 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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Lou, Runs down to Vallandry in April will often be icy in the mornings and very heavy or slushy in the afternoon. I've skied in Les Arcs in April quite a lot and there has always been a large proportion of the piste network with decent snow coverage although the lower runs can suffer in the warming temperatures. In one unseasonably warm season the runs down to Peisey and Vallandry were being well maintained by pisteurs and were not much more than a strip of snow with a lot of vegetation on either side, but were still skiable. On the other hand you can get a fair amount of fresh snow and be skiing nice powder right up until the end of the season (usually last weekend of April).
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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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I can recommend Les Hauts Bois, Aime La Plagne. Stayed there with the family w/c 10th April this year. Excellent, spacious apartment, good facilities, plus ski in - ski out even that late in the season. Snow held up really well, only getting slushy and sugary generally from midday onwards on the runs into Plagne Centre - and there's plenty better conditions higher up to keep you going until the lifts shut. Definitely somewhere I'd go back to. Hope that helps...
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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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rob@rar, Blunty, thanks both
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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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Lou, I don't know that area but have skied from a 1550m base in the last eight Aprils. I'd go higher than Vallandry, at that time of year, if possible. If you stay low then you're stuck with the stickiest, slushiest, slow at the end of the day when you're tired and it's at it's worst. Slush can be lovely to ski, but it can also be leg-breaking stuff, and very tiring - though if you can download by lift, that might not be a problem. But at that time in April you'd be unlucky not to get lots of great skiing - and some lovely deckchair weather. It's my favourite time of year and there's certainly a good chance of fresh snow - it doesn't last long, but can be magic.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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High. Aime La Plagne. Belle Plagne, Plagne Soleil, Arc 1950 or Arc 2000.
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Belle Plagne for me too
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and me.
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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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Any of the Arcs give you a good height. Les couches although low gives you good access to the vanoise express. Anything close to that gives you options for both sides of the area. Happy hunting 
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It's a perfect Bank Holiday Saturday. Wet & cold. Kids away on camps. House strewn with piste maps and the odd IGN one. Where to Ski & Snowboard on the coffee table....
Nearly there, going for an Arc 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Got to be 1950 then
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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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Got to be 1950 then
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If you can afford it...
I think the Vallandry option gives a more authentic alpine feel and would be my choice every time. Have skied twice in laet April at Peisey and had no probs getting down, although the bottom can be slushy, but so can anywhere at that time of year, even 1950!
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Can't beat Belle Plagne for ski in/out convenience. Quite easy on the eye too. Only problem is you either have to try to squeeze on a cabin at the gondola mid-station or ski down to Bellecotte which is not exactly beautiful.
We were in Champagny this Easter (1st week of April). Quite a short gondala ride and plenty of snow. Red run to the resort was even open for the first few days. Although low itself, it's well positioned for getting to the other La Plagne resorts including the glacier.
Worth noting that queues this Easter were much worse than in previous years. A bonus of Champagny if you have a car is that Courcheval/La Tania are just a 20 minute drive away. Cheaper day pass than La Plagne and no queues.
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You know it makes sense.
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Red run to the resort was even open for the first few days.
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The le bois red run into the village is not great at that time of year even when it is open, it is normally preferable to take the Gondola down into the village.
I would also go for the La Plagne or Paradiski pass at that time of year, snow conditions are better on the higher slopes around Roche de Mio and the Bellecote glacier. The Champagny pass is OK for early intermediates, some of the south facing runs do become slushy in the afternoon however.
With the Paradiski pass you would have a day in the 3 valleys (and Espace Killly) included in your 6 day pass.
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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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If you do decide to go to Vallandry I can highly recommend Ski Olympic's La Foret chalethotel. While I agree that the runs down to vallandry do get slushy late in the season, you'd have to do them to get the link over to La Plagne wherever you stayed.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Lou,
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This time will be keen staying somewhere we can access easily in the afternoons
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Depending on how many of you there are, I can warmly recommend a certain snowHead's apartment. Brilliant location and exemplary letting arrangements in every detail. The only down side is that the wearing of helmets is strongly advised. In the bunk beds. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I worked a full season in La Plagne (Montchavin) to be exact and I would recommend Les Arcs 1950 at that time of year. For snow surety and accessiblity to most of the good snow in Les Arcs, the Vanoise express is not a dreadful journey away and allows you to do some real travelling.
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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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Lou, We've been to Vallandry for the last 2 years in first week in April and was fine getting down. As Rob said, can be a bit green to the sides but the runs are ok. The Vallandry lift allows for downloading so can always take chair down if you want as is fine to the top of that lift.
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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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Boris, et al - cheers all, going to Les Arcs 1800 this time. But you have given me a couple more ideas for another time 
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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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Hi, we stayed in Plagne centre at the beginning of April this year. Resort was great, had no problems getting to other parts of the piste map and our hotel, the Terra Nova, was right on the slopes. At the beginning of the week there was a huge dump, so for the first few days conditions were perfect- however, we did find in the second half of the week that the pistes were hard and icy in the morning and became heavy and slushy in the afternoon. We skied over the 'sunny' side (Champagny) in the mornings, and stayed high in the afternoons to get the best possible conditions. Overall, we had a fabulous time- as long as you remember that the snow quality may be a bit variable, you'll have a great time too.
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FAQ
