 Poster: A snowHead
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@Purplecat, Good job I didn't make a snide comment about the clientele up there then!!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@chocksaway, If you see an old sod with long grey locks flowing from under his helmet, complaining about his knees...it'll be me. I'm over in Val for the week from tomorrow! I'll be doing the snow dance for most of the night just in case.
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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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@chocksaway,
A suggestion for Tignes to reduce its carbon footprint:-
Open a large, competitively priced supermarket so people (you know who you are!) don't need to drive down to BsM for the regular big shop.
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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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@Kenzie, Brilliant!
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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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| chocksaway wrote: |
| @Purplecat, Good job I didn't make a snide comment about the clientele up there then!!! |
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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How's the EK snow at the moment? I know someone who arrived in Val Thorens yesterday, who's describing the overall situation there as mush over a scraped base... 
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@mountainaddict, Steve Angus over on the Val d'Isere thread said today the piste conditions were pretty much the best of the season. Shhh, don't tell everyone though 
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@Kenzie, You are absolutely right. If we had a Lidl then I would probably fly out and leave the car in GOC. But thats asking to break the mould of current shop owners. Its not just the cost (nearly double) its the lack of choice and the bias towards convenience foods that puts me off shopping up here.
@mountainaddict, Not been on piste since Wednesday, its a bit grey this morning but I'll take one for the team and have a look
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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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| Quote: |
| Steve Angus over on the Val d'Isere thread said today the piste conditions were pretty much the best of the season. Shhh, don't tell everyone though |
Cheers @sno trax. We'll be back there last week of the season. Can't wait.
| Quote: |
| It's not just the cost (nearly double) its the lack of choice and the bias towards convenience foods that puts me off shopping up here |
We can usually manage to find enough fresh stuff at the likes of Sherpa to get by with chicken stir fries, pasta bolognese etc - and all still a lot cheaper than the usual arm and a leg in restaurants. We do like to eat out a few times in Tignes, but think some prices are increasingly prohibitive - eg €58 for a fondue for two last December (in the new bit of Petit Savoyarde in Val Claret). We really enjoyed it, but I can't say that €29 a pop for what you got felt like particularly good value.
Never mind a Lidl, it's a Wetherspoons we need!
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Popped down to Lavachet last night to Mendikoa, which was excellent as usual (but you need to book a week in advance). They have started doing a hake to share with fries (like the service of a cote de boeuf). The fish arrived and was about 2 foot long, it wouldn't have been amiss to serve it on the deck of a Grimsby fishing trawler rather than a platter! Fab. It was drizzling. on the way home which influenced our decision to have a piste day, mmmmm. But on the way back up the hill I was followed by 3 southern hemisphere seasonaires who were talking at full volume - so I had a lesson on the benefits of K-Holing. Which just goes to prove every days a school day in Tignes.
It was grey again this morning and there was a dusting in the village, it was also plus 5 and I don't think it had frozen all night, contrast that with Lyon airport where it was 0degs and snowing. So as @mountainaddict, asked nicely here is a blow by blow account of a really quiet Saturday:
0945 Palafour and back down, firm piste carving beautifully.
1000 Chaudannes down to Brev - great at the top, the last couple of 100 metres were a bit soft on the approach to the Gondola (on the flat bit). There was quite a wind down there helping the softening.
By 1045 we were at the Aiguille Percee and skied down Sache - I did it from top to bottom without stopping which is a first. It had been pisted on the really steep bit. Perfect at the top, getting quite thin on the last steep pitch below the netting, and this cutting up on the last 2 hairins down to Brev.
1105 Coffee at Les Armilly in Brev - the truffle on the side of the saucer had recently had a dusting of cocoa.
1140 Back up Palafour to Merles - softening but still carving well
1145 Grattalu - great on piste snow down to the entrance into VC on Carline which was chopping up a bit.
1150 Up Lanches - as we passed the bottom of Vanoise on the way up it transpired there had been snow showers up there last night, barely any new snow below the tongue - above that 6 inches of really quite dry powder - had we been there at 9.30 it would have been epic doing laps of Vanoise. I wrote something in my diary: it simply said: "bug"!
