The view from............ Val d'Isere and the Espace Killy

A snowHead

@Skiwi222,

A snowHead

welshflyer - your giving away all the local secrets for the race days there! haha
Skiwi222 - thanks for letting us know - great news.

Back luck comes in (well I hope only 2's)

As both kids were heading to Club / lesson this morning we were all up and rushing around.

Olivia collected her newly (by the Club des Sports) services skis and they headed off whilst Ben got a lesson with his friends and he was happy as larry! I meanwhile met my team (same ones) and we headed off but this time the parents wanted to come along and see how the little one was getting on. We found empty slopes on the Bellevarde and with the weather finally decent I decided that today was the day to head to Tignes. We worked on some technique as we headed to Val Claret and the snow was wonderful - the best piste conditions of the season thats for sure.

We all rendezvous'ed at the Corner and a yummy cuppa as always went down well. A quick lap through the park on the way back went down well and I challenged them by doing a lap of 3J and they did really well although the little man is showing end of week fatigue - just as well tomorrow is a day out of boots for us all.

After dropping them for lunch at the Folie I headed home for lunch.

After the oven issue Clare and I are making the Air Fryer work and todays lunch was an Asian fusion mix of some things we know the kids like - Spring Rolls / Samsosas etc... the Air Fryer did well. Tomorrow morning I am going to try cooking baguettes in it too....eeek.

With the kids home for lunch (Olivia was happy and distraught in equal measure). She was happy that she had done some GS race training this am but sad that she had lost the glove attachment part of the her Leki glove things.... doh! Anyway watching the Mens Downhill from Wengen is always a nice way to spend a couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon - haha!

I was just about settling down to a nice relaxing afternoon getting some jobs done when I got a message from our tenants to say that there was a problem with the boiler. I have spent about 4 hours up at the flat trying to see what is wrong / getting videos / mopping up water and messaging plumbers etc... one plumber says this evening to me that they think it needs a whole new boiler - doh! So that has taken up most of this afternoons so called down time.

Tomorrow only Clare is working - I will be spending the morning with the kids chilling at home in the am, then in the pm Olivia is skiing and Ben and I will swim and then we need to pop to the flat to have another look at this issue - really hoping something can be sorted this week! eeeeeeek what a nightmare.

In other news the pisteurs have reminded people today that the Gorge du Malpasset is NOT passable after already a load of skiers have needed rescuing!

TTFN

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

@Steve Angus,
Rescues from the Gorge du Malpasset - part of the Espace Killy season bingo snowHead

I wonder what the record for rescues in a season is?

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Well we arrived yesterday & have absolutely nailed Tignes & Val today, knackered. Blush

Whilst the weather wasnt great I/we didn't care..it was just awesome to be here and sliding Toofy Grin

Just got back from marmots bar in Le Lac...lovely atmosphere we were in the basement 3 bottles of prosecco & 4 jugs of beer later...we shall be vack Razz

Dinner now, early night ready for tomorrow, the best holidays ever. Smile

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

A nice day out of boots

I had a pretty decent sleep last night and it was well past 0730 before I got up - what a lie in - haha! Clare was the only one that had to get up and out this morning so it meant the kids and I could have a very lazy morning. It started with one of my favourite things to do on a Sunday if I can - eggs on toast all round.... so between the kids and I we polished off plenty of eggs and baguettes. Thank goodness the stand in oven is doing well (the Air Fryer) as you can cook baguettes in it and everything.

I did some laundry and other jobs about the house and lined up the plumber on the new boiler that is needed and worked out logistics of him getting access to the flat etc. The kids did a fair amount of tv watching this morning alas. I was a little naughty giving the kids the chance to stay at home alone for a short while whilst I went into town to show the plumber where the issue is etc..... it turns out that the only boiler in the shop he picked up that he was only 50:50 that it would be the correct one and fit.... was in actual fact the wrong side of the 50:50. A little annoying. So the plumber could only do some remedial work on the problem so there is still no hot water in the flat this evening just cold water. He is hoping that tomorrow morning he can get the correct one and have it fitted nicely. With some luck tomorrow evening all will be set / sorted. I can but hope.

The afternoon was very different to the morning... the weather really moved in and it started snowing REALLY thickly.... and the wind (apparently) was pretty horrid at altitude too. So the kids and I headed up into town. Olivia happily went off to Ski Club despite the storm raging and Ben and I went swimming. It was very quiet for the first hour in the pool but the last while was a lot of fun with the floats put out in the lanes pool and several of Bens friends arriving. So lots of fun and games were had.

