 Poster: A snowHead
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To quote Keats: "the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness" approaches so it must be time for next seasons thread about all things Tignes (and the odd mention of those folks next door). Although it is a bit warm for that sort of weather in the Broad Acres today!
Again, I won't be in Tignes for the whole season. So, the daily updates will start when I get there and stop when I'm not! But hopefully I can answer most things (and Bob will answer the ones about Parking!).
And we're off!
Here are the links - there's still some summer timetables and the weather pages don't go direct yet, I'll try and remember to update them - or you could give me a nudge by posting!
Tignes Main Site (official):
https://en.tignes.net/
Ski passes:
https://www.skipass-tignes.com/en/
Bus Transfers
Daily from Geneva and Fri, Sat and Sun from Lyon which are available! (no Chambery this year):
http://www.altibus.com/
Weekends from Geneva and Grenoble, Lyon Sat only this year:
https://www.bensbus.co.uk/ski-transfer/tignes-airport-transfers/
Private Transfers (Operator based locally):
https://themountainrescue.com/
Private transfer based in Val D, also do shared transfers to Tignes and Val D, max 8, departing GVA up to every hour
https://snow-drone.com/ Discount code snowheads05 (5% discount on transfers or 5 euros off a shared transfer). All journeys 100% carbon offset. They are experiencing some snags with some browsers on their website - in case of issues contact by e mail and include the discount code for booking.
Someone to organise your holiday:
https://peakfeeling-ski.com/ Based in Tignes, the team will organise everything after the airport arrivals lounge, transfers, self catering apt (with a chef if required), catered chalet, instruction, kit hire, lift passes, child care etc. They also cover other resorts in France - but why would you go anywhere else?
Can't be bothered to cook in a self catering apt - deliveries to Tignes Sun and Tue
https://hu.ski/
Ski Instruction (British Staff):
https://ultimatesnowsports.com/ski/tignes-skiing-lessons/
https://www.skinewgen.com/ski-schools/tignes/ (multinational but fluent English speaking staff)
Another multinational school in Val Claret
https://www.333school.com/
Off Piste Adventure and training (British staff)
https://www.facebook.com/TignesOffPisteOfficial/
Weather:
http://www.meteofrance.com/previsions-meteo-montagne/tignes/73320
Route Info (Savoie Only):
http://savoie-route.fr/
Avalanche Reports (Meteo France):
http://www.meteofrance.com/previsions-meteo-montagne/bulletin-avalanches/savoie/avdept73
Live Lift Status:
http://www.skiplan.com/bulletin/bulletin.php?station=tignes®ion=alpes&pays=france&lang=fr
http://www.skiplan.com/bulletin/bulletin.php?station=val-d-isere®ion=alpes&pays=france&lang=fr
Bus Timetable from Bourg:
http://altibus.com/documents/gares/9/navettes.pdf (still on summer at the moment)
Val-Tignes (for repatriation of lost souls that missed the last lift or for a spot of (even more) expensive shopping!):
https://www.tignes.net/sejour/deplacement/la-navette-tignes-val-disere
Ski Rental and new boots:
My two 'go to' shop owners have entered Happy Retirement, I'll be on the prowl when I get there. Please post good or bad feedback!
Purveyors of fine craft ales to those who have had enough eurofizz:
http://sapaudiabrewing.co/
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Sat 7-10-23 10:17; edited 2 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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There is something very pleasingly perverse reading Snowhead posts on a very hot Saturday afternoon!
We’re planning on January arrive first week of until end1st week of feb
Just lift passes and parking to sort
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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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Meanwhile its mid 20's even up at 2000m altitude and we are all in shorts and t-shirts... down in Bourg its mid 30's. Are you sure Winter is on the way!!!!!
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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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| Steve Angus wrote: |
| Meanwhile its mid 20's even up at 2000m altitude and we are all in shorts and t-shirts... down in Bourg its mid 30's. Are you sure Winter is on the way!!!!! |
Yes!
This winter willl be the snowiest since 1983!!
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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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PARKING 2023-24
Last few seasons I’ve posted up info here on the various car parks in Tignes. An awful lot had changed between the 2021/22 season and 2022/23; principal amongst these was the ending of any free tourist parking anywhere in Tignes and the outsourcing of the whole parking operation to Indigo by the Mairie. From a cursory glance at Indigo’s web pages for Tignes, it looks like all the same car parks are under their management for the coming winter as were last winter.
