 Poster: A snowHead
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Thinking of going there at some stage
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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, we ski the Allos side of the link quite often, at the moment i don't think they are having a great year for snow, seems to be common to most of the southern alps this year. 
I know people have skied over the link into praloup and have enjoyed it when open, but i haven't ever stayed in the resort itself.
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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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Inga, Forget this year, unless things change dramatically! Not only have they suffered along with all of the southern Alps from a lack of snow, but the lengthy drought from last summer has meant that they have barely been able to produce any artificial snow at all. A friend of mine there reckons it's as bad as he can remember - and he's been there all his life.
In a 'normal' year it's one of my favourite resorts (as far as the domain goes), especially when the link with Allos is open. Ugly place though.
Has snowed since around Christmas, and they only have a few inches of snow at resort level. Lots of runs closed.
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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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Can't get too fussy about Architecture in French ski resorts! I've seen worse, but then again I've seen better. They do seem to have the knack of using experimental concrete in an otherwise beautiful natural setting 
Still it's the last thing on my mind whilst trundling down the piste.
In between the Foux and Praloup I think is lovely & peaceful & pretty (when open!) this make up for the crimes against
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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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Just to sum up how terrible it is there... and note, these are the 'optimistic' resort figures!
Snow depth altitude (2600m): 35 cms
Snow depth resort (1500m): 15 cms
And that's after the first snowfall since Christmas a couple of days ago - but only about 5 cms.
Lifts open: 28/55 Total slopes open: 28/74
Greens: 9/15
Blues: 7/22
Reds: 12/32
Blacks: 0/5
Temperature altitude: -10 °C Resort: -5 °C Freeze point: 1000m
Link to Allos closed
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Not sure how the snow conditions are in Pra Loup at the moment - the link's closed (I live on the La Foux d'Allos side) because of problems on the Pra Loup side which suggests they're not good. I was last there almost 3 weeks ago and the runs were hard packed but there have been a couple of small snowfalls since then which might have helped.
Another snowhead visited Pra Loup earlier this year and was told that they'd emptied their main reservoir in the summer expecting a load of rain in the autumn. Rain never materialised and the snow cannons have been silent all winter. La Foux d'Allos still has water in its reservoirs so the skiing there is quite good at the moment - although only about 2/3rds of the pistes are open. A new reservoir has been built between Pra Loup and La Foux but, typical builders, wasn't completed in time so has been of no use this year. They've developed a couple of new pistes in the sector between the two resorts and these were in good nick earlier this week.
Pra Loup usually has a reasonable snow park but this year it's looked very feeble with only a coupe of small jumps and rails.
The skiing in Pra Loup is mostly easy intermediate - lots of pistes spread over a couple of mountainsides so it's easy to cross from one piste to another without knowing it but pretty hard to get completely lost as nearly all of them eventually end up in the same place. The trickier skiing is on the La Foux side which is also quieter.
I'm told that there's good off-piste skiing in the area between La Foux and Pra Loup (I'm too cowardly to venture more than a couple of metres off-piste) and the snow cover there has been fairly good this season but I haven't seen the same amount of tracks there as in the past couple of seasons.
The natives are saying this is the worst year for snow for almost 25 years (in 80/81 not a flake fell) and the regional rag had a front page article this week discussing why it was snowing everywhere else (including on the Riviera) but not here.
If you do go, don't fly into Nice - it's a marathon journey from there. Go to an airport to the north but you'll still have a fairly long transfer. If you want someone to do the organising for you, I think the only UK operator using Pra Loup is Equity. If you fancy a holiday to the Allos side of the domain I own and run a catered chalet in Le Seignus 
Mike B was the snowhead that was there a few weeks ago so if he doesn't post here you could look him up and ask him for his thoughts/recommendations - I think he hired an apartment.
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ben wright, Not too bad a drive from Marseille Airport though - for DIY trips at least, don't think any TO's go there.
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Thanks guys
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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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Well i'm going to Wengen on Saturday, but I might go to PraLoup end season
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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As Ben said I am that Snowhead. Everyone is correct, forget this year. We had a great time as we were there just after the last snowfall so the runs were OK. But even we were saying we wouldn't want to be there the following week and that was over a month back with virtually no snow since.
Re the resort its very nice. We usually go to Belle Plagne and this resort is so much more of a village than BP. As we have families with us it suited us perfectly. The locals were extremely pleasant as we Brits were in the minority. We went to a Restaurant and the owner bought us all a round of drinks after the meal and let the kids use his ice rink FOC. If you go that restaurant by the ice rink is a must.
The skiing is good too with some pistes for all levels. We were also very impressed by the lack of "flat spots" ie places where you have to walk to the next downhill bit. BP has a few of these but not Pra Loup.
We have all said we would go back but not until there is good snow.
On another note getting there can be a looooong transfer time if you go from Nice. Marseille however is an hour + closer on better roads.
If you want any specific info pm me.
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