I went to Snowberry (with Ben on his iPad) to do my TDC office hour duty which basically involves me sitting at the counter to deal with any enquiries re lessons etc.... in reality its all just about showing face and a to have a good chat with friends. The shop was also very quiet indeed so there was not a lot of chatting that needed doing to book lessons etc - haha!

So the snow has been coming thick and fast all day and with wind at altitude it has been a very interesting day.... it could be interesting by tomorrow.... I am sure they will need to do quite a bit of PIDA clearance in the am.

So another week of work starts.... a run of lessons with a new adult male in the mornings, some adhoc and one off afternoon sessions, seasonnires and some open slots.... some of which might or might not get booked up.

TTFN

Little snowy out there!

My daughter discussing ski racing at the meet point with her friend!

After all it is free

Getting colder

For the first time in a while both Clare and I needed to be out the door nice and early this morning one way or another it seemed like quite a hectic start to the day... oh well some days are like that!

With the kids on the bus and the weather looking threatening it was time to face the music! Pretty much as forecast as the lifts opened the heavens opened and it started dumping snow - loads and loads of it. The winds were certainly reasonable first up thankfully.

I met my am session and it was a nice slightly older than average gent who frequents Val regularly. However he said it had been a number of years since his last lessons and he simply wanted to improve his technique and confidence to allow him to keep skiing for many more years to come despite him being a relatively solid technique wise skier. So we headed up on the funi and the weather was OK all things considered but it was the vis that was not great. Anyway slowly but surely we made stride forwards. Understandably it was somewhat quieter out there than it would otherwise have been and with the snow texture totally perfect it was a lovely morning working to polish up his technique !

We found it incredibly quiet at times and lapping around on the Grand Pre was very quiet indeed. One of the issues that came through on the TDC WhatsApp group chat was that apparently the Fontaine Froid chair was having technical issues.... in fact one of my colleagues was stuck on there for a long period of time.... by the time we got there the lift was running again but only every third chair was being filled so the small queue took forever and a day to actually move... however we got there in the end.

At one moment during the day I had to do the good smaritan and help a young couple whereby the female had obviously hurt her knee so there I was in the blowing gale calling the pisteurs for them.... lets hope they found them OK.

I took refuge from the cold (I have seen much colder days but the wind today made it feel cold thats for sure!) at the usual spot and made a couple of phone calls... the main one being to the plumber who told me that he had replaced the boiler.... thats pretty darn good really isnt it.... 48 hours from phone call (including a Sunday) to the new boiler being sourced and replaced - ill take that.

The afternoon was with the ladies that Clare had yesterday.... however the change today was that they were severely hungover so it was a softly softly approach. With the weather getting worse (the link to Tignes closed this afternoon) and the winds getting up we decided to stay low and work on the Village lift. We had a good session given the circumstances - well done girls!

After skiing was a little hectic - me running around trying to answer some phone calls and also sort out a temp solution to the oven issue - have moved some things around so now our Air Fryer can have some counter space of its own. Also there is news of one of our team injuring themselves today off piste so they are out of work for a week or so which meant the office had to do some frantic lesson re-arranging and that had knock on complications for my seaonnaires group. Olivia was at Gymnastics and Ben had his swimming lesson.... it was frantic at home trying to make use of some quiet time in the house thats for sure before the kids got home!

Phew....

So the snow keeps coming / the wind is varying - could be an interesting day tomorrow - especially as the snow is moving easily off piste out there - eeek caution folks!

TTFN

There was a LOT of people queueing to get the free bus back to Tignes this evening when the link closed because of the wind!

Indeed although I say so myself!

I know nothing to do with skiing but I always find graphics like this fascinating!

And it continues

The weather was looking much more promising out the window this morning but like yesterday it (apparently) didnt last as was snowing heavily again by the time I got going to start the day. Clare was working all day so I was out the house after her - always makes a change to be last out. Haha!

Anyway it was the same team as yesterday morning and I was happy to see the lifts opened on time which was slightly surprising given the amount of snow and wind we have had in the last 24 / 48 hours! I was very pleasantly surprised when we got out the top of the funi that it was not only not too bad visibility wise but there was next to no wind... just big snowflakes falling silent - quite surprising but a nice one!

