 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey peeps,
I'm off to Les Menuires on boxing day for a week, so any hints and tips would be great. Although we're based in Les menuires i'm planning to get the full 3V lift pass as i may have to go up to Val Thorens if the snows no good.
Cheers
AL
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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For what it is worth, I attach my account of a day spent skiing there from our base at Mottaret. Hope it gives you some impressions. I like to write up the day's adventures and give a copy of the log, along with everybody's photos, digital videos etc on a CD to the group as they go their various ways at the end of the week.
It had snowed around 5cm in the night and at first wake-up didn’t look too promising. Bev said she couldn’t see as far as Guy’s tables and there was no sign of life from the lift or piste bashers. Gradually it began to lift and although the forecast was for more snow, we got optimistic when we saw blue sky over St Martin. That seemed to be calling us in that direction so a Plattieres and Allemands policy was sketched in. The lift wasn’t busy and Allemands proved to be a pleasant and easy red, though the flat light didn’t help. We ventured up the first lift we spotted which was Beca, but this only gave us access to the top of a red called Combes which was not popular being without much convincing downness and also rather narrow in places. Much moaning was going on by now, so we headed down to the beautiful city of Les Menuires for a coffee. It was odd to see so much neo-Stalinist architecture so far from its natural home. The place was also like an ant heap and covered with learners. What a contrast with Courchevel 1850! We speculated briefly on what kind of investment or improvement could be carried out there and concluded the best investment would probably be in dynamite. However while we sat there the sun came out and seemed to mean it, so, inspired by vin chaud and ibuprofen, a bold plan was put forward by the not-normally-all-that-bold Bev to go across to the other side of the valley and look at the runs below Point de la Masse.
We soon found our way to the lifts over the bridge and found this side was comparatively deserted. By now the sun was strong and the mountains looked superb in the stark light. The usual boost to bravery had occurred and one or two eyes were turned to the black. There is a lovely restaurant at the top, though (The Panorama) and this gave us a substantial and good value lunch. (Steak Hache or omelette and chips €8.80, about the same for a massive spag bol). Recommended!
Fred Covili seems to be the name of the red run down and it’s a classic. Wide and well-covered, it takes you, via a wide and scenic gully, all the way down to the valley floor where you pick up the Doron lift to get back into the system on the home side of the valley. We scooted down Boyes and then realised that our plan to work back via the runs above St Martin and Tougnette were put under threat by a huge queue at the vital Bruyeres bubble. The bubble though seems to take no notice of weight restrictions and we were fairly soon packed into a gondola with about 8 other people not all of whom were small.
After that we returned to our "home" valley and I'm not sure if you were venturing that far. Hope this is of some use.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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The_Mac_Daddy, If you do go up Bruyeres you get access to some of the best runs in the 3V for an intermediate. From Mont de la Chambre you have access to the delightful and not difficult reds on Vallon as well as beauties like Mouflon and Allouette. Not to mention the delights of Val T runs like Christine and Pluviometre. Les M is a good budget choice for access to that side of the 3V, but it would be a bit of a trek to get to Courchevel, not impossible though. How many Km do you reckon to travel in a day?
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I think you will want to get up to Val T and also over the top to Mottaret. If I am right about the impending snow (and I think we are in for a period of snowy weather in the Alps probably going on until you get there.) there will be plenty of snow for you and the perfect conditions will encourage you to travel distances. The runs around Les M are fairly busy and my suggestion would be to get over the bridge (this will make sense when you get there) and take the big lift up to the panorama cafe at the top of La Masse. The red down is steepish to start with but soon becomes just magic. Once you have tried this you may think you have found heaven and want no more or you may feel bold enough to venture further afield. From my notes above you can see that we didn't think much of the runs on the Meribel side of Belleville and many of the alleged blue runs are more like link routes over the snow-covered roads than real runs. We are moderate upperish inters and tended just to schuss a lot of these. In good snow the reds will be fine for you as they are really not much more difficult than Cervinia.
I think you will need the 3V pass because you can soon find yourself going long distances and the lift links are so tempting. Despite what I said before, Courchevel is within range if you go via the main lift up Saulire from Mottaret. You are bound to want to go and see how the rich folks live down at 1850! Just go straight down the Combe Saulire at the top. Its wide!
I've not been to Andorra, but by comparison with (say) Ventina No 7 at Cervinia it isn't a huge step up to 3V reds. I haven't been brave enough to try any 3V blacks, so I guess we are of similar standard. It is going to be marvellous! I'll be back there in February fighting through the half-term crowds.
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FAQ
I do like exploring new places etc but it's nice if i don't have to waste too much of my hols on the less good bits of a resort. i.e. i usually find a good bar on the very last day of the holiday 
having a quick peek at my piste map i can't wait to get there and i can spend the rest of the next 2 weeks waiting planning out which runs i'm going to do. lol
