 Poster: A snowHead
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I've just booked accom. in Avoriaz for 25th March to 1st April.
I would like to cancel ASAP if anyone convinces me that the PdS circuit will not be doable during that week.
As far as I can tell, all resorts should be open to permit a PdS circuit.
Granted, the snow may have melted, but aside from that, I trust there are no obvious reasons why the viability of a PdS circuit cannot be expected.
The last few years I have failed miserably. Typically, I get as far as Morgins, with tons of snow, but the blighters have removed the piste markers, and despite it all being downhill, I don't know the route like the locals. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If youre doing it clockwise (Avoriaz to Chatel to Morgins to Champoussin to Les Crossets to Avoriaz).
The usual problem and where you have maybe come unstuck is that you have to use Corbeau Chair to go down into Morgins.
I'm guessing you have got as far as Ecotis drag lift which is past chalet neuf.
The piste under Corbeau Chair is south facing and suffers badly in the sun and struggles to keep its snow.
Look for the top of Le Corbeau chair as you get off at the top of Ecotis drag lift. Then scoot over, head through the turnstile and use Le Corbeau chair to 'down load' in Morgins.
At the bottom of Corbeau chair there is a car park. The Free and regular Navette will take you from there to the La Folleuse chair to contine the circuit
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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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@crosbie,
Also......at the time of year
I'd maybe consider doimg the circuit in an ANTI clock wise direction. I think that works best at that time of year as the Swiss side of the PdS gets lots of Sun so the later in the day you are skiing them then the more slushy and slow they will become.
By doing the circuit in an ANTI clock wise direction you will be hitting the Swiss side early an so the Swiss slopes will still be in their best condition.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Wed 15-02-23 1:11; edited 2 times in total
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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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@@247snowman, Thanks. I've done it clockwise quite a few times, and I know about the Corbeau chair.
The last time I tried it (a couple of years ago - could be longer) I got to the summit above the Corbeau chair, but the fricking border was closed. I could taste the Corbeau chair (I reckoned I could almost see it), and but for a timid companion I would have bluddy gone for it. There was so much snow, there was no need for a chair descent. Descending into Morgins vilalge I could have then got a bus further round the circuit (or so I thought).
I was not a happy bunny - having to retrace all the way back to Avoriaz.
So, knowing that 'official openings and closings' aren't necessarily the final answer, I'm hoping that I can be reassurred that there won't be something unexpected that prevents the circuit, e.g. "Oh no, the circuit has been closed due to Bird Flu since Dec 2022".
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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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@crosbie,
This year is your time.
Ive just edited my post. Maybe try it Anti Clockwise in March. re Soft Pistes in Switzerland.
From the top of Mossete France (In Avoriaz) ski to the right on the the red piste that turns into a Cat Track. After about 1km of piste....Dont bear left onto a blue piste.... keep going on the Red Cat for another 800mts on the track to 'Gueily' drag lift.
Once at the top of Guielly drag just keep working your way to Morgins.
There is a navette in morgin that's regular and loops between foileuse and Coebeau chair lifts.
Then the next day you can do it clockwise.
Good Luck
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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This year, I intend to do it clockwise AND anti-clockwise - possibly even a fricking third time.
However, given the number of times in the last few years the circuit has been non-doable (for me), AND the number of times I've arrived at the top of the Swiss Wall to find either that it's closed (or that no lifts are running on the Swiss side), I'm a bit peeved that I've had such naff luck.
Hence, I'm trying to make sure I book a week before Switzerland closes (a fortnight before France), etc. And hence, I'm asking for inside info, in case there are other reasons why my ambitions to do Swiss Wall & PdS Circuit this season may yet be thwarted.
Anyway, thanks for your tips regarding the circuit - if it actually turns out to be doable my week. 
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@shep, I can forgive the snow gods, and will accept a potential fate of brown mountains, but what really peeves me is mega dump conditions, with 12" snow at valley floor level, and a broken circuit. It's the distinct possibility of the latter I can't face - and would pre-empt.
Folk at the lift pass office have often acted as if they've vaguely heard of the possibility of the circuit, but hardly anyone enquires about it these days...
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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 I havw written before, I am sorry but the Portes de Soleil is just a bad marketing joke. A series of very different resorts under a marketing banner that fails to deliver, especially Morgins.
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Don’t bother - it’s a box ticking exercise. Just find some nice slopes and ski them.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The circuit is still 'fully' open, for values of fully that include using two chairs to download/upload between Linga and Vonnes, similarly up or down the Corbeau with the walk or shuttle bus across the village.
