 Poster: A snowHead
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Website snow365.com is reporting that the first snowdome in France will open at Amneville on 30 November. At 500m in length, with 90m vertical, this is reckoned to be the third longest in the world, with the highest pitch. This is snow365's news release in full:
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The long planned indoor snow centre in the former steel town of Amneville in North Eastern France, close to the Belgian Border, will open on November 30th, according to the local tourist office, at a cost of some 15 million Euros.
At the top of the hill, on the side of which the dome has been built there is a thermal complex and reportedly wonderful views as far as Metz cathedral. Earth clearing works began in 2002 but appeared to have ground to a halt with no fresh news since November of that year until the sudden announcement that the domes is soon to open. The centre’s website at www.indoor-ski-amneville.com remains as dormant as it has looked for three years.
The new slope is the world’s third longest at 500m, and is 34m wide. The 80m vertical is believed to be the greatest yet indoors in the world.
The interior temperature is to be maintained at –4 degrees Celcius with more than 90km (55 miles) of hosing installed to deliver the snowmaking system which (If still working to plans announced in 2002) will employ liquid nitrogen in snow production. The permanent snow depth will be 40cm, uplift is provided by two button tows.
Snowboarders will have a special section with terrain features and there will also be a children’s ski play area.
If it does open on 30th November, the Amneville Centre will open two days before the probable opening of Ski Dubai, currently looking likely to be Dubai’s national day, 2 December. |
Snowdome information from Amneville tourist office: Click here.
Location of Amneville: map.
Amneville Ski Indoor website: click here. [not much content yet]
Discussion about this project on skipass.com website: click here.
If anyone can check this place out, reports would be most welcome!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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How do you measure these things to rank them? The first link gives the elevation as 90m but the quote above gives 80m. Dubai's is 85m high (very similar to the new French one), 400m long (therefore steeper) and >=50m wide (skiable area - total is up to 80m wide 'cos they've got half pipes and toboggan runs etc... ) including a big bend part way down. Now I make that as near as makes no difference the same vertical, defo steeper for at least part of the slope, as well as very much wider so in my simple way of looking at things the Dubai one is 'bigger and better' and the new French one should be ranked 4th. Still a pretty big beast. Wonder how it was funded?
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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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kuwait_ian, but Dubai's not open yet, the frog one may hold the lead for a day or two over Dubai if they both open when currently forecast
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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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Could be a good stop off point for anyone driving to the alps this winter.
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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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D G Orf, bit like buses - never one when you need one then 2 come along 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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What about when you're waiting at a bus stop and this happens?
[temporary irrelevance, pending arrival of further snowdomes]
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Formation Piste Bashing - NICE !!!!
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David Goldsmith ah ha. Now I know what a basher-school looks like.... 
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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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My son is working in Dubai and has heard that their snow dome is opening tomorrow! This wasn't official but from one of the construction team who he met in a lift 
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Sue, given that the official website of the dome - http://www.skidubai.ae - still gives no opening date I'd guess that they're going to do some test-running of the lifts and runs. I think the official position is that it won't be open to paying customers until early December.
In the meantime, if your son can possibly get inside and ski it, it would be tremendously interesting to get his first-hand report.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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French snowdome?! What's next, Saudi Arabian indoor desert?
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