 Poster: A snowHead
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Were on
Its hard to believe that within a few short days people should be standing here with skis on their feet - ummmmm perhaps not. However as expected the opening is on for the weekend - could be a very small selection to chose from but they are really hoping that is temps do drop and with a little top up from mother nature that perhaps the top of Solaise might open too!
Anyway today was all about a punchy retour blowing and temps even at day break were above 0.... the clouds in the sky were not too severe for the most part but temps remain way too high for this time of the year - it could plummet later in the week though which would be welcome.
First thing this am was to help a friend out who with car problems and give her a kick start and then after that Clare went to do some cleaning for Mountain Rooms and Chalets and I was finishing the install of the electric towel rail before picking up my Vie Val Dis card (basically a locals discount card for the shops (typically about 10%)). After lunch I moved onto another property and changed the heating element in a oil radiator and started the prep work to paint a bathroom.... more of that tomorrow.
And that brings you up to date.
TTFN
P.S. Old Fartbag - I was just chatting to Woody the other day about him and as far as we both knew he would be back but perhaps not!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Steve Angus wrote: |
P.S. Old Fartbag - I was just chatting to Woody the other day about him and as far as we both knew he would be back but perhaps not! |
Cheers.
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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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@Steve Angus, congratulations on the 10th anniversary of launching this thread!
It’s been a consistently informative and entertaining read, appreciated by many snowHeads.
Thanks for all the thought and effort you’ve put into it and here’s to the next decade 
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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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| PeakyB wrote: |
| @Steve Angus, congratulations on the 10th anniversary of launching this thread! |
Ten years? Good grief, where do that time go?
Congrats Steve, a good effort keeping it going.
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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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That looks like a press release from 19/20!
Opening weekend is currently as follows:
Val D: Pisaillas & Bellevarde (Runs from top of Olympique to bottom of Marmottes)
Tignes: Grande Motte, Bollin & Rosset
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bug yes didn't spot that , useless that they stuck that up , was surprised the val/tignes link was open .
Still enough to play on for the week and snow forecast next week so we should have an OK time.
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PeakyB[b] and [b]rob@rar - well THANKS ever so much indeed. I had forgotten that this would be the 10th year of this blog / thread! You guys are on it.
WHAT I REALLY SHOULD BE SAYING IS THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO READS / COMMENTS AND GETS INVOLVED AND MAINLY GIVES ME THE MOTIVATION TO KEEP GOING. THANK YOU EVERYONE.
harvsurrey and valdorange - yes it is basically going to be those lift / piste openings.... interestingly the Bellevarde stuff opening up - that is welcome as it will not only take physical pressure off the Fornet in terms of footfall but its mainly the access being much easier up and down.... yippee
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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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@Steve Angus,
Yep Belvard is good as I am supposed to be meeting friends who are driving out Friday with new beds for their place .
Beers in Cafe Face Saturday night ( I know it's not called that now ) as they have a place in Santons apartments behind Dicks.
If you fancy a coffee or a beer if it's a quiet week for you it would be good to catch up
I think we have only actually said hello once in person on the bus !
And keep on with the Blog , it's an inspiration and gives me a little bit of mountain life during the season .
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@Steve Angus, congratulations on a decade of this thread  and thank you from me too, for years of useful info and interesting updates from you!
Was glad to see a little more than just the glaciers open, for a bit of variation and to at least spread out some of the demand.
Do you have any idea how long after a good snowfall (fingers crossed) it then takes for preparation of the Tignes Val D link?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Well I certainly won't be heading anywhere other than the marked pistes....
With temps looking to fall and some snow coming in it could be quite an opening weekend weather wise in terms of a shock to the system however sticking well and truly to the pistes is a must as the coverage is thin to put it mildly!
Today was an interesting day as I was once again down helping my neighbour with her car - after deducing a few things and ruling a few things out I calculated that it probably needed some expert diagnosis as to what was draining the battery so my friend Scott at the Val Garage took a very quick look at it and worked out that there is a rogue fan - so he disconnected it.
Anyway after sorting that all out I got back up into town to start the painting work needed to do. So that keep me out of trouble for a few hours before heading home for lunch! I had the honour of actually being able to get a parking spot on the main high street in the free spaces there. The honour!!!!!!
Anyway Ben was off with a friend for lunch so it was just Olivia, Clare and I for lunch before she was off in the car to do some activities at the library! I headed back on foot into town to get some more work done.
