 Poster: A snowHead
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We are having a fab time too but for various reasons have done very little since we got to our apartment. Dog a bit too old for long walks now and it has been pretty hot. Chilled out and relaxed now though. Enjoyed our slow drive down though with campsites in Epernay and Eguisheim . Dole on our list for next trip as we stopped for lunch there and it was lovely.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Hells Bells, evan at 2000m today it was too hot. I dread to think what it was like down in the valley. Though quiet today, one child on archery range, one on bouncy castle and one on the bungee trampoline we were met by large number of mountaine bikers this afternoon. We'll plan our itinery better tomorrow and go for a via ferrata - I beleive they cannot go on them.
We may have a stop off on the way back next Thursday so Dole may be a consideration. Mind you such a decision will be hard as I sit at dinner just gazing across the Isere to to Mont Blanc through the window.
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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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I can only say, thank god we’ve got a pool
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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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@Jonny996, absolutely, though our apartment is still reasonably cool.
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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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Ours was on a hill and though the terrace was at "garden level" the back was underground, with steps up. We found if we left doors open front and back we got a fantastic cool draught through - perishing in winter, when we kept the back doors and windows shut. Down in Albertville was awful - I remember scouring maps for easy walks at 2000m. I'm sailing to Cherbourg on Tuesday, where the temperature is forecast to reach 34. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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It has started to get busy over the weekend.
Have been roasted on Friday by the hike around Les Arcs we decided to head highish and do the Roc du Vent via ferrata from the Cormet du Roseland. The drive up was very slow due to the large number of vehicles: camper vans, cars, lots of motorcycles and cyclists most of whom I think were just doing the drive to admire the scenery rather than actually going someplace. A couple of cars were driving so slowly that they caused some queues behind them. I wonder how the convoy of 10 Caterham 7 sportscars felt when overtaken by the cyclists on the descent. I made a mistake in parking at the very summit ( a fairly cool17 degrees) and faced by a 2km walk and then failing to find a parking spot at the true start we decided to go somewhere else.
It was, in fact a good decision. We headed to Pralognan and the delightful Cascade de la Fraiche Ferrata. This is a short climb up beside the waterfall that gives it its name. The spray from the waterfall keeps you fresh yet makes some of the holds damp and slippery. The view and the roar of the waterfall makes this an exciting expedition and the crossing of the top of the falls on a monkey bridge give a great view down the falls suspended directly over them. I recommend it if you are in the area.
I like Pralognan and if I wasn’t based in Les Arcs would like to stay there one summer – and perhaps a week in winter.
Yesterday we were joined by a friend and decided to do the Bettieres ferrata at the Rosuel gate to the Vanoise national park. This area at the top end of the Landry valley has some spectacular scenery looking up at the glaciers on Mont Pourri and is worth a visit (including the lead mining museum) in its own right.
The ferrata itself is over 500m long and rises 200m so is a full day’s expedition. It is in 3 sections: an easy first third and harder second and a harder still 3rd. Actually that is no longer the case since there is now an easy way around the overhang, which my wife took. You can descend after the first or second sections back to the start but if you do the last bit it is now a long journey back to the valley involving a climb to about 1950m 450m above the start point. I found the descent very hard going, much harder than the climb – most likely due to dehydration. The descent follows part of the GR5 long distance footpath going from Den Haag to Nice. I can now claim to have done part of GR5  Leaving my wife to walk back up to the Rosuel car park to collect the car I headed for the bar.
Now the school holidays have started the resort is busy with the kids clubs in full swing, mountain bikers everywhere, the restaurants open and the car parking filling up. In summer the car parks are free.
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Drove down through U.K. Saturday & through France Sunday. Has to be the smoothest easiest drive we ever done over the years, nearly zero road work & traffic all flowing.
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@Jonny996, There is a lot of road works here around Bourg st Maurice, much of it building new reatiing walls to hold back ladslides, but the centre of Bourg st Maurice itself is a series of traffic lights and single lane working. When we came down last week there was a fair bit of road works on the motorway but I suspect they have been finished for the summer holiday rush to the coast.
