 Poster: A snowHead
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Instead of dragging our tent to the windy west coast of France, this year we are thinking of heading to the mountains (Alpe D'Huez/LDA area possibly).
If we are close to the mountains, it may be a shame not to do a bit of skiing.
Is summer skiing worth doing? Obviously, the skiable area is quite small compared to winter but it would be nice to ski atop a glacier without your bits freezing off.
What are the lift and kit hire prices typically like? Same as summer or a bit cheaper? (nothing on the LDA website until March [for LDA, obviously]).
Apart from LDA, anywhere else in France or nearby for summer skiing?
Is it necessary to book kit etc.?
So many questions, so little clue (as usual....)
Cheers all.
Dobby
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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dobby, in all honesty in July early August in the Alps I would be loving hiking, climbing, cycling, enjoying the views, eating and drinking. If it suddenly snowed (and it does sometimes) then I might be tempted on the glacier (and I've had a real laugh skiing in 40cm fresh snow in August), but there are so many other things to enjoy in the mountains I'd be more tempted to build my summer holiday around them.
That's my take. I'm sure others will have other views.
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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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dobby, I'd agree with nozawaonsen. I've done summer glacier skiing in LDA (twice) and Tignes. Each time having really good tuition. I definitely wouldn't bother otherwise. There are loads of racers training, and there's not much space left. With lessons, you only need a couple of runs, but would be very limited for just hooning around.
The person who knows all about skiing in LDA in the summer is Charlotte Swift (easiski.com) and if you were interested in lessons, Charlotte would be ideal.
Would need to be sooner in the summer rather than later, weather-wise.
Camping in the Alps would be terrific - it's wonderful to be in the mountains in summer, and there's plenty to do.
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It would be rude not to 
Seriously though, pick a resort with lots to do (we went to Saas Fee last July, not done summer in France), and then if you get some fresh snow, head on up for a few hours, mostly to say you skied in July!
Good to check the opening times though before you go - glacier areas do close for months at a time, and when they open it is from early morning to early/mid afternoon, so don't have a heavy night just before!
I don't know if other areas are used for training, but Saas Fee was awash with champion skiers, making us punters feeel like err... punters 
Tignes has summer skiing, but I'm not sure if there's much else going on that time of year.
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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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dobby, I've done this in Zermatt when on a family walking holiday. Good fun for a morning but then preferred to get back to summer activities - too short a ski day and as others have said too many race teams strutting their stuff -and barging into lift queues.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I went to LDA for a few days last summer but didn't bother skiing. I think it starts about 7am and is quite expensive given how much is open. There is loads going on there, we did a fair bit of walking and some mountain biking too, My daughter even spent a morning sun bathing on the lake/beach when I went walking one day. I have skied in Tignes in October but tbh wouldn't do it again, the racing kids were a pita.
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Cheers, all. I had been warned about the race teams......Summer in the mountains looks good from biking, walking, scenery, kayaking point of view anyway. I'll keep an eye on the LDA website for prices etc. If we are thinking of heading to LDA, will try to book lesson with Charlotte of whom I have heard very good things. I can predict what she'll say now....Simon, you're crap and need to speed up...your wife can ski, though......
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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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Our family have summer skied many times at Tignes, LDA, Saas Fee, Verbier and even places in N America. Quite honestly its not worth it just for the skiing. We were mainly there when my sons were training for snowsports but otherwise its fairly limited and I would go walking. For lessons you would be cheaper in a British fridge. Go and enjoy the mountains on foot or bike.
We did go back to Tignes last summer with skimottaret but I won that one so it would have been rude not to go. Really enjoyed the Via Ferrata (thats me at the top in skimottaret's link above) and there are lots of activities on in Tignes in the summer as in other glacier resorts.
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mogulski, how are you ? I saw Simon in Meribel on the hill last week training some gappies
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Mike and Simon both working for New Gen in Meribel. Zoe will hopefully be joining them soon as she passed the Eurotest last week. We will be out there again later this month and again in March/April. Just back from Mayrhofen. Its a hard (ski) life as on OAP!
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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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Watching this thread with interest. It is my ambition to go skiing on my 50th birthday (got a few years yet!) which is late July, and I'd prefer somewhere other than the SnowDome! 
New Zealand or anything southern hemisphere is not an option.
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You know it makes sense.
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queen bodecia, Hintertux is just down the road from me! And Stubai is about an hour and a half away! I did the Kitzsteinhorn on my 60th. but that glacier is closed in July usually.
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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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I've been to L2A a few times (three I think) in the summer and had some good holidays. A mixture of morsing snowboarding then afternoons spent by the pool, white water ratfing, the high ropes course thing in the trees, canyoning etc etc etc Good location for an active holiday. You can camp down in Venosc which is quite pretty and easaly accessed via the cable car, not sure about camping in L2A itself but I'm sure you must be able to.
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Poster: A snowHead
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A mixture of morsing snowboarding then afternoons spent by the pool, white water ratfing, the high ropes course thing in the trees, canyoning etc etc etc
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when we did a ski camp in LDA we had visions of all that. But getting up early enough to be on the first lift up the mountain (fighting off the racers with easiski's help) then three hours pretty strenuous lessons meant that we would generally eat our sandwiches up the top (because it's glorious and means you don't have to fight the kids again) and then get down where it was very, very, warm, change into cooller clothes, have a few beers..... then possibly a short siesta before dinner.
We did go down to Venosc in the lift one day, and had a very enjoyable walk. Beautiful spot, but it was so hot that a few cold beers seemed vital....
So, not a lot of strenuous afternoon sport got done, I'm afraid.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Been to the mountains for summer hols in the last few years, but not skied.
If you like cycling (or maybe if you don't) going out when the Tour de France is on can be interesting, although it can also be a bit of a bunfight. There's always plenty to do regardless, last summer we froze (I nearly got hypothermia in the middle of a triathlon), but it's usually really warm, so you can veg out by a pool, or do active stuff like kat.ryb mentions.
Bourg d'Oisans tourist office have produced some guidebooks for cycling, road and mountain biking, some very strenuous routes, and some quite gentle ones. We love a morning on the toboggan run, even though the one at AdH nearly removed all my skin (I missed the sign which said "brake"  )
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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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Samerberg Sue, hmm, that sounds like an excellent plan!
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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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pam w, In fairness I was an energetic teenager at the time!
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FAQ
... yeah Simon was in the green jumpsuit 
