 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi Snowheads,
I am thinking to go to Val d'isere for one week on the 8th Feb. However during the fortnight of February 2nd to 15th 2009 the World Cup Downhill is taking place.
I was wondering if anyone had been there before during the world cup before and if they could give me an idea of the impact it will have on the slopes, in terms of accessibility, and the actual town itself?
I think getting the chance to watch some of the races live would be pretty cool but also concerned I might not enjoy the resort as much as usual due to lift ques / packed out bars and restaurants.
Thanks in advance for any assistance 
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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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Feb is always busy in Val D due to school half-terms. It will be even busier with the World Champs on. Tignes may be a quieter option, but still able to watch the racing.
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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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MrSnowplough,
It is not the World Cup it is the World Championships, held every 2 years. Therefore all of the best Men's and Women's skiers in all alpine disciplines will be competing.
All of the Men's events will use the Face de Bellevarde and the Women's events will be held on the "new" Rhone Alpes piste down Solaise. All of the grandstands were built in the summer/autumn, restricting movement around the Olympique Gondola/Solaise Express chairlifts.
I was in Val before Xmas when it was just Men's World Cup events were being held down the Face.
The ski slopes that are open to the public (nearly all of them) will be quieter than usual because so many people in resort will be involved with the Championships. I suspect you will need to book restaurants in the evening in Val D. Lunch spots away from Val D should be OK. The high Street will be closed to traffic and a podium/stage errected for the presentations and live music near the Tourist Office. This means the bus service will be disrupted and the bus from La Daille to the Rond Point will turn around at the first roundabout and won't go down to the Tourist Office roundabout and through the tunnel under the nursery slopes.
You can't get up the slopes to watch the racing you can only watch from the finish areas. The Olympique Gondola and Solaise Charlifts will probably be closed to the public when the races and practicing is taking place.
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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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MrSnowplough,
It is not the World Cup it is the World Championships, held every 2 years. Therefore all of the best Men's and Women's skiers in all alpine disciplines will be competing.
All of the Men's events will use the Face de Bellevarde and the Women's events will be held on the "new" Rhone Alpes piste down Solaise. All of the grandstands were built in the summer/autumn, restricting movement around the Olympique Gondola/Solaise Express chairlifts.
I was in Val before Xmas when it was just Men's World Cup events were being held down the Face.
The ski slopes that are open to the public (nearly all of them) will be quieter than usual because so many people in resort will be involved with the Championships. I suspect you will need to book restaurants in the evening in Val D. Lunch spots away from Val D should be OK. The high Street will be closed to traffic and a podium/stage errected for the presentations and live music near the Tourist Office. This means the bus service will be disrupted and the bus from La Daille to the Rond Point will turn around at the first roundabout and won't go down to the Tourist Office roundabout and through the tunnel under the nursery slopes.
You can't get up the slopes to watch the racing you can only watch from the finish areas. The Olympique Gondola and Solaise Charlifts will probably be closed to the public when the races and practicing is taking place.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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MrSnowplough, I went to Val D'Isere when the Olympics were in Albertville (it might've been 1992). I got an excellent last minute deal as no one wanted to stay in the resort (I assume because of the prices they were charging). On race days the nursery slope was crowded with spectators going to watch the race on La Face, but there were not many skiers about so there was no qeuese for the lifts. On non race days it was even better.
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Many thanks for all your replies. Sounds like it could on balance be a good time to go. I guess it could be a bit inconvenient with the bus situation but nothing that won't be cured by a bit of walking. I will be aiming for a last minute catered chalet deal, so booking up restaurants etc shouldn’t be too much of an issue. If the slopes are going to be quieter because of the world championships then that sounds great. 4 weeks and counting!!
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| MrSnowplough wrote: |
| I will be aiming for a last minute catered chalet deal |
Last minute accommodation might be hard to find. There's going to be a lot of extra people in the resort: competitors, team members, officials, media, spectators, as well as the usual tourist numbers in a relatively busy week (the first of the French half-terms IIRC). If you are set on Val d'Isere I'd book sooner rather than later.
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