1220 Double M was at its best - high speed carving until the merge with Carline. Soft pushing across the flat to Tichot - but there is a big pile of snow in the Big Air Ramp that could fix that!
Back round to Lac via Mur and Merles - all still good and back down into Lac for 1310 - getting a bit chopped up but not mogully from la Savounna. Spring Snow on the east face of the Bec Rouge (piste down to Chardonnet Drag)
1330 Tea and medals.
All in all I didn't see a stone on the way round, snow depths aren't as good as the last couple of years but still ample to get us to Easter and beyond (unless something strange happens) we are probably about 2 weeks early on the current snow depths, maybe a bit further ahead below 1700m.
Tomorrow, will be a bit like today - breaks in the cloud and maybe some light snow showers (according to everybody but Meteo France), so look out of the window again. The skies will clear after Happy Hour for a cold night compared with recent past and then Blue Skies and sunshine for Monday. And the same for Tuesday.
Flying tomorrow should be without weather generated problems.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@chocksaway, I know we have only met once but were you also in QdC before your dinner last night? It was pretty busy when we arrived and it was only after you were on the way out the door I thought "I recognise that face".
My observation on the pistes was that they were generally excellent all last week, although I swapped my piste skis for some wider beauties on my 2nd day and had great fun with the fresh snow as it arrived !
2nd observation - the place felt really busy on some days last week.....not school holidays busy but had to queue more than normal and the "daftie" factor seemed high at times.
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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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@GreenDay, Yip, from 6 to 6.55.
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@GreenDay, and here was me thinking how much more sedate last week was compared to January. I guess this is what we gave to get used to.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Ski lots wrote: |
| @GreenDay, and here was me thinking how much more sedate last week was compared to January. I guess this is what we gave to get used to. |
Yeah, it wasn't every day but we wondered if the warm weather impacting some lower altitude resorts brought more day trippers to Tignes/Val d?
Also, another observation of a lot more people from the USA......but that might just be pure chance.
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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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Back from the rugby now. Scotland were robbed  . But the good news is the 5 or 6 cm that has arrived since England kicked off, hopefully it will continue.
Resort occupancy is down by 5% this week so a bit quieter with a bit of luck.
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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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Another great day. The initial plan was to set sail for Le Fornet and a Pays Desert, so off we set, via Face de Bellvarde which was unusually busy for a Monday morning with lots of people out of their depth and a group of 15 standing across the piste on the lip just above the traverse between the 2 chairs. They clearly understood my shouted message. Solaise was in good order as we 'up and overed' and down to the Gondola. As it was early we decided on a between piste run down, where the snow was a bit chopped up and lumpy. Additionally, there had been a fair sized avalanche which had crossed the top traverse. So we retired to Cascades for a coffee and a chat about aspects. I discovered from a well respected instructor that the avalanche had been early this morning and as the people that triggered it had not rung in to say they were safe, a couple of dogs and pisteurs were sent up for a shufty - all good thankfully. So all considered we aborted and decided on Grand Vallon and what a decision that was. We were more than boot deep in light snow which had not transformed at all. It was 'half tracked out' by that I mean one turn was on untouched, the next in ruffled light snow. As it looked warm below we opted to bail out back to the Pyramides and do it again as it was so good. Probably the best 2 runs of the season so far. Just a note of caution though, 2 of the group hit rocks just below the surface - the off piste pack is not as deep as normal years. On the way back Loyes Express ( a problem with the chairs latching onto the wire) broke down just after we had come through the gates so we had to endure half of Face and a busy Olympique.