They have also re-named themselves as Indigo Neo. That means that if you had an account and login this may no longer work on the new on-line systems and you may have to start again with a new one. Currently the main ‘go to’ URL is https://www.indigoneo.fr/.
A quick mention of a quirk (there are many) of the Indigoneo booking system reported by @chocksaway - to paraphrase from his report on another thread: there's a timezone problem with the website with some browsers; workaround is to disable automatic location and manually select France (Paris). This cured it for some people. No problems on Safari. Appears when you select the start date of the season (0001 hours on the relevant date) the website then automatically changes this to 2301 the previous day - when parking is free and therefore no products were available! This appeared in a box in the top left of the screen. This problem should, I guess, go away on or around 25th Nov... We have yet to see if it affects holiday parking by potentially adding an extra unwanted day to the start of the booking or blocking the booking by mistakenly adjusting it to not start at the weekend.
Another quirk of the Indigoneo website is stating that all car parks are limited to 1.9m in height. However, the signs at the car parks' entrances say different. The heights given below are what is actually posted up at each entrance or intermediate level within.
Les Brévières
There are three car parks which used to be free all year round but two of them are now definitely chargeable during the main winter season (late Nov through early May). They are fenced and barriered with a tariff board at the entrance of each. They are open-air and there are no height restrictions on any of them. As you arrive into Les Brev., North car park is on your right before you enter the village. If you keep going all the way through and out the other end, you will end up in South carpark - there is literally nowhere else to go. During super-snowy periods South car park is prone to avalanches during times of high risk (when it's level 5 mostly, but potentially also when it's level 4). You will not be able to retrieve your car from South car park if avalanche closure is announced - the road is physically blocked. Tune in to the Tignes App to get warned but rest assured during normal snowfall it's not an issue. South is the most convenient one to access the bubble.
I mentioned three car parks. There is a small one behind the old Chalet Chardons building / Intersport ski rental shop. Go past North car park and then take the very next turning on the right. It's a tight turn - you may need more than one bite to get around. Down a ramp and hang a left (single track and a blind bend). The entrance is signed with a P and has "Tetras Lodge" underneath it. At the close of last season this parking was free but limited to two hours (you must display a blue disk – available from any tabac - showing your arrival time). Best not to use this parking unless you have good snow tyres / are prepared to put chains on / don't mind crashing the car on the ramp and bend.
At super busy times, there is a fourth option. Parking is tolerated on the right hand side of the road as you approach the village, just before the North car park and on the road just outside South car park. This will require a parking permit which you buy by trying to get into the full car park and letting the machine issue you with a ticket. You are not permitted to park on the road if the car parks have space.
Camper vans: these are not allowed in Les Brévières or any of the Tignes villages for overnight stays. The Municipal Police generally knock on the door of new arrivals and offer their advice, which is to move on, unless you are parking for the day or staying in accommodation somewhere. Exceptionally gnarly-looking seasonnaires seem to be left alone.
For the 2023/24 season Les Brévières has been linked to Tignes 1800 (the next village up the mountain) for pedestrians in two ways. From 9am till 4:30pm, you can use the Brevieres bubble for free. After the bubble closes there is a half-hourly bus until 11pm, from 23rd December onwards. A few buses are also laid on for the hour before the bubble opens. 16th Dec - 22nd Dec just evening buses stopping at 6pm.
Tignes 1800
Most of the parking here is private and part of an apartment block or development. However a small free open-air car park does still exist: from the Tignes 1800 roundabout, go towards the village, following "Route d'Eté" signs, then keep right at the barracks following along the plastic tunnel over the magic carpet. Parking is at the end of the road / buildings. Only about 20 spaces. Height restriction of 2.20m using a swing barrier. Beware: there is a clue in the name of the access road: "Route d'Eté"... during December this parking becomes hors-de-service - as it's turned into a piste for the winter. Tignes 1800 is linked by shuttle bus (see Les Boisses) once you have walked to the roundabout (where the bus stop is).
