 Poster: A snowHead
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In August we had a week at a my sale & leaseback apartment in La Daille, Val d'Isere and I thought I would report back on our experience as before I went I didn't really know what to expect.
We were a party of 4; my boyfriend and I, his daughter of 12 and my eldest daughter of 17. so potentially picky ages. Under my current formula I get 2 winter weeks and 1 summer week in my apartment and I must admit that my approach to this summer week was along the lines of "using it up" as Val d'Isere is not one of the renowned year round resorts, despite the glacier.
Due to family constraints we couldn't go until after the Val d'Isere glacier had closed and the last main event of the summer, a 4 x 4 extravaganza, had finished the day before we arrived so I was concerned that the resort would be a ghost town but we were very pleasantly surprised.
Naturally many large hotels and bars were closed but plenty were open and the town had a lovely feel to it, more like a normal relaxed French large village or small town. There was free live music some nights in the Tourist Office square, as there is in the winter season, and there were surprising numbers of couples and families. The village was full of flowers and of course the natural setting was just stunning, it was wonderful to see it in summer I hadn't realised how much more you appreciate the contours when they are cloaked in greens and greys of differing textures. We had some great meals out at Tufs and 1886 and the Casserole and ate in on food bought from the central Spar ( more like Fortnum & Mason than the Spars we have in blighty).
I had a long list of potential excursions because I was uncertain about how entertaining we would find our immediate surroundings but in the event the only one we managed was over the Col d'Iseran to the village of Bonneville sur Arc. This was a short but stunning drive over the highest mountain pass and it was a strange feeling driving on a road that is impassible for most of the year and seeing a landscape so familiar from skiing in a totally different way. This drive takes you right through the le Fornet sector of the Espace Killy and we could make out many of the runs we do in winter. Bonneville sur Arc itself is one of France's designated "Historic Villages" and is picture postcard pretty. It is very popular summer and winter.
On future visits we hope to do excursions to Annecy and over to Italy but we just had too much fun around Val d'Isere and Tignes. In Val there is an outdoor summer sports complex in the Manchet valley. I had read about this in advance and I knew that there were very reasonable packages available for x number of days or x number of activities but we didn't go until near the end of our stay when we went horse riding from there and this was a mistake. To me there was something depressing sounding about a summer sports complex but I should have realised that the French do things differently. The facilities were brilliant and extensive but sympathetic with their surroundings and what surroundings! The Manchet valley is breathtaking at any time of year and I got a shiver every time I looked up. The centre has tennis, horseriding, archery, rifle shooting, soccer, rugby, basketball, a great skate park, playground, and a dance floor where they give salsa, ballroom and break dancing classes. There is a full schedule of coaching and classes for all ages. There is a pretty restaurant/bar on site with a terrace which in England would be serving curly sandwiches and chicken nuggets on mucky plastic tables but of course in France was serving appetizing freshly cooked food. The center must be a godsend for families because different ages can all do what they want together or separately in a safe contained environment so Mum & Dad can have a game of tennis or enjoy a cheeky beer on the terrace while their offspring hurl themselves around the skatepark etc....
There are lots of stunning marked walks through the Vanoise National Park in which Val d'Isere sits and I am sure we will do more of this on future visits, but it being our first time there we went a bit mad on other activities. Ugly old Tignes was a revelation in summer. The lakes are incredible, my very ungushy boyfriend had to keep stopping the car throughout the week to get out and gape, we have never seen such blues as we saw in that water at 2100m. The water activites at Tignes le Lac were great fun, we only did the canoeing but there were all sorts of weird and wonderful options. The leisure pool at Tignes complete with slides went down very well with the 12 year old. One wall of the pool area is entirely made out of glass looking out across the lake and golf course to the Grand Motte, beautiful in summer, it must be a bizarre experience in winter to be swimming in warm water while looking out over a frozen lake at snowy mountains scattered with skiers. We all went parapenting as a special treat which was amazing and the girls both loved the very reasonably priced Parcours through the woods at Tignes les Boisses. There is a Parcours at Val too but we wanted to get about a bit. We fancied Via Ferrata but didn't have time.