Ben seems to be getting into the idea of space at the moment therefore we finally got the opportunity to see the ISS come overhead this evening - well it might have been an aeroplane in the end but I did some research on where and when it might come overhead as well as making sure the weather and cloud cover and timing as far as the kids bedtime would all marry up! Anyway we got a view of what the kids were happy to think was the ISS so they were very happy! I dont quite know what Ben was expecting to see but quite probably a massive rocket flying past the window with the astronaughts waving out the window at him - bless! Anyway a nice end to the day.
Tomorrow I am sorting out my seasonal car parking first thing in the am and then its back on the DIY work... not sure what the next project will be but we shall see!
TTFN
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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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| harvsurrey wrote: |
@Steve Angus,
Yep Belvard is good as I am supposed to be meeting friends who are driving out Friday with new beds for their place .
Beers in Cafe Face Saturday night ( I know it's not called that now ) as they have a place in Santons apartments behind Dicks.
If you fancy a coffee or a beer if it's a quiet week for you it would be good to catch up
I think we have only actually said hello once in person on the bus !
And keep on with the Blog , it's an inspiration and gives me a little bit of mountain life during the season . |
Coolio.... Im not actually sure its going to be a quiet week next week as I'm supposed to be teaching every morning and doing some DIY in the pms I think! We shall see!
And thanks.
I think this Santons apartment you are talking about - Clare has been cleaning it... in the basement and just been renovated! Hmmmmmmm a few sewage issues if its the same one!!!! Small world!
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| valdorange wrote: |
@Steve Angus, congratulations on a decade of this thread and thank you from me too, for years of useful info and interesting updates from you!
Was glad to see a little more than just the glaciers open, for a bit of variation and to at least spread out some of the demand.
Do you have any idea how long after a good snowfall (fingers crossed) it then takes for preparation of the Tignes Val D link? |
No worries - thanks.
To answer your question.... assuming it comes hard and fast after the limit of the ski area at the moment is the marmots lift then probably 2 clear days.... probably something like that to piste and set up the signage and make sure the staff are in place to manage the opening (pisteurs and lifties) and then actually opening - something like that.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Steve Angus, Thanks for the pictures.
Looks like I’ll use the old skis at the weekend.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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@Dr John, You are on it!! Thanks. Interesting that switching on the EN translation links to last year's update, I had to use google translate.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Steve Angus,
There's an App "ISS Detector" for tracking the ISS.
An APP for star gazing is "Stellarium".
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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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| muppet wrote: |
@Steve Angus, Thanks for the pictures.
Looks like I’ll use the old skis at the weekend. |
Haha indeed.... are you arriving this weekend then?
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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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Yea it won't happen the other sectors - just the main drags to bottom of Marmottes as well the glacier (if you can be bothered to get all the way up there for the amazing snow thats up there - more on that in a moment!
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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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| welshflyer wrote: |
@Steve Angus,
There's an App "ISS Detector" for tracking the ISS.
An APP for star gazing is "Stellarium". |
Awesome good to know..... the space theme is obviously sticking with them as they wanted to watch YouTube vids this evening of space shuttle launches! Thanks
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Steve Angus,
I'm not sure you can see it in Val D because it is a bit low in the sky but the bright point of light in the south east is Jupiter, the largest planet in the Milky Way (our solar system).
Besides watching space launches are you getting into star gazing?
The ISS zips across the sky very quickly, it travels around the earth in 90 minutes.
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Ah French inefficiency at its best!
Today was always going to be an interesting day with Olivia off school because her teacher needed to go in for a pre-op something or other and they could not find a replacement! Anyway the day started as normal apart from that but Ben was sad going on the school bus by himself - or was that sad because he watches his sister NOT having to get on the school bus - who knows! Anyways no sooner had that happened but we had to get sorted to get into town as Clare had her cleaning to get on with and I had another long list of DIY jobs to crack on with. Ironically we both ended up at the same place for the first wee while this am before heading our separate ways after that. Olivia had a massive pile of books, puzzles, and goodness knows what else to keep her company throughout the day.
The 'fun' if you want to call it that started about 0915 when I had to head to the SAGS main office in the Parking de Centre to sort out my seasonal parking. Bearing in mind you complete online inscriptions etc and with the COVID situation they wanted people to book 15 min slots to come and sort their paperwork... As I needed to change the registered number plate from my UK to French number plate that has changed since Winter 2019/20. Anyway I arrived with my rucksack full of paperwork ready to roll (there is one thing you learn very quickly in France - that is that everything is accompanied by ridiculous and ludicrous amounts of pointless red tape and time (and tree) wasting bureaucracy for no apparent reason!) on time.