Blondin
A relatively new car park for about 150 cars has been built the other side of the roundabout next to the heliport and NOT managed by Indigo. Last year it was free but reserved for working seasonnaires only. You will need to obtain a permit and display it in the window to be legally parked here. To get the permit (a paper A5 sheet with Tignes branding and the car reg) you had to present your proofs of work/living/car ownership/personal id by email (only) to the Tignes municipal police. Open air and no height restrictions. If coming into Tignes 1800 along the road atop the dam, take the 3rd exit on the roundabout, past the Auto Centre 1800 petrol station / garage (on your left) and head up a steep-ish zig-zag gravel track for about 300 metres.
Montayes
Don't attempt to go into the barrier-controlled parking opposite the petrol station - this is reserved for seasonnaires staying in the accommodation that surrounds it - or at least has been for many years but this season, who knows!?
Les Boisses
For a skier or walker, it can be hard to tell where Les Boisses begins and Tignes 1800 ends but access by car is quite different for the two. To get into Les Boisses, if you are coming along the road on top of the dam go straight across at the roundabout in Tignes 1800 and up the steep ramp-like road heading to Tignes Le Lac. Take the first turning on the right, which appears straight after the second hairpin bend. At the very end of the road is the Les Boisses parking. Last year it was chargeable, underused and only residents could buy a pass, which came with a remote control to open the barrier.
Open air and linked by shuttle bus. This is 2 buses morning / 2 buses evening during early season (early season, not pre-season; there's no bus at all pre-season) and then starting Christmas week every 30 minutes up till about 10pm. This is a separate shuttle from the one I will mention below and runs just between Le Lac and 1800. On the way up the bus goes in and out of Les Boisses; on the way down it skips it so just stay sat on board while the driver has a fag in 1800 and he'll drop you in Les Boisses a short while later. There are about 50 spaces. Height restriction: 2.25 metres using a swing barrier which may or may not be locked by the snow-clearing chaps.
Tignes Le Lac - Lavachet - Almes - Rosset
Le Lavachet
Covered parking, short-stay or long stay. Height restriction 2.65m enforced by the building being made of reinforced concrete; this applies to the entrance and exit levels ONLY. Higher levels are restricted to 2.15m and lower ones to 2.4m. So, if using this car park please be thoughtful of the needs of others and use the level that has - just - enough clearance for your vehicle. Linked by shuttle bus to Le Lac and Val Claret till around 4pm pre-season and 24/7 during season proper. What more can I say...
Le Lac 1
Covered parking which used to be reserved for seasonnaires only but last winter could be used by the public including advance reservations. Height restriction 1.95m. Access as below for Lac 2, but go past Lac 2 and turn right.
Le Lac 2
Covered parking around the corner from Lac 1. Access if coming up from the dam is using a side road (left) opposite the Taxi Office (big yellow TAXIS sign) / Intersport, just before the first roundabout. If you miss it and reach the roundabout, go all the way round and then first right. Height restriction 2.20m at the barrier BUT 2.0m internally with a few sections at 1.85m. Short and long term OK.
Le Lac 3
The parking of choice for most folk stopping in Tignes Le Lac. Covered and situated underneath the "Maison de Tignes" tourist office and handy to access ski school meeting points and lifts. Short-term and long-term parking OK. Height restriction at the entrance is 2.25m but apparently some floors are only 2.15m. The main parking enquiries office is located in this car park.
A handy tip from another snowhead… It’s often the case that the roads are black as far as Lac 3 car park but white thereafter. So, you have the nuisance of having to put on chains just for the final approach to your accommodation, to unload. Lac 3 is free for 2 hours, so drive in and put your chains on in the warm and dry and under good lighting.
Le Rosset
Covered parking on the borders of Le Lac and Lavachet just by the Rosset beginners' chair lift. Long-stay (ie more than 24 hours) only. You have to buy a ticket in advance on line or at the Le Lac 3 office. Height restriction 2.25m. Linked by the same shuttle bus as above.
Val Claret
Golf
Covered parking on the edge of Val Claret. Height restriction 2.30m. Short-term and long-term parking OK. Golf has two entrances. The first one you see on the left as you start up the hill is for season-pass holders; the main public one is higher, going left as you enter the town. Not directly linked by shuttle - you have to walk down the hill to the big roundabout by Hotel Ecrin, then turn left to get the bus at Platieres or right to get the bus at Chartreux. The walk is about 8-10 mins. Or you can walk into town, past the Bureau des Guides, turn right and take the Platieres lift (elevator) down to the Platieres bus stop.
