I took a hydration pack when skiing in March, it was warm enough not to freeze it (it was also small enough to wear under my jacket) and I felt I needed the hydration. I've never felt the need in Jan/Feb.
It's -12 here in St Foy.
Also being Sunday when the 'nutters' appear (you know the type - dressed in black, standing up straight, blasting around and scaring old ladies such as myself), meaning we're going out a lot later. There is little if no warmth in the sun.
When it's this cold I'd advise having a couple of snacks in your pockets. I got quite cold yesterday and also skiing with a 12 year old (she's way faster than me), having a snack handy kept us going until the Chocolat chaud stop.
The boy is reporting a bluebird day in Tignes. He's been too busy to send any photos though apparently 🙄
The coming few days in France are going to be the coldest since 2018 according to Météo de France with snow for the Alps from Thursday. The episode is unlikely to last long though, these cold periods have been getting shorter and shorter. -16°C in the night and -3°C in the day for BSM on Tuesday. BSM is just over 800m, it'll be properly cold up on the glaciers of the resorts.
I always carry my MTB bag and put a bottle in it. Having been to Morzine 20+ times skiing I find it can be mixed re the rucksacks and the lift staff. Many will turn a blind eye and let you on, but.. occasionally, if there has been an incident they will insist you remove it and put on front, i.e. someone has their bag caught on the lift when getting it off.
There are many bars, cafes etc on the slopes so plenty of places to stop for a refuel and depends how far you plan to ski per days, you will find Les Gets and Avoriaz, both are great for shops/cafes.
Enjoy, as think you are there as I type this.
After appalling conditions for the whole of our stay in Utah, they’ve had 12 inches overnight, it’s still coming down and expected to carry on all week.
We got home at lunchtime.
After appalling conditions for the whole of our stay in Utah, they’ve had 12 inches overnight, it’s still coming down and expected to carry on all week.
We got home at lunchtime.
I feel your pain. Had a week in Baqueira Beret with limited snow cover and whiteout conditions for most days. Snow started falling on the last morning of our stay as we were out, then at lunch time they shut the entire mountain as the blizzard was so heavy, and we spent four hours in a mountain cafe on a roadside pass waiting to be ferried down on a small coach (18 seats or so) escorted by a snowplough. There were over 200 people waiting in the cafe so it took ages.
Even now, we've been in Ste Foy since before Christmas, but have barely seen a flake of fresh snow since we arrived. Forecast to start on Thursday though, fingers crossed 🤞
We go home on Sunday
Off to Flaine next week. Worried about the Reported French Medical Strike going on affecting the lift/piste openings. For the last few days there have been no blacks open at Flaine, less than 30% of the Reds open and about 75% of the Blues open. That might be Ok for me, but the better skiers in the party might feel a bit limited.
Even now, we've been in Ste Foy since before Christmas, but have barely seen a flake of fresh snow since we arrived. Forecast to start on Thursday though, fingers crossed
It's pretty weird that living just out of Cambridge, we've had more snow than the alps since Christmas.
I'm hopeful the end of the week sees the start of some gentle regular snowfall for the rest of the month, but the current snow-forecast is for about 1m over about 36 hours which is a lot in a short period and will probably just cause more problems than benefits!
That's perfect avalanche conditions. Heavy snow on old icy hardpack . That's not going to bind and full depth slumps are very likely. As there's been so little snow for a month all the powder hounds and season ticket holders will be out trying to make the most of the conditions.
Agreed stmind, it's likely to be a dangerous week next week so I hope everyone realises and is sensible, but unfortunately some won't be. If as bnb says above there is a medical strike on too it likely to be even worse.
Heading out the following weekend for a full week of backcountry snowboarding in Valais (Grimentz). Hopefully the big snowfall this week will have some to consolidate and we then get regular top ups throughout the week. Not quite sure what to expect as a completely new resort and not done much proper off piste stuff for a while, but the skills are buried in the back of my mind so just need to dig them out and dust them off. Transceiver training first morning I think.
Utah, they’ve had 12 inches overnight
20" in the last 48hrs. Screw you Utah. Your mother was a hamster...
@tuboflard who are you riding with? Spent a week in Grimentz off piste last year - one of my mates runs guided trips there ( amongst other places) Was a great trip!
