 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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psbbst, I'm not quite sure I understand what you're asking. "Heavy snow" in the alps is normally considered a Good Thing round these parts.
Diversion from Chambery is, I understand, not the most infrequent occurence in the alps. I presume that you're T.O.'s planning takes this into account.
I'm not sure what you mean by "closed the mountain". Wintersports are not a small part of the local economy which means that "Heavy snow" is generally well handled and the aim of the communal gain is getting you into resort and your sadly devalued currency out of your wallet.
I fully expect that you'll arrive safe and sound where you're meant to be - roughly on time. I don't think I've ever heard of a transfer bus having to be accommodated anywhere else but the beds that they've paid for.
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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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Ta for your reply - that's just it! In the last 14 consecutive years of travelling out to the big resorts around this time, and relishing huge dumps, I've never encountered weather so bad that the mountain had to be closed, so a quick check of the weather at the other end suddenly got me thinking - "what if they close the mountain???"...you know, snowflakes the size of footballs, and the transfer coach encountering difficulties (can't see how with winter tyres and chains at their disposal).
Maybe all this snow here has dried my brains out before I even get there!! Lol!! 
But I would welcome knowing if anyone has had previous experiences of not being able to be transferred up the mountain due to inclement weather ie too heavy and too much snow.....and high winds etc....
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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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Very occasionally resort access roads get closed. I remember a couple of years ago the roads to Arc 2000 (and maybe Tignes/Val d'Isere) were closed, not because they couldn't be cleared but because of the extreme risk of avalanches which threatened the roads. I was in resort at the time and the skiing was great, but many people spent the night either in coaches or in a sports hall in Bourg St Maurice. IIRC JimW was one of the unlucky ones who couldn't get in to teh resort that night, but forunately was put up for the night by a friend in Bourg.
I've was also stuck in Courchevel overnight when trying to leave because a big avalanche had blocked the road. Fortunately there were many people who couldn't get in to the resort so there was no shortage of beds to choose from!
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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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rob@rar, Yes - I spent an uncomfortable night in a sports hall in Bourg having got as far as the Tignes dam before being turned back. But we were in Val d'isere by breakfast time. This year I'm more worried about either not being able to reach Gatwick for an early departure this Sunday or the airport itself being 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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psbbst, it is forecast to snow like a total git from tonight through to the end of Saturday. Expect to arrive late.
If you get stranded you will end up sleeping on the floor of a school/town hall/foyer municipal in Chambery/Moutiers/etc depending on how far you make it. The TO strategy is to carry on and hope the roads are cleared and passable, which they usually are. If they aren't and you end up stuck, don't yell at the rep - you will only make a t1t of yourself.
Given the forecast, I recommend you stuff in your hand luggage the following:
- fully charged iPod plus headphones
- supply of puzzles and reading matter
- water
- decent food (ie not just chocotale and crisps) which will still be edible 48 hours after departure
- washing kit
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I was one of the lucky ones who got to Val D that year before they totally shut the road - although my friends on the Transdev bus behind us got the pleasure of the school gym in Bourg St Maurice.
Interestingly, the biggest source of the hold up on the road up the mountain were all the 4x4 drivers without snow chains arguing with the gendarme at the checkpoint about not needing chains. I reckon if everyone going up the mountain that day had gone prepared with chains hardly anyone heading to Val and Tignes would have had to stay down the hill that night as they'd have all got through the checkpoint before they closed the road totally for the night.
psbbst, I hope you have a safe and speedy journey and enjoy all the fresh snow once you get on your planks on Sunday.
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The road to Val D'izzle was closed on Monday 15th Dec last season '08 - but as Rob@rar has suggested was due to avalanche risk from the large amount of snow and very high winds the day before.
psbbst, I really wouldn't worry too much about what happens on arrival - that's what you're paying tour operator tax for right? And the Frenchies in BSM & Moutiers seem to take these things in their stride where they've happened before so you'll at least have a roof over your head which is more than can be said for the unfortunates on the A3 last night.
I'd be more worried about your ability to get out of the uk.
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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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sarep, I think you'll find that they usually close that road because of avalanche risk, in fact. Sometimes they hold the traffic under the paravalaches - friend of mine sat under there for three hours once.
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| Jehu wrote: |
| This year I'm more worried about either not being able to reach Gatwick for an early departure this Sunday or the airport itself being closed. |
This is what I'm more concerned about, Gatwick early on Sunday morning too, maybe the last minute deal wasn't such a good idea!
At the other end they're prepared for snow and I have more faith that they will clear it quickly.
It would be supremely ironic that a ski holiday was cancelled due to too much snow in.....Gatwick!!!! 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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As a pilot, I have sat on the ground in snow many times in Europe with a delay due to snow in Heathrow. Never the snow in Europe causing a problem. The only place I know of that deals with snow worse than Britain does is Athens, but we can forgive them that!
I am also flying Gatwick to Chambery tomorrow. Not only am I pee'd off about having to leave the snow here behind, I am also very concerned about whether there will be an aircraft for us to get on at Gatwick. The recent weather has meant they are now scattered all over the place and it could take days to get back to normal. Once underway I am fairly sure we will eventually get somewhere near my chalet. Eventually! If there is heavy snow in Chambery, I will be hoping that there will be a bus sent to wherever we do land to take us to Les Arcs.
I did once get stuck on a bus on the way to Tignes. Took us 12 hours from leaving the airport. Once there they had closed all the runs except a couple of nursery runs so they could say the resort was still open. That was the week I learnt that a new chalet with no games or TV is a dreadful place to be. OH and I did discover a tequila bar though 
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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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Never the snow in Europe causing a problem.
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maybe you've been lucky. Geneva was closed for the whole of one Sunday in the middle of the ski season a few years ago.
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Once there they had closed all the runs except a couple of nursery runs so they could say the resort was still open.
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That's not that uncommon, either. i think it happened early last season - and in Val Thorens, too. My niece was there on a uni trip and they had two days when they couldn't ski at all. One of the downsides of choosing a high resort - it's all a bit of a gamble, isn't it?
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I was driving to Val D'Isere by car when I could not go further than Moutiers because of avalanche risk. All the hotels were full. I could have dossed down in the Town Hall - but chose to drive to Brides Les Bains and stay the night in a hotel there. No problems driving through the next day (with chains and [shock horror] ordinary tyres on my Cavalier).
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You know it makes sense.
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Spring 2000 i think
the snow was almost at Lyon airport, and the queue to 3Vs started on the airport slip road !!!!!!
That's normally a 2 hour trip ?
Took us closer to 12, and we were one of teh last buses allowed up the hill at Moutiers with a lot still behind us. That was due to mega avalanches all over the place i remember.
i remember the queue for food in mcdonalds at Albertville miles out of the door
I also remember listening to teh 5 nations on french radio -quite an experience with long ago O level french
And also most people on our coach periodically got out and walked along the motorway- there was snow but there was blue sky ! - We would walk for half an hour then stop on the side of ethroad and see if teh coach had caught us up !
Still though - i've only once since had better snow and weather than we actally got that week .
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