Cutting a long story short the 4 guys working in there were all looking at each other as there was about 5 people already there for the 0930-0945 slot... and it was a bit of a case of dummer and summer going on! See guy A to sort out this and then guy B for something else but guy B didnt know what guy A was doing and repeated the previous step.... anyway it took an age and that was even before the printer got a huge jam and said 4 guys spent 15 mins reassembling the printer! Doh.
What really got me was that they knew this massive admin day was coming!!
I finally got out the door about 1015 an hour after I got there and by this time the queue was SOOOOOO long I dread to think how tailed back they will have been by the end of the day! I suspect there will still be people queuing in May just as the season finishes up! Doh!
Anyway after that stressful hour I managed to get back in the swing of things and finished off some more jobs on the list and I am now 2/3 the way through the list for another apartment which I will finish hopefully!
On Saturday we are excited as a family to be heading out for a ski together (on real slopes with real lifts!)... we are going up Bellevarde thats for sure. Could take a long time to get going in the am on Saturday as so out of practice but we will get there. A slap up lunch at the Marmottes on Saturday will be very welcome.... looking forward to it.
Elsewhere there was this big update from the French government today re the evolving heath situation in France COVID wise and in a nutshell this is what I believe the new situation is going forward (I believe that this will apply for residents / nationals AS WELL AS visitors but I dont know for certain):
1) because in France the recommended gap between jab 2 and 3 has now been dropped to 5 months as opposed to 6 months it means a 3rd jab is now available to EVERYONE (assuming you have had 2 already of course OR (in France 1 if you have also had Covid before)). By the 15th January you need to have had your 3rd jab!
2) Pass sanitaires / QR codes etc will ONLY be valid after 15/1/22 if you have had 3 jabs by that date so you have 6 weeks to get jabbing assuming 5 months has passed since jab 2 - otherwise you have time leeway until the 5 months comes and goes and add on 6 weeks on top.
3) For those unvaccinated from NOW it seems that testing needs to take place every 24 hours .... need to double check that that is the case but either way come 15/1 it will def be needed!
So I have just spent an hour utilising the automated queuing system on the french doctolib.fr website to actually be able to log on and finally managed to get my booster booked in for the afternoon of the 16/12 - yay!
TTFN - as you can imagine the knock on consequences of a change in positioning is causing quite a few knock on effects already in terms of bookings / colleagues as well as Clare trying to get her booster locked in for a similar time to me that afternoon! EEEK - I'm sure there will be fall out tomorrow on this.
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BTW that photo above was courtesy of a guide at the Val Bureau des Guides - taken yesterday but could have been taken today as the snow never arrived today!.
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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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| welshflyer wrote: |
@Steve Angus,
I'm not sure you can see it in Val D because it is a bit low in the sky but the bright point of light in the south east is Jupiter, the largest planet in the Milky Way (our solar system).
Besides watching space launches are you getting into star gazing?
The ISS zips across the sky very quickly, it travels around the earth in 90 minutes. |
It certainly does.... i wouldnt say I'm into star gazing but I am fascinated by the stars when looking up yes! Ill see if I can see Jupiter when the cloudless nights re-appear - thanks
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Hi! So it means that with 2 jabs you can still come till 15th of january, if the 2nd one is now more than 5 months ago? all those rules, different by country, what a mess it will be...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Steve Angus wrote: |
| muppet wrote: |
@Steve Angus, Thanks for the pictures.
Looks like I’ll use the old skis at the weekend. |
Haha indeed.... are you arriving this weekend then? |
We have arrived via a stop in Bourg for a hu.ski food collection. The first time trying the new products and the Chicken Savoyard was excellent.
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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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| bart_bdv wrote: |
| Hi! So it means that with 2 jabs you can still come till 15th of january, if the 2nd one is now more than 5 months ago? all those rules, different by country, what a mess it will be... |
Yea it is a bit of a mess and rules changing - its a full time job trying to keep on top of it all isnt it!
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| muppet wrote: |
| Steve Angus wrote: |
| muppet wrote: |
@Steve Angus, Thanks for the pictures.