We worked hard on the new foundations of skiing that he needs to polish up and we basically lapped the Marmots. It was not mega cold so it ended up being a great morning.

I took lunch at the normal place and when I came out after lunch the sun was even shining - this was looking a real turn up for the books (but that was about to change!). My afternoon was with a nice couple... it supposed to be a group clinic but since they were the only ones on it it was in effect a private lesson. We headed up Bellevarde for the session and immediately it was apparent the nice weather was just a flash in the pan... the clouds were rolling back in / the winds were starting to howl and it was going to be a really tough afternoon for the weather!

It was a productive lesson covering lots of ground working on a variety of things that needed attention. We battled the elements but one thing for certain - the snow quality was amazing - just the right amount of snow so as to NOT bump up etc but soft and uniform enough to make the pistes just perfect.

After work I had a couple of hours at home and some peace as the kids were either at homework club and then judo club or in Bens case judo club and then off to a friends house for an hour - just perfect! After getting a few things done I headed to get the kids whilst Clare was on waitressing duty as part of her getting her season lift pass - ah the joys of community service sometimes! So I got the kids and it was home to sort them out for dinner and the usuals before bed and I also did a batch cook for the freezer too.

The weather should improve a little tomorrow but for now the snow continues!

So for anyone coming out next week it could be quite awesome conditions and I am scheduled to be doing an off piste adventure clinic for the week - so a week off piste - if you are interested then drop me a line as we have a couple of slots on the group which starts on Monday!

I might be late posting tomorrow night as it is the ski school annual meal tomorrow - should be a laugh!

TTFN

In the morning it wasnt nearly as bad as this looks!

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

@Steve Angus, amazing few day here in Tignes/Val...can there be such a thing as too much snow? Smile

We are in Tignes and witnessed yesterday that there were folk stuck in Tignes due to lift closures, really?

The Tignes app is free & is constantly updated, we knew yesterday that the advice was to stay local... Puzzled

The snow today was out if this world, conditions constantly changing , we actually saw the saw over in Val this am..

Thursday/Friday forecast is looking good, no guarantees though, we'll take it.

Off for dinner now then early night, you need to make the most of it

Happy, safe skiing to all NehNeh

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

@michaelbury17,

Yes there can be too much snow. When we're not allowed out of our accommodation because of the avalanche risk. Or when all of the runs are closed because there is too much snow. What we have currently is only getting back to normal. Steve will give a better view of the current conditions.

Tomorrow is forecast for -12 to -15 deg C in town so loads of layers to keep warm. If you're sliding with a group check each other for frost bite on any exposed skin!

snow reports

michaelbury17 - one thing is certain is that when there's lots of snow everyone would wish it would stop and be sunny for a day and when it hasnt snowed for a while everyone wants it to snow... in the same way I have had people not wish to take lessons 'because its too snowy / not snow enough / too hot / too cold / to sunny / too icy / too powdery" - trust me you get it all. There can only ever be too much snow if the avalanche risk is threatened!

People just bury their heads in the sand when it comes to things like read the apps / signs.... and again people generally leave their common sense at home when they come on ski holidays! I swear people put on blinkers and leave all common sense behind.

"we actually saw the saw over in Val this am" - ehhhh not sure what you mean?

Enjoy the skiing and weather should be better tomorrow if not colder!

welshflyer - Conditions are EXCELLENT out there now... probably about par for the course now yes! Tomorrow will be really cold for sure.

Cold

So today being a Wednesday involved me taking Olivia to kids club (Clare took Ben to his ski lesson and he skied Le Face for the first time in his life - totally amazing wee man!) and then I met my am session. It was the same guy that I have had the last few days. I decided on a change of scenery so we went up Solaise and found amazing snow... working our way around the various green and blue runs up there BUT I also took my first trip down the Arcelle this season. It was in really nice nick at that - although there was already a couple of scrapped of patches.

It was a really successful session and to be honest when the guy said "I now want to carry on skiing after these lessons whereas last year I was pretty demotivated' makes this job so worthwhile!

It was not warm though although not too snowy or cloudy for the most part.

I was happy to take lunch in the normal place to warm up.

For the afternoon it was the same team as the last couple of days and we worked our way up the Bellevarde and the topic for today was carving.... when you work on carving you generally work on easy wide cruise green and blue runs! So we did plenty of runs working on technique and doing drills and it went really well... it got even better when the clouds parted and the sun tried to come out but it soon changed when it rapidly closed in again and the snow came really thick and hard. As was the theme of the day when the sun was not trying to make an appearance it was jolly cold! So with the weather closing in rapidly once again it got cold, really cold!