Tonight will not be as cold as last night so expect the snow to consolidate for tomorrow. After dark a few clouds may encroach from the east and they may bring a mm or two of snow to the Fornet sector (enough icing sugar to dust a bun and no more) and then the sun will come out and remain out till late afternoon on Thursday. There will be a breeze tomorrow and the temps will gradually increase until Friday. The weather system has slowed up a little so Friday looks cloudy all day with precipitation in the evening onwards. But it's coming from the south-west again so the models are disagreeing on the track of the centre of the storm - hopefully the European one is the correct one. But we have another 3 days of great weather to come with good snow - so we'll worry about that later in the week.
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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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Another glorious day in Tignes and Val, though there was a few clouds creeping over from Italy which might have made it to le Fornet this morning. Just a cheeky breeze at altitude. We had a blast down to Brev (Sache had been pisted!) and round the bowl to Lavachet to meet up for lunch at La Cantine. It's under new ownership, and has a good selection of all day breakfasts, sausage and bacon butties and mugs of tea. Just what you need to keep you going. As its' not on the beaten track it's not too busy. Up the Motte over lunchtime where the pistes are in great nick.
Tomorrow will be a repeat of today, Thursday will be a repeat of Wednesday! The inbound weather system has slowed again so it looks like Friday will be good for skiing with sunny spells. But as the weather approaches the wind will pick up in the afternoon, which may prejudice the links - you wouldn't want to get stuck in the wrong valley on the last day. After the lifts close the sky will become overcast and precipitation will arrive closer to midnight. the key question is the rain snow line, it may well be as high as the villages in Val. Saturday is still causing confusion - the Swiss don't think its going to snow - everybody else does. But it looks windy with precipitation to me.
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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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| Quote: |
The inbound weather system has slowed again so it looks like Friday will be good for skiing with sunny spells.
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Good to hear - we come out to Tignes VC on Thursday, so skiing Friday -> Mon lunchtime, and then late plane home...
Will be nice to have some sunshine, though just pleased to be back on snow after 10 years...
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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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As the fridge was empty and the the legs need a rest it was a trip to Bourg. Fridge now full, wallet needs a rest.
The weather beyond Friday lunchtime is going to be difficult to predict as the weather system is coming from the south-west again (Portugal is going to take a hammering again) so the true track is going to be tricky to spot till it passes over the obstacle know as the Pyrenees. But looks like Italy is going to do better again. But here goes:
Tomorrow will be sunny all day and very warm with light breezes. It will barely get to freezing in the villages so the home runs will soften up quite quickly - those in the sun (eg Bluets) particularly so. Friday morning to sometime after lunch will be sunny spells. Once the cloud arrives it will thicken quickly and a gusty wind will also develop - to the point where the high lifts will probably close - the links between here and next door may well be in jeopardy by mid afternoon. It will start raining or snowing late in the evening, a rain/snow line around the Dam. Saturday - much discord amongst the models. Some say precipitation all day - others sat sunny spells during the day, standby! But it will be windy. Sunday - light showers virtually all day with a snowline between the Dam and Lac. Thats a flavour - the detail will change.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Nasty looking incident on the Ancoli piste this afternoon. Took a long time for the authorities to sort, even after the heli arrived.
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Starting to read snow reports now with my trip a mere 3 and a bit weeks away. Thought it would be a good place to ask those in the know, anticipating 'spring' conditions where is our best bet to head first thing staying in Les Brévières for piste skiing? I've been to Tignes a few times before but it's many years ago, had guides and all trips were Jan early Feb before the school holidays.
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Flying to Lyon with my son on saturday for ten days. The main aim is rock climbing but I'd like to do a few days skiing IF it looks like there might be decent conditions off piste. Not interested in piste skiing really.
Question is if it's worth it.... anyone care to offer an opinion
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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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| TheGeneralist wrote: |
Flying to Lyon with my son on saturday for ten days. The main aim is rock climbing but I'd like to do a few days skiing IF it looks like there might be decent conditions off piste. Not interested in piste skiing really.