Looks like I’ll use the old skis at the weekend. |
Haha indeed.... are you arriving this weekend then? |
We have arrived via a stop in Bourg for a hu.ski food collection. The first time trying the new products and the Chicken Savoyard was excellent. |
Yea its good stuff - rather a different selection now they dont have Cook food eh but non the less still good. Anyway welcome back to town - locked and loaded for opening weekend. Excellent.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Steve Angus, someone, somewhere in the French government is saying a massive "told you so" about the crazy decision not to require a PS to purchase a lift pass. Without wishing to sound smug (and failing), we took a punt and logged on at 10.30 yesterday to book a 3rd jab, got a slot for next Wednesday.
Will make a decision Saturday morning about where to ski. With MM open the idea of a few top to bottoms in Tignes is quite appealing, instead of lapping marmots 100 time or schlepping up to Pissaillas
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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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| Steve Angus wrote: |
1) because in France the recommended gap between jab 2 and 3 has now been dropped to 5 months as opposed to 6 months it means a 3rd jab is now available to EVERYONE (assuming you have had 2 already of course OR (in France 1 if you have also had Covid before)). By the 15th January you need to have had your 3rd jab!
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Hmm this could screw my holiday for the 15th Jan. I don't qualify for the 3rd until 30th of Dec (UK not allowing jabs before 6 months only booking). Anyone know how long it takes for your 3rd jab to be valid? Hopefully the UK will relax the rule to allow earlier jabs
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Steve Angus, appreciate that you're not here as a resident vaccines guru, but here goes....
We're not heading to Val D, but to Meribel. Arrive 14th January 2022.
Girlfriend (31), double jabbed, quite early as she works for the Police and bagged an early slot. First jab around February, second around May. Contracted and recovered from Covid in October.
Myself (31), double jabbed, first jab June, second jab August.
It'll be 5 months + 1 week from my second jab when we arrive, and it'll be about 3 months after recovery for the girlfriend.
From your knowledge, does that mean we will be ok or not for a pass sanitaire? Very tempted to cancel our Airbnb and head somewhere in Switzerland instead. (assuming we're ok to enter there, need to check regs)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Rob_Quads,
It takes 2 weeks for the jab to be fully effective.
I'm not sure if the French insist on the 2 weeks since the booster.
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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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@Rob_Quads, the booster appears in your NHS app within days, or even hours. My booster was 15th and last week I downloaded the TAC Verif app and it was happy with the QR code, so I suspect there isn’t a built in delay in the verification process - as long as you have the QR code and it hasn’t expired then I’m expecting it to be valid in France.
I’m watching the covid case trajectory in Switzerland with interest as it’s getting quite steep though several weeks behind Austria. (Apologies Steve for being off topic - or at least, crossing borders)
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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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Great thanks - sounds like I should be OK - as you say its when the QR code is there as what counts specifically here.
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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 can go to get a booster on a walk in basis in lots of towns even if you are outside the current age ranges and on the 5 month mark.
Several friends who work in the NHS but are not frontline have done this as they were not offered the early booster .
Plus I know people who are not deemed to have been on the early jab to have gone and got boosters
It's pretty easy if at 5 months
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Dr John wrote: |
@Steve Angus, someone, somewhere in the French government is saying a massive "told you so" about the crazy decision not to require a PS to purchase a lift pass. Without wishing to sound smug (and failing), we took a punt and logged on at 10.30 yesterday to book a 3rd jab, got a slot for next Wednesday.
Will make a decision Saturday morning about where to ski. With MM open the idea of a few top to bottoms in Tignes is quite appealing, instead of lapping marmots 100 time or schlepping up to Pissaillas |
Indeed.... you got in there before it got mega busy thats for sure last night! 1.2 million bookings apparently yesterday!
Yea I think MM sounds like a good plan - were heading up Bellevarde side especially as I hear the funi will be open.
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Rob_Quads / welshflyer - yea you should be fine to get jabbed asap in the new year and then it should be valid straight away I think.
motyl no problems - hope you are OK
swskier think you query has been addressed on another thread but you should be OK yes but your GF Im not sure the recovering part works or not in France - not sure sorry!
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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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@Steve Angus, it's great to read your daily updates again and I really hope that you, Clare and the little ones have the best of seasons. What's the feeling on the ground in terms of covid and restrictions. Do you think Macron will hold his nerve and ride it out?
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@Steve Angus, always great to hear the updates and see that the season is now underway. Slightly (possible understatement of the year) gutted not to be out there yet.
Let's hope we get a good season in, we (resorts and punters alike) could really do with one.
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FAQ
