 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey! I'm due to head out there in 2 weeks and I was wondering what the conditions are like there at the minute? Im a bit worried after looking at the reports and the forecast. I cant seem to find much about the resort anywhere.  Thanks!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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jasmine20, worried in what way?
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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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jasmine20, even if there were any reason to be worried at the moment, it would have very little bearing on what conditions would be like in 2 weeks time.
if you do a search on Snowheads there's some information on Valmeinier/Valloire, all of it positive, IIRC.
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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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It just seems a bit warm and rain is forecast which surely can't be good? I was just curious as to what it's like there from someone there ATM or who has just come back.
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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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Weather is one of those things you can't control - so try not to fret too much. It's been very cold until now, and only forecast to be warmer for a few days. There's enough snow to cope with some warmer days, and a bit of rain does less damage than you might think. Even someone who's there right now couldn't tell you what it will be like in two weeks and you can be sure the resorts are doing their best to ensure good piste cover for those busy holiday weeks - it'll be fine.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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A quick look on http://www.snow-forecast.com , shows a good base so far and there saying 20Cm snow in the next 6 days with no mention of rain.
I went there a few years back and had a great time, preferred the runs on the Valloire side.
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Valmeinier is small, but there are other nearby areas to explore. I enjoyed Valloire, and we also went to Val Thorens for a day, as the snow cover was poor.
We stayed in the Hotel Aigle, think it was in about 1999!
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I stayed in the Aigle, with Snowcoach. Let's think - would have been about 95. It was very early (cheapest) January and we had 6 kids sharing the 6 bedded dorm room and getting all kinds of discounts - an excellent deal booked at the ski show. The snow wasn't great (nothing like as good as it is at the moment) but we had a good holiday and the older kids, all very competent, had a ball exploring all kinds of nooks and crannies in Valloire. I didn't much like the Aigle, I have to say - a "chalet hotel" seems to have none of the advantages of either a chalet or a hotel, but it was a very cheap holiday, and we got what we paid for. Valloire is a good resort.
The coach journey was very good - saved a packet and we got two extra days skiing.
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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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Yep, we went by coach, and I shared the dorm room (room 101 - it lived up to its name, it flooded!!) with about 5 other girls.
I was with a huge group of 40 people and we had a great time.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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jasmine20, I can't remember very well but there was nothing difficult in Valmeinier. I didn;t ski the whole of Valloire, by a long way.
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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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Ahh right I haven't been for 2 years so I'm a bit scared as I have never been there!
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@jasmine20, Conditions in Valmeinier are currently pretty nice! Having quite regular snowfall (about 15cms the past few days), and also quite a few days of sunshine too. With regards to runs, the Valmeinier side contains the easier of the runs, but as with every resort, the blues can get a bit bumpy near the end of the day. On the Valloire side there are more options in terms of difficulty, but again there are some fairly easy runs down. If you're looking to get a few hours of skiing done, the best thing to do is to head to the Valloire side, a much greater variety over there! Any more questions, do feel free to ask.
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You know it makes sense.
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Thank you !  I really appreciate the information.
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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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Heading out to Valmeinier for a few days at half term (2014). Any idea how busy it is usually at half term?
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Poster: A snowHead
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hammerite, it'll be busy, because it's French holidays too (Paris) but somebody there at half term last year reported it wasn't too bad. Best thing is to have an early start, then an early break/lunch before 12, then ski through the lunch time.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hope you have a good time!
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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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hammerite, we did Valmeinier at half term about 5 years ago I guess it must have been. It was busy, but not silly. Longest lift queue I can remember was about 10 minutes, but due to its position as a resort for French families, once you get 2 lifts away from the front de neige, it's ok. At least, that was my experience. Good little resort(s). Underrated. Enjoy!
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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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Thanks all. I knew it would be busy being during French hols, but Mr Pieholeo and pam w, have said what I want to hear don't mind queuing for the first lift or so as long as it thins out eventually.
Never been at Half Term before, preferring Christmas/New Year and Easter. But this has been a strange winter so far and we're squeezing in what we can!
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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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Mr Pieholeo and pam w, have said what I want to hear
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I think the person I remember saying that it wasn't too bad WAS Mr Pieholeo so you still only have one opinion. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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hammerite, I also remember there was a bit of a bottleneck at the 2-way linking chairlift between Valloire and Valmeinier. Don't know if that has been alleviated since.
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Mr Pieholeo, looks perfect to me! Thanks for posting these up.
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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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As you can see, especially from the second one, a typical horrendous rammed-to-the-gills half term in France. You'd be much better off in Austria or Italy, have you considered Easter instead blah blah blah etc.
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Mr Pieholeo,
Hopefully we'll be going away at Easter too!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Would be very interested to see a TR after you get back. I've only been just that once, but I was very fond of the place, and considered it a bit of a half-term victory!
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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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Will try to report as soon as I can.
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Well you asked for a report..... Two days in and we had a day of very little visibility yesterday (in the cloud above about 2000m), we only queued for one lift all day. Today was bright blue skies. First 2 lifts we queued for about 5 mins, then nothing after that until about 3pm when we had to get 2 lifts at pinch points, had to wait about 10 mins. Very busy getting back in to Valmeinier but fine otherwise. Earlier in the day we spent about 5 mins on a lift which had 3 runs criss crossing underneath and we didn't see a skier on any of them.
Quite impressed really.
Nice little ski area. Yesterday we just did all the Valmeinier runs, today we headed over to the Galibier and skied down to Verneys, Moulin Benjamin and Valloire (Setaz). Will see what the weather is like tomorrow before deciding where we go, current forecast is for snow and cloud so we'll probably head over to Valloire as there are more runs to go at lower down.
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You know it makes sense.
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Even more impressed today, we managed to see all of 4 people on one 5km run. Haven't queued for a lift all day.
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FAQ
Any information about anything would be much appreciated as I too am going with Snowcoach. 