Question is if it's worth it.... anyone care to offer an opinion |
Getting a guide will naturally increase your chances of getting the best conditions on offer. I've been late season before to various places where it's been baked and no recent snowfall so haven't bothered due to a combination of perceived conditions and/or the group I've been skiing with not being confident off piste.
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Thanks for the updates and snow report @chocksaway 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Well that is something you don’t see everyday (thankfully) fully naked (apart from socks and boots obviously) man posing for photos at the side of the Oeilliet piste. Not sure if the photos were for Gay News or Gerbil Fancier Monthly.
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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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@Grizwald, Based on current conditions take the 2 bubbles and then the Marais Chair and start with Aiguille Rouge Piste as its in the sun early doors. You can then continue round the Palet for the Grand Motte or continue down into Lac to take the Tov Gondola for Bellvarde area or straight down to La Daille for the bus to Laisinant and up to Pissailas. Unless we have a lot more snow expect to download to Brev from Boisses. But we could be having a reset next week with the snow depending on how a north-westerly plays out - it could be quite cold and snowy later next week (according to the American model).
@TheGeneralist, Best advice I can give is based on today - I saw very few people off piste, just a few tourers. But the end of next week may well be very different. There has been some good off piste but the snowpack is not as deep as recent years and there quite a lot of barely covered rocks. I have been to the servicing shop this week, but one acquaintance was not so lucky, 10 ribs, a thumb and a punctured lung.
@mountainaddict, 
Today was a piste cruise basically following the sun round and lunch at Rosee Blanche. The wind picked up a bit quicker than expected and a thin veil of cloud came over just after noon. But there are still lots of shadows but it has taken the strength from the direct sun so the lower pistes are temporarily better than expected.Down to La Daille was getting a bit soupy below the Triffolet Resto, but still no rocks or tree roots etc.
Tomorrow will be a day of increasing wind speeds, stay a bit closer to home just in case the links are threatened. There will probably be a few sunny spells in the morning but the cloud will thicken through the afternoon and snow will start at some stage between Happy Hour and Closing Time - thats a long interval but the forecasts vary from run to run. Initially it may well be sleet in Val Centre and rain below. Saturday is likely to have snow in the early hours and the later ones (ie after dark) with variable cloud in between - suck it and see, again a gusty wind Moist below the Dam. Sunday - the confidence in the forecast is unusually low, a mix of snow showers and sunny spells and cloudy intervals. We'll talk about Monday tomorrow. As I alluded to there may be big changes mid week as a front from the north-west could see the return of much colder weather and heavier snw - there's a bit of a battle mid-Alantic between the Azores High and Atlantic fronts to play out first.
If we can see it the snow may well turn a bit orange through Saturday as a relatively light amount of Saharan Dust is forecast for Friday Night through to Sunday morning by those good folk at The Barcelona Dust Regional Centre.
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@Ski lots, In the words of Kenneth Williams "Ooooo I say". Although a bloke I know was in a quiet bar in V-C with a mate the other night and the lady owner asked if they would stick their Gluteus Maximus in the window to attract a bit of trade as it had worked before 
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
| In the words of Kenneth Williams "Ooooo I say" |
Dan Maskell at Wimbledon surely? 
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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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@mountainaddict, And him as well!
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Poster: A snowHead
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@chocksaway. Thanks for the reply much appreciated.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I had some jobs to do today, so as it was warm windy and cloudy I decided to do them. It was quite bright this morning, not so much this afternoon. So far we don't seem to have had anything from the Sahara in the form of dust but plenty of warm air which I assume has softened the pistes quite a bit. One or two lifts high up were shut at various times for the lifts.
Tonight will be windy with light showers which may well be drizzle to about 2000m, this should stop inthe early hours and maybe leave us with 5 cm or so of snow. Tomorrow will see a gusty wind and during the day we will have variable amounts of cloud and there may well be a few sunny spells, it will feel warm. The clouds will thicken after lift closure and more snow will fall through the night - maybe 5-7cm, with a snowline initially around Val centre dropping to Brev through the night. It should have stopped snowing by Sunday breakfast time and then we should have sunny spells. Again the clouds will thicken in the evening and we may get a couple more cm of snow. Monday, again it looks OK during the day with sunny spells, then maybe some more snow showers in the evening. Beyond that, cooler and unsettled.