Clare was down the valley taking Olivia to the Orthodontist and Ben had travelled along too as I was working.... it does sound like there will be a lot of work coming down the line for her teeth - oh dear! Need endoman expertise here - haha

Anyway I was glad to warm up after work and then this evening having done my chores I have been at the Taverne d'Alsace for the annual TDC meal... which is quite the event - a good chance to get everyone together, enjoy a great meal and drink a few shandies.... what a feast it was - yum yum!

Tomorrow will be snow and sun but mainly sun I think but cold, very cold.

Right I need to get to bed so will sign off for tonight - not the most inspiring update ever sorry!

TTFN

Slope sure were empty in weather like this!

But it wasnt always nice!

Love to help Steve, but ortho is not my thing. Looking great in Val D, we are being bad and going to Dolomites instead this year in a couple of weeks, take care.

You know it makes sense.

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

Hi all - we are a group of 8 that are heading out to Val D'Isere at the weekend and loving the look of the conditions (@steve angus blog has been daily viewing since before xmas)
Could someone give us a steer on where to head for Apres, as its been a few years since we were there.
We are not interested in thumping dance music at the Folie, but equally dont want a cosy fireside snug (well, not every night). We are in our 40's so somewhere that has live bands / singers would be ideal or just has a DJ that plays "decent" music (again by that, I only really mean no constant dance tracks).
Either on mountain or in the town (not La Daille).

Would also be keen to know where to watch the (English) football on Wednesday night if that is likely.
Thanks for any help.

A snowHead

@seano508,

Apres -

Thursday - Rosee Blanche have live band Mullitt playing - They were even setting up this afternoon when the temperature was about -15 deg C

Friday - Andreas & Karen will be live in Pettit Danois.

Everyday - Chilled music in Blue Note, happy hour 1600-1800. Also shows Premier League football.

A snowHead

@Steve Angus,
we actually saw the saw over in Val this am" - ehhhh not sure what you mean?

Typo, fat fingers...should read saw tge sun!

Anyway today has been awesome as predicted left Tignes via Toviere straight up and over as we planned to get right over to Val, glacier, OK, Face all amazing, yes it was cold.

Dropped into La Foret, love this place then headed back up & over.

Bit chilly but the kids didn't want to stop skiing while the sun was out & the runs were the best all week...looking forward to Friday

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

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Got back from VDI last friday after a cheeky three day lads trip.
First time back to Val in some ~25 years, there have been changes!
This was a last minute move from a planned trip to Les Contamines, but things were a little green there.
Accommodation was on the fifth floor of the building over the Underground bar..................
Les Petit Danois is still there, and fortunately no longer selling that toxic red stuff.
As an apres, it takes some beating, and there is live music most evenings for happy hour; the food is very good to.
Less so the "cassarole" place next to it, food arrived faster than I could plate it after ordering.
Bananna bar has epic starters, and ordinary mains. The starters however were meals in their own right!

Skiing was typically Val, other than OK was easier than the blue into Le Daille, it was not iced as I always remember it.
Face was open, probably the first time I haven`t ducked a rope to ski it.
Olympique gondola is nice, I froze my entire anatomy many a time on the previous chair.

We were chasing the weather most days, and managed to get it right.
Friday am we were on Solaise with a good 6~8" of fresh snow.

Transfer Geneva to val and back, under three hours each way, hire car and sticking to limits.
We were very impressed with that.
Sleazy jet from Liverpool on the Tuesday had over 100 empty seats.

I am old, fat and un-fit, it was great to get back to Val though.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

endoman - traitor.... haha! No seriously enjoy have a good time. See you back here next year! Im sure the dental work will work out just fine thanks!
seano508 - yes as welshflyer said thats a pretty good reflection of the best options.... to be honest im NOT the best person to give apres advice out (when you live and work somewhere you actually dont really know whats going on that much). However CoCoRico always seems popular at the Rond Pont des Pisters and the Danois usually has bands and a good vibe going!
welshflyer - was that you who briefly said hi atop Grand Pre today to me with the SCGB lot? Sorry it was not a longer hi back from me as had been a hectic start - wanted to crack on.
michaelbury17 - you have fat fingers again but I think I get you know - haha! Glad you have had a good day (how couldn't you - apart from freezing you t*ts off!)
Jameswp - so very glad you enjoyed your time back.... i know others have been coming / know here for a long period of time too but when I think back 25 years to when I used to come as a uni student things really have changed - I wonder what the changes will be in 25 years time.... hmmmm maybe a (a la Whister Blackcomb) Peak to Peak (Bellevarde / Solaise) cable car - hmmmm I dont think so but you never know!