I wouldn't hold out much hope of the Corbeau connection remaining open for much longer - the Ecottis drag lift line is just manually shovelled snow for much of the ascent and while I'm sure they'll try to keep it open over the holidays I doubt it will continue into March.
But I noticed already yesterday that the Chatel and Morgins buses are now going all the way between the lac de Vonnes and the Follieuse lift, so the circuit will remain doable. It's worth remembering that until 2014 you always needed to take a bus from Chatel village to Linga or PlJ anyway, similarly getting across Morzine, so the idea of the 'Circuit' has always included non-skiing sections.
One comment suggests that Champoussin may be a weak spot in March, but in the last five years, since they upgraded the snow making on the Swiss side, it has always remained open and good until the very end of the season in April, so getting all the way from Morgins to Avoriaz and back in just a couple of hours is a perfectly reasonable proposition for March skiers. We'll quite often do a lazy Spring ski day, leaving the house at ten or later, leisurely ski over for a nice lunch in Lindarets, back home before four to welcome any arriving guests. What could be better than that?
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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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Basically I agree with shep.
I think there's quite a high chance of insufficient snow in the Corbeau sector for the link to be open at the end of March. It's already very thin around there and, once the bare ground is exposed, it would become increasingly difficult to form a base again at that orientation, altitude and time of year. So a big fall of snow between now and then is required - a couple of small ones are unlikely to be sufficient.
Whether or not that is really a big problem for overall enjoyment of the PdS is up to the OP.
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You know it makes sense.
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Corbeau -> Foilleuse is downhill, and an easy stroll. Maybe consider the little shuttle if going the other direction.
Also when the corbeau sector is not in play the bus goes directly to Lac de Vonnes.
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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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Adding this for reference
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Poster: A snowHead
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| OuatteDePhoque wrote: |
Corbeau -> Foilleuse is downhill, and an easy stroll. Maybe consider the little shuttle if going the other direction.
Also when the corbeau sector is not in play the bus goes directly to Lac de Vonnes. |
Yes, pretty much that. But just to clarify on the bus situation, there are actually two services, one running a shuttle service between the two lifts, as you say, and bear in mind there may be times when skiing downhill through the village isn't possible (and it's a ten minute walk in ski boots). This will also go further up past the Corbeau lift and or, on the way back, up past our chalet to the main road (at Hotel Club Victoria) to drop people on request. They don't normally pick up on these extra stops. Leaves the village outside the Volg shop, roughly every ten minutes or so.
The second one is the timetabled service that normally goes from one end of the village to the other, every halfhour in peak season, hourly off-peak, with a break between 2 and 3 ish. This leaves from the back of the church just outside the Snowline shop, timetable available here. It's this service that extends to Chatel, stopping at the car park at Vonnes, next to the Gabelou and PdS chair lifts. Details here, run alternately by Chatel and Morgins buses, timed to synchronise with the existing timetable, but no break over the lunch period.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Thu 2-03-23 12:24; edited 1 time 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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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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| @247snowman wrote: |
@crosbie,
Re: the Map..........I don't think the bit from the top of Mossette Swiss chair Lift makes much sence when when heading to Avoriaz. Skiing down Abricotine all the way to Brochaux Chair is the more direct route.
I think the Map is out of Date. |
I think it makes sense if one wants to take the longer route via Champery and Fornet sectors and down to Avoriaz village. You could take Grand Conche, instead of Swiss Mossettes, and head to Ripaille. I think you could also access Rapaille from the top of TS Crosets.
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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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The point is that the circuit loop traverses as many villages' ski-areas as possible (without retracing your steps anywhere); so missing out Champéry and Avoriaz by taking Abricotine and Brochaux to get to Chaux Fleurie (thereby using only the Montriond area) defeats the object. It would be like, going anticlockwise, taking Tovassière from Mossettes to Morgins and missing out Champoussin completely. It might be shorter, but you haven't done "the circuit".
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Thu 2-03-23 14:41; edited 1 time in total
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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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| Ozboy wrote: |
| @247snowman wrote: |
@crosbie,
Re: the Map..........I don't think the bit from the top of Mossette Swiss chair Lift makes much sence when when heading to Avoriaz. Skiing down Abricotine all the way to Brochaux Chair is the more direct route.
I think the Map is out of Date. |
I think it makes sense if one wants to take the longer route via Champery and Fornet sectors and down to Avoriaz village. You could take Grand Conche, instead of Swiss Mossettes, and head to Ripaille. I think you could also access Rapaille from the top of TS Crosets. |
Yes up the 8 man Crosets chair and then ahead and right to follow the road to above the snowpark (or turn round and straight down the scraped icy bit towards the snowpark) then head just right of the restaurant and turn left to the piste that runs down to Le Toupin (a very fine coffee stop) and on to the Ripaille double drag lift.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@shep, Exactly this 
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Hi
I presume that I am wasting my time trying to aim to do the circuit on 9/10 April?