It’s Whiteroom (so Stevo) who’s running the trip. Going with a good friend of mine who I did a season with many years ago. I don’t think I’m fit enough at the moment (not unfit but could always be fitter) so fingers crossed there’s not endless hiking every day….!@tuboflard who are you riding with? Spent a week in Grimentz off piste last year - one of my mates runs guided trips there ( amongst other places) Was a great trip!
We go to Flaine on Friday too @bentandbroken! If you see tall guy and short woman who will be rocking a green coat that makes me look like a small frog - say hello 🙂
Weather forecast for the drive is looking the worst we've had in a years, to the extent we've got snowchains as well as the winter tyres.
@tuboflard you will have an epic time!. Grimentz is a cute wooden swiss village. there's some really fun stuff you can traverse to from the top lifts and lap if its been snowing. Theres also some really fun back bowls that only require a 20 min hike. The run to the dam is a no hike route he probably take you on which has epic views then an "exciting" exit down an icy walkers path.
we only did two long hike splitboard days and had pow turns everyday of our week. there was lots we didnt even touch. ill find some pics in a bit and post them!
Screw you Utah. Your mother was a hamster...
But your father doesn't smell of elderberries, because you are a b%$£*&d
Transceiver training first morning I think.
Given the likely conditions I hope you'll be wearing an airbag too if you think a tranceiver is necessary. I won't be going anywhere near off piste in even low risk avalanche zones for a week or two. I'll be sticking no risk and zones cleared by Gazex, Catex etc. And even then being wary. Given who you'll be with this is probably unnecessay comment but it's here for all those who won't be guided. In fact the weather forecast is so good (snowy) we've decided to stay on the plain this weekend - proper fair weather fairies us.
Good to hear you're well equiped for the road, Sprootlet. Perfect conditions for verglas formation at present. I hope everyone you share the road with is equiped too because it only takes one to cause carnage. You're more likely to hit trouble on the plains on the way to the Alps than in the mountains where if conditions are difficult the Gendarmes will be stopping cars and turning them around if they aren't equiped.
@tuboflard here you go…. This was all lift accessed stuff rather than splitboard, mostly in the resort itself or in the back bowl.
im sure stevo will be suitably cautious - like I said there’s a lot that’s available without too much risk / effort and its a quiet resort so it won’t be tracked quickly
There’s a transceiver practice park on the Zinal side where you start a timer then search for multiple burials in a time limit and have to probe a pad to “find” them. All good fun but sobering when you think of being part of a real rescue. My friend is James Stentiford who you might have come across and is one of the best free riders the uk ever produced. He’s been involved in multiple real searches. It’s a scary thing but having someone who’s very experienced to guide you is the best way of minimizing ( not eliminating) the risk
Ps the tracks towards the top of the last pic are ours. 20 min hike along the ridge from the top lift. One of many epic sets of turns that week
Just got back from my second XC session of the season. Much easier than the first one now that I have remembered how XC skiing works. The slight (10cm) dump we had overnight has made the tracks to the spår a challenge, but the local chap has been out with the machine and the spår itself is in great condition.
So far, have not fallen over seriously enough to mess something up and sometimes, SOMETIMES, I fell ike I know what I am doing.
Thanks @ceepers and @edukator. Some of those lines look superb. I’m sure Stevo will be being ultra cautious with line selection too. I don’t have an airbag so no option to use or take one on the trip, but I’m pretty risk averse and I’m hoping we’ll be digging a few snow pits and doing some stability tests during the week depending on altitude, aspect and wind loading. I’ll try and get some pictures and footage uploaded.
Had an hour or two of very light snow last night, then it's been snowing pretty steadily since around 5am. About 5cm so far
The snow is coming down quite heavily now. Nothing has been pisted at St Foy, so I've had to learn to ski again :0). Lovely fresh light powder with the hardpack 10cm underneath.
The Securite de Piste chap on our lift was saying how unsafe it was to go off piste for quite a while. The wind will be causing problems tomorrow. So everything Edukator is saying is the best advice.
For all of you coming out in the next couple of weeks enjoy but stay safe.
