 Poster: A snowHead
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I notice that many high resorts open in early November? Is this realistic or does it take until late December for a decent depth to accumulate?
When typically is the first decent snowfall in France , Austria and Switzerland?
I have loads of holiday waiting to be used before 31/12/05!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The resorts which open in November (or October) are those which have a glacier and can offer more or less year-round skiing. High altitude resorts without a glacier tend to open in the first week of December at the earliest, and a combination of altitude and artificial snow-making capacity should come close to guaranteeing at least some skiing.
If you have holiday that you are looking to use up, why not wait until early December and see where has the best snow and pick up a last minute booking. That early in the season you won't have any trouble finding accommodation or a package tour. Alternatively choose a resort with a glacieri f you want to maximise your chance of having skiing available.
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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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micksup, Tignes is usually one the first to open in mid-Nov. In our resort, La Rosiere there's usually enough snow to close the Col de Petit San Bernardo, the road to Italy, by late October with the first really heavy storms kicking off in November, although we need at least 40cms snow depth before the piste bashers can go to work. Our official opening date is 10th Dec and La Thuile on the Italian side is scheduled to open 25th Nov.
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rob@rar.org.uk, thanks. That is what I intend to do, I will get myself down to somewhere like Moûtiers and get an onward connection from there. For rooms I guess its best to do this via the local Tourist Information Office?
However is Moûtiers the best gateway (by rail from Paris) or would Annecy be a better stop?
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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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micksup, The 3V resorts usually open later than the Tarentaise resorts, Val Thorens being the the exception, IMO Bourg St Maurice would be a better option. All the resorts near to Annecy are quite low but it is a very pretty town.
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Mon 19-09-05 11:17; edited 1 time in total
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micksup, Bourg St Maurice, a little further up the line from Moutiers, puts you closer to Les Arcs, La Plagne, La Rosiere, St Foy, Val d'Isere and Tignes (with its glacier). There are bus services to some (all) those resorts from BSM station (for the most convenience the Les Arcs funicular is a short walk from the BSM railway station, and takes you directly to Arc 1600 in just 10 minutes).
All these resorts have central booking agencies available via their websites.
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St Anton opens in November but normally thsi is just the Galzigbahn & the lifts in St Christoph.
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micksup, if you do decide on La Plagne the best station is actually Aime (more or less at the bottom of the 'hill') and if you go for the Peisey Vallandry end of Les Arcs the closest station is Landry. Otherwise Rob's advice is sound.
Local trains from Chambery to BSM certainly stop everywhere. Not sure about the snowtrains or the TGV.
Last edited by After all it is free  on Mon 19-09-05 15:32; edited 1 time in total
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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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Why not head across the pond. Sunshine in Alberta open mid November.
I skied there last year on 29th Nov. All lifts were open with a base of over 1.5 m 100% Natural Snow
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micksup, If Austria is a choice then Obergurgl in the Oetz valley opens at the end of November. The next village down the valley Solden also has a year round glacier for insurance!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Ischgl usually opens with a bit of a party on the last weekend of November.
Hintertux is open all year round and should have quite a bit open by late November/December.
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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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Thanks everyone so far. Where I go has to be reachable from Paris thanks to the Tesco voucher offer on Eurostar services!! All the French suggestions seem to be possible within a day.
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Moutier for the 3V, Aime for LP and BSM for Les Arc, Les Rosiere and Tignes/Val D.
TGV from Paris to Moutier is around 4 hrs so watch for the latest departure from Paris.
St Gervais is good for Chamonix and the like, the local train takes about an hr to get up the valley, I seem to remember.
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You know it makes sense.
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Would I be wiser to get train to Chambery or Geneva and then hire a car or get a bus from there? The connections to the smaller stations are less frequent and reduce ski time etc.
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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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micksup, no, the TGV only goes to Lyon, from them on it only runs at the speed of the normal trains. So Chambery makes no difference you'd have to cahnge there anyway, why go to Geneva? It won't get you any closer to the ski resorts, if you want to hire a car you'd be better off doing from Lyon, the TGV station is next to St Expury- lyon airport.
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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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micksup,
Some years the southern french resorts get much better early snow than the northern one's. If that is true this year you can get the TGV down to Oulx which is very close to Montgenevre which usually opens early and is cheap as well.
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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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Allowing for enough snowfalls, Montgenevre opens 1st week of November, has limited lifts open and only at weekends.
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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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Over the past week there are 6-9 runs open in Zermatt at the moment.
http://bergbahnen.zermatt.ch/e/bahnen/kleinmatterhorn.html
The freezing level is "down" at 3000m - given that the top lift is 3899m, gives almsot 900m of potential vertical. Although the webcams and open lifts suggest the snow is patchy beneth 3300m, on some of the days in the last week it's been possible to ski down to Trockener Steg at 3000m
By late Nov all three ski areas are open. Am heading there for long weekend in mid-Decembe 
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