Travelling tomorrow? I can't see any particular weather related problems but there is a chance of a shower almost anywhere, some of them could be quite heavy. On the roads it doesn't look too bad with only 25k vehicles heading up from Albertville and 27k going down. Moderate queues around Aime mid morning and the same at the lights at Aigueblanche in the afternoon. Good luck with Heathrow related chaos!
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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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Spotted a lammergeier for the first time this season circling above Palafour - perhaps talk of gerbils got out.
Pretty quiet for a frantic Friday and rather heavy lower down no doubt the two things are associated. Lots of fun to be had though.
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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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Anyone know of a website advertising for last minute replacement jobs in Tignes / Val d’Isere to cover for injuries, etc. starting asap this season? Ditto for Les Arcs / La Plagne / 3V.
My son (24 with UK & EU passport’s) has just got a job offer starting in June. Is immediately available. Worked as a chef for 2.5 years. Happy to do anything and ski.
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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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@rickboden,
A Facebook group page Tignes Seasonnaires 2025
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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’s snowing lightly!
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| Kenzie wrote: |
@rickboden,
A Facebook group page Tignes Seasonnaires 2025 |
Ty Kenzie
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This morning started quite nicely with a mostly blue sky, but more cloud developed through the morning and by one it was overcast. But the major feature was the wind, the only way down Carline for me was a straight line (I'm a bit deficient in the m department of p=mv), but down Double M I was, to use an aviation term, approaching 'Velocity Never Exceed'. We had between 5 and 8cm of fresh snow last night which has improved the pistes, off piste, not enough to make a difference. But there was a few pretty lines where it had landed on hard areas. On piste was the complete gamut from patches of ice, to hard scrape to powder on hard pack to spring snow to slush. the full 'box of chocolates' in a run. We have had a few flakes this afternoon but it's sunny spells as I type.
It was very quiet compared with recent Saturdays and resort occupancy is about 69% for both resorts, so much quieter next week as well. The Loyes Express was closed today for evacuation training - evidently the lift companies have 3 hours and 30 minutes to evacuate a full lift - a sobering thought for a December afternoon - I do have a pocket space blanket for such eventualities.
It's going to be a windy night, the clouds will obscure the sky shortly and snow will start later this evening, only light and it should be snow to Brev, maybe 4-6cm. We should wake to sunny spells and light breezes tomorrow, but the the sky will become overcast in the afternoon, followed by snow showers late in the evening - another dusting. Monday currently looks to be mostly cloudy with light snow showers all day. The sun may poke its head around the clouds now and again. From Tuesday onwards there is little or no similarities between the various forecasts!
For the fliers tomorrow, a chance of a shower both over there and over here. Around the London airports these could build into quite intense thunderstorms in the afternoon which might provoke the odd delay/bumpy ride.
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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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| Quote: |
@mountainaddict, And him as well!
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Good evening SH’s. Haven’t been on here for some time, so I hope you’re all well ?
Just looking for a bit of advice for an upcoming trip to Tignes for Easter holidays - mainly for restaurant recommendations as we’ll be 4 adults and 4 children (ranging from 5-8 years old). Obviously nothing to ‘Michelin’ levels, but don’t want kebabs every night.
We’ll be staying in the heart of Le Lac.
Any other advice you could pass over, would be greatly appreciated.
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FAQ
. We then went round a did another variant of Genepy off piste, sticking to the shallower slopes as some of the snow was slipping off the harder base (this will continue to be a problem tomorrow according to MF). By now the cloud was inexorably working its way up the mountain so it was time for a quick slide down Trolles/JC. By 1530 the cloud had covered the whole mountain and we are getting light snow at the moment.
