 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi. We're thinking about going here 2nd week in April. Has anyone been that late in the season? I'm really unsure about booking it - anyone got any advice? 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Welcome Wobble,
Les Contamines is known to have good snow but I have no information of what it would be like in the 2nd week of April. The snow is good there because it is deep inside the valley at the back of Mont Blanc. However it isn't high by any standard. Normally it is a good place to ski because not many skiers know about it. It isn't easy to find either and most skiers would go for its neighbour St Gervais which is linked to Megeve. Megeve is several times bigger than Les Contamines.
Also the snowheads who have been there, ise probably konws it better than anyone for having a flat in St Gervais, concluded that the place may be small for a week's skiing and I tend to agree. I used to hit it on a day trip from Chamonix.
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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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There's a bus from Les Contamines to St Gervais apparently.
I've certainly skied there until the end of April and it's been pretty good. Whether there's enough skiing is a matter of opinion, if you're a good skier there's plenty for several weeks. An intermediate piste skier might struggle though.
In many ways the village's badly laid out for skiing as the village and lifts are disconnected, there's some accommodation next to the main lifts but in turn it's disconnected from the village. There is a bus though.
It is high though, the top is 2400m and most of the skiing is above 1900m.
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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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Skied les Contamines last year, but January not April. Not sure about the snow at that time, but January was excellent. Wouldn't entirely agree with the comments about the limited skiing, we found lots - including some off-piste way over to the right (looking up from the village) and over the ridge in Hauteluce was very pleasant too.
La Grange in Hauteluce was a good stop for a hot chocolate or vin chaud and for a unique decor experience! try la r'mize à louis on the les Contamines side.
We stayed in the main village, about 5 mins from the lifts, but our operator Ski Total was excellent with a free shuttle up and down at the start and finish of the day.
As for the apres ski, the Ty Breiz pub is worth a visit, and also the place where we found really good value snowmobiling.
We stayed in a catered chalet but on our staff's night off, we had a really great meal in le Savoisien - a lovely atmosphere with thick planks on the walls which gave it a log cabin feel. http://www.chez.com/lesavoisien
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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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Many thanks 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Wobble,
It looks good at the moment - see webcams here http://www.lescontamines.net/.
Cardweq - we went to Les Contamines with Ski Total last year - stayed in Chalet Oncle Henri. Loved it so much we are going back to the same place this year. It was the kids 1st skiing holiday (5 and 7 at the time) and they wanted to go back to the Les Cont. Interestingly, the resort does not appear to be in the 2006 preview brochure.
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Wobble, I've skied at Les Contamines in April in most of the previous few years: you shouldn't have any problems, especially as there is now a great base in the Mt. Blanc region.
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Hi Wobble,
We have skied contamine in April before and have had superb conditions. Contamine is definitley the best bet for the 'Evasion' area for late season skiing, and that's usually where we head for. We've even had incredible powder mid April and with no one on the slopes! Of course every year is different so you never can tell, but at the moment snow conditions here are really good. Has snowed for the last 2 days - The sun is now out but there is more snow forcast for the next 2 days.
If you want any more info on the area just let me know! 
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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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not having a french dictionary to hand does 'contamine' mean anything?
It always makes me chuckle to myself that a ski resort would be 'contaminated'...
oh well little things...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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mountain mad, I have the same problem 
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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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I thought this nickname was more appropriate than netsimian for this forum just to confuse you all!
As far as I know Les Contamines doesn't translate to anything - but I'll ask a local and see what they say.
I agree with the you all about the conotation of the name, which is a shame really and slightly ironic, as Les Contamine is on the edge of the Contamine Montjoie Nature reserve, the only part of the Mont Blanc Masif that is in any way a protected region, and so is the least contaminated!
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Last Week of the Season is looking pretty good for Les Contamines.
Since it's the last week of the season I thought I'd give a last update on conditions in Les Contamines. We've just had a nice dump of powder giving around 30cm of fresh snow. Skiing up there today there was still untracked heavy powder around as well as a fair bit of windblown crust just for fun. Pistes are in excellent condition, and well stocked with snow that should last next week even though there are blue skies and higher temperatures forcast.
Piste conditions at the moment are fresh snow over sometimes icey base. I expect that the next week will gradually turn this into spring corn fairly quick with slush in the afternoon. Fairly standard for this time of year!
So anyone heading for Les Contamines for last minute end of season skiing should have a good one 
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You know it makes sense.
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very slushy everywhere by 1 pm yesterday and very warm.
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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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pam w, I guess looking at your location you must be coming up from the Hauteluce Side? What are conditions like over that side in the Mornings - I'm planning to be in Contamine for the next 3 days, and last time I was there the best snow was (Not surprisingly) at the very top of the resort on the Aig. Croche. However when the clouds are low it seems to be better visibility on the Hauteluce side normaly!
Championnats de France de TELEMARK at Les Contamine on Sat 16 April ! Should be fun to watch.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Yes, we went up from the Hauteluce side and I was surprised how good the snow seemed earlier in the morning, with all the runs open though the Choton lift was closed. The run down to Belleville was fine, in fact that was the best snow when we gave up later because of "la soupe" - the Contamines side was just as bad, if not worse, from that point of view. We did not go up the Aig. Croche because the clouds came down - or more accurately up - and the vis was better on the Hauteluce side for the rest of the day. Neither did we go below Signal, it didn't seem likely to be worth bothering. It was the worst snow I have seen at Contamines, but I've not been there so late in the season before. My sons told me the off piste was too claggy to bother. But we enjoyed the morning - I always enjoy a trip over there.
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