Tignes (and Tignes-Val D'Isere) 2024/5. Useful Links Page 1.

A snowHead

Question - on the ski plan links from the opening page with the lift/piste status. What does the piste basher symbol represent? Pisted overnight? It’s one of the few icons not included in the key at the bottom.

A snowHead

Looking at what does not have that symbol I would say that you are right, "pisted". The naturide trails (marked with xxxxx on the piste map) are all conspicuously lacking the symbol, and they don't get pisted much if at all.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Bluebird again this morning - a loop round Le Lac featuring some solid laps on Grattalu with MrsF concentrating on body positioning and ski weighting, not to mention staying relaxed and remembering to breathe! A marked improvement from yesterday’s drama, and she’s hurting in all the right places. We’ve just stopped for an early lunch to give her thighs a rest before this afternoon.

I think a gentle afternoon on Almes or Chaudannes doing edge and body twist drills will see her out for an early finish and a well-earned pint in our usual spot, Le Moose.

More of the same today with busy pistes and peoples egos writing cheques their bodies can’t cash; thankfully we avoided the worst of it and made a hasty retreat indoors before the lunchtime circus down into Le Lac.

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But for instance pramecou is a pisted run but doesn’t have an icon. So does that mean it wasn’t bashed overnight? I’ll refresh tomorrow and see if there are different pistes with the icon present or not.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Quick question I will be arriving to bourg train station after the last bus on a Saturday evening in March is a taxi the only option to val claret? Any information greatly appreciated

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@jacknottm, Pramecou looked like it had been groomed overnight when we were over that way a couple of hours ago.

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@jacknottm, Perhaps the symbol is used with French accuracy wink

After all it is free

Tommeuse and Tufs were closed for a chunk of time, causing queues on the Mont Blanc and Borsat as well as some folk walking back up the piste to Mont Blanc.
Also massive avalanche (assume triggered by the authorities) from the NW face of the Borsat. Down as far as the genepy piste, but the rubble was bashed down. Great snow of the side of the genepy higher up.

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Even more bluebird this afternoon, albeit a bit on the warm side. +6 degrees at Le Lac base and just above 0 further up.

A gentle afternoon on Rosset with MrsF doing drills, which resulted in some of the best skiing I’ve seen her do yet. If I had a pound for every time I heard her say “I don’t think I’ll ever get this” and then proceeded to ski (almost) perfect turns… rolling eyes

She called it a day after a final run down Alme, which meant I could have a couple of runs to myself from the top of Chaudanne. Disaster struck however when I ripped the armpit of my ski jacket pulling the bar down on the lift… I guess I’ll call it “unexpected, but much needed ventilation” Puzzled

A nap, a few pints over the road, some dinner and a film followed by an early night is well on the cards for both of us.

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@Noob921, I skied them in mid April 24 and yesterday - they have moved at the top for sure.

Another glorious day, with a hint of a breeze at altitude which meant it was a bit chilly in the chairs. It was a day to do Pissailas, so down to La Daille and the bus to Laisinant. Then it was down to the new gondola, I had to pause for a moment to work out the routing into the Gondola - a bit of remodelling has gone on. But what a delight compared with the old cranky thing! As we got to the top it became very apparent how much damage the wind had done up there. Fornet is really in need of a retour d'est to fill. it up. The off piste is very rocky and a couple of the runs are not yet open. But the runs that were were just superb - just like corduroy. We had a coffee and then lunch at Cascades - it was all very quiet overthere. On the way home via Solaise it was a bit busier, again great snow. And now I am going to invoke my inner Allo Allo. Listen very carefully, I will only say zis once (a season) Plan and Rhone Alps were in excellent condition, with nice snow all the way. It won't last long - grab it whilst you can!

As Tommeuses was off we did a couple of laps of Grand Pre and down to La Daille until it was going again. And then a circuit of Palet. For a day on piste - there is rarely a better one.

As for the weather, 4 more days of sunshine, a bit warmer tomorrow and Wednesday. Thursday will be a bit cooler and a stiff breeze at altitude which will make it feel chilly. The Avalanche Risk has reduced to 3 for tomorrow, but there are still many traps out there.

snow reports

@KSim, Taxy or private transfer (eg Coolbus or Snowdrone) will be the options. Folks are good at picking hitchhikers up but not necessarily if you have bags and skis. Might be worth asking on the train or when you arrive if anyone wants to share. By that time of night most of the drivers will have been to GVA and back twice so there may not be many on the rank. PS Welcome to snowheads!

@chocksaway, any news about Santons being reopened?

You know it makes sense.

@Fionelo, When the avalanche risk drops further and they have had a chance to purge all the gullies - as to when that is beyond my crystal ball!

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@chocksaway, no worries! I think it might be the Olympic gondola down to ValD for MrsF then.

A snowHead

@Fionelo, La Daille and catch the bus is my preferred route

A snowHead

@Frosty the Snowman, You missed at a step out - Rosies!