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Brrrrrrr

I didnt sleep that well last night - maybe I had indigestion or something - not sure! Anyway it was a real struggle getting out of bed this morning (it was even harder for a colleague who overslept the alarm clock and looked it at the meeting point this morning).... nothing a couple of strong coffees wouldnt sort out!

So the thermometer was showing BALTIC as predicted... in fact right now this evening it is -22 out there - brrrr thats cold eh! We suddenly had a panic that this national day of strikes across France might impact us here in Val.... we hadn't been told of anything that might affect us / the kids here but since communication is something France doesnt really know how to do properly you never know.

The school bus not only turned up but was actually early... but the usual driver and lady who gets the kids to sit down was not on it - instead a couple of other people didnt recognise but most importantly the bus came! The school was open and running too - phew! Of course things like the STVI are a private company so not part of any strike etc (today anyway) so it was just fine!

I headed to the meet point and it was on... ready to roll. I had the same team of kids that I had had last week for a few days from NZ and with a colleague who had the slightly older kids we were off. Unfortunately since they were all a little late and being a bluebird day it was always going to be a feeding frenzy and the millions of people trying to get up there first doors. A little frustratingly the liftie at the bottom of the Olympic didnt seem to realise the parameters to which instructors with kids can use the priority line.... in the case when you effectively have a helping adult with so many young kids - all a bit frustrating really. One of the issues of the left arm not knowing what the right arm is doing in these set ups like the STVI... I remember years ago the sign at the bottom of the old La Daille gondola had NEVER been updated to say 'Priority ski schools' or words to that effect - it still just said 'ESF priority' and whilst we all knew that it applied to all schools and independent pros etc they still insisted I couldnt go in the priority - blimey where do they get some jobsworths sometimes!

Anyway we finally got up there and got going but we werent exactly early birds anymore! Doh!

It was baltic so after only 1 run the kids needed to stop for a warm up. Bellevarde hot choc time here we come!

After the break we were able to get a lot more skiing in thankfully... phew!

I treated myself to a Sun Bar burger at lunchtime (since I am only working in the morning tomorrow today was Friday treat day a day early!). I ended up sitting on a table with a nice couple from the UK so was nice to chat to someone different at lunchtime!

The afternoon and with the sun still shining was a little warmer thankfully... luckily without a breeze to speak of it was pleasant - thank goodness its not windy otherwise it would be bitter out there... impossibly!

I had the same couple from the last few afternoons and we spent the afternoon mainly on Tommeuse working on moguls and bumps... you have to be careful to pace sessions like that as people can tire themselves out darn quickly.... so we did a fair few laps of the various combos of Tommeuse bumps you can fit in and worked on the myriad of elements to make decent moguls skiing! It was a decent afternoons teaching!

I was happy to get home / have the kids home and sort them out and into bed.

I need an admin afternoon tomorrow so have blocked my pm off - main thing to do is double check the tax return paperwork sending off from my mums estate that the financial advisor has prepared for me - has only taken 3 months since she died!

TTFN

As Wayne Watson was taking his group straight into the Cairn to start the day with there was some keen beans hiking to the Orientation Table first up too - brave!

The powder sure looked tempting today - roll on next weeks Off Piste Adventure clinic I am running!

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

@Steve Angus,

Yes that was me who said hi at the top of Grand Pre. I could see you were busy with your class of kids, did you tell them to "chase the flies"?

Yes I was skiing with one of the SCGB groups. The off piste was very good, knee deep down parts of Familliale.

After all it is free

@Steve Angus,
25 years from now? The Brits will still be calling it Espace Killy. EK and BSA will be talking about linking the resorts. The Mayor of Paris will have funded a tunnel out of the Gorge to save the cash drain from the city for chopper rescues. French families will still spend bug all when holidaying in the resort. The 'glacier' skiing will be on bases of man made snow. Thanks to EU law, helmets will be compulsory, but biodegradable. Holidaymakers will still throw away their fag butts when on chairlifts. Toofy Grin

@Steve Angus,
25 years from now? The vallon gondola will finally be replaced. Marmotts chair will still breakdown every 5 minutes. We'll still be waiting for families to group together whilst chairs go up empty.

