 Poster: A snowHead
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I won't stick this in News as it's too depressing (!) but anyone who wants to know just how desperate things are looking in Chamonix should read this piece by Mark Frary in The Times (apparently it's the worst season start since 1964).
Doug Sager - also for The Times - looks at non-snow fun in Alpine resorts.
His suggestion for architectural appreciation in Flaine has got to be tongue in cheek!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Worse start since '64 sounds like hyperbole. In 1989 it hardly snowed all season and last year there was little snow until the 24th December despite some big falls in the autumn. Incidently surveys show that over 50% of guest during the winter in resorts do not ski or board so there is scope for focussing on other activities although I'm not sure ice driving and such like are really to be encouraged in the sensitive mountain environment.
I believe Flaine is the only listed resort in the Alps, although Samoens is a village classé. Here is a history of Flaine for architecture buffs.
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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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Half of guests don't ski or board? That's an amazing stat, davidof!
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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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Is a non-David allowed on this thread?
I note in the Times article there is a table of All White resorts, and resorts Still Dreaming.
Many have commented on the French bias of snowHeads. Might be ill-advised.
All White resorts are in Canada, Italy, Switzerland and USA
Still Dreaming resorts are mainly French.
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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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not for me, my resort in france [puy st vinceent ] is 90% open 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
50% of guests during the winter in resorts do not ski or board
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Surely that cannot be true for the purpose built resorts ??? It might stand up for chocolate box villages in the bottoms of valleys, if you include grannies, babies and dogs. 
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| kuwait_ian wrote: |
| Quote: |
50% of guests during the winter in resorts do not ski or board
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Surely that cannot be true for the purpose built resorts ??? It might stand up for chocolate box villages in the bottoms of valleys, if you include grannies, babies and dogs. ;-) |
The figure comes from a survey by the French Tourist Board for French resorts. I imagine you are right and the figure for purpose built ski resorts is less. But the TB suggests that French resorts cater much more for non-snow activities in the future.
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davidof, thanks, I stand corrected. Surprising as an overall figure. So if the resorts do invest in non snowsports activities, the ratio might change and the pistes will be quieter Fine. But how will the lift companies feel about that ? You can't please them all.
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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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Guess we can now stop making comparisons to the winter when "virtually no snow fell"!
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FAQ