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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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We’re half way through our second week in Chamonix with our “2 under 2”.
We love Chamonix in summer - depending on what is on, the town is taken over by different groups (wall climbing championships just finished, trail runners will arrive en masse sometime soon).
Definitely so many more regular tourists this year.
One downside is the lack of activities for toddlers and younger children. They don’t have a good park in the town, the outdoor pool hasn’t been open for a few years now and there are very limited hikes you can do with a double buggy. We took them on a shortish hike in a backpack and front carrier yesterday but it was hard work in the heat, especially with the 5 month old.
But we’re having a lovely time (most of the time) and I will definitely be looking at doing something similar next year, but maybe trying somewhere new and more infant-friendly.
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We've been home a month now, and I was reflecting on our holiday last night.
I really enjoyed our trip to the mountains, I also really enjoy beach type holidays, so I think we will go to an alternate beach holiday one year, alps holiday the next. Feels like we need a proper relaxing holiday every now and then which the alps doesn't quite give us as we have the dog and do loads of walking.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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| johnE wrote: |
| After suffering heat exhaustion on the Sunday |
Started cycling into work this morning and the police municipale were at the neighbours.
"Problem?" I asked, thinking there had been another burglary
"Old dear croaked during the night, heat exhaustion"
and with that 4 men in black suits walked out carrying said old dear in a box.
I should have realized there was an issue as a very smart black van with blacked out windows was parked by the police car.
It was 39C yesterday and 33C at midnight. After two nights of that even the hardiest of souls would have suffered. Even I found it hot but madame was still wrapped up warm in her duvet complaining of cold feet.
Still mustn't grumble at the sun, better than last year when it was cool and rainy.
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@Rois1980, have you tried Paradis des Praz? That used to keep mine happy for hours.
Petit Balcon Sud from Les Praz to Argentiere has some great patches of wild alpine strawberries.
The pool being out of action is a huge shame- it used to be amazing. Lac de Passy is a great all-day alternative, or the hotel Aiguille du Midi lets you use its outdoor pool if you have lunch there - and there's an all-you-can-eat dessert buffet!
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You know it makes sense.
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@snowdave, thanks, yeah did all those things actually.
Our apartment has a swimming pool thankfully (indoor but we chose it based on having it as it would pass an hr or so in bad weather). We did Petit Balcon Sud from Argentiere down to Paradis Le Praz with baby in a front facing carrier and 22 month old in a back carrier. Went surprisingly well - stopped for a nice picnic and stretch at the climbing wall area. We also caught the festival of bringing the sheep from low lying areas to the hills up in Argentiere yesterday - our bigger little one loved it. The €2 glasses of wine were nice too  And there was another park out there too with a slide and a couple of other random kiddie things. So I guess there’s more to enjoy if you seek it out.
Strangely (or not) we have had more relaxing days when not trying to squeeze into a restaurant for dinner with a double buggy!
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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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StG is getting really busy, you really need to book if you want to eat out now.
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Poster: A snowHead
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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: |
| You could go to an alpine lake, where she could laze about and you could go hiking or biking |
Indeed. We're just back from 11 days in Tignes.
Our first trip to the French Alps by car. As others have said, it was a pleasure to drive on empty French motorways. We camped on the outbound and return trips and visited some lovely places - such as Troyes, Beaune and the Burgundy region.
The weather was fantastic throughout our 15 day trip and we had a brilliant time hiking and mountain biking, plus activities like canoeing on the lake at Tignes, crazy golf...and eating crepes  We also drove over the Col de L'Iseran and back and visited lovely Bonneval Sur Arc.
Another vote for summer in the Alps 
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FAQ
as they are constructing a replacement lift, opening in December 2023. I’m not sure what is happening at the top but there was a small tower crane at the northern end of the traverse chair lift. We walked down the tunnel run back to Belle Plagne. It was a bit dusty at the top due to the lorries on haul road down to Champagny, but otherwise a very scenic and quiet walk down. On the way back we called into the Super U to stock the apartment up with beer, wine and other heavy goods for the winter. Oddly half a dozen wine bottles (Apremont etc) failed to leave the boot of the car.
