heading to France for snowboarding March 9 to March 16th and will be at either Val D'Isere or Val Thorens. Would like to do a few days in a heli if possible but it seems I cant do this from the base at Val D'Isere and may have to travel to Italy?.....which sounds all too hard. Having been to Revelstoke last year and spent an amazing few days with Selkirk-Tangiers, I was hoping for a something similar in France. Any suggestions please?
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Della18, heli skiing isn't legal in France. I believe there's an option to drop you in Italy and ski back to France, but landing in France isn't allowed.
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?
@Della18, I’ve not used them myself, but Val Heliski operate out of both Val d’Isère and the 3V.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Della18 wrote:
Hi All,
heading to France for snowboarding March 9 to March 16th and will be at either Val D'Isere or Val Thorens. Would like to do a few days in a heli if possible but it seems I cant do this from the base at Val D'Isere and may have to travel to Italy?.....which sounds all too hard. Having been to Revelstoke last year and spent an amazing few days with Selkirk-Tangiers, I was hoping for a something similar in France. Any suggestions please?
You can’t heliski in France. For Euro heli change your destination to either Monte Rosa in Italy or Verbier / Zermatt in Switzerland.
Thanks @BobinCH
Thanks for the info.
Ive previously done Zermatt/Cervinia which was excellent however I didn’t do heli there but I see your insta post on the Combin and that looks
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Heli skiing to most people is being dropped off at the top of a mountain to save the massive slog of touring up.
I believe Steve's trips use the heli for retrieval back to base after skiing down. Hence they are legal in France as it isn't heli-sking as such.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
NoMapNoCompass wrote:
Heli skiing to most people is being dropped off at the top of a mountain to save the massive slog of touring up.
I believe Steve's trips use the heli for retrieval back to base after skiing down. Hence they are legal in France as it isn't heli-sking as such.
Yes the definition classically of heli skiing where you are picked up, dropped off left right and centre is NOT legal in France however you can use the heli as a taxi once a day... the trips I do are generally a short skin from the top of the Val glacier off the back and down for a few hours to a place called Bonneval... after lunch etc the heli brings us home (7 min flight roughly) to top of Solaise where there are a couple of further off piste descents I usually take people on to complete the off piste day.
The price is basically circa €280 pp based on 4 people for the day all in!
Della18 - feel free to drop me a pm if needs be.
I guide / teach for tdcski.com and can also be found on Instagram @SteveAngusSnow / @tdcski
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Sorry price is more than that.... over €300 but haven't got exact price list to hand at moment sorry!
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@Steve Angus,
Is it possible to do a short heli hop over to Italy, ski, then heli back?
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.
@Della18,
Plenty of lift accessible off-piste in Tignes-Val d'Isere, just use your heli money to hire a guide or to join a guided group. Talk to Steve Angus. If you go down this route you'll probably end up buying one of the off-piste guide books to use in conjunction with paper piste maps (you'll pick up plenty of copies of the map to take home) to make your mates back home green with envy - "We went down this one, which is here on the map, then we ..."
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Tue 6-02-24 18:21; edited 1 time in total
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@Della18, I regularly heliski in the area over the border in Italy . Contact Tarentaise Tours in Sainte foy they are the main operator in the area and have very good relations with the Italian operators .
You will have two options .
The first to ski via La Rosiere in La Thuile this normally involves travel to La Rosiere with a finish in Sainte Foy / La Miror . You will ski peaks either side of the Petit Bernard pass on the peak Miravidi and then up to the Ruitor Giacier . Thus run back to La Miroir is 15km long with 2200m vertical .
The other option is the wonderful Valgrisanche this is a valley behind the Sassiere mountain between Val and Sainte Foy . There are several peaks and Glaciers above 3200m and at least 6 drop zone are used . They will come and pick you up and return you to the Tignes Heli station by the dam , they did last year .
@Steve Angus,
Is it possible to do a short heli hop over to Italy, ski, then heli back?
It gets complicated but probably Val Heliski would be the nearest option you could find!
We used to offer half day heli trips within Val until the environmental plug was pulled!
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Kenzie wrote:
@Della18,
Plenty of lift accessible off-piste in Tignes-Val d'Isere, just use your heli money to hire a guide or to join a guided group. Talk to Steve Angus. If you go down this route you'll probably end up buying one of the off-piste guide books to use in conjunction with paper piste maps (you'll pick up plenty of copies of the map to take home) to make your mates back home green with envy - "We went down this one, which is here on the map, then we ..."
thanks Kenzie, sounds like Steve is an excellent contact which i appreciate and a good alternative to heli $$$$
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Rob Mackley wrote:
@Della18, I regularly heliski in the area over the border in Italy . Contact Tarentaise Tours in Sainte foy they are the main operator in the area and have very good relations with the Italian operators .
You will have two options .
The first to ski via La Rosiere in La Thuile this normally involves travel to La Rosiere with a finish in Sainte Foy / La Miror . You will ski peaks either side of the Petit Bernard pass on the peak Miravidi and then up to the Ruitor Giacier . Thus run back to La Miroir is 15km long with 2200m vertical .
The other option is the wonderful Valgrisanche this is a valley behind the Sassiere mountain between Val and Sainte Foy . There are several peaks and Glaciers above 3200m and at least 6 drop zone are used . They will come and pick you up and return you to the Tignes Heli station by the dam , they did last year .
thanks Rob, my excitement levels just went up a notch! i will check your recos out....much appreciated.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Steve Angus wrote:
NoMapNoCompass wrote:
Heli skiing to most people is being dropped off at the top of a mountain to save the massive slog of touring up.
I believe Steve's trips use the heli for retrieval back to base after skiing down. Hence they are legal in France as it isn't heli-sking as such.
Yes the definition classically of heli skiing where you are picked up, dropped off left right and centre is NOT legal in France however you can use the heli as a taxi once a day... the trips I do are generally a short skin from the top of the Val glacier off the back and down for a few hours to a place called Bonneval... after lunch etc the heli brings us home (7 min flight roughly) to top of Solaise where there are a couple of further off piste descents I usually take people on to complete the off piste day.
The price is basically circa €280 pp based on 4 people for the day all in!
Della18 - feel free to drop me a pm if needs be.
I guide / teach for tdcski.com and can also be found on Instagram @SteveAngusSnow / @tdcski
Hi Steve, thanks for reaching out. i will get in touch shortly.
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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Poster: A snowHead