The other thing I wanted to mention for people heading out to Val is that I can highly recommend Les Tontons Grilleurs down in La Daille. We've eaten there plenty of times both this season and last season. The food is cooked in a charcoal oven and has always been great with the staff friendly and helpful. The tables are also nicely spaced out so it's never felt too cramped or busy. They are also very dog friendly and will bring a bowl of water. Definitely worth taking a look.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

@Kenzie, @sno trax,

Never mind 25 years from now. The worse consequence of Brexit is the tour company I stay with can no longer ship in English bacon for our breakfast-sacre bleu!!!!. Smile

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

welshflyer - glad you enjoyed the pow! Yes I was teaching the 3 kids but also their auntie was with them - NZ family! It was actually 'catch the fly' - basically encouraging kids to lift a ski up and then 'trap the fly' under their skies... helps move kids mass / pressure onto the outside ski and in doing so helps them move closer to parallel.... I have literally dozens of variations of that game e.g. 'squash the tomato' / 'squish (insert worst enemy at school here)' etc. I believe that if English bacon was ever threatened John would lay siege to the French parliament with plenty of expletives until they gave in and allowed a big shipment to cross the channel! Sod that ill join in the siege if it came to that!
Kenzie - Thats inspired thinking... But I still call it the EK! Haha! Yes the grand link up will still be talked about - would be a nice idea though eh! Love the gorge / chopper idea! Hmm the 'thanks to EU law' bit - over my dead body I hope! Ive got another one.... every chairlift / gondola / chalet will have an even split of 'expert skiers / boarders' with 'beginners' and nothing in-between!
snow trax - steady on re the Vallon gondola - its got another 38745 years life left in it yet. They will have chair lifts with 20 seats each... at that rate the average fill rate per chair will be 4 people by then meaning exactly the same issues will persist (I think ski resorts (in Europe anyway) are finally working out that bigger chair lifts DONT mean smaller queues on the whole! Doh! Thats really great to hear re Tontons - never eaten over there - must try sometime!

snow reports

Colder

It showed -24C on our weather station this am -brrrrrrr. I managed to get the kids out the door and on the school bus and then up to the meeting point to record the weekly snow report just fine thankfully but it was all a bit of a rush this am!

Anyway my team arrived on time and we were off.... the queues for the Olympic were much smaller at the same time this morning (no surprise there!) than yesterday and the same liftie seemed to be going the complete other way today and encouraging any instructor with kids to use the ski school line... officially this can't be done until 0930 and for groups only.... but with 2 young kids to get on the lift I wasnt complaining! Just wish someone would actually spell it out and make it clear to the staff and enforce it rather than make it up as they go along - ah the French way eh!

So we did bit of skiing and worked ever so hard to keep warm... rolled out my 'physical' games such as headers of the ball - getting the kids to improve their balance by jumping and pretending to head the ball in the goal when they were turning - perfect! Anyway it was so cold that even doing all that and clapping hands on the lifts etc they still got very cold quickly so we stopped at the Belvarde restaurant for a warm up! You can imagine how busy it was in there can't you! haha.

A bit more skiing after the break before they got very cold again so we decided to head back to the end point and once again get warm before the parents showed up.... phew a tough day at the office that!

This afternoon I have been at home doing some admin that really needed doing. Still all in relation to my late mums estate. Ah the joys. Also by not working this afternoon it means I have a little more energy this evening!

Tomorrow the kids are skiing in the am.... Clare is helping at the Club des Sports race that Olivia is taking part in. Ill be at home and then in the pm heading out for an in house ski about off piste - showing each other various off piste routes / places we can take clients - basically sharing the love with each other / enjoying the snow and having a chat... only get the chance to do that about once a season so it should be fun hopefully!

Another little story ive time altered but it did make me laugh on this particular occasion..... why would a parent spend a FORTUNE on a really fancy chalet and spend a TON on very expensive on mountain meals every day etc.... yet get the most rubbish face mask for their child (gosh I hate really thick neck snood things - thinner are easier / better and warmer) or non at all. Worse still poor gloves / goggles and no hand warmers.... and then wonder why their kids dont like the skiing experience when they get cold.... beggars belief really!