I’m so used to going earlier in the season, I hadn’t cottoned on to the dates that places might close. Stupid of me I know.
But officially it says portes du soliel closes on 23rd April, though I am seeing some websites saying 10 April and Morgins looks like it might be 2 April.
What does this actually mean? Are all lifts completely shut in the area? Or would there be ways of getting through on 9/10 April?
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@MoiraB, Last season, exceptionally, the lifts stayed open until mid-late April (19th, IIRC) even those like Morgins that had not planned to do so; Champoussin/Champéry with better snow-making were already scheduled to stay open for the Easter weekend and an epic amount of snow allowed the others to do so.
But no, this year there's pretty much no chance. Even if the current snowy conditions continued and made it possible, the economics would not make enough sense for them to stay open later than planned. Not open means that the lifts will not be running; once closed there is no way to get across apart from a long, long hike.
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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 @Chaletbeauroc.
It sounds like I need to plan a bit better next year!
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@MoiraB, I think the best you could do would be a Linga-Loop or PLJ Loop.
For Example:
Lift: PLJ
Piste: Itinerary or Combes
Lift: Cornebois
Piste: Les Rennes or Blattins and Itinerary
Lift: Rochassons
Piste: Grand Plan
Lift: Prolays
Piste: Blue Velvet or Mosettes
Lift: Mossettes
Piste: Abricotine
Lift: Coubore
Piste: Paternaile
Lift: Coucas
Piste: Blanchot
Lift: Fornet
Piste: Fornet & Retour Chavanette
Lift: Interets
Piste: Arrare & Crot
Lift: Grande Combes
Piste: Blue de lac
Lift: Tour
Piste: Crete & Combe a Floret
Lift: Chaux Fleurie
Piste :Chesery then Rochassons or Belette
back to PLJ
This loop doesn't use the same lift or piste twice, but you can vary it to suit.
If you want to add Start and end at linga then you get a couple of extra slopes and lifts.
All of this ought to still be open until last knockings.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Brilliant thank you!
I’ve done the circuit once or twice before but will have to get my map out to work out where all those lifts/slopes are!
I was hoping to take my daughters on an overnight to Morgins via the circuit but just cancelled the hotel in the free cancellation time period as it doesn’t sound realistic, but your route sounds like a possible day alternative.
Thanks!
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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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@MoiraB, Les Crossets closes on 10th April.
Champousin and Morgin close on 2nd April
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I spoke to a Swiss chappie a couple of days ago, and he said the Corbeau sector of Morgins wasn't operating, so you can't even get the chair down. You have to get an hourly bus to skip that bit entirely in order to get to Champoussin (if going clockwise). He also said there was at least one normally used chair that was closed in Les Crosets that meant it was a bit more tricky getting back into Avoriaz (via Chavanette, say).
It's time there was a Portes du Soleil smartphone app that made the circuit easier, and informed you as to how doable it was (bus rides, current pistes/lifts, etc.).
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You know it makes sense.
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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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| crosbie wrote: |
I spoke to a Swiss chappie a couple of days ago, and he said the Corbeau sector of Morgins wasn't operating, so you can't even get the chair down. You have to get an hourly bus to skip that bit entirely in order to get to Champoussin (if going clockwise). He also said there was at least one normally used chair that was closed in Les Crosets that meant it was a bit more tricky getting back into Avoriaz (via Chavanette, say).
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The Corbeau sector is rarely open past February, and this season was particularly bad. The replacement bus service has been better organised and publicised in the last couple of seasons though, and was running half-hourly through the main holiday period.
Getting back to Avoriaz is not at all compromised by the Pauvre Conche chair not operating, as it's not part of the route anyway - for that you ski past it to the Ripaille T-bar, thence the Chavanette chair. And of course you don't need those either, with both Mossettes and Grand Conche chairs dropping you at the top of the Lindarets bowl, from where you can use the Cubore chair to get straight back to the Fornet area very easily, or ski down to Brochaux or Prolays to link more towards the top of the village.
| andy from embsay wrote: |
| crosbie wrote: |
It's time there was a Portes du Soleil smartphone app that made the circuit easier, and informed you as to how doable it was (bus rides, current pistes/lifts, etc.). |
The PdS app shows which lifts and pistes are open. Not sure about buses mind.
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No, the bus connections are not shown. Would be difficult, as they're not under the direct control of the PdS operators. All the Châtel services, including the Morgins links, are listed here https://www.chatel.com/navettes-de-chatel.html
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