 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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Page.. there we go.....
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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holidayloverxx, and all for nothing as Pam has fixed the link 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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kitenski, hey ho....
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Snow not quite arrived yet..........
Well it has been overcast all day and it has threatened (the snow that is) but so far no snow has fallen although I am certain we will wake up in the morning to a fresh canvas out there as it really has built and built and the barometer is dropping nicely...... anyway we shall see.
The main goings on in town have been loads of happy and excited people as not one, not two but three new Avalines (Val d'Isere locals) were born over the weekend at Bourg hospital!!!!! All boys at that. I know the parents of one of the boys as she runs the Cabane Restaurant bar in town - congrats folks!
Anyone in London this evening??????????????????? Val d'Isere are being represented at the AA (either that or the RAC) ski tour operators 'do'. I am not sure exactly what it is in aid of but apparently there are loads of tour ops and journalists etc all having a meet up along with representatives of various ski resorts in London!!!!!
Finally I hear there is a new bar / restaurant in town - somewhere in the Gallerie des Cimes (need to go and check it out) called "l’Arbre de Vie" - it opens on Thursday for tastings of the new Beaujolais wine - sounds like a nice option for a Thursday night perhaps.
P.S. Before I forget.... Clare went to the gym today and they have finally finished doing some refurbishing inside.... much of the coffee bar area has been revamped to make more seating BUT more importantly they have gotten rod of the aerobics studio and put all the weights and free weights in there...... that means that the 'old' (well it is only 3 years old or so) gym area now ONLY has cardio kit etc..... Clare tells me there are another 3/4 treadmills and assorted other pieces of equipment. Such a good idea as the weights and cardio stuff altogether was a little too cramped! I should get off my back bottom and join the gym like she has done but I just know that when the season kicks off I will be getting so much exercise anyway.
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Steve Angus, I was on the train home from London when I saw your post!
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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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.........ITS SNOWING..............
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YAY!!!!!!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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Skies still looking ready to drop.
It has been a strange day... It snowed hard all morning and then stopped but has looked threatening all afternoon. The temperature has not fallen too much so the freezing level has meant that the snow that has fallen was quite wet.
I have decided to do half of my years accounts now rather than let it all build up and do it in May when I will be running around to get back to the UK before the baby is born. Anyway it has meant that it has been the first of several boring days stuck behind the computer.
Not much else to report at this end I am afraid - a rather boring update.
Hoping that more snow will fall over night as is forecast.
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Steve Angus, I love the one, single lighted window in that picture.
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You know it makes sense.
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mmmmm looks very damp and gloomy. Better than green and gloomy though!
You will be glad when all the boring stuff is done Steve 
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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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Day two of the boring stuff behind me...... a few more days to go...
Well it has been snowing pretty much all day and got harder and harder the snowfall. It did not snow that much overnight in the end so there was very little on the ground this morning. Clare was helping a friend out with her two little kids this morning as she has put her back out and Clare was more than happy to help with feeding etc as the mum was very incapacited..... so Clare enjoyed her morning.
It meant that I was able to get on with the boring stuff at home.
So back to the weather again..... so yes it is certainly getting colder out there (currently -5C) at the moment and snowing hard. It should maintain the fall all night and through tomorrow. However the STVI have been making the most of the colder weather and the opportunity to make a solid base by firing the snow cannons. It is a little difficult to see in the photo but I can assure you that they are firing the cannons as much as they can... in fact next to the backside of the piste map board in the centre of the picture you can see a mound of snow forming... when spread out over the next few days this should create a nice cover for the rest of the season.
.... and did we see Snow, Sex and Suspicious Parents last night??????
Thought it was certainly better than last weeks.... although my main grump with the show last night was seeing the boys hurtling down the Village and beginner slopes at the bottom.... without any lessons at all. At least they looked like complete novices..... but it puts the idea out there that it is acceptable. Ho hum - I think they learnt their lesson with the various injuries they picked up etc. Anyway at least they did not trash their accommodation etc! Danois and Victors in particular got a good showing though!
The town is busy gearing up for the annual Telethone fundraiser in the next few days with lots of silly activities around town..... I remember a few years ago the firemen pulled the fire engine through town with their teeth.... perhaps the weather and sloppy roads may make it tough though this time. We shall see what follows..... but knowing my luck I will probably miss it all.
The only other exciting thing to happen today was the delivery of our new humidifier - yay.... as you know the air up in the mountains is dry. I always suffer from really dry skin and put loads of moisturiser on but by putting this in our bedroom and having it run all night it should make things better indoors..... during the day we can leave in running with the bedroom door open on low and it should help make the whole apartment more comfortable. It will also be good for mum and baby.....
Anyway that is all for now folks.
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Poster: A snowHead
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as you know the air up in the mountains is dry. I always suffer from really dry skin and put loads of moisturiser on but by putting this in our bedroom and having it run all night it should make things better indoors..... during the day we can leave in running with the bedroom door open on low and it should help make the whole apartment more comfortable.
