |
@BaobabPowder, I'm guessing you will have made your plans by now but there is plenty of powder in Crest-Voland and hardly any people.
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Thanks! We decided in the end not to risk it in case the snow didn’t come. With family and friends it was just too much to organise… next season for sure, though, it was a shame it didn’t work out.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I could hardly drive up to Les Saisies from CV this morning there was so much snow
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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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And there have been so many posts dismissing the idea that anybody might need snow tyres, or chains, to get around in April.  In Wales, they call these the "lambing snows". My grandfather, ever the pessimist, used to shake his head when we ran around joyfully in shorts and T shirts in early April. The lambing snows, he assured us, would wipe those grins off our faces.
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@davidof, Were you doing XC or alpine?
I used my free Espace Diamant day today and skied in Les Saisies until about 2pm.
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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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Just spent the day in Les Saisies today as well… what a fabulous spot. Perfect for beginners. Really enjoyed it. Not busy either. Thanks to Pam W for the ESI recommendations - lessons for myself and the kids start tomorrow.
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| rjs wrote: |
@davidof, Were you doing XC or alpine?
I used my free Espace Diamant day today and skied in Les Saisies until about 2pm. |
The Etoile de Saisies xc race. Hard work in fresh snow. I drove back via the Hauteluce road which was clear.
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| Quote: |
The Etoile de Saisies xc race. Hard work in fresh snow
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Yes, I bet it was. Used always to enjoy the Etoile de Saisies - watching the competitors skating up the main road.
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I did think of you Pam!
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