Les Deux Alpes, Spring & Summer 2010

A snowHead

As Butterfly, said it was a fab day today. She did brilliantly, although I failed to catch her on video on her very best run - she was too fast! Shocked

Still, we skied all over the glacier, spent some time watching fantastic jumps in the snowpark for the first day of the Kumi Yama. Very Happy

The snow was good, the sun was out and it was great.

Later I took Mr Butterfly by special dispensation into the new Grotte de Glace, which isn't open or finished yet. It's going to be truly fabulous, even when it first opens next week. However in another couple of years when they've added more galleries it'll be stunning! Very Happy

full report, pix and a video panorama on my blog as usual. Very Happy

A snowHead

It's been very hot today - really hot in the sun this afternoon down here. Very Happy

I haven't been up though as I've had a DAY OFF Very Happy

Butterfly & Mr Butterfly got off soon after 09.00 this morning. Hopefully they'll now be at or nearly at their camping destination. Very Happy

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This is Butterfly's pic that I mislaid from 1st July. I have circled me in red so you can see where I am - the scale is huge!

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Yes, we are safely installed - got to the campsite at 6pm. Southbound traffic looked horrendous - we didn't fare too badly. We have a good pitch, one row back from the river, with a full hedge on 3 sides of the pitch which is large enough for the tent, the porch. the car & room to cook/sit out too. There are bikes to hire and a cycle path into Epernay by the river - looks good to me! Also there's an electric boat to hire that Mr B seemed tempted by. Was pleased to conduct the whole check-in process, incl the pre-arrival phone-call, in good enough French that they didn't patronisingly switch to English. Cool

Thanks again for a fab week in LDA - roll on the next one! snowHead

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Butterfly, Don't forget that when we think it's patronising when the French reply in english, they think it's a compliment! However, it is true that once you speak well enough they stop doing it (on the whole). Very Happy

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Another nice day although there was more cloud around today than most days lately. It was warm and muggy inthe afternoon, quite stifling actually. Toofy Grin

However it's nearly 22.00 and I still have my doors open, so it can't be bad!

The snow was softening up at 08.30 this morning on Roche Mantel and Signal, but we had good skiing anyway. Even at the end of the day I was able to find some really nice soft, untracked snow to ski on! Local knowledge makes a big difference, even on the glacier in summer. Laughing

skied down to 2,600 at 10.00 and some was great, and some 'interesting'! Pix (including ultra athletes running up the mountain on my blog! Laughing

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After all it is free

sounds like Les Deux Alpes is the place to be this summer.....skiing to 2600 still is fantastic!!!.........New Zealand is treating me well though! Laughing

Butterfly, They had messed up the bit of piste we skied down at the end so it was just tracked without the groomer on! Shocked

I don't think they wanted us going down that side!!! NehNeh

alexchapman, It sounds good, and I love the look of the place - I've never been, so make the most of it.

Hot, hot, hot today! Sunshine all day and really too hot in the afternoon. considering the temps the snow held up well, and the Lauze was fine until the end of the skiing day. Very Happy

A bit more information and some pix on my blog as usual. In case you haven't spotted it there's now a link in my sig. Very Happy

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Very hot and sunny again, but with a better re-freeze last night so the snow stayed in good condition longer. Actually we skied all morning on pretty good surfaces. Very Happy

After the end of the week we're expecting slightly cooler temps, so that will be very good for the snow. One friend who works for the DAL thinks we'll be able to ski to 2,600 for most of July, although I'm inclined to think that the end of the week is about it. Very Happy

I haven't written the blog yet, but am just about to, so pix and more detail in about 30 mins! Very Happy

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easiski, excuse my ignorance as I haven't been there are you able to ski 1000m vertical at the moment non stop from the top or Is it broken in places on the way down?

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Gsyfreerider, As of today the Jandri is closed, but until today you could ski 1,000m vertical as you say. I'm not sure if it's actually broken now or just not good enough to be responsible for. Sad, but considering we can't normally ski it after, maybe 20th June ... 7th July is OK. One of my students did ski it today though and said it was getting thin near the bottom. Fine to about 2,700 or so though. The off piste I did on 1st is deffo off now too. Sad

It was scorching hot today, although the snow was nice with a little creative thinking. Bottom early, then middle and finish on the Lauze where the courses had been taken out and the snow was soft, spring corduroy, largely untracked almost no-one there. Very Happy

he! he!