Another cold and sunny morning with perfect corduroy pistes to start with - Had a ride up with 'Our Floss' early doors to carch up with some news and then my team went up to Aiguille Percee, there was a group doing the traverse from the pisteurs hut and one dropped his board which travelled down into the bowl below. His group just abandoned him as he had to clamber on a fairly slick surface - Billy no mates Boarder! We then popped down to the new Marais lift - what an improvement and ever so gentle at the top. They have put in, what I assume are new style gazexs - they look like a cross between a Ladies Salon hairdryer from the 70's and Mr Bezos's phallic rocket. Anyway, we popped down to Brev where the snow is still good and the place was very quiet. Back up again and a late morning coffee turned into an early lunch at the aforementioned Rosies. just a note of caution, understandably given the weather pattern at the moment Val are making a lot of snow below the Folie - the track down to the Tunnel is very slick as is the last steep pitch - everywhere else great.

We rode up and Tommeuses was having another moment so back down an up the Funival and a couple of laps of Grand Pre. As it was still everybody else's lunch we then headed up the Grand Motte - no queues and then back round the Palet and home. On Grattalu we sat with a lady on her 40th. birthday trip - the fancy dress with her group was fab - a blow up unicorn, a bloke 'sat' on a Leprechauns shoulders as well as the ususal suspect onesies - great fun.

Got a few mates round for drinks tonight.

Weather - 4 more days of today - bit more wind tomorrow and Thursday - it will be a bit chilly aloft.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

https://www.skiresort.info/ski-resort/tignesval-disere/ski-lifts/

Hello - looking at skiresort.info there are two new travelators(?) listed in Lavachet - does anyone know what these are or where?

Lavachet 2 (YOC 2024)
People mover
Carrying capacity/hour: 1500
Manufacturer: FICAP

Lavachet 1 (YOC 2024)
People mover
Carrying capacity/hour: 1500
Manufacturer: FICAP

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I think these are currently fictional, @Medi32. The beginner area is served by a drag lift. The only other lifts in Lavachet are Paquis and Chaudannes chairs.

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@chocksaway, many thanks for the info happy to be here

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After all it is free

We skied for two hours this afternoon.

MrsF woke me up at 0800, asked me if I was getting the first lift, I looked out of the window, stumbled back into bed and we both rolled over and went back to sleep. An old trail running injury came back to haunt me last night, so what little skiing I did do today was marred by horrific foot cramps and I was forced to call it a day just after 1400. Age and experience kicked in as the younger version of me would have definitely skied through it and more than likely ended up on a stretcher. Thankfully it subsided with a warm foot bath and a brew (of the Yorkshire variety) on the balcony.

Last day for us tomorrow before we start our journey North, so it’ll probably consist of a trip round our favourite runs and then an early finish to pack the car up for an early start on Thursday.

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That’s it for us…

MrsF did two runs this morning and decided she’d had enough. I’ve just finished doing the whole of Tignes-side from the top of Double M all the way down to 1550. I had no ambition to do anything ValD-side plus my foot is throwing a wobbly again so after a final run down Anemone at 1300, that was the end of the trip for me.

For anyone thinking of venturing down past 1800, from the bottom of Marais / Aiguille Rouge down to 1550 is very, very scrapey in the middle and almost comically built up on the sides. The snow is getting gluey as well which makes turning more of an effort. There’s also a really horrible flat light down there which means you can’t see what you’re hitting until you’ve hit it.

A lazy afternoon for us with laundry, packing and piling the car up with everything for an early start on our journey North tomorrow.

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Wonderful day today. Decided it was time to do a bit of skinning and try to shake out the transition incompetence that had built up since last season. Did 2 laps down to Lac Du Grattaleu Snow was great. Shame the refuge is still closed, apparently until the summer.
Bits of powder still to be found elsewhere as well. Pistes were in wonderful condition this afternoon even though the sun seemed to have attracted the crowds out.

snow reports

Another charge round the pistes with the visitors! A request had come to do 'The Face" so as it had been groomed overnight we went down about 9.30 and it was in fine form - easy to carve virtually the whole way down. Except for a patch of blue ice skiers right on the final pitch into tow. Not sure whether it was cat like reactions and skill or sheer good chance that dignity was maintained?!? Up the Solaise where everything is just perfect and then a trip over to Pissailas and a couple of runs (and lunch - obvs). Then we decided to do the last corner of the piste map and down to Le Fornet - having negotiated the new piste arrangement beneath the top station of the Telepherique - top tip don't try it at speed. We then got on a shiny new val Electric Bus - fab but boy the floors are slippery when moist and the aisle goes up and down. Bit of a rethink require me thinks. We returned to Tignes and popped up the Funi (Cable car closed due to wind) and down Genepy. The avalanche on the N Face of Borsat the other day is something to behold - massive!

Its chalet boys night off to night - so popping down to QDC to try out the new menu.

Another 3 days of sunshine but there will be a stiff breeze in places tomorrow, so it may well feel quite parky in the shade. The cable Car may well be shut. Sunday will see the arrival of quite a few more clouds which may give a little bit of snow - especially in the Fornet area, it is an easterly but not a retour d'est - so nothing to get excited about

A quick question on parking in Les Brevieres... @chocksaway, your very detailed info on the first page says no height restrictions in either north or south car parks, but their website states 1.9m height limit. Do you think that's an error? Don't remember there being a height restriction last year, but I want to be certain(ish) as we will have a borrowed Discovery, potentially with a ski box on the roof.

