 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm thinking of doing the 3 day boot camp trip with my gf at some stage in October to Tignes and would appreciate any advice on likely conditions from anyone thats been out at that time of the year before or from our resident Tignards.
Also what difficulty would you say the blues and reds are as opposed to the blue piste that comes down from the palafour lift as thats about the steepest my gf will ski. Any steeper(she flatly refuses reds these days) and she goes into survival/side slip or step mode-with that in mind is there enough skiing on the glacier to keep her happy?
I take it the later into October we go then the better chance of better conditions and more ski area open and what time do the lifts open and close then and how busy is it likely to be at that time of year?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Atomic_Mick, I've skied at October in Tignes a few times. To be perfectly honest I don't think it's great for holiday unless you are focused on lessons or training of some kind. There's very little terrain available for free skiing, there are lots and lots of race clubs there so a lot of the piste space is taken up by training lanes, and the snow conditions can be marginal. I'd say it's better to wait until the end of Nov/start of December, or maybe a late season trip would be better for you than an October visit.
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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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The space (probably just up on the glacier) is limited in October but there is some first class tuition available and if your GF is dead scared of red runs, then that has to be the answer for her. We had three days of two hour lessons up there last October - conditions were lovely, bright sunshine, only the glacier open, but we had an excellent, and gentle, quiet blue run which we used for all the lessons. There are a lot of very good skiers up there - brilliant skiers, in fact, and an inspiration to watch but they do flash around a bit quick, and a fair bit of the space is used for gates/training. The lifts were not too busy - bit of a scrum for the funicular but queues for the T bars not too bad at all.
A group of us had lessons with Kevin from Evolution II - we had a lot of fun, and found that was much the best way to use the time. One person in the group, who didn't want lessons and just did a bit of skiing around on his own did get a bit bored with the limited terrain.
The following week they had masses of fresh snow - you just can't tell, but yes, the later you go, the better the chance of snow, I suppose. But we found the bright weather and good vis extremely pleasant. We did ski around a bit in the afternoon, and enjoyed it, but although I don't remember the terrain very well at all (I was following someone who knew it much better) there were certainly a few red runs around, though overall the runs up there are not generally steep. Someone who knows the glacier better will be along with some better info. The boot camp is brilliant value, but personally I wouldn't bother to go up there in October unless I was having lessons.
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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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sorry - because of my connection problems I'd not seen rob@rar,s message when I posted - or I could just have said "I agree".
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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 did a few days in Tignes in early Nov last year, was good fun but I really only got value by having some lessons at the time. I would recommend that you see if you can get less for the other half as with a good, private english instructor you might be able to help her over that red run challenge. I did some lessons as recommended by Stuart with the development centre and they were excellent, but I think I also would have found the terrain limiting if I'd only been free-skiing. You also need to accept that you might lose a day or even two due to lift closure down to strong winds - although as the mountain was closed the hire shop only charged me for the days it was open. I had a hire car, so I was able to spend the day of the closure by doing a quick day trip round bourg and les arcs, which was handy as I then did a full season later on.
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Atomic_Mick, rob@rar is absolutely correct, early december will give you a lot more variety and blues for your g/f. better for you to enjoy your break and there is a lot more open in terms of bars, restaurants, shops etc.
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Atomic_Mick, I agree with rob@rar! Go in late Nov/early Dec when the full area is open as others have said.
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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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Thanks for all the replies-we are already booked to do the same trip in early december but was thinking if could sneak another trip in beforehand-but after reading all the replies i'm now inclined to give it a miss.
I'm now toying with the idea of going in november instead after listening to the replies-if we went out about the 20th nov,how much more terrain is likely to be open then?(i am aware one year to the next could be totally different as to regard to early snows but an average would give me an idea if there is such a thing as an average if you know what i mean!)
Also after looking for prices of flights to Geneva i can only seem to find return flights late enough for the transfer on sunday nights only with easyjet in november and i've looked at various departure airports including luton-which means we'd have to pay £36 fri/sat night supplements each which then starts to make the deal appear not so much of a bargain-anyone have any ideas on alternatives with late evening midweek return flights back from Geneva in november?
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I'm guessing that Espace Killy opens on 28th November. Even if there is lots of early snow I don't think very many lifts, other than on the Grand Motte, will be open before this date.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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and even in early/mid December they might not have everything open. I did a week's course there in December once, and it was by no means all open - I suppose because there weren't enough paying customers to make it worth while incurring huge additional costs for pisting and running lifts. I don't think it was because of lack of snow - there seemed to be plenty around. Having said that though there was plenty of skiing available, including the routes between Val D'Isere and Tignes.
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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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Hi All
Just for everyone's information we will be teaming up with The Development Centre mentioned above who will be providing programmes for ski and board campers this autumn - we will be updating the website once we've finalised details.
rob@rar, Snow permitting, this is the case as far as we are aware but it's not guaranteed.
Atomic_Mick, Most nights during the week through November there is an Easyjet flight to Gatwick departing 21:30. BA also fly in to Heathrow departing 20:35. I believe there is also a Swiss air flight at 19:55 which the transfer can be arranged to meet. As an alternative some choose to stay the night in Geneva and fly home in the morning; additional cost being 33 euros per room at Formula 1.
I have to defend us a little I'm afraid...and say that, even with the £36 weekend supplements a three day break with transfers, catered accommodation, lift pass and use of equipment IS still a bargain!! (but I do understand what you're saying!!).
We've still got the odd room here and there for late November/December but they are very few and far between so get in touch if you'd like to find out what there is left.
Many thanks all...
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For the last 2 years the conditions have been fantastic in October with lots of Fresh snow up on the Grande Motte glacier. Who knows what the snow gods have in store for winter 09/10?
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You know it makes sense.
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Powder Monkey, More of the same hopefully !!! Ten weeks until opening weekend of ski and board camp - that's all! And so the winter begins 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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heading to tignes on Thursday for the natives summer weekender.  Fingers crossed there's some of that summer snow up there. I think they have had a dusting in the last couple of days.
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