Les Deux Alpes getting hammered. The rectangles you can see here are the top of picnic benches. When I looked yesterday the snow was at the base of them, not they're nearly buried!
https://www.skaping.com/les2alpes/3200m
My mate and I have booked a week in Val Thorens for the 7th-14th March.
This time I refuse to let the voices in my head get the better of me. Over the last 9 years, (this is the 10th anniversary of the Bulgarian Incident when I broke my back on the slopes), I've had 3 blocks of ski lessons, had countless hints and tips from mates and watched every ski video out there. I'm shite. Never going to be anything other than shite on skis but I love being on the snow.
Can't get above 20km/h without my legs locking up, can't ride anything other than the Greens and easiest Blues, but every time I've been away I've always tried to push myself to progress and try harder stuff, essentially trying to get back to the level I was at on the snowboard. Inevitably leading to me getting stuck on a slope somewhere and having to bum shuffle down.
The last time we were away, was to Val Thorens as well. So this time I know which runs I can do comfortably, I know which one's are a bit more challenging and I know which one's to avoid.....unless I finally get that 'epiphany moment' where everything suddenly clicks into place and makes sense.
So, if you're there that same week. I'll be the overweight, middle-aged Scotsman wearing a Unicorn helmet, sitting with a beer and a contented smile on his face at the 360 bar. You're welcome to sit down for a blether.
Beagy
Beagy - you sound like my long lost Scottish twin! 😀 Enjoy your hol!
RM.
@Beagleboy - Just go and enjoy it.
I've skied since the 1980's, as a recreational intermediate skier I realised many years ago and a after many lessons, I'll never be anything but an experienced intermediate and it now doesn't bother me. Treat it as a holiday with your friends and good luck for being brave enough after such a bad accident to carry on.
Today I skied 'Arpettaz' ,a red where I broke and dislocated my arm 2 years ago. I had to do it to 'conquer the fear'. I'm sliding, step turning and am in toilet position, but am euphoric at getting down 'slowly' in one piece. Did it twice just to make sure ;o)
We’re half way through France and not 100% decided where to go yet…
We’re heading for Les Menuires but considering Grand Massif or Les Gets.
Probably going to have a day or 2 in Les Arcs next weekend too and if we do go that way will likely go to Sainte Foy for a day too.
Assuming we can drive up the hill it looks like we’ve chosen a good week to be away 😁😎
Although not the most adventurous off pisters it looks like it’ll be too avalanchy for the most part anyway.
I stepped out of my front door, grabbed my XC skis and did a round of the local track at lunchtime. That's the fourth time this week. The chap that maintains the tracks has been out and made some new ones that extend the spår around a couple of fields, so this weekend I'll be following those for a bit more fun.
Parked up in Les Gets now 🙂
Saturday here, Sunday Grand Massif and then Les Menuires for Monday. Decided to let things settle down in 3 Vals over the weekend rather than getting frustrated that links most likely won’t be open tomorrow and maybe not Sunday.
Perfect ski day in the Pyrenees today. 20cm of the kind of heavy powder we get here on enough of a base to not be hitting rocks. Looking out of the window the untracked off-piste can be measured in square centimetres. 🙂 It was fun while it lasted.
Ace day in Flaine yesterday.
Plenty of fun to be had playing in the powder between pistes & in the trees. Didn’t venture anywhere that looked sketchy.
Who do people use for insurance?
I’ll be honest that I’ve never really read the small print of mine but looks like even just off the side of the piste they won’t cover rescue.
Which means buying the daily cover with the pass is currently the easiest solution but presumably there’s an annual one that would be better?
British skier killed in an avalanche in La Plagne 🙁
Found buried 8ft under the snow. No avalanche transceiver. Stay safe folks
Iirc carte neige is the insurance to get you off the mountain quickly. So , if you're in dire need of a Heli evac there's no screwing around looking up insurance details on your phone which now has a smashed screen because of the accident you are now part of .
It's carte neige or credit card with big facility . I guess the pisthors have got wise to Brits claiming to have insurance cover for eg the X games snow park , removing their legs from their hips and claiming to be covered and when they are down the valley it transpires they're not actually covered and the Heli peeps want £6000. Today.