Where do I think the industry will be in 25 years time. Hmmm probably misguided spending on totally the wrong things like apps / tech etc that does nothing to help them get better... and looking for shortcuts to getting better expecting a vast array of so called high tech skis / boots etc etc etc to get them from beginner to expert in approx 5 mins whilst forgetting that hours of practice and skills are what makes a good skier as opposed to stats / testosterone / ski width etc. The downward spiral of modern skiers often not having a clue about what good skiing is all about and the hype of what many believe it should be leading to worse and worse standards of performance on the mountain. As a result more and more accidents so ultimately more and more protective gear being needed (I suspect that if you DONT look like an American footballer in 25 years time on the mountain you will look out of place!) to combat ever decreasing standards of performance and insurance companies putting premiums up and up and pricing more people out the market leading to more exclusivity in the market place. Unfortunately 'real' skiers become more of a rarity. Blimey am I sounding -ve - perhaps / probably but how Ive seen this industry change over the last 30 years or so since I started doesnt fill me with much hope. Personally I think one of the best things the industry could do would be totally shift its focus onto education rather then sensationalism and I dont necessarily mean education in the form of lessons and nothing but.... however focusing on educating people into understanding that you dont need (for example) MASSIVELY fat skis all the time and sometimes performance will be better if you can learn on thinner skis (for example) would be better. Or that carving is NOT something you aim to do all the time - it has its place... or that colours of runs only helps indicate the degree of steepness at the hardest spot and not a lot else. There is certainly a lot I think the industry can do to stop itself spiralling away over the next 25 years. I do genuinely worry about the direction its taking.

Where will Val d'Isere be in 25 years time. Probably not done too much to improve things that really matter - like improving the customer experience like improving customer satisfaction through better signage / better communication etc... taking a leaf out of North American resorts and how they operate would not go amiss. Only the uber uber rich will be able to afford to come skiing here. Prices will have spiralled even higher. Lifts will be bigger but fewer of them with more capacity that will push a few more skiers per minute onto the slopes making them even busier etc.

Gosh im such a pessimist sometimes. I guess living and breathing this industry every day, day in, day out you not only have plenty of time to reflect and since all ive really done all my life is be interested in the industry reading and learning every square inch as much as possible i like to think ive seen all sides of it and can take quite an objective view of it. There are some instructors and guides etc from across the world I know who share plenty of worries too.

This photo did the round today on our school WhatsApp group - back in 2002 (so a few years before I joined) the original 4 founders of the school... its just Phil Harrison (Rodders as we call him) (top left) that is now no longer anything to do with the school - he moved to NZ to become a school teacher about 10 years ago now.

Thats quite good value at the Bellevarde restaurant self service eh!

Ski instructors tip (not me today but a colleague) - using gloves to warm your feet at the hot choc break when its BALTIC out there - haha

Glorious out there again but SOOOOO cold

Isnt that lighting cool!

TTFN

@Steve Angus, great pic of the TDC founding fathers. The monochrome makes it look older than early 21st c.

Apart from 'Rodders' the Moris Pub/Hotel in the pic has sadly gone Sad

I stayed there a few times in the 90s. Typically a last minute booking solo room, en suite, chalet board, with guiding, was less than £300, incl flights and transfers. Far from luxurious accommodation but warm, good food, great staff usually, good location in town, rocking downstairs every night.

I think Val D and Tignes will still be going strong in 25 years time but agree prices will be for the super rich. Half of the lower resorts in France and even more in Austria will be things of the past for snowsports. I feel ultra lucky to have enjoyed probably the best 30 year period for ordinary people to have experienced such a mecca. snowHead

You know it makes sense.

@Steve Angus,

John used to ship English bacon out on some of the planes he chartered to transport his guests from Gatwick.

Unfortunately I can't bring a load of bacon out on Easyjet. In 1984 I organised a Burns Night (25 Jan) in Courmayeur and we had haggis which I bought from Harrods.

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

Wow what a great week this week! Ok it’s bitterly cold but the snow is mint and because there’s hardly anyone here, there’s still loads untracked.

@Steve Angus here’s some short videos with the new camera….

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPQX901oCYsWy7CNQLFMTZlqLJQV-1Ka9

-19degC in La Daille this morning Shocked

A snowHead

A snowHead

.. double post

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

The camera gives great stills too. Here’s my new phone walllpaper.

It’s an Insta 360 X2.

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@bar shaker, nice pics /vids. Conditions are looking great out there at the moment.