Grande Motte
Open air parking on what's left of the plateau where the new Club Med building now stands. Can be used for day parking during pre-season. Last year this parking was open to seasonnaires and public alike and could be reserved in advance (which never used to be the case). Linked by the same shuttle bus as above to the lifts and other Tignes villages. Height restriction 2.30m by swing barrier.
Boucle Sud
This is open-air, just up a little higher than Golf. Seasonnaire-only using a pre-purchased remote control. 2.2m restriction by swing barrier which is either open or closed, according to the whim of the ploughie clearing the snow.
Chartreux
This open-air parking just outside Val Claret (turn right at the cross roads after you leave the roundabout headed towards Le Lac) used to be reserved for residents/guests staying in the Chartreux development. It is now listed on the Indigo website and has come under their management (possibly to stop abuse). The entrance tariff board is new this season and a barrier is also newly installed.
Other parking info
Rental Cars & Advance Booking
Last winter this was a nuisance as the booking system insisted on a car reg in advance (which you don’t usually know until you have picked up the actual car). However, other snowheads did successfully make reservations using either a fictitious reg. or leaving it blank. In the subsequent email confirming the booking they have received a code and on arrival tapped this in to the machine at the barrier to gain entry. It's also needed later on to get out again so don't discard or misplace the code! On the current booking site I did see a box to click entitled ‘Hire Car’ so maybe Indigo have reacted to the complaints. Another snowhead has suggested that on the approach to the barrier, you stick a 'trade plate' to the front of your rental car, which you bring with you!
High Season
During peak weeks (eg New Year, February half term) the car parks in Le Lac, Lavachet and Val Claret completely fill up and you may have to park on the street. This is NOT FREE and it is only allowed in controlled areas where there is enough road-side space. To park on the street you have to pay and get a ticket on arrival from the main parking information office in Lac 3 car park.
Day Trips
If you are coming for the day, it may be cheaper to simply pay by the hour rather than pay and reserve x days of parking. All the car parks appear to charge the same rates and here are some edited highlights from this season:
2hrs - Free
2h15 - €3.20
3hrs - €4.60
5hrs - €8.40
8hrs - €14.20
10hrs - €18.00
13hrs - €22.70
24hrs - €23.30
2 days - €43
3 days - €63
4 days - €83
5 days - €99
1 week - €99
2 weeks - €189
Residential Parking
You may be lucky and get a private parking space assigned that belongs to the place where you are staying, but this is rare. For much of the open-air parking in Tignes that looks like it's associated with specific residential developments you will see a P (parking) sign next to it, with 'MACARON' written underneath. What that means is that to park there you first have to go to the main Tignes parking office and present them with your flat ownership / season let contract / season work contract and buy a space for the season. You then get your macaron, which is a permit to display in the window. Without the macaron you are liable to get towed (but usually leafleted beforehand).
Le Bon Coin
Some flat owners let out their parking spaces for the season or by the week. Take a peek on Le Bon Coin. These spaces will generally be in locations other than the public parking listed above. You will need to check for yourself what specific restrictions they may have (eg height).
Season Parking
This is available free for working seasonnaires in Blondin car park (see above for info on how to get it). Last winter you could buy a season pass for Golf (a bit over €1,000), Les Boisses (a little cheaper) and if you were lucky, Lavachet, Le Lac - but these had a long waiting lists or were being discouraged. If you are a resident, worker or owner there are various schemes to get a discount. You will need to apply to Indigo and provide proofs such as work contract, membership of proprietors’ scheme, etc. Worth also checking on Le Bon Coin.
Val d'Isere
There is less need to explain parking arrangements across at the neighbours' as their website covers so much more of what you might need to know. Unlike in Tignes, the prices vary according to the convenience of the parking namely, how close it is to the centre of town, to ski lifts and whether it is covered.
If you need season parking, the rate you pay varies from just over €200 to just under €1,000 (depending on location and whether indoors) but they do not require the proofs (eg employment or rental contracts) - anyone can buy a pass.
