 Poster: A snowHead
|
All, left 1950 this afternoon (Sat) - it snowed pretty hard - here's a few pics - all taken between midday and 2pm today (sat 16th) except for the second one in the album which is from midday yesterday (15th) for a comparison. Hope it stays a bit colder so it sticks around for all you guys going soon. We had a fantastic week 9th to 16th April though my forehead got burnt despite three applications of factor 15 a day - need a higher SPF if the sun comes out.. 
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Mon 25-07-05 11:38; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Bungle, how did you find the accommodation at 1950? As luxurious as brochures suggest? And the businesses/shops around the village, how much custom did they seem to be getting during what was the first week of the French easter holidays for some?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
certainly looked like it was dumping!!!!! Great photos
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
PG, have to declare an interest up front and say I own a place there. I think the accomodation is of a high standard - they are very well furnished, all kitchens have dishwashers and (in our building) proper stainless steel ovens - bathrooms and showers also very nicely done out and the appts are a good size - ours is a one bed place at just under 42m2. I've not looked at the brochures so couldn't say whether they live up to their promises but would say that some of the Intrawest blurb in the pre-sales literature has not been delivered - for example, I have yet to see the concierge in full "harrods" type uniform doffing his cap to me and taking my luggage up to my appt - generally though I am very impressed. As a more independant view, we had two sets of friends with us during our stay in Jan. and both are keen to return next year (even though the -25c temps that week caused leaks in the water supply pipe to the village and water outages for about 48 hours! - all sorted now though and no problems this week)
The resort was certainly less busy than we expected (I booked this week as our kids in the UK started their "spring break" last week - schools in our area are trialling fixing what was the easter break at this time of the year to balance out term lengths instead of having two week easter hols starting any time between about 17 Mar or 17 Apr) and did not realise it was the first of the three weeks kids in France can be off so had some trepidation about it being very busy.
However, neither 1950 or (it seemed to me) Les Arcs (2000, 1950 and the slopes down to 1800 that we were on anyway) as a whole were at all busy - its only my second trip (and first at this time of year) so not got a history to compare it against but for example we intended to get to the Arpette slopeside restaurant one day for about 11:45am to get ahead of the midday rush and did not get there until 12:30pm and there were only five people in the queue for food and no problems getting a seat inside or out (and this was a burn my head 12-15 degree sunny day).
The longest lift queue we had all week was about three of four minutes for the Plagnettes on just one occasion (pretty much all other times this and other lifts on the 1950/2000 side were walk straight on). Though having an instructor helped us jump the Aguille Rouge queue (about 10-15 mins I would guess) and he also helped me, the Mrs and two kids of 5 and 8 down the red, onto the black run to the Reservoir blue back to 2000 as well - fantastic fun.
In respect of the shops - the Spar and bakery does a good trade but some of the other shops seem very quiet. Restaurants are difficult to tell as we tend to eat at about 6:15pm with our kids when everybody else does not dine until at least 7pm but at the end of our meals at about 7:30pm the La Casa place in the village was about half full this week and in Jan, the pub was pretty full from about 8pm. One strong recomendation I have in terms of business in the village is for the Spirit 1950 ski school - max group size of ten and excellent instructors - Mrs Bungle and I took three private lessons this week as well and they were exactly what we were looking for.
PS - got my chains in the place next to the Super U near exit 32 - did not need them on the way up, checked the road down on Sat morning looking from 2000 in all the snow at about 11am and it seemed pretty snowy. We left at 2:30pm and the car park guy said we would need them so got them on in 15 mins in the underground car park to drive up the ramp from the car park and find temps must have risen three of four degrees and the road just wet!! 25 yards on the road to the layby and we had them off again in five mins - what a laugh - good practice though!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Over knee deep in the Gd Massif.. did you see the news reports about the autoroute between Lyons and Grenoble?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Strewth! Much more of this and we will need Ranulph Fiennes just to get out of PG's garden 
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
snowskisnow, The gradient should be just about right for me then
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
PG,those shots nearly brought a tear to my eye.I know I've only just left,but I'm counting the days till I get back
Any update on the lift situation yet?The Les Arcs site is interesting.No change in the closure information and no real mention of the recent snow.Strikes me they have no enthusiasm for promoting 'their' end of season.
In view of the conditions,do you think there may be an upsurge of interest from the local area?That could prove a little embarrassing for the lift company?
Looked at a Meteo prediction last night(up to Thurs)That was showing cool conditions for the area right through,with a freeze line(from Tues)of around 1000/1400mtrs.
Light snow middle of week.Hazy daytime,no high temps predicted.Looked promising;do you concur?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
I've added a low resolution webcam here...
http://bsm.alpesprovence.net/webcam2.htm
Where if you are really bored, and a glutton for punishment, you can watch the snow melting on the Cachette slope above Arc 1600 on a minute by minute basis.... 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
that's funny, when I clicked on the webcam photo I got another pic of someone surfing a rival website in his underpants and fleece (after suitably enhancing the photo)!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
Oops, now rectified (was Mrs PG as it happens!)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
davidof, having some webcam problems as it happens. I've got a camcorder (capable of taking quite high res stills) connected up as a network camera. That way I can get a good zoom image of Arc 1600. But unlike the cheapo Logicam, it refuses to give me an image greater than 160 x 120 px (which is why the webcam is slightly blurred as I resized to 240 x 180 px). Seems odd. Driver?
Ref your PM... James Blanc (Arc Aventure) is away on hols this week, can't contact him until next Monday....
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