I’ve used snowcard for specific off piste insurance. Not too expensive and covers you for a proper adventure although I agree hav8ng carte neige for ease of rescue is worth 3 euros a day!
avalanche risk has been 4/5 for the last few days. Multiple fatalities across the French alps including two in Val d’isere near the bellevarde piste.
Equipped with transceivers or optimists?
In France at least no-one is going to ask you for insurance before they rescue you, singletrackmind. Also, they're really not interested in your nationality other than perhaps for stats and the journalists. Once you're safe they'll ask you for your insurance if you have any, I don't. Good idea to have the reciprocal health card thing.
There are lots of old wives tales about rescue and subséquent treatment. And costs. I'm not going to type how the system really works, you can do your own research.
No tranceivers except for one that made no difference in the Beaufortain, the victim wasn't burried but suffered an impact with a tree while being carried in an avalanche.
Snow is averagely crap again in the Pyrenees. It melted yesterday afternoon the refroze and then went soggy low down. Still it's snow so musn't complain.
Rescue operations and searches carried out by the Ski
Patrol in Tignes ski area, including transports by ambulance
or helicopter, are not free.
1st category
EUR 74
RESCUE COST - PATROLLERS
Snowfield zones of the resort,
First aid, accompanying
2nd category Pistes for beginners
3rd category All other pistes
EUR 285
EUR 500
Off piste areas
EUR 996
4th category
This rate may be increased by the following
hourly rates in force :
Snowcat : EUR/H 304.80 Skidoo : EUR/H 116.40
Patroller : EUR/H 78.00
According to Tignes ski patrol boards of directors on 16 October 2025
FIRST TRANSPORT BY AMBULANCE, piste to doctor
FIRST TRANSPORT BY AMBULANCE, bottom of piste to
doctor
Private ambulance from Tignes/Val Claret / hélistation, to
medical center
EUR 210
Private ambulance from Brévières/Daille to medical
center in Tignes
Public ambulance, only if private ambulance not availavle EUR 245
EUR 235
TRANSFER IN AN AMBULANCE TO HOSPITAL,
After approval of the SAMU Emergency Medical Unit
Bourg-St-Maurice hospital
Albertville hospital
EUR 375
EUR 620
Chambéry/Annecy hospital
Grenoble hospital
EUR 950
EUR 990
TRANSPORT BY HELICOPTER
Helicopter with doctor on board
85,22 euros PER
MINUTE OF FLIGHT
+ patrollers cost,
according to location
Helicopter without doctor ON PISTE
Helicopter without doctor OFF-PISTE
EUR 916
EUR 1 377
Extra charge in case of use of a winch
EUR 308
Helicopter without doctor, if not
included in rate
49.50 eur/min
Yeah yeah. Now do some research
Just came back at the weekend after a cracking week in Morzine.
Heads up though if you are flying out of Geneva - once through security don't get food & wait for your gate to be called. We almost missed our flight due to the massive Brexit Bonus queue at passport control.
There is food on the other side of passport control.
When Mrs NBT had an accident in Ste Foy, she was "rescued" to the ski station base - injuries stabilised, loaded on to a stretcher and taken down. No questions at that point about costs, insurance cover etc - they just sorted out the immediate issues.
Once we reached the base, as I had not taken out carre neige for that resort, I had to cough up the credit card to pay for the patroller costs and the ambulance on to the Medical centre etc. Frustratingly, they didn't tell me that until I'd been back to drop off her skis and so on, so they were waiting a few minutes while I sorted stuff out.
Point is, they try to keep you alive and safe FIRST, then sort out costs later, so you should be prepared one way or another
I now use https://skicover.com/. I've not had call to use their cover thankfully, but they've been really helpful in terms of ensuring that we have the cover we need - not that we're likely to use it, but we have cover for off-piste without a guide, and there is no limit to the numder of ski days (many policies have a very limited maximum number of days)
For the accident I refer to above, we had cover from MPI - they were as dodgy as a bent nail, used non-uk based "underwriters" (who turned out to be brokers rather than underwriters) and after about 4 months stopped responding to my emails and calls. I'd got about 80% of our claim back by then, but they still owe us a four figure sum. Not likely to get it, they went into administration a coupole of months ago
When I suffered the Bulgarian Incident 10yrs ago, I was initially rescued off the mountain and taken to the resort treatment clinic. From there I was transferred to the local hospital. Treatment was withheld until my mate turned up at the hospital with my passport and insurance details. Immediately they handed the documents over, a nurse stepped in and stuck a cannula in my arm and started on the pain medication.