Skiing on the Grand Motte at Tignes was naturally a highlight and our first time summer skiing. You can't really see the slopes that well until you are committed to skiing them as your approach is via funicular followed by the cable car that approaches from an angle. I was a bit scared in the cable car as I saw the brown streaked pistes that had looked white from the distance of the road 2000m below. I had visions of our 2 girls picking their way down gritty icy tracks, confidence shattered. I was even a bit nervous about skiing it myself. I needn't have worried as there was plenty of snow and the beige bits didn't signify the same under-ski conditions they would signify in winter. The runs were surprisingly long and there are some good pitches. Ski hire is much cheaper in the summer and I would thoroughly recommend it.
We all had a brilliant holiday and both girls are desperate to do the same thing next year, even my eldest who will then be 18 and free to get pissed up elsewhere with her mates.
We left my youngest daughter with my mum as I wanted to suss out facilities and activities for her as she has cerebral palsy which affects her mobility and she has severe learning difficulties, I am sure she will have a great time there as there is plenty to do that is inclusive, teh only downer is that sit skis are not available in summer.
I thought this post might be interesting to people weighing up whether to buy in the Alps, I didn't buy for the summer really but it turns out it is going to be a massive plus.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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Hullite, I cycled to the top of the Col d'Iseran during the summer, it wasn't until we left the restuarant at the top to cycle back to Val that I realised how cold it was at the top! Snow was in the air during the first week of August.
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Hullite, we found the same - we spend time at our apartment in late spring, summer and autumn, and enjoy it just as much as we do in the winter; it's like having two completely separate holiday homes, for the price of one. It's only the Brits who don't think about going to the Alps in summer - plenty of French families do.
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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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Hullite, glad you had a good time! It's odd how few Brits come in the summer. Chamonix is actually busier in August than at any other time of the year, and our friends and family who visit then are always really surprised by it. Wishing you many more happy summers - we're addicted to it and when the chalet's rented we go anyway and camp! I definitely recommend a trip to Annecy, it's lovely. Try and go when the market is on.
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We too have fallen in love with summer in the Alps. Monetier is more like Provence in summer, and with huge amounts of activities never boring. Long walks with the dog, swimming, rafting... and just relaxing in the sunshine. And despite plenty of activity, peace and quiet too . Market day in summer is so much fun too .
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For the first time I did a long weekend in les arcs this year. Just really to see if I could do a whole week next year.
Strangely different but similar experience to the winter.
Amazing cycling (XC MTB).
Strange thing that hit me when driving up the hill (to nancroix) was "flowers".
Just seemed strange to see colorful blooming baskets hanging everywhere in a place I associated with cold and snow.
Im going back for longer this summer to do more cycling and hiking.
There are loads of events in the summer in les arcs.
I had wonderful weather, but it is strange to be sweltering in BSTM and freezing at the top of the transarc.
tux
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Market day in summer is so much fun too .
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Certainly is. I can't be bothered with going down to a very cold and sunless valley bottom in the winter. But in the summer Beaufort is beautiful, and the market well worth a visit (though very busy - can be hard to park). The weather is a lot better than in the UK, too. Some tremendous storms but also seems to be a lot more sunshine.
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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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Hullite, we have spent our last two summer holidays in the Alps (Les Gets first year and St Gervais this year) and loved it. The weather suits us far better than baking on a beach, but was still hot in town and cooler a bit further up. Long days with blues skies and fresh air. As pam w says, the storms are incredible - we've had them both holidays, but always at night, and they are spectacular, but everything calm and fresh again the next day. We'd recommend the Alps in summer to anyone - and do! There is swimming in crystal clear lakes, walking on easy tracks so it doesn't matter if you aren't a mountaineer, cycling, picnics, and if you need a town or shopping fix, lots of options such as Chamonix, Annecy, Geneva etc.
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We went to Val Thorens in August this year and had a great time mountain biking. The biking in the Belleville Valley was excellent and the ski lifts assisted with some of the climbs.