Options for free parking are very, very limited: you have to head right up to the end of the valley to Le Fornet and even there, it is limited to 48 hours max (but is linked by the local shuttle bus) and has a height restriction of 1.8m. There is also some road-side parking outside the town limits along the main D902 but there are few buses (one around 8am and one around 6pm) so you are reliant on hitching a lift or asking friends to get you to/from your car; walking not advised as it's a busy road with many blind bends and drivers not expecting pedestrians. More info here: https://www.parkingvaldisere.com/
Bourg St Maurice
Do you really, really have to keep your car in Tignes the whole time? A mate has just bought parking for the whole of January for 46€ in a covered car park in Bourg (Alpins). Add in the 12€ each way for the bus after dropping off and then to pick up again and it's still a bargain compared to keeping it - and not using it - in Tignes for that length of time.
https://www.lesarcs.com/parkings/abonnements (for monthly / season / annual passes)
https://www.lesarcs.com/parkings/parkings-reservation (for shorter stays)
Be aware that free parking in Bourg is pretty limited and tends to be just outside the town limits, plus you won't get much opportunity to clear snow off the car regularly. Best stick to controlled covered car parks. There is a free car-sharing car park in Seez (close to a bus stop, from memory) but I don't know if extended stays are allowed.
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Mon 8-01-24 21:32; edited 28 times 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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Question - What's the EV charging provisions like in Val Disere? I've seen on Charge Finder there are 11 Shell Recharge which look like they would do the job as would just need to give it a top up so that we start with an almost full belly. I did look on street map but can't work out where they are. Shame our apartment doesn't provide any chargers / plugs in the underground carpark we could use.
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I’m going to do a Tignes UCPA week either before or after the End of Season bash in Val Thorens. Any strong reason it should be the week of April 6 or April 20? It will either be ‘off piste’ or ‘introduction to ski touring’.
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@Rob_Quads,
As of August - Funival at La Daille has a double charger.
The Plaine de la Daille car park also has 2 double chargers but over last winter one was constantly occupied by SnowDrone vans.
Le Cret parking garage also has a decent amount of chargers, I think 6.
Two new double chargers have been installed at the Gare Routière near Petie Danios.
Up at Fornet I think they have more as do many of the hotels in town.
Last winter we had a family member on a Snowdrone shared transfer that had to stop to use the fast charger at Albertville (Carrefour) apparently plenty space, it also suited us a we quickly messaged a shopping list to our guest to pick up during the 30 mins stop.
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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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@chocksaway, We’ve just finished a long weekend herding people during the Ayr Airshow.
Thank you from the folks over the hill for starting the next seasons thread
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@sbooker, It depends what you want from off piste, it’s not likely to be a powder fest on either of those dates, more ice through soft to slush. But the earlier the better. Intro to touring - either week.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@chocksaway, 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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@chocksaway,
Since I'm making the trek around the globe I best ask if the chance of clear wet snow is any higher later into April than the beginning? If coming all that way I would hope to avoid rain if possible. Or is Tignes high enough that precipitation usually falls as snow for well into May?
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@sbooker, I’m sure @ chocks away will give you a more reasoned response. However, as I recall the last day of the season this year was top quality slush and the previous year on the last run on the last day (well actually we squeezed in doing it twice) there was light snow falling at the top of Toviere, it was thunder and lightning on the way down then rain in Val Claret.
I think you can be assured it will be variable at that time of year. But it is quiet and great fun.
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You know it makes sense.
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Question on traffic out of resort. Last year we had a nightmare getting out of resort. It was half term but we did leave around 6:30am (I think) once we got down into the valley it became gridlock and it took 4/5 hours to get out the mountains. This year we are looking at leaving later and just driving up half way so wondered how late do we need to leave it to avoid the mass queues. If we left just after lunch would the main queues down the mountain be gone by then? Trying to work out where to stop such that we are ahead of all the traffic on Sunday but not driving all evening on Sat.
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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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@muppet,
Do you have many airshows up in Scotland?
This summer I went to one of the big airshows at Duxford and the Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden which is my favourite aviation venue.
We now have a Spitfire and Harvard Flying at Compton Abbas for 4 weekends in the summer. Guy Ritchie (the film director) now owns the airfield.