I thought it was busy this week and now I hear that there are in excess of 3,500 skiers and riders up with us this week. Shocked

Blimey!

As per normal, longer report and pix on my blog. Very Happy

It seemed even hotter today, and the snow was softening up pretty early, but the Dome red was still good and crispy at about 10.00 or so. Pretty soft when I went down again at about 12.00, but the big race piste was almost untouched so fresh tracks. Very Happy

Unfortunately the snow is melting at a fair rate right now due to the very high temps, and these are set to continue next week after an interuption for thunderstorms at the weekend. the good thing is there's lots there to melt, but it's a shame. If the isotherm 0 degs was at 2,800m instead of 3,800m it would still be warm and pleasant but the snow would hang in there longer! Oh well - you can't control the weather and at least there's plenty of good skiing still to be had. Report and pix as usual onthe blog. Very Happy

You know it makes sense.

Love the 1st pic (snow bridges breaking up). Where were you standing taking it?

The weather in Epernay was HOT by 8am and at 8-9pm we were seeking shade to sit in with a pack of playing cards & a drop of vin. The municipal campsite is functional but very good value (72 Euros for 5 nights inc electric hookup) and the staff are ever so helpful. It's not that far off the motorway right at the northern edge of the town on the road to Cumieres, so a good point for a summer stopover. It 's currently open till the end of Sept. The "facilities" block was always clean with endless hot water. Most of the pitches have hedges on 3 sides & there are trees in the corners afforrding some privacy/shade (and birds of course to p00 on the tent rolling eyes

). They're plenty large enough for a decent sized tent or caravan plus car and sitting space too. Bike hire was cheap at 5 Euros for half a day, but the separate business offering the hire of electric boats on the adjacent River Marne was a joke at something like 25 Euros an hour. Funniest sight on the river was the local pompiers doing some drill or other. Trouble was their outboard was reluctant - eventually it went and they pootled off, to return about 15 minutes later... rowing ... and looking very sheepish Laughing

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Butterfly, I was on the road that comes back from the Lauze on the flat bit.

warm again this morning and all last night. 'Himself' deigned to come in last night and then proceeded to miow loudly in my ear from time to time all night because he wanted me to let him out again. rolling eyes

Beat him though - I pretended to be asleep!!! Laughing

A snowHead

Hot, hot, hot again although cloudier than of late. It's been muggy though and the snow was really sticky at 12.30. Sad

OK until about 11.30 though and it's the first day that the Lauze has been mucky.

ful report and some hazy pix as usual on the blog. Very Happy

A snowHead

Sounds similar to here - unbearably hot in the college even with windows open and a fan on. The felines are happy to be home, looking very well after their luxury chalet holiday. No kills for a homecoming banquet yet - think they've decided tonight should instead feature the packet-opening routine performed by their staff Laughing

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Butterfly, Very Happy

Hot again today - hiding!

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Woohoo - barely home and planning the Cautious to Confident 2011 week snowHead

March 19th-26th 2011 - see link in my sig below Very Happy

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Butterfly, Lovely pic of your cats on FB. Very Happy

Trying to thunder at the moment, and I'm waiting for the rain. The garden will be happy, but the snow won't as it's still 20 degs outside here = rain on the glacier. Sad

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I thnk it rained on the glacier last night, and probably more than it rained here. There's been a considerable disintegration of the snow conditions. However, there is still masses of it, and after a few more re-freezes overnight it'll pick up again. I took 7 pix today, so lots to see on the blog.

Hot this afternoon down here, and still very warm now at nearly 21.00. I hope it chills out a bit! Very Happy

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It was pleasantly warm again today, but a bit of a breeze made the temps feel much nicer. Actually it was really windy at my house, in the afternoon, but warm enough to sit outside under the balcony from around 18.30 - 21.00 with friends. Very Happy

The snow was good today, re-froze properly last night and it's a bit cooler now, so fingers crossed. Details and photos as usual onthe blog. Very Happy

After all it is free

It's been hot today but quite windy. The glacier was shut this morning due to high winds - hopefully the wind will have died down tomorrow! Great street party in Sequoias this evening with all the neighbours, both full and part time. Most of them are still at it, but I thought 23.00 was past my Cinderella time anyway!! Laughing

Hopefully I'll be up tomorrow and there'll be more news and pix. Very Happy

Hot again today, and pretty breezy, but the shocking damage caused to the snow by the wind yesterday is a great pity. there's still plenty of skiing to be had and all summer runs including Roche Mantel and signal are still open, but the snow today was very heavy everywhere at mid- morning. We're going up earlier tomorrow to try to pinch some of the good stuff.

