 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi everyone,
I'm a newbie to the board but recognise 1 or 2 names from another forum. Just a quick introduction, me and hubby are both snowboarders (intermediate-ish: We're comfortable on wide red runs, hubby has done a black but I've not had the bottle yet). Places we have been to include Verbier, Banff, Bansko, Borovets (for a day), Aviemore, and chill factore - for our inbetween snow-fixes.
We're off to Tignes for the 1st time next week, staying in Les Boisses on the ski and board camp (24-27th). Just wondering if anyone will be out there the same time, or if anybody who has been before has got any good tips for snowboarders to get the most out of our few days on the slopes, i.e which are the best runs to head for, which ones should be avoided on a snowboard, and where's the best places to stop for lunch???
Also, does anybody know anything about the "Grotte de Glace", how do you get there and is it worth a visit?
5 sleeps to go and I can't wait!!! (sorry... had to be said),
Any help much appreciated thanks
snowonder (aka mandy) 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hi snowonder, welcome to Snowheads.
Tignes is great for boarding and Roger and the team at Melezes are superb.
At this time of year only the Grande Motte will be open but the main run back down is also open. Mountainsun will bus you to Val Claret and you get the train (inside the mountain) up to the glacier. Its then a cable car to the very top. Its all marked as reds but you will have no problem with these. They are wide and are not too steep. There is also a black off to the side from the top of the train station and this is not too hard. The run that goes all the way back down (called Double M) is a fantastic roller coaster of a wide red. Genepy may also be open, this is a fast narrow twisty blue and is great fun.
I think the Grotte de Glace should be open as its under the glacier.
Have fun, you will love the place. I have to wait until 26th December.
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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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The Grotte de Glace caved in when the glacier 'leapt' October 2008. If was at the top of the Leisse run on the glacier.
Most of your skiing will be on the glacier, check out the Tignes snow report thread for more upto date info.
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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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snowonder, Welcome to Snowheads. I'm not a boarder and I won't be in Tignes next week but I have stayed with Mountainsun several times and will be there again in just over 3 weeks time. It's a great little place and many of us on here stay there. I'm not sure how much of Espace Killy will be open next week. This thread may help and others will be along too to help further.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Kenzie, that would explain why I have only heard of it but never seen it.
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snowonder, A couple of tips for flats to avoid:
Coming down off the Grande Motte, take the red rather than the blue. The red is nice and wide, a great run down, but the blue is flat, flat, flat.
On the way to Tignes Le Lac from Les Boisses, avoid the blue run "Petit Col" that comes off the Aiguille Rouge lift. Instead use the red run "Bleuets" which is wide and not particularly steep and goes straight into town. Just watch out for the button lift coming up as you cross the main piste towards the bottom.
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snowonder, Oops, just realised you're going next week, so the second point probably isn't relevant.
Anyway, enjoy, it's a fantastic place!
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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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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Wear dark glasses - has won awards as ugliest resort (but great skiing/boarding).
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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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| Quote: |
Most of your skiing will be on the glacier
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Will it? Why's that then? We came home 5 days ago and even without all of this week's snow it looked like there would be enough to open a lot of runs 
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| welshskier wrote: |
| Wear dark glasses - has won awards as ugliest resort (but great skiing/boarding). |
It's a matter of taste - but in my opinion Tignes is a fantastic place with beautiful rugged scenery -its got ski convenience, variety and is high and snowy enough to be a good bet whenever you choose to go -the only thing lacking is trees.
It always irritates me when ppl slag off Tignes for its ugliness and i get a bit protective i can't help it - one of the ski guide books put it so well 'when the sun is out in Tignes the mountain scenery is so stunning it will make your eyes bleed' or something like that anyway as i can't find the book in question! typical!
Oh btw - the Escalee Blanche restaurant in le lac opposite the aeroski gondola does great pizzas amongst other tasty dishes and if you go 50 yards up the hill past that restaurant you'll find a really cosy bar called The Alpaka -but be warned the shots and cocktails in there are dangerous-they creep up on you and before you know it you've had 13!
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You know it makes sense.
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| mountainaddict wrote: |
| Quote: |
Most of your skiing will be on the glacier
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Will it? Why's that then? We came home 5 days ago and even without all of this week's snow it looked like there would be enough to open a lot of runs |
The resort doesn't officially open till the weekend of the 28th November so i think its just the glacier runs plus the double m red run back to val claret thats open up till then and maybe the carlines blue run might also be open.
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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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| mountainaddict wrote: |
| Quote: |
Most of your skiing will be on the glacier
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Will it? Why's that then? We came home 5 days ago and even without all of this week's snow it looked like there would be enough to open a lot of runs |
Just like later in the season, it's not about snow, it's about people: there aren't enough people around to justfy the expense of running and staffing lifts
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Poster: A snowHead
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My fave lunch spot is L'Arpina which also faces Aeroski. Its clearly visible from the web cam in Lac. Great pizza and a tartiflette to die for.
As you will likely be eating in VC, the restaurants under the Ronde Pont block of apartments (the nearest to the train station) are all good.
The blue run of Grande Motte that Scarlet said to avoid is Genepy that I recommended. There are some flats but if you carry some speed its one of the most exhilarating runs in the whole resort with banked turns and superb rollers. I have never had to unclip on it, anywhere, but yes, some nervous riders do end up walking some bits.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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bar shaker, L'Arbina i think.......great food.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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snowonder, until now it's been just the glacier runs plus the Lanches chair (double M piste), and this morning the Bollin lift opened (beginner/intermediate slope in Val Claret). With the forecast snow and low temperatures, I imagine the snow-cannons will be on overdrive this week in preparation for the official opening.
Check out the Aspen in Val Claret for good value, mountain sized burgers and real milkshakes 
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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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| GeorgeVII wrote: |
| bar shaker, L'Arbina i think.......great food. |
Hi Snowey,
L'Arbina is great. It is the place where the chilli oil incident happened. Good old canski.
We are going to Tignes 6-10th with Mountainsun.
Hope you have a great time.
Cheers
Smag
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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There's free Wifi in the Melezes 
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FAQ
will be different without the trees, it sounds like it might be time to attempt my first black! 