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Poster: A snowHead
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6.30am is way too late, you need to be away much earlier, but then you question the point if actually going to bed as you never get decent sleep knowing you need to be up
Probably up well North of Lyon, but thats 4-5 hours drive from resort, plus then depends what time you want to be up that next day, as all the early leavers will have caught you up.
my new tactic is to leave after skiing on the last day and drive home through the night....but appreciate thats not for everyone as it is a slog, but the benefits of no traffic, no eurotunnel faff, kids sleep and getting into my bed around 8am for a few hours i felt outweighed the previous years of poor to no sleep, 5 hours to get past Lyon and then bun fight at Eurotunnel 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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@sbooker, rain is possible as is powder snow on the Motte on May 1st! But there are few better resorts in Europe at that time of year.
@Rob_Quads, I’d leave after a late lunch unless the forecast is really bad low down, do 6 hours to the Troyes region leaving 4 hours to the ports on Sunday.
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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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@Rob_Quads,
Consider skiing all day Saturday (especially if the six day pass gives a free seventh day, as last season).
Where to stop - anywhere you can easily accessthe motorway system will avoid the queues.
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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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Hi does anyone have good connections for seasonal accommodation for my son working in Levachet. If so please drop me a message. Thanks
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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'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Just to add further confusion to last years parking fiasco Indigo has become Indigo Neo, if you had an account you now need to go through the whole rigmarole again and start a new one (at least as an owner I did).
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| chocksaway wrote: |
| Just to add further confusion to last years parking fiasco Indigo has become Indigo Neo, if you had an account you now need to go through the whole rigmarole again and start a new one (at least as an owner I did). |
Where would France be without its Red Tape Worm?
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Parking reservations in Val d’Isere open on 2nd October with SAGS.
@welshflyer, This is the first airshow since covid and last Saturday 200,000 visitors decended on Ayr (they didn’t expect so many) The Typhoon display was probably a favourite despite it setting off a large number of car alarms along the street.
We’re near Prestwick airport which has a few daily commercial flights with Ryanair but is used for a lot of training along with maintenance for BA and Ryanair, plus currently Canadian Air Force.
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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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| muppet wrote: |
| We’re near Prestwick airport which has a few daily commercial flights with Ryanair but is used for a lot of training along with maintenance for BA and Ryanair, plus currently Canadian Air Force. |
Indeed as you know muppet thats exactly why my Dad in the 70's was based up there training the new breed of BA pilots. However have talked about this all at length. Hope you're well. See you soon in Val.
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Anyone want to share some advice, we have booked to come to Val from 26th December to 2nd Jan, 4 of us 2 adults and 2 kids. Youngest son is 9 and skis, daughter 11 and snowboards and we snowboard. We have had 2 weeks in Tignes at ESF previously and lessons at Hemel pre COVID. Do we put them in ski school for 3 days or is there an option that we could get an instructor who can help skiers and boarders?
We are staying in Val, I have boarded for years but haven't had a lesson /instructor for years. Any advice welcome, I know Steve Angus is renowned but can he help the boarders?
Also what is the Green Triangle and what is the perfect day for our family , out of Daille, Last year our kids loved Prairond from Toviere and the blues of Palafour. Edelweiss and runs from Borsat were fun of them. I have no idea where the kids when on ski school!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hi @vegas007, glad you've found the new thread!
I'm almost certain Steve Angus is dual qualified for both skis and board - but I'm sure he'll be along soon! https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=82612 is where he's at...
Green triangle. Ride these chairlifts: Borsat / Grand Pre / Fontaine Froide and you can ski exclusively green runs. Lap as many times as you like. You can access this area without having to do any other colour runs by coming up on either Olympique or Funival and then using one of them to download at the end of the day. Same thing goes for Solaise which is a lovely sunny bowl full of blue runs.
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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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vegas007 - 'renowned' - blimey thanks. But in all seriousness yes I am dual qualified to teach both skiing and boarding. Drop me a pm on here if you want more info and help! Thanks bobski62 too.