I always carry a printed photocopy of my passport and insurance details now. 😏
It's warmed up today in Flaine but still having a great time and looking at next seasons skis that are parked outside of the apartment. Popped back for a hot chocolate and sit down prior to a little lesson this afternoon. Hope it's fun. If @phil5556 is still in the area - look for a short lass with a blue helmet and a bright green Norrona jacket 🙂
Conditions are first class in the 3V and not too many people out so far. We travelled in on Saturday which was a bit of an epic starting north of Dijon. The last bit up to the resort was timed as the weather really hit. A friend was exiting as we were arriving and got stuck at Moutier. Lots of people being put up for the night in local gyms etc having missed their onward transport.
That pic I posted of the Marquise blue run in Sainte Foy before Christmas, an avalanche ran over it today, oops, despite the Catex. It's all been probed now, nobody found and only one person partly buried and unhurt. It's worth having a couple of Recco in your clothing even on piste when the risk is this high.
Here in the Pyrenees it was windy enough to close lifts and hard under ski. I should have taken ski crampons, it would have made it easier on the arms.
Helpfully my transceiver is at home in a bag... 🙄
That pic I posted of the Marquise blue run in Sainte Foy before Christmas, an avalanche ran over it today
The article is in French but google translate will do a reasonable job. The second photo highlights the slide, but if you zoom in / open it in a new tab and zoom in again (or click here), you can see the random dots are actually people, witha helicopter parked on the piste just to the right of the orange highlight. It's concerning as that's a heavily used blue piste. The skiier who triggered the avalanche did hand themselves into Piste Patrol later that afternoon, though we don't knoe yet if they hiked up from the lift at the topof the piste in the photo (just off to the left of the photo, quite a height gain on that hike) or traveresed / cut across from the higher lift to the right (less height gain but somewhat ropy in traversing terrain)
Almost certainly approached the Pointe de Foglieta from Col de l'Aiguille lift. That's the usual way. I've been sent a vid of the avalanche path and rescue scene but I won't post it unless the instructor who filmed it does. It shows where the skier set off the avalanche just below the summit. The article covers the main points well.
How does liability work for setting off an avalanche that covers a piste? AIUI, the responsibility lies with the authorities to ensure anything that emperils the pistes under their management is made safe (or the piste closed until it is). See Stubai in November? If this doesn't happen and someone triggers something that should have been dealt with, surely that still lies with the authorities with perhaps contributory negligence from the triggerer...?
It shows where the skier set off the avalanche just below the summit
Now you say that, you can see in the image I linked that the avalanche starts WELL above the highlighted bit, so yes, most likely from Aiguille
Halfway through a backcountry week in Grimentz and the number of naturally occurring avalanches in plain sight is quite astonishing. Our guide is being rightly super cautious but we’ve still managed to do some good lines.
Did my first ever day on a split board today and whilst it was great it cruelly exposed my lack of fitness. 350 or so metres of vertical ascent on it had me completely cooked. Big respect to those who can casually go out and smash out 1000m plus a day.
It’s hard work but I really enjoyed the small amount of splitboarding I’ve done. Love being in an area with massive views and just your group around. Kind of similar to climbing an alpine road in the summer. You just get in a rhythm and enjoy the views!
stoked you are getting some turns. Had a fun family week in serre chevalier although the off piste was very sketchy and we were unlikely with timing so ended up driving in snow and the easy safe access pow being tracked out by the time we got there.
really fun week cruising piste - great carving snow. Managed the elusive heelside circle carve…
some pics on my insta here
just a couple below 
First time here and it was a great area. Wife and daughter especially enjoyed the hot spring spa!
Yep the off piste is pretty much as dangerous as our guide has seen in 20 or so years in the mountain, we’re doing stuff which is either very safe, very mellow or has already slid (and often all three).
