Le Lac or Val Claret ?

A snowHead

Which would be the better base for easy access to/from the slopes at lunchtime ? Going first week of April and will particularly be seeking out easy reds and bumps as that’s what my kids are most into at the moment. Le Lac appeals with more to do after skiing but seems harder to find decent places in 500ish euro price range than at Val Claret (maybe I’m just looking at the wrong websites ?) Will have hire car and a very early morning return to Geneva so underground parking nearby would be a major bonus, as would a boulangerie. Any pointers most appreciated, along with recommendations of apartment blocks to seek out or avoid.

A snowHead

Hi there. Both Val Claret and Le Lac have pretty easy access to the slopes and would cater for everything you need it seems. Le Lac's access is all from the centre of the town (Aeroski and Palafour lifts) while Val Claret is spread over two levels and has 4 lifts going from the Grand Motte area and then Tuffs lift from the higher town level.

Val Claret tends to have more cheap self-catering accommodation than Le Lac so that may be the key decision maker? Boulangeries can be found in both towns.

Both have underground parking - but the Le Lac car park tends to fill up quickly, and the Val Claret one can be a short walk depending on where you are staying.

Hope that helps?

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Lac better if you have altitude sleep problems, Claret has better quick lunch stops. Claret has always been cheaper than Lac and Lavachette cheaper still for accom..

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Thanks for replies. Now that you mention it I have tended to sleep better in lower altitude accommodation. Will carry on searching for Le Lac...

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Cynic, Are you referring to general level of noise in VC as opposed to altitude. There's less than 50 m differenec between the 2 villages.

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chocksaway, Altitude difference, Claret is above the magic number and will affect sleep I assure you more than Lac.

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Cynic, I'm intrigued.........

After all it is free

I have never stayed in Val Claret, but stayed 3 times in Le Lac. The last two were at Chalet Planton (Now I believe owned by Village Montana). They are very good multi room family apartments with the option of being catered. They are ski in and ski out and importantly for you have their own free covered parking.

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Tigski, 3, that's the magic number

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Tigski, You will have to ask Chewbacca I did do the research on all resort heights once but cannot remember the figures, but from experience and having a ski instructor partner HMS sensitive: Val d' OK, Lac borderline, Claret over, Les Menuires over, Val T over, Copper well over, Vail well over, Beaver Creek well over, Breckenridge super over. But if you take it easy for two days to acclimatise and don't drink very much alcohol for three days as they recommend in the states you should be OK; but who the fu+k wants to do that on a weeks thrash, stay in Lac if you are sensitive to altitude when you sleep.

As Colorado has just legalised the occasional spliff everyone should now be relaxed not just the tray boys and drift off in a cloud of hash smoke ahhhh.

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Cynic, Whilst there may be a magic number bandied around - this, like many rules of thumb, trivialises the science. Lets just say the magic number is 2100m then this will help AMS sufferers choose a resort - lets say you wanted to go to the 3V then clearly you would choose Meribel at 1450m rather than Val T at 2200m (all other things being equal).

However to suggest this magic number is somehow a cut off and there would be a significant difference between Lac and VC is wrong.

Its now going to get a bit scientific - you have been warned. Twisted Evil

Any altitude sickness is caused not by the physical altitude (ie measured with a ruler/theodolite/GPS) but the drop in atmospheric pressure (or pressure altitude) - which results in an equivalent drop in oxygen levels - the ultimate reason why airliners don't have windows that open and are pressurised to about 1500m. Other constituents also drop which is why your washing drys much quicker!

Simplifying slightly (with rounding) an ascent of 9 metres results in a drop of pressure of 1 millibar. So given a mean world sea level pressure of 1013mb (as defined by ICAO) the main Tignes resorts are at the following altitudes and pressure altitudes:

Les Brev 1550 metres 841mb
Les Boisses 1800 metres 813 mb
Le Lac 2095 metres 781mb
VC 2115 metres 778mb

So a negligble difference between Lac and VC (much less than 1% which your body is not going to notice). However, the rest of your scale is correct - especially Breckenridge when you come out of the Brewery (it is at a similar altitude to the top of the Tignes Funi)

You can also throw on top of this the sea level pressure of the day which often drops to 980mb at which point the pressure altitudes become

Brev 808mb
Boisses 780mb
Lac 748mb
VC 745 mb

So now you would have the same physiological effects in Boisses as you had in Lac on a 'standard' day. Of course this works in reverse - if you suffer then book a high pressure week as it will help (and the sun is more likely to be shining) snowHead

Acclimatisation of course helps as your body creates more red blood cells (which is why athletes train at altitude) for this you need iron - watercress being a good source (or a decent steak).

Tigski, Best you sell your top floor des res as it puts you as high as VC!

chocksaway,

You know it makes sense.

chocksaway, I have been in Tignes many many times, if I have been given a mini box high in the S/C apartment blocks in Claret, I cannot sleep, next day I sleep in Lac I can, and it reverts when I go back to the box in Claret next day. I do wobble a bit at the top of the Motte mate cable car so perhaps I am the sensitive type. By day 3 it is OK.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

There will be no difference staying between VC and Le Lac as far as altitude effects, the prevailing atmospheric pressure will have a greater difference as will which floor of a high rise you are staying on.

A snowHead

And I believed Dr John! Or was that the number of buses between the two after 7pm.

CYNIC. I didn't realise there were any sensitive types on here, apart from me of course. Tends to be dehydration that disturbs my sleep in the first few days. I also wobble occasionally early season on the Motte, mainly in poor light though.

Back to the OP. Both Lac and VC offer good access to the pistes at all times of the day compared to most other resorts, so you would be fine in either. Obviously some buildings can have a bit more of a walk. If in doubt someone on here will be able to advise on location.

Hitting the road to Luton now for a morning flight. See some off you in Le Lac tomorrow night.

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Cynic, what a lot of cobblers. I don't doubt that some people suffer from altitude sleep issue, but 50m out of 2000? Give me a break.

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Dr John, That would be just John then

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Cynic, Dr John, Uncle T Bar, and all: if we were being properly scientific then we would be quoting references rather than something we heard last week down the pub.
A good place to start is Google. Try "Altitude Sickness and Magic Number". Among the dross you will find at least 2 useful hits.
First: http://voices.yahoo.com/retiring-mexico-think-high-altitude-sickness-591373.html?cat=70 which does actually use the term Magic Number in relation to Acute Mountain Sickness, namely 8000ft, or 2438.4 metres. The author offers no references for this.
Second: http://www.altitude.org/altitude_sickness.php. This suggests the danger zone starts at 2500 metres (very close to the previous article). There is a reference. It also points out that the effective altitude in most commercial aircraft is 2500 metres.

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Jonpim, Has it been peer reviewed? Sorry thought I was at work for a moment.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

What happens if you have an appartment on the ground floor in Val Claret or a top floor appartment in Le Lac!! Does it make any difference?

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Yeah - about €50,000 Laughing

Help!!

Le Lac or Val Claret ?

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