Yes as bobski62 says. If you are in La Daille then up the funi (or do the La Daille gondola followed by Mont Blanc chair and the easy connection on short run to bottom Tommeuse lift and 'start' the triangle from there. In the whole of the triangle its the very first part from the top of the Olympic / Marmottes lift to the Verte Piste then top of Borsat lift that scares people the most - to avoid you can walk down the steps outside the exit of the Olympic lift which helps a little as long as you can stand on your left ski and traverse past the Bellevarde restaurant! Top of Borsat then there is the loop around (straight ahead and dont deviate left at all from the top of the chair and the loop brings you around and avoids the horrible bit at the top.
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Thanks Steve, having dropped a PM.. Oh and it looks like it has started snowing up the hill in Val / Tignes.. which is nice!
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You know it makes sense.
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Is it advisable to pre book parking for Val and if staying in La Daille I presume it's an outside only car park? Can you take the car out of the car park during the week without any further costs ?
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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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@vegas007, There is both a covered parking garage and the outside Plaine de Daille car park.
The outside parking is supposed to hold about 180 cars but depending on snow clearing this is often greatly reduced throughout the season so I would definitely pre-book.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks Chocksaway - did you have to submit Taxe Fonciere etc to IndigoNeo?
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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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Right then, I've updated parking info on this page, 5th post entitled PARKING 2023-24. It is a blend of how things ended last season and what (little) we have gleaned so far in readiness for this winter. Updates will follow once I've arrived in Tignes (hoping last week of November) and as other snowheads share their experiences.
Currently it's not possible to book any parking. Hopefully that will change as we approach opening date. All you can currently do is apply for consideration for a season pass and this requires several separate unpublished links.
Likewise all closed right now over at Val d'Isere, applications to open 2nd October they say.
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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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^^^ at 0800 French time that day!
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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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Wondering @Steve Angus, if you and others might consider another tilt at Bonneval this winter? I couldn't take you up on it last season as I'd already made plans to do some sessions with ICE but will keep a bit more time clear this year. Might be more appropriate on your other thread - if so let me know and I'll move it across or raise again once we are closer to season's start.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Steve Angus, Quick Q please Steve. What's happened to the Champs Avalins hotel in La Daille? It seems to have gone off the booking radar in the last couple of years which is a real pity because it was one of the few relatively affordable places left in Val d'Isere-I took many school trips there over the last 20 years so missing it as an option. Cheers.
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bobski62 Its fine by me on this thread but if others want it on 'mine' then cool too. Yes re Bonneval.... I have a couple of dates pencilled in already - 14th and 21st March due to other(s) showing interest. So if either of those work then ill add you to the list. welshflyer will be happy to hear we have others interested maybe.
snowhound - ive been wondering the same myself. I dont know to be honest with you. The building is still there but not sure what happens to it in the Winter! Sorry!
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Thanks @Steve Angus, I've popped both dates in the diary and will endeavour to keep them clear, so do add me to the list of interested parties. I'm likely to have to be in London w/e of 17th March, but I think that's compatible with either of your dates.
I will work on a few friends who may also be up for it (one of whom, like me, has been keen on this for years). I will also look into the feasibility of dropping off a car in Bonneval a day or two before in case that makes the trip feasible without a heli / for a smaller group.
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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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bobski62 - Yea the plan was for the 14th with the 21st as a back up date! Yes will add you to the list... in fact its actually a case of getting numbers together for it. As say welshflyer is the one spear heading it in terms of booking the dates in as he will be here on hols those two weeks. So I am sure 'youre in' so to speak! But yea more people make it more viable! The feasibility of dropping a car.... well its about a 6 hour round trip to drop a car so not sure that would be feasibile! The heli part itself is circa €1000 so split between 2/3/4 person basically! But if you and Welshflyer already then only need 2 more and its locked and loaded.
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Ah, right, that makes sense with the dates, thanks. Re. feasibility of dropping a car in Bonneval, it was actually the public transport options I wanted to check - to get back once it's dropped off. Having checked (last winter's) bus timetable and the trains, it looks OK to be able to get back to Bourg but would miss the last bus up from there so would need to get a lift up from a mate. Would make the round trip longer than 6 hours, but hey, I don't / won't / can't ski every day of the season... Can I leave it on the table as an option for now? Next task: looking at skinning routes (!) - might be quicker than bus & train 
How many folk is the limit Steve, and is the limit based on your preference on group size or how many the heli can take?
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FAQ
). You then upload this and ask for your place. Indigo then verify this and then you can buy the pass from 10 Oct and not before 