You'll need to Register first of course.

PeakyB - it certainly does look old... makes me feel old! Those memories of the really great 'old days' are amazing. I have to admit to enjoying coming here as a student in the 1990's and we would get travel (by coach - we were young it was fine), lift pass for the week, self catering apartment for the week and insurance etc... all for £300. Isnt it incredible to think you could get that. Well actually the 1:10 free place ratio would mean I would go free but for £300 I would probably have still paid to go. As for you enjoying the best years of Val and Tignes - perhaps ill look back in similar ways too!
welshflyer - didnt know that re John and his bacon - bonkers but funny! Thats a great memory of Burns night - I come from Rabbie Burns country in Scotland and in fact read one of his poems at mums funeral in November!
bar shaker - absolutely love those videos - nice to see your old ones too.... going to really look at the options camera wise for next year me thinks! Interesting re your eating thoughts... haha - the Refuge is NOT cheap is it! Have you got 5G here in Val in that photo with a strong signal... assume thats a roaming UK network?

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

A rare treat

The kids were awake frustratingly early today... however it was all go for them in the bitter cold as Olivia was off to club and Ben for his weekly ski group. Clare was also helping out with the Club des Sports too so once the hectic hour getting them all sorted and out the door was done I could breath and time for a fresh and hot cuppa tea.

I replied to some emails / watched the tv and to be honest with you didnt do an awful lot - magic! A real rarity during the season to literally get the whole morning to myself. I was hoping to get to see the mens downhill from Kitzbuhel on Eurosport and its really annoying as despite having 2 Eurosport channels they decided not to show the equivalent in ski racing realms of the FA Cup Final and instead put two matches from Australia on instead. Now dont get me wrong I understand the matches shown were big ones but why advertise it will be on and then not show it and not even apologise for the change of schedule - really annoying. One channel for just 1 hour of skiing is all I asked!

However on the flip side I watched some of the cricket BBL from Sydney which was nice - certainly transported me away from the -25C thermometer reading outside!

I cooked up a storm for lunch as both Olivia and Ben had a friend around and pretty much as soon as they arrived in the front door I was turning around to head out. At various points in the season we set up as a school in house training and development and a chance to do things such as search for transceivers etc. Different people do different things and today my colleague Terry was running an off piste route finding session as well as practicing off piste protocols for rescues etc etc etc.

So at the meeting point it was Dave Tee, Tezza, Ross and myself and we set off firstly skiing the Mont Blanc Couloir which I haven't skied for about 20+ years which was nice - especially at the bottom. We then did one of the Marmattons descents which was varied and then bumped into Jim the founder / main owner of Planks... he used to be a professional free-rider skier so great to have him along. We then skied ********* (youlll have to guess from the photo below) and finished with a practice transceiver search on the side of Solaise. Well actually it was a multiple burial practice actually.

What a great afternoon - ticked off a couple new routes I have never skied before and its always nice skiing with colleagues and sharing info on routes etc and expanding horizons.

Collecting Olivia from Club afterwards she was very very cold poor thing... so whipped her home and into the bath and after Bens friend went home (he spent the afternoon here) it was dinner and an early night all round.

So tomorrow I am only working in the morning and then im gearing up for a week of running the off piste adventure group as well as some private sessions.

TTFN

I ACTUALLY made it into one of the photos - not often that happens and im actually skiing in it too!

L-R: Ross, Terry and Dave T

Mystery slope

After all it is free

The Charvet?

But were you from Angus in Scotland?

I'm going home for a rest for 2 weeks. I really need a rest because I'm exhausted.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

@bar shaker, love the new screen saver, will you ever be able to concentrate again at work though...thinking of being on the hill? Puzzled

@Steve Angus, well thats a first to actually see you skiing... Toofy Grin

and looking good too Smile

Got back home late Saturday afternoon completely exhausted but exhilarated from a week on the hill, may have a chance of a sneaky guys trip later in the season Puzzled

Big shout out for all the info you post Steve, I as I am sure other SH's appreciate up to date info from resort is very useful and interesting.

Last two days were back to back bluebird but very, very cold.

Snow conditions were fantastic and the slopes were so quite with no queues which s always nice.

Shout out to the Kiosk in Val Claret (near the bus turnaround), can vouch for their Mountain burger @ 10Euros great value Toofy Grin

Till the next one Cool

Help!!

The view from............ Val d'Isere and the Espace Killy

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