Where to Ski And Snowboard - Summer skiing kicks off in France

Summer skiing kicks off in France

17th June 2010, by Chris Gill

The French summer ski season has started this week. Les Deux Alpes was the first French resort to open its glacier for snowsports – and with fresh snowfall. Cover is very good at present, with 80cm at 2600m and almost 3m on the top glacier runs, so the resort has been able to operate all its summer ski lifts. Plans are for the glacier to remain open daily, until the end of August.

Joining Les Deux Alpes will be Tignes and Val d’Isère – both due to open for summer ski business this weekend. Changeable weather in the Alps has given a dose of wintry weather to refresh the pistes too - up to 5cm fell on the Grande Motte glacier today. Snow cover is only half that of Les Deux Alpes, but up to 20km runs are due to open on Saturday 19 June. And there is usually a terrain park built for the summer season too. Lifts are open from 7.15am to 1pm daily.

Conditions permitting, Val d’Isère also reopens its smaller Pissaillas glacier for a short summer ski season.