Exactly the opposite of the uk where many people use dehumidifiers to get moisture levels down. Presumably the reason why people used to be sent to the Alps to cure chest problems?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well once again it has snowed hard all day.... it really does feel like the middle of Winter.... just without the holiday makers and of course gainful employment for us instructors - ho hum the time will come soon. I could go over to Tignes and teach but I just want to tie up all the lose ends here before that!
So I am a little tired as I was up most of last night watching the first day of the Ashes (as regular readers will know I am a big cricket fan). So I am little tired today..... however I am figuring that with another night or two watching my body clock will come around. So it was a good first day.... more of the same tonight please boys!
Anyway the highlight of today was Clare and I heading out for some lunch together... nothing flash but we headed to Quicksilver / Billabong cafe for a slap up lunch.... wow I have never seen it so busy in there. There are obviously quite a lot of tour operators doing their staff training there at the moment as there was lots of english voices but 'foreign' faces in there. We got pretty much the last two seats available right at the bar and consumed wraps, chips and club sandwiches galore between us.... of course Clare could not hold back the temptation of some ice cream so of course I had to have some too.
Anyway it really is belting it down out there as you can see from my pictures and the various web cams out there. I reckon here in town there has been about 50cm of snowfall at least in the last week so goodness knows how much is falling higher up!
Anyway nothing much else to report from here..... the humidifier was a great success last night and I already feel a little less 'dry'.
OK back to the accounts again!
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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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Fantastic news on the snow - and Clare is allowed ice cream as she is eating for two now! 
Oh, and I caught up with Snow, Sex and Suspicious Parents last night - I felt sorry for the kid with low self confidence, he seemed like a nice lad. His relationship with his dad was sweet. I think a few beers would have actually done him good!
The Purley lot were knobs, and all of them were silly for thinking it was OK just go and ski.
It really annoys me when people don't get lessons, they're a danger to themselves and everyone else. I'd have stuck that t*** who pretended he was Rizzle Kicks at the top of Face (or Epaule du Charvet!), that would have shut him up.
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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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Be cool HoneyBunny, it's just TV - not real life...
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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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Steve Angus, the quicksilver cafe is great isn't it. good for taking kids to as well
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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red 27, I know, I know. My post came across as rather angrier than I actually was!
I also meant to say, the revamped Toviere hotel in La Daille looked gorgeous. I've never seen it on the inside, they've done a lovely job. Certainly a lot more swish than when I stayed there with Mark Warner about 7 years ago!!
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ARGHHHHH - frustrating day
Sorry folks gonna be rather swift today - it has been one of those days.
OK the good stuff first up:
After the storm....... despite the predicted snow today - there has not been any so far! Instead we have had clouds and the odd bit of sun. You can see (well I could when I took this picture anyway) the snow ploughs going up and down on the Solaise starting to pack all the snow down to create a really good base for opening next weekend! It is really cold today so it is the perfect conditions after the weather the rest of this week! I think we may get a few days of this now - we shall see.
So the bad news from today and reasons I am rushing.
1) After 4 years of having no problems in getting a parking space in the Bellevarde Face Underground parking spaces .... I go to renew my card / contract today as normal for this time of the year..... the parking is full for seasonal slots!!!!!!!! What - but I am already in there...... it gets worse in that about the only parking in Val I can get our van in and out of is that place..... parking du centre may (by cm's literally) be high enough but NO other parking spots (indoor OR outdoor) will fit a vehicle our height (goodness knows why an outdoor parking spot has to have a height restriction anyway!). Also IF later tonight when we see if it will fit into the Centre parking then the cost is now over €700 for the season which is €120 more than I was used to paying for the Face.......... ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHh..... have called everyone I know to see if they know of a private spot going anywhere - drawn many blanks so far! I think more UK tour ops are buying vans and minibuses this year so they are all trying to get their vehicles in their and that is putting more pressure on the few 'high' spots - i.e. Face parking, there are available - arghhhhhh.
2) My accounting package received a mandatory update this morning..... fine no problem.... hit install.... all worked fine for a couple of hours (better than the old system)..... anyway now it has starting doing funny things so am on hold to speak with a technical helpline to sort it out......... MORE AGHHHHHH
Anyway Clare is helping our friend with the bust back out again today then we are both heading to Tignes for someones birthday party this evening so I really need to get this accounting thing sorted and then as soon as Clare gets back with the car I can measure it to see if it will fit!!!!
Sorry folks not much else to report here. OHHHH and DAMN IT about the cricket too!
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SORTED
Came up with a solution thanks to Adam, the owner of Europe Transfer.... found out that he had a spare spot going in the Bellevarde parking and he was about to downsize his allocation there but I would have been pipped to the post when the space was released back to SAGS (people who administer Val parking) as there was a waiting list and I was not top of it. ANYWAY all sorted now. And on the software update side of things..... new 'patch' is being released on Monday which will sort it out for me.
Anyway back to today.
