 Poster: A snowHead
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Addicts have a choice between 3 ski areas over the holiday period next week in the French Alps. Three high altitude resorts, Alpe d’Huez, 2 Alpes and Tignes are opening their glaciers, (Tignes has already been open since the beginning of the month).
2 Alpes – 8 lifts open on the glacier between 3200m and 3600m from Sat Oct 23rd to Monday November 1st. Passes cost 23€. Plenty going on during the week, with the Mondial Snowboard over the coming weekend, the Mondial du Ski from October 29th to November 1st, the seventh year running for this exhibition. Some exciting events, including the Saab Salomon Crossmax skierX opener, the first of a world-class series of events taking place in 9 countries spanning 3 continents (October 29th and 30th). It doesn’t get more exciting. Watch the world’s best perform, including former world champion Enak Gavaggio of the Les Arcs club doing battle with young pretender Xavier Khun, who usurped his FIS WC crown earlier this year, beating Enak into second place.
Alpe d’Huez: The Sarennes glacier between 3000 m and 3300m is opening from October 23rd until November 3rd. 10km of piste, 2 lifts accessible via the Pic-Blanc telepherique between 0830hrs and 1610hrs. Cost for one day 28€, second day 24€.
Finally the Grande Motte at Tignes, open since October 2nd, between 3000m and 3700m. The resort expects to see 3,500 visitors each day up on the glacier, with the snowpark being particularly popular.
[edit] as per separate thread, Alpe d'Huez will probably not open during the holidays following the rain at high altitude earlier this week.]
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Fri 22-10-04 6:32; edited 1 time 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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Just to add my twopence / 10c worth (whichever is more valuable): Personally I'd head for Hintertux, purely on quality of ski terrain. I've not been there in October for about ten years, but was impressed on that visit.
The Stubaigletscher, with slightly more mellow terrain, is also a great glacier.
The two glaciers above Solden are also extensive and worthwhile.
Zermatt's glacier skiing is much improved with the new 6-seat chair on the Furggsattel, but the Saas Fee glacier is slightly pacier - very good, in fact.
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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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PG, Wandering off topic - but that's the fun of the forum - I've noticed that the French tend to write a price as you do, with the € symbol trailing (23€). But some other nations, eg the Germans, tend to write €23. Is there any agreed consensus on this in the EU - or in France?
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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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Not a clue. I do it because I reckon the symbol can be confused with the £ sign when placed before the figure, if communicating mainly with Brits. (Ok I need glasses....  )
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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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David Goldsmith, Not sure what you mean by quality of terrain, the ones I've visited all seem pretty much of a muchness to me.
All the low-lying snow has virtually vanished by the way, here in the Tarentaise. Heavy rain on and off for the past 48 hours. Good news though up at Tignes, the club had to cancel training mid-session yesterday, it was snowing so hard.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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PG, gradient, basically. Hintertux has been consistently chosen by national teams for autumn training for that reason. The gradient of the Saas Fee glacier was quite impressive too when I skied there in 1990. Solden, Zermatt and Stubai are a bit flatter. I've not been on the Kitzsteinhorn glacier for over 25 years, but that still seems to be popular
As for the Tignes glacier (which is a good one) does the skiing still extend below the level of the restaurant (i.e. is there still a T-bar from further down?). In the old days, the gondola to the Grande Motte had a mid-station that you could ski down to in summer, so it would be interesting to know where the glacier terminates now.
In general I'd agree that glacier skiing is pretty samey, but the Stubai valley is - at least - a very pretty place to be. And, of course, Saas Fee or Zermatt are always gorgeous places to spend a few days at any time of year.
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Tux is pretty good for early season - went a few times when lived in Munich. Some really quite steep stuff, moguls and enough variety/distance to stay happy for a few days.
Gets crowded at weekends - run to lifts at eod can get pretty hairy due to sheer vol of traffic....
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I'm not a huge fan of Tux personally, Saas Fee, Stubai and the Pitztal are the best in my opinion, I'd add Les Diab's but to be honest only because it's local.
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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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Yes, the Les Diablerets glacier is as flat as a (frozen) pancake, as I recall. But, as you say, if it's local it's one up on a plastic ski slope.
The glacier at Stelvio in Italy always sounded quite interesting - has anyone skied that?
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Plenty of gradient at Tignes. And on the Chiaupe glacier in La Plagne. The reality is that there's not a great deal of difference, although I'm with ise on Pitztal, which I particularly like. At Tignes the Rosolin, and the snowpark are below the restaurant, as well as the cross country area, David. The Grand Plan /Double Plan are rarely open.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The pisteurs on the glacier at the 2Alpes were interviewed on France2 today and commented that the snow was springlike and very wet/heavy, but that they were going ahead with their opening and 'the first ski of the winter'. Yeah!
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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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Mac46, Reckon 2 Alpes would open come what may, given the importance of the Mondial Snowboard and Ski during the coming week, and all the peripheral activities. It would cost them an absolute fortune to cancel...
2 Alpes does have the extra altitude, compared to Alpe d'Huez - the top part of the glacier may have escaped the rain which fell up to around 3300m Monday night.
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FAQ