Temperatures were perfect for the (non-lift assisted) uphill slogs - the "highlight" of the trip being the climb through the woods from Meribel les Allues to Courchevel 1850. (In Val T it was 22 degrees on average, which was 10 degrees cooler than Albertville - which was unbearable). We were the only passengers on the last cable car of the day to the summit of Saulire (at 4.30pm) and our picnic at the top was incredible - just the 2 of us and the Alps to ourselves. An amazing experience and fantastic to see the "pistes" in summer. Red runs feel vertical on a bike though!
Then a fantastic single track descent to Meribel followed - again we had the valley to ourselves. €40 for a 3 valleys lift pass for the week - a bit of a bargain. There is some excellent lift served hiking as well.
We also had a couple of nights in Tignes and had originally intended a short time skiing on the glacier on a couple of mornings. Conditions were that good (a couple of inches of powder one day!) that we skiied from 7.45 (the lifts open at 7...) until 1pm on 3 consecutive mornings. We had to be dragged from the mountain when the lifts closed (at 1).
Finally we went to Les Arcs - mountain bike heaven! Tough, technical, waymarked, single track trails with lift assistance. Plus as much uphill slogging as you like on top.
All in all a great experience and one that's on the agenda again for next year. 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hullite, really interesting piece. Thanks.
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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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heres a blatant plug for a friend of mines alpine summer hoiliday company
flow mtb run summer trips and tours based from morzine but also taking in Italy, Morroco and switzerland. Great chalets, guided tours to suit all abilities I have biked in the portes du soleil for 17 years and love it as much in the summer as the winter.Theres more to do in the summer though!! I couldnt think of a better place to have a summer holiday. Annecy is a must as well as some of the prety towns down on lake leman. I have biked all over the alps and love the low altitude terrain of the PDS. you dont have to be a fully kitted out DH rider to enjoy it but a good suspension bike makes a massive difference. There are plenty of places to hire but taking your own really isnt an issue.
My fondest memory of a summer holiday in recent years was a picnic on mont caly facing mount blanc with the sun going down turning the moutains pink and drinking loads of red wine to silly o'clock in the morning. there was a huge french family sharing the same bbq pit as us and it was their august tradition to take the whole family up there and sing songs into the early hour. their hospitality was great and it marked a fab end to a great alpine holiday
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Fogliettaz, You have my respect. There were a lot of cyclists on the road over the Col d'Iseran pass when we drove over. I can't imagine how fit you have to be to cope with such a long steep climb at altitude. The scary thing was that many of them didn't look at all puffed. We got chatting to some Dutch and German cyclists posing at the top by the sign and they were cycling on to Moutiers! They very kindly, and perhaps strangely, offered us their fancy bikes to pose with so the bloke now has a photo of himself holding a bike aloft in triumph in front of the highest point sign of the Col d'Iseran.
We are going to Zermatt on the 27th and this is the first time I will have been skiing without having set foot in the gym or exercised for 6 months. I am going to be wrecked, I'm out of breath putting my tights on in the morning!
easiski, I will ask the ESF about sit-skis. I only approached Oxygene because I had read that they do a lot of disabled skiing, although it is centered at their La Plagne operation. They said they couldn't do it but I may not have been correct when I said it was not available. I think the Val d'Isere glacier might be a better location than the Tignes glacier as the gradients are more gentle, not that Izzy would mind - she is a speed freak. She hasn't yet been skiing, I would love to take her to the Castleford slope but unfortunately the disabled ski group meets up there on the last Sunday in the month, when Isobel is at her Dad's (we are divorced). I am sure she will love skiing as she loves fast fairground rides, bouncing on the trampoline and anything physical. Although can walk, she is unsteady and uses a wheelchair outside the house so I am sure she will need a sit ski. She will need someone else to have control because of her learning and motor difficulties and total lack of fear.
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You know it makes sense.
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We spent 10 days in Bourg St Maurice this August - having never been to the alps outside the ski season and had a wonderful time. The highlight had to be our first experience of mountain biking. I absolutely loved it ... and could not believe how beautiful the mountains were - especially the forested areas - teeming with flowers and hundreds of butterflies. Magical.
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