No doubt Chris will be updating you on the Tarentaise shortly but as of this moment, the snow is falling heavily again just as it did last weekend. So the pistes are remaing in good condition with virtually everything open in the Grande Domaine. We tried the black Riondet yesterday which is not always available. I’d forgotten how much poling was required to get to the lift and once there it was scarier than I’d remembered for two OAPs, one with a metal strut in his thigh. (Courtesy of the hospital in St Jean de Maurienne five years ago.) But we did it - eventually. Don’t forget French half term begins today and lasts for three weeks.
Rose in Doucy Combelouviere/Valmorel
Thanks Rose - pretty much perfect skiing right now. Good point about the school hols - the busy period begins! It’s the time I usually avoid France, I’m afraid - although I’m sure there are smaller resorts with fewer crowds. Chris’s day in Ste-Foy for one! Sounded brill.
After another lovely sunny (but cold) weekend the pistes here in Valmorel are still in excellent condition. It is obviously much busier than it has been and we had to queue for all of four minutes to get on the Madeleine chair today (for some reason the Grande Combe chair which duplicates the Madeleine has been out of service all season) but we still managed to have a good tour of the pistes. Splendid in the sun but freeze-your-face-off if you do anything at speed. Joy is unconfined at two French gold medals too.
Sounds brill - if rather chilly! Worst I’ve been in in Europe was minus 40 with windchill in Zermatt two years ago - boy that was bad on the glacier! I don’t think I’ve ever worn so many layers either.
Thanks for keeping us posted.
PS. If you do take any pics that illustrate the slopes mid-Feb, please do send them in.
It’s peak season, and we want to hear about the snow .... if you’re off to the slopes shortly, please do email me a quick line or two on conditions, resort news or whatever - preferably some fabulously juicy snow pics too.
Hi Rose - just a thought, but would you be able to supply any prices for eating / drinking on the mountain for us? We’re revising our big resort price survey and would like to fill in the gaps too - prices from Valmorel would be really useful, particularly if you can list the establishment name too.
Dear Wendy,
I have already sent one small item to the price review link but as we live here, we very raraely eat out on the mountain or even in the village. However, I will try to keep a look out as we go by some of the others.
We have been out this p.m. Beautiful sunshine but very cold, unusually for this time of year but hey, it is keeping the snow crisp so we can’t really complain.
Rose
Hi Wendy, I am back in Montgenevre next week so will post info on snow conditions then, my contact in resort tells me conditions are wonderful with fresh snow every few days at least since Xmas, I guess weather will be turning a little spring like soon but great snow depths at present. Also where should I send the info for Puy St Vincent that you asked me for as we are there during the Easter school hols. Incidentally we are doing a real budget trip with tesco vouchers for Euro-tunnel, then driving down to resort, free lift passes for children under 12 for the week we are there, apartment directly from the owners on-line so this may be of interest for you for an article. sorry to use this post to ask these questions. Adrian
Yes, please do send the snow report. Great thanks.
You can email your information to me, and I’ll make sure it is included on our files. Alterntively, if you want to submit a detailed review, please use our forms - found in the Reporting section of this site (see home page, top).
Yes, would like to hear about your experiences on the budget trip - then we might be able to knock up a featurette here.
Hi wendy, we are out in Puy St Vincent for 7 days and have had a mixed bag of weather so far, sat was really warm with hard conditions early and really soft later. Sunday late afternoon it started snowing and this went on for 36 hours, not heavy but plenty to really refresh the base. Today, Tuesday has been excellent with fresh snow cover and not too hot, a great day for all for the time of year. Tomorrow going to Montgenevre for the day so conditions there should be great as its higher than Puy. Shane the season has to come to an end really with all this snow around. Regards Adrian.
Much the same here in Valmorel/Doucy. The season ends here on Saturday next despite the fact that it is snowing as I write (though not settling here at 1000metres - but it will be up top). But spare a thought for all the lift workers, pisteurs, moniteurs etc. In the normal world, they are mostly farmers or builders and the cows are waiting to go out to pasture after five months cooped up in their barns and everyone wants their little building projects done in the spring and summer.
It hasn’t been a vintage season like last year but good enough. One highlight this year was the evening at the foot of the pistes celebrating 40 years of Doucy Combelouviere in music and pictures on a giant screen. Made you realise how far we’ve come in terms of well-groomed, convenient skiing, clothing and equipment.
Best wishes to all fellow bloggers and see you all again next season.
Rose in Doucy
Thanks for this and for keeping us updated through the season.
Yeah, shame it is all winding down again but we’re looking forward to the new book and more developments for the website ... stay tuned!
Enjoy your remaining days on the snow; this time last year I was enjoying fabulous skiing around Paradiski - very quiet too. And two late season trips this year were blessed with good snow cover too.
Hope to get some more folk joining in too next winter ... and more pics, please everyone!
Hi Wendy, yipee another season begining. I’m back in Montgenevre on Friday for a few days pre Xmas skiing and will post a report on here then, conditions sound really good in resort from my accommodation contact James at Go-Montgenevre.com. Wendy did u receive my Puy st V report last easter?
Wendy, just a thought, I’ve noticed that the resort photo you have for Montgenevre still has the Chalmettes drag lifts going up the bottom slopes, these were removed for the start of last season when they extended the nursery/beginers area to 50,000m2. If you like i’ll get a new picture of the resort from the same point but up to date without these two drag lifts in it.
Just got back this morning from a fri- Sun trip to Montgenevre after delays from Turin and also into Stanstead.
The conditions on piste are absolutely fantastic with plenty of fresh dry powder which has refreshed the hard packed icy base that formed a week ago when two days of rain and then freezing temperatures hit the area.
Locals are worried about avalanche threats however when more snow falls, due to this ice layer beneath all the fresh snow. The temperatures are very cold especially with wind chill and we had quite alot of snow fall over the three days, especially Friday and Monday with Sunday being sunny. We had heavy snow within half an hour of leaving Turin airport and had to abandon our hire car at the base of the mountain in Cesana Torinese (1350m) due to the terrible road conditions and get a lift up to resort and then down again at the end of our stay. Little hire cars don’t climb snow covered mountain passes. Lots more snow is forecast for the coming week so here’s to a great start to the season.