Im off on Saturday morning to Les Arcs. Forcast is for alot of cloudy days with snow due almost every day at some point, mostly single figure top ups . Skiing with a group of level 2/3 skiers so I guess there will be a lot of moaning about flat light , snow, ice ( when they mean compact snow ) and lots of hot choc stops.
Got my beeper kit but going off piste solo is a huge risk at the moment. Might see if the better skiers want to share a private lesson but none of them have skied in powder before.
Big respect to those who can casually go out and smash out 1000m plus a day.
If you can do over a 1000m in an hour it's more repsectable. 😉 (can't anymore)
Big respect to those who can casually go out and smash out 1000m plus a day.
If you can do over a 1000m in an hour it's more repsectable. 😉 (can't anymore)
I had a rest day today so just cruised the pistes at St Luc Chandolin for the day. The rest of the crew did a 1350m skin up to 3000m in the same resort. I really need to up my game.
Got back from a great trip on Sunday. Instead of skiing one area, we went and found a load of smaller resorts in Austria & road tripped around doing a day in each. We found hotels in the valleys willing to take shorter bookings of 1-2 nights on a half board basis and did day tickets for each resort. We visited Grossarltal, Dachstein West, Gastein, Katchberg, Obertauern, Heiligenblut and Matrei.
It snowed pretty much continuously from the Thursday before we set off, until the Sunday we started Skiing. The drive down from the ferry at Rotterdam was amusing as it was snowing all the way from about Utrecht to Salzburg. Turns out that Germany and Austria can't really cope with continuous falling snow - the autobahn past Munich was a white sheet with no lanes from Ingolstadt all the way to Salzburg.
The drive up to Grossarl early on the Sunday in about 4cm of fresh snow was a bit sphincter-clenching as it meandered up and down the valley wall. I took chains for the car but didn't need to use them as the winters worked just fine. The mountain was draped in beautiful fresh powder, so the big skis came out to play. YAY!
Pistes were in amazing condition and there were very few people around. Katchberg has the most wondrous big, wide carving slopes that head on down through the trees to the valley floor. Dachstein West was bizarrely full of Russians who seem to have chucked lots of cash at what would otherwise be a place with creaking 1980s infrastructure. I suspect they paid Doppelmayer in hard cash for the glistening brand new lifts. Obertauern was ok, but it's definitely a resort set on a high saddle, among low mountains, resulting in many, many short runs.
I thought Gastein was awesome, probably the biggest resort we visited - we'd not planned to go there but forecast high winds made us rejig our itinerary, dropping a day on the Moeltaler glacier. Heiligenblut is on the Grossglockner pass. It's a tiny resort in an astounding setting. It also has the most bizarre gondoloa style lift that runs on an I-beam girder instead of a rope and goes through a tunnel for most of its journey. Sadly, the huge t-bar that goes ~600m vertically up to the summit was shut. A local resort for local people. The oldest infra but some of the most picturesque skiing on beautifully manicured pistes.
I've driven past Matrei many times on the way to/from Corinthia, always thinking "I wonder what that's like?" It didn't disappoint. A small resort with great infrastructure and a huge vertical range. Even got to watch some sit ski racing, which was cool.
All in, one of the best ski trips I've done. Scratched an itch a mate and I have had for years. We're already scouring openskimap and bergfex looking at where we can head next year.
Overnight dump in Salzburg
Grossarltal
Katchberg
Gastein
Obertauern
Added aero?
Heiligenblut
Goodbye Matrei
We're already scouring openskimap and bergfex looking at where we can head next year.
Great report! You should definitely check out the trip reports from Denfinella over on snowheads who does similar trips covering multiple resorts (though often based in just one or two aparments rather than hotel-hopping), you might well find some inspiration
I have a reputation for litter picking on the slopes (I like to think of it as mountain wombling) so this trip picked up a new iphone and managed to return it to the young man who lost it in the off piste where it was about to be covered. There was just a corner poking out of the snow so I picked it up and waited for it to ring..... returned to the young man via the incredibly friendly lift pass office staff.
Also the usual chapsticks for lips and a squishy/collapsible hydration bottle by salomon.