SIMILAR TO YESTERDAY WEATHER-WISE
It has been overcast for much of the day and the odd snowflake falling. Went for a nice stroll this morning and it is great seeing things like the street 'Winter / xmas looking' lights going up ready to be turned on next weekend. Had a lovely night out last night over in Tignes in Le Terrachu......our friends have been running it all Summer and into the Winter and it was good to see it busy. They produced some yummy pizza and food for one and all - it was just a shame that we headed home early but Clare was tired and I was driving so couldn't really let my hair down!
So Gav and Lou are around for dinner tonight - lasagne / Dr Who / Strictly / X-Factor - here we come.
Not much else to report.
For those of you who are going to be staying with the excellent chalet company YSE this summer, take confidence in the fact that I have seen them all walking up and down the road at least twice a day from Grizzny to La Daille for the chef and chalet host training.... which is a 2/3 week intensive course...... as usual I am sure they are being trained to pump out some good nosh!
TTFN.
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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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The calm before the storm...
This time in a week I will just have finished my first full day of teaching of the season........ it is nearly here. The resort is filling up day by day and the snow is looking so very tempting. In fact Clare and I are considering going for a warm up skin up to the top of something like the Solaise or perhaps a little less taxing than that - the Folie - we shall see!
Have not don't too much today apart from carry on work on my accounts but about to get changed as we are heading to the VIP tour ops drinks and nibbles in a moment which will be fun.
Sorry - not the most exciting update!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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so excited. Flying out on Friday
Anyone up for a drinking session on Sat or Sun night?
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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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Sat it is, but the Q were ? 
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Moris pub. Look for my blue or turquoise jacket
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Hi, been reading for awhile but first post.
Bezthespaniard.
I might be up for that. I arrive on sat the 30th, staying at the val ucpa on my own so some drinking company probably won't go amiss!
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Poster: A snowHead
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I am staying at the ucpa to, ill be there at 19:00 on sat i think the best time to meet all at 20:30 in Moris pub and i think i will be in my black softshell (it depends on the weather).
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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 am staying at UCPA too!! In a group from Action Outdoors.
Ask for elliott lads!
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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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In German this is called "depot beschneiung" - what's the correct french term for making massive piles of artficial snow?
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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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haha - love it. Great picture.
Those are what I call moguls 
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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 all? I've been granted a pass and I'm off to the Moris for a week arriving evening of 1st December. I'm on my tod, so looking for a ski buddy or a group of able skiers to join for a couple of days or so. Also not averse to a beer or two. Anyone up for it?
Cookie
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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^ everyone in the Moris will be, I wouldn't worry!
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| Kirrie wrote: |
Hi all? I've been granted a pass and I'm off to the Moris for a week arriving evening of 1st December. I'm on my tod, so looking for a ski buddy or a group of able skiers to join for a couple of days or so. Also not averse to a beer or two. Anyone up for it?
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Yup - been there, done that. You'll be fine and have a blast. In fact the last time I did it (and this isn't because I'm some amazing dude, just a reflection on how friendly they all were) two groups were competing to have me ski with them !
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who did you get the morris trip with? mark warner?
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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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Sounds like there will be lots of fun to be had by everyone when the lifts open at the weekend! Also it could be quite a SH's unofficial bash!
Anyway you will be pleased to know Onnem that the massive piles of snow have been bashed today so it looks set (The Face that is) for opening weekend almost now!
So the photo above was taken in Bourg this morning. Clare and I headed to Moutiers early for a 9am meeting with our accountant there and we thrashed out quite a few things. What I did learn today (thankfully I am already a member but never realised the importance of being a member) was how weird the french tax system can be..... no wait I'll re-phrase that.... how UTTERLY BONKERS it is.
So our accountant was saying that by being a member of a Association de Gestion (in our case here in the Rhone - Alpes they are called Ageprols) we get a tax deduction - they are like a union. But it is not a case of earn 'x' (be a member of Ageprols) and get a discount of 'x' to make your tax bill smaller..... no if you are NOT a member of an Association de Gestion then you earn 'x' - they add on 25% 'made up income' and then tax you on the new amount 'x+25%' so your tax bill is larger. So in effect being a member of Ageprols means you only pay the tax you are supposed to..... if not you pay more tax than you actually earn't / should do - MADNESS.
Anyway Clare and I had a very productive couple of hours in Moutiers, came back to Bourg and Clare did a MASSIVE food shop..... whilst I went and got a new dongle thing for our chalet and I bought some supplies from the DIY shop that I need to sort in our chalet apartment tomorrow - like put a new door handle on etc.
By the time we got back home it was already mid pm but the sun was shining so things could be worse. I then spent the next couple of hours fiddling and re-wiring our thermostat which has gone a bit weird and finally sat down for a break - phew!
So it was really cold today - never got warmer than about -5C in town in the mid PM sun so it will be a cold night ahead - thank goodness the thermostat now seems to be working!
Not much else seems to be happening apart from more of the frantic dashing around everyone is doing before Saturday..... Super U was overflowing with UK chalet companies stocking up for the Winter..... not long now!
I think that is about all my news from today.
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Steve Angus, My head hurts after reading that...well TBH I never got to the end of the paragraph 
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FAQ
