WEATHER
Beautiful blue sky this morning both delighted and confused us.
The weather report mentioned plenty of clouds, but it does cover a wide area.
We now think they are heading our way this afternoon.
With the possibility of snow at village level.
However not much, maybe 5 centimetres at 2000 metres.
But little and often is a good policy.
There could be a moderate North East wind at 40 kilometres per hour at the peaks.
Though we are wind free at the moment.
At 9.30 the temperature is
+3° in the Village.
-3° on Solaise.
-3° on Bellevarde.
-6° on Pisaillas.
The maximum temperature at 2000 metres will be +6°
ROADS
We don’t expect any problems on our roads today.
SKI REPORT
For the most up-to-date information please click here.
Here are the highlights of the ski report.
A fab ski day.
Nearly everything is both open and groomed.
ON BELLEVARDE
The championships for the under 16 boys is taking place on the OK and Orange.
Everything was groomed except for the Joseray.
The last wall of the Epaule is closed, but you can nip onto the bottom of the Santons.
The top part of the Santons will close early due to the risk of an
avalanche engulfing this piste.
NEVER ski or board on a closed piste.
If you get buried, the normally charming pisteur,
who put up the red “no go” ropes,
may be grumpy digging you out.
The Brinzei touring track is open but the lower part is ‘thin’.
ON SOLAISE
The 3000 lift and piste and the lower part of the Marmottons are closed.
The L may close for the same Avalanche-risk-reason as the Santons.
The Rhone Alps, S, Cugnai, La Fourche and Ecureuil touring track were not groomed.
LE FORNET
Everything is open except the Tunnel.
The Foret is never groomed, and a great place for mogul lovers to go.
Though maybe wait until they have soften a bit,
as "firm" doesn’t really describe the bumpy brutality of an early descent.
ON PISAILLAS
Everything is open and groomed.
On the NURSERY SLOPE
Everything is open and groomed, including the tobogganing area.
The avalanche risk today is 2 out of 5.
Spring conditions, so snow surface is solid to start with,
But warms up quickly.
There are still plenty of slabs out there, ready to move.
If you are heading off piste – do you really know
What you are doing, and where you are going?
Do all your team have a beep ?
Could they flick out their probe, click together their shovel and dig ?
You out. Fast ?
Why not minimise the risk by skiing with and learning from a mountain guide?
If you are going to Tignes, use either the Tommeuse or Borsat chairlifts.
All of our walking, multi activity and cross country tracks are open
Todays top pisteur tip :
The snow is always better on the higher slopes.
Although firm in the morning, once warmed and chopped up,
snow on the lower slopes will be heavy and hard work for even good skiers.
So, beginners ….don’t ruin a good day.
When your legs are tired, take the lift down.
LOCAL NEWS
Happy Ecomove DAY !
This afternoon, in the Tourist Office square, The Vie Val d’Is
The association for Val’s employees,
are raising both money and your environmental awareness.
A huge garage sale, a zero waste kitchen, a snack bar.
Information about food waste..
An area to leave old phones and computers
Finishing off from 17.00 with a soup disco…
Yep live music and soup.
Last year 100 litres were consumed.
All in a good cause…
New eco projects for the town including vegetable gardens
planted once the snow has melted
and a Naturons Nous week in the summer.
So big veggie promotion !
Racing news.
Yesterday morning 92 Under 16 girls Super-g eeed down the OK and Orange
In the French Championship, although 13 didn’t reach the finish.
The winning time was 50.87 seconds (all very precise).
Val’s Lilou Costerg Legrand came 27th -
a placing that doesn’t reflect how close she was to the podium.
Her speed was less than two seconds slower than the winner.
Just think ……….One ……………two
That was a tight race !
Today 112 of France’s fastest under 16 boys will be competing to be champion.
Val’s own, British Blooded, Olivia Angus won gold in her year group in the
regional Slalom in St Foy at the weekend.
Today she is in Alpe d’Huez, racing against the fastest under 12s
from all corners of France.
Every one of them trained to perfection, super fit and
desperate to win the Coq d’Or.
Good luck Olivia. Show them how it’s done !
The grand finale of the avaline trax ski mountaineering race yesterday
had a different twist…Fancy dress….
150 fit freaks zipped up the 480 vertical metres through the forest of la Daille,
in the dark.
The fastest man arrived in just under 22 minutes,
the zippiest lady in 28 minutes
While the pairs was won in 51 minutes.
I suspect they are still quietly competitive
But it will be a slower pace for our senior citizens today
when they enjoy Snowshoeing in the Manchet valley,
arranged by the CCAS.
We gave out 5 more medals last night in recognition of our visitors loyalty.
From Germany – Jerry Kemming now has a silver after 35 years,
and even his grandchildren have learnt to ski here.j
Gyllys Laurence Wolff got a well-deserved big gold for 56 year and
was the first journalist to do the news in English, from Val d’Isėre.
Pre RadioVal – Radio France in 1978.
Helene Cherpitel also has a big gold.
Though she physically gave up skiing at the age of 80,
she continues the turns and schusses through powder in her mind.
Her husband Andre has only graced us with his presence for 40 years,
so has a smaller gold medal on his lapel.
Finally a gold to Antonine Dumon who was taught to ski by