Not sure if this is the right place now that this bit of the form is "Resort Reviews and Trip Reports" but in the absence of somewhere better...
Anyone been? I see the occasional write up in French mags calling it a "spot freeride mythique" or somesuch. looks a bu99er to get to (presumably you can't drive there from Val d'Isere in winter) but it looks like the lifts might give access to some awesome terrain
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Arno,
I was there about 4 years ago at the end of the season. Was with family and basically family skiing.
Upper end of Maurienne valley is very attractive. You cannot drive from V D'I in winter though the skiing from the back of Le Fornet down is excellent but you need a chopper to return.
There is an excellent expanse of skiing from the top lift of a few hundred metres vertical. Below this is possible I think but careful navigation is essential as there are lots of cliffs in the area.
Area as a whole has a very small number of pistes and is a little fragmented due to the terrain. The area is meant to be great for day tours.
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?
Arno, Not sure about books, guess there will be some. If you need any specific info, I am out there week after next so may be able to assist.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
srobbo, if you happen to spot and remember the names of any off-piste/touring guide books (french language is fine) that would be very nice
expect there will be an "Editions Olizane" one but anything else would be cool
cheers
After all it is free
After all it is free
Arno, Just booked a big family trip down to Bonneval at the beginning of Avril. Looks like a great mix of a place. Hoping to squeeze a few cheeky mornings in...hors piste
straight off the lifts, untracked 1000m got to be - back to the village!!
Last edited by After all it is free on Thu 12-01-12 18:34; edited 1 time in total
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.
If you stay at Val Cenis, then you can get a free bus up to Bonneval from VC. Quite high, from memory top lift is at 3000 M, and some good quiet pistes down, i think there are 12 pistes and about the same lifts from memory.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Bus takes 30 mins approx
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Timbobaggins, We are staying in Bonneval at the bottom of the pistes
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.
If you are serious about doing bonneval, i would stay in Val Cenis as a week at Bonneval would be too restrictive, and VC has some nice off piste as well
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Timbobaggins, more of a family trip as there will be 4 kids aged 5,4,3 and 6 months!!!
bonneval looks perfect for this...
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
norris, I've long wanted to visit. How are you going to get there?
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
pam w,
a long sweaty drive from Calais! just booked the tunnel. will be my little boys first trip to the Mountains
1000e for easter week, 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom - seems like great value compared to the mega resorts!
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?
ask any local(Mauriennais) where he/she would like to live and majority will answer-Bonneval - piece quite off piste kind of La Grave of the Maurienne valley for sure.The old stone village has been Best in France few years back. " years ago it had 6m snowfall .Down to Bessans it is one of the best places for cross county skiing if you want to try and this endurance sport
Arno We drove that way from Turin to Tignes one summer. Bonneval is very picturesque (old stone buildings etc) and Val Cenis, which is very close by, looked a pretty good ski area from what we could see - very decent vertical and a reasonable size, with part of the area in Italy.
As mentioned, both areas are very close to Val D'Isere but the road's closed in winter - you can see the slopes from the top of the Le Fornet area at Val D.
The area's been on our to do list since we passed through.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Col D'iseran is brilliant way to cross from maurienne valley (Le arc river into Tarentaise busy valley or back. Even better is you do it end or may or early June when you can ski on the Pastaia glacier(Val Disere) rather than going into Grant Motte Glacier.For the winter Bonneval is just picture postcard place -get your sbow boots though cos everywhere you go there is deep snow.
As for Valcenis it is pretty cold up there cos everything is North facing.One bit is brillint though-The first village -Termingnon with the waviey bits on top of the two drags and with the trple long fun park it is just brilliant.There you can have and ski flight where for about 30 minutes you see everithing from above-weather permiting.
Drove from Val d'Isere to Bonneval this afternoon, looked like some good terrain there. Had a wet and cold (3 degrees) picnic at Col d'Iseran.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Skied it a few times. Gentle, limited, but picturesque slopes in the valley; better higher up with great views. It can however get hit by high winds which scrape the snow from the exposed north facing slopes making one long for a rough day at a windy Scottish station!
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