Other trips have been big tube of clinique SPF cream, a gopro which we spent the rest of the holiday trying to return to its owners and the weirdest one - a hard plastic sunglasses case which turned out to have the biggest, most perfectly rolled spliffs I have ever seen ......
Anyone else a bit of a womble on the slopes ?
Peak time for wombling is Easter. Usually though, it's nothing more exciting than half consumed packets of frutella, right hand gloves and single ski poles.
Yep I tend to stop to help people up, and to collect chocolate bar wrappers, yet to find anything returnable or all that interesting. Also been guilty of loosing at least a couple of gloves that I should clipped on!
I've done well then 🙂
A question for our Flaine regulars. I am in the resort late-February, staying in a chalet. Only been there once before, for a weekend so long ago I have just about no recollection of the resort. The usual rules apply, I think, and there will be one night where we have to fend for ourselves food-wise, which raises the question of where do the regulars recommend?
am in the resort late-February, staying in a chalet.
Do you know where your chalet is, or what it's called?
Ah yes, because it’s strung out isn't it. All arranged through Ski Club GB, so I’m a bit in the dark, but I think it is the bit they call Hameau towards the top end.
I'm out, in that case - I can recommend a few places in Forum, but not sure you can easily get to / from there if you're up in Hameau. In case you can make it down there then I've enjoyed meals at 1967, the burgers at Bistro F are eninently acceptable, and Chez Lili do GREAT pizzas. Sabaudia up in Foret is also worth considering
OK, thanks. I’m sure we’ll magic something up when we’re out there.
If you can walk down to the upper part of the village there's a lift to the forum section that runs late (so you can get home after a meal).
The Bam pub did great pizza when we were there a couple of years ago. There was also a fancy looking place in one of the brutalist buildings on the piste, but I can't find the name, it was great though we went twice.
Edit: it was Totem. 1967 were really helpful on a busy night and squeezed us in early too one night.
@blackhat - feel free to message me. We did our seasons staying in the Hameau. We only stopped going there because the lady we were renting from inconsiderately sold it 🙁
We have just got back and will be returning in March
Nice when it snows low down. The Braca, a bit too deep for skate but a delight on classics. Take care on descents if you chain the front of your car and have Summer tyres on the back, two cars span.
The hameau, is a walk and a ski down to Foret or the bus. L'Ancolie is the Hameau local bar (its a lovely place, comfy seating and a roaring fire), it does a happy hour and the food is good but expensive.
For cheaper options head into town on the last Navette, the chalet staff will give you the number for Serge (the local ski shop owner and instructor) as he has the taxi contract. When you are done in town, ring Serge and he will pick you up from the Galerie Marchaud usually.
Hotel Totem - this year is having 2 happy hour nights - Tuesday and Thursday 5-7pm, Tues was fairly quiet, Thursday not quiet.
Chez Lilli - lovely pizzas but not very big inside. You must book a table if you want to eat there. There is another pizzeria in the precinct, chez Pierrot which is also pretty good.
Brasserie des Cimes - has a menu which has something for everyone on it
Chez Daniel - classic french mountain menu with lots of fondue, tartiflette etc.
The Eloge and Michot are a short walk across the piste. Friends say it was great but very expensive.
On the mountain - Croc blanc at the top of the tete de saix/corbalanche chairlifts has the cheapest coffees on the mountain but no toilets. The snack bar in morillon looks nothing special but they do surprisingly good food and the owner is lovely. La combe just below it does great hot chocolate and pizzas.
Diane, the head instructor, is amazing - it's all about improving your skiing and you having a good time rather than her proving she's a ski goddess.
Feel free to ask away if you have any more questions.
Thanks sprootlet, couldn’t have asked for any more than that. I’ve never been with SCGB but Mrs BH did a right mischief to her knee on our first ski trip so I have had to find a route to a solo trip.
@blackhat - as another option, I've been with skivolution/skivo2 as a single traveller and the quality of the instruction was fab. I went to le Praz with them before they split into the 2 companies. They made sure everyone in the group was a very similar ability and the skiers in my group very kindly asked me to ski with them for the rest of the week which was fantastic.
I think you'll have a great time with SCGB though. We try and get a Diane for a day at the weekend once a season, it's intense but we have been to some beautiful places.