You know it makes sense.

I've not been in Tignes for a good 3 years - there's a Club Med instead of the Val Claret car park?

Looking forward to a weekend trying to tick a few boxes with the kids - Aiguille Percee, Vallon Perdu, maybe Cugnai, plus of course la Face...

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@rainman, Bobski62 is better placed to answer that one as he has actually been to all the car parks - I haven't. he'll be along soon.

@patrick!, There is a Club Med on the old GM carpark. There are still a few parking spots at the end - but we are still waiting for the new VC car park to open, so its very busy for parking in peak weeks.

A snowHead

T'was a day of rest for me today with a pile of domestic trivia to do. Done. The Queue de Cochon was excellent again last night - a new menu - some old favourites gone and replaced with new ones. For me it was 'FauxScar' (False Escargots) Posh mushrooms done like Snails and then Louisiana Chicken Mmm Mmm.

Not much other news other than the Val rescue services had to rescue a couple of cloggies from the Gorges du Malpasset at 2AM yesterday morning. There will be more until we have had a shed load more snow the gorge will not be passable. Never follow tracks - as they may be from tourers who will climb out under human powereor even worse parapenters who will get airborne off a cliff.

The top glacier lifts were shut today thanks to a chilling wind and the weather will be the same tomorrow and Saturday - sunny, breezy and chilly. Sunday is a little more difficult to pin down as there is a very gentle easterly snow so Val may well get a bit of snow, more in Fornet. Tignes and the rest of the Tarentaise may well be left with a few fluffy clouds and maybe the odd flocon or two. Similarly, Monday may be snowy or it might not be as there is a small weather system moving north from the Med but the models differ as to how far north it gets so mostly cloudy with or without precipitation.

A snowHead

@patrick!,
By Cugnai do you mean the lift & piste, or the off-piste valley? There were two guys killed in an avalanche in the valley on Sunday.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@rainman, I plan to drive down to Bourg either Monday or Tuesday for a shop, so will stop by in les Brevieres and double check. There were no height restrictors on them last time I looked.

Indigo's website has put a blanket 1.9m on all the car parks, which is just laziness. I've been round all the indoor ones and the height limits in the second post on this thread are what's on each entrance and inside.

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@bobski62, thanks, but don't put yourself out. My recollectoion from last year was no height restriction as well, so all good! Cheers.

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Well that’s us back in Arras after an early start this morning, followed by a 9 hour drive via Annecy and Dijon. Some stunning views down the valley all the way down through Saint Foy and Moutiers and then again past Albertville.

Roads were clear all the way out to Bourg, then we hung a right at Albertville and headed up to Annecy and through the Jura.

Back to reality tomorrow on a lunchtime ferry Crying or Very sad

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Back to parking, and apologies if answered already...
I am going to Val Claret (Hotel ski d'or) in a couple of weeks.
Are the car parks listed on first page the only options or is there street parking as well?

After all it is free

@footsoldier, Street Parking is for 20 minutes only. If you exceed that the Police will tow you and park the car for you for a fine plus the cost of parking for the period they store it!

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Another blue skies and sunshine day - with a bit of a breeze - but the top lifts were open. It was a bit of a day of replanning as we had 3 lifts stop on us for temporary issues. So, it meant a random selection of pistes around the resorts. Some of the runs are now getting a bit scraped but on the whole its still absolutely fine - we even did Arcelle today which was in quite good nick and not its usual boiler plate. The avalanche off piste at the top of Cugnai from the other day is still sobering viewing. For a laugh we did the 2 chairs up Bellvarde, as we skied past the Peau de Vache between the two lifts there was a real strong smell of methane or something similar. I think they need Dynarod in - if not if someone strikes a match the whole lot may end up in Italy.

Tomorrow will be sunny and a little warmer, though its unlikely that you will feel any warmer thanks to a keen breeze which may shut the higher lifts. Sunday will be a day of sunny periods, a breeze and maybe some light snow showers depending on how far north this weak weather system comes up from the med. If we are lucky 2-5cm. Monday looks like suuny spells with clouds on the peaks. We could see fog early on Tuesday but this should clear to leave a nice day and a good bit warmer by the afternoon.

For the travellers tomorrow, there shouldn't be weather related issues flying out of the UK. Lyon airport has just gone down into freezing fog and this is forecast to remain until later tomorrow, this wont really affect operations there. But currently Grenoble, Chambery and Geneva are forecasting a slim chance of fog which would slow things up a bit or delay opening at Chambery. The fog around Lyon will obviously affect the roads and there is a speed restriction down in the valley (Chambery and Ugine to Albertville) thanks to all the pollution from this extended period of high pressure. I don't foresee many delays for the 23k cars leaving but this next week is going to be busier with 30k (5k more than last week) vehicles coming up the Tarentaise so there might be a few delays at the usual traffic control lights by mid afternoon.

Help!!

Tignes (and Tignes-Val D'Isere) 2024/5. Useful Links Page 1.

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