 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi, does anyone have any information / experience on this resort ? It is situated above Flumet in the rural Val d'Arly between Megève and Albertville. Thanks.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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windythered, I know it well. What do you want to know?
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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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Thanks for the quick reply pam w  we have an option of an apartment for Christmas to New Year week, the resort looks a great place to take the family, i'm just a little concerned about the snow as this resort seems a little low ? Whats your experiences of snow around late December ?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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windythered, you're right, the bottom of N D de B IS a little low, but much of the skiing is a lot higher. If possible, it is better to stay at the "Mont Rond" level, which is really the centre of the skiing, rather than down in the proper village. The proper village is prettier - authentique and all that - but the lifts from there up are a bit of a faff, frankly. Though the blue run down to the bottom - Reguet - is a great one - very wide, good gradient; one to pretend you're a racer!
If the snow is good then the Arly Valley itself has plenty of skiing, particularly the fast 6 man chair "Cret du Midi" from Praz sur Arly. We often went over there last New Year because it was the quietest part of the domaine - no queues at all for that chair, which serves some fun skiing. For this winter, provided the new button lift "Trois Coins" is finished (it was far from finished when I hiked over there last week) you will also be able to get very quickly from the Cret du Midi lift to the top of Notre Dame, and the Douce Bowl in Les Saisies. Indeed, if that lift is finished (and it is shown on the new piste map and has been widely touted, so I expect it will be) Praz sur Arly is probably a better base than the bottom of N D de B.
Where is the apartment? And is that 26th Dec for a week?
Snow? Anybody's guess, obviously. But the top slopes in N D de B are east facing and hold their snow very well.
If you have a car it will make getting around easier - if snow is a little dodgy down the bottom you can drive up to Les Saisies,where there is a lot of free parking (though when snow is dodgy in the Arly Valley at New Year Les Saisies, with far better snow cover, does get busy). Parking in Mont Rond at New Year is a bit of a sod.
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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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windythered, it looks a very nice apartment, but I can't make out where it is, and there doesn't seem to be a location map. But it looks as though it's unavailable for new year week?
If it's still available, and you're really interested, I could maybe telephone the proprietor and find out exactly where it is. You'll have a car, won't you? Many French people staying in and around the villages assume they'll be driving to the slopes.
There are very, very, few decent apartments available for that week round here - I've already had a look for friends who were toying with the idea of a new year trip.
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These pictures are of N D de B 1150 - the bottom level. One of the nursery slope (Mont Charvin in the background). The other, taken on the same spot just about, looking the other way, up the Reguet piste. To get to the higher levels you go up that drag, then on a long and rather slow two man chair across the valley, then up another long and slow chair to Mont Rond. Not ideal, actually. 
This was taken on a day of super new snow, rather obviously. It's not always like that!
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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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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| pam w wrote: |
windythered, it looks a lovely spot.  I'm back home in the UK now and trying to envisage where the camping-car place is in N D de B. I can't remember having seen one
Yes, we're all keeping our fingers crossed for snow.
I'm also keeping my fingers crossed that they get that new teleski built in Praz sur Arly (Trois Coins) which will make a big difference to ease of getting around the domain, especially if the snow at lower levels is poor. So I rather hope that there's no significant snow for the next month - or they won't get it built. There's a bit around this week, and much lower temperatures, but after the really warm weather this last week (far warmer than it's been in the UK, which was very pleasant for our autumn walking) the ground will be too warm for it to stick around. We won't start getting worried until mid-December.
I hope you have a great holiday. Let me know if there's any local information, about pistes or anything, that you need. |
pam w, you did offer 
Another couple would like to join us that week and are looking for accomodation, do you have any recomendations ?
2 people arriving 26th December for 1 week.
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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windythered, sorry, I don't know places on N D de B. There's an outside chance in Saisies - where are your camper friends staying?
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| pam w wrote: |
| windythered, sorry, I don't know places on N D de B. There's an outside chance in Saisies - where are your camper friends staying? |
pam w, my camper friends are staying at the campsite in Flumet (1000m) so depening on the conditions they could take the Seigneurs drag lift to N D de B at 1350m or they could take the D218a.
Anyhow Saises doesn't look too far away, so any recommendations would be gratefully accepted 
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
they could take the Seigneurs drag lift to N D de B at 1350m
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they've been "improving" the Seigneurs lift this summer - fitting a new motor, and giving a "coup de bull" to smooth out a big lump on the take off. But it will remain, I suspect, a pretty fierce lift. It's long, and steep - and the last 40 metres is the steepest. But the most unnerving feature is that once you get going, there are long stretches where the only way out, if you fall, is to hike through the woods on the left to the steep and usually mogully black run which will take you back to the bottom. where there's no alternative but to do it again.....  Seriously not a lift for beginners, and particularly not for any but the most confident snowboarders. There are signs on the way up saying "si vous tombez" with an arrow pointing through the woods. In the next day or so they are going to chop the top of that lift, which I think now fails to meet French safety standards because it is so steep (the steepest I've encountered, that's for sure). But that will be a pain, because it then won't go to the top, meaning you have to go down to 1150 and the other drag up, or the Evettes chair which is s l o w. .
At the top of that lift you have the choice to turn left and go down the Val D'Arly runs (a good choice in good snow) or to turn right and do the lovely blue down to Notre Dame de Bellecombe 1150 or to take the ancient 2 man chair "Planay" which goes downhill, then over the road to Mont Rond.
From Flumet, at New Year, I think I'd drive up the road, through Mont Rond 1350 (where parking is a pain) and up to "Les Frasses" where a much more civilised drag (Boulangere) goes up to the top of Mont Rond. And there's a superb, wide, quite steep, usually very empty, blue run back down at the end of the day. In fact Les Frasses would be the place for folk staying in the different centres to meet up. There's not a lot of parking there, but it's much less used.
I'll do some digging around - I have some friends whose place might possibly be available at New Year.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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pam w, you must have read my mind ? especially as you mentioned the 'mogully black run'
Regarding ski passes, i guess you would recommend buying the 'Espace Diamant' ski passes ? is it also worth buying before we go ?
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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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Yes, for good skiers it's worth getting the ED ski pass, and it's not a great deal more. The offices will probably be very busy at New Year so buying before you go probably makes sense. A lot will depend on the weather - I'm out there from the 12 December so I hope it cools down soon or we'll all be sunbathing. 
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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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pam w, snow dance from Monday onwards and all will be fine
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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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rayscoops, from Monday? You're joking. I've been snow-dancing for a week.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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windythered, the Grand Mont agency has a few places. The nicest, but not the cheapest nor the most conveniently located for meeting up with people staying in Notre Dame de Bellecombe is this one http://www.grand-mont.com/location/fiche.cfm?num=347&num_date_search=35
there are some tiny studios in Les Saisies itself, too. Practically the entire village (not to mention the entire Alps) is full for New Year. I think I'm going to spend much of the week curled up with a good book.
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pam w, Thanks for the info... i'll pass this on, but as you say 'the Alps are quite full' Lets hope we're not all disappointed with the lack of snow 
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| Quote: |
Lets hope we're not all disappointed with the lack of snow
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Indeed!
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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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Next week is starting to look a little more positive though !, temperatures dropping and snow falling from Sunday night
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Hmm.... I hope so. I'm not convinced.
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FAQ
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