Lots of farming going on and lots of snow to farm, pix on the blog as per normal (see sig for link). Very Happy

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Street party sounds huge fun! Shame about the wind, but good to hear Signal & RM are still open.

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Here goes for the second time - I'm not having much lick posting to this thread lately - unable to submit the other day either! Better re-freeze for the last couple of nights. Better snow but hard early on and just softening up at 11.30 today. Perfect for teles. I'm afraid I missed the start of the Mountain of Hell VTT race, but did catch the mid-field struggling on the only uphill bit. Laughing

A goodly number of pix and 2 short vids on the blog today. One of the vids is a nice pan of the view from the top of the Puy Salié, and there's this

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I didn't go up today - not enough time, but there was a good re-freeze according to the lift company, and it was hot and sunny down here all day. In the early evening we got some clouds and a clap of thunder, but no rain - my poor grass. Crying or Very sad

I won't be going up tomorrow either as I'm going down to the valley (ugh!) but here's a pretty picture of summer in the alps to cheer you all up! Very Happy

I was in Grenoble and Bourg d'Oisans all day yesterday, which was hot and stuffy and as unpleasant as usual. The only good thing was the nice drive from vizille through the lovely village of Vaulnaveys and Uriage. It's a very pretty road and if going to Ikea/Castorama it's the direct route. I should say that Mrs R32's sat nav didn't find it though (it's easy to spot on a map, to say nothing of signposts) and sent her miles round up the hill. Shocked

She was very surprised when I showed her this route last summer. Very Happy

I had a nice dinner with Mr & Mrs Lizzard in Bourg d'Oisans in their very French little square, with all the neighbours coming and going, and got back quite late. En route up the mountain at around 22.00 I stopped and took this pic on the phone (which co-operated for once). Poor quality I'm afraid, but the moon over the Fée with the Petite Aiguille in the foreground. I took it from the road just before reaching Mont de Lans.

today is greyer, windy and not so warm. The glacier was late opeing this morning due to wind, and is only open to 3,400m and without Roche Mantel and Signal Sad

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easiski, when [b[Julesb[/b] had his op last year, the taxi driver taking me back to SC took me that way, but it was dark and snowing though so I couldn't really work out which way we went from La Tronche and the CHU.

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Hells Bells, I would expect them to for Hopital Nord! In winter and at night it's not nearly so pretty! Laughing

Huge thunderstorm late this afternoon and lashings of rain. the temp here was about 9 degrees, so it's touch and go whether it snowed or rained on the glacier. it was very good for my poor grass though. Very Happy

I have to admit that I was doing bits and bobs of DIY in the house and watching the Tour - couldn't take my eyes off it and then watched the Channel 4 highlights as well as Eurosport's lice coverage. It's a pity that some footballers (or all of them) don't take a leaf out of the road cyclists book. Sammi Sanchez had a huge crash, got medical treatment on the run, and finished the stage in the top 10. contrast that to the overpaid marionettes rolling about in agony from an imagined bruise! Twisted Evil

If it's snowed and it's not windy I'll probably go up tomorrow, but the forecast is for high wind.

A snowHead

A snowHead

easiski, The way the SatNav took me actually looks shorter on the 'map', but was most certainly quicker going through Uriage as it brings you right out at the IKEA roundabout instead on the ring road near Eybens (I think!!). Anyway it was a very nice view from the top of that hill and I wasn't in a hurry!!! NehNeh

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easiski, great stuff Very Happy

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Sorry for the typo, but I'm glad it caused some amusement!

More thunder and lightening this morning and heavy rain and at least 2 electricity failures! Clearly the glacier will be closed! Still, the temps are below 10 degrees, so there's a possibility it will have snowed up there. fingers crossed! Very Happy

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We got up to 4 failures in the end! Laughing

It's now much colder so I'm hopeful for some good condtions on the glacier. Not sure if I'll go up as I have to prepare an apartment for some peeps and I don't know what time they're arriving. May have to wait for sunday.

After all it is free

easiski, I ended up just using the Rocade to get to Hopital Nord, as the Sat Nav kept trying to send me along a towpath by the river, but I've often wondered since if we could manage to avoid the traffic between Junction 8 and Vizille if we went a different route.

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Les Deux Alpes, Spring & Summer 2010

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