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When the Fat Lady Sings: Val Tho Weekend
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead

I'd meant to go up to the last weekend of the EOSB but was not well enough to make it so we moved our dates to the 7-8th May. I figured I would be able to follow the tot around without it killing me.


From the Col de Rosael.

The Bad
Well lets get the bad out the way. The link between Val Thorens and Orelle was in a truly pitiful state. This is at 3000m remember and a testament to how little snow has fallen this year.



Indeed Val Tho is much drier than my native Belledonne where skiable snow can still be found down to 1800m. If it were not for snow canon I doubt you would be able to ski below 2500m in the Belleville valley.


cover lower down was down to man made snow

I sent the missus off to do a "vox-pop" amongst the locals. The message was, despite Dutch Week and the famous EoSB the end to the season had been bad. The TV coverage of zero skiing at places like la Clusaz over easter had a very negative impact on the punters.

The Good



The piste services had done a splendid job of preparing pistes and there was no let-up in their efforts right to closing.



The south facing slopes down to Orelle were not in the best condition, a bit mucky, but the good freeze-thaw meant they were firm "neve" type snow which was still firm enough to ski in the afternoon.



In many places cover was little more than 20-30cm of firm snow and there were certainly bare patches and rocks. One or two pistes were barely skiable, the liason from the Cascades to Fond area.



In general the pistes were in a good state with the best skiing before lunch.



some of the lifts are maybe not so well adapted to smaller skiers



I'm sure the resort is pleased to close what has not been the best season snow-wise in France and in relatively good order. Praise to the SETAM for keeping a full set of lifts open despite the lack of punters on Sunday and for not shutting the area around 2pm like some other resorts I've seen on the last day. They claim 70% of pistes open and certainly there was a good range of skiing. A serious resort worth visiting.



We ate at the Chamois d'Or then Face West (the only town cafe open on the last day). Both fine and not too expensive. We stayed at the Trois Vallees hotel which is around 250 euros a night full board for 2 adults plus small child - to give you an idea of what good value the EoSB is.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person

davidof, love the last picture! He looks proper gnarly.Very Happy
I was skiing off-piste above Orelle on 29 April, there was some good snow to be had in between the rocks, it was really good fun. You're right about the piste maintenance: no matter what time of the night one looked (I looked quite a bit, having trouble sleeping at altitude) the slopes were alive with the lights of piste-bashers, harvesting snow from one place to another, it was very impressive.
Really sorry you didn't come over to the EoSB, it would have been so nice to meet you.
Thank you for your great reports all season, the small French resort thread is one of my favourites.
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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?

> having trouble sleeping at altitude

I have exactly the same problem, I feel like I'm suffocating. Well I've been ill right through April too but I was the same 3 years ago.

My new problem is vertigo on chair lifts. All the small resorts have drags and I'm totally unused to being 20 meters above the ground with a small child twisting and turning to look at the scenery.

I remembered your comments about Val Tho, truly impressive work.
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Nice TR, and great photos of the wee one. Here's to a better season in 2012.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Good pix.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.

davidof, hope you're feeling much better now.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Excellent TR - thanks.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!

Hi,
I hope this will inspire some people to and visit Val Thorens anyway. They have excellent lifts and a very serious piste service.


le Peclet

I skied the Beranger piste with the tot, we stopped to look at the slopes, where an avalanche came down from the Peclet[1] and killed 7 and injured 3. Sad. I remembered skiing this run that wet and snowy autumn day in 1992. The funitel was a chair back then and the Peclet valley seemed a remote and inhospitable place that day. We thankfully gave up skiing a little after midday due to the weather.

http://www.ina.fr/economie-et-societe/environnement-et-urbanisme/video/CAB92066629/avalanche-val-thorens.fr.html

[1]Actually I think the slide came from the Aiguille de Tete Ronde now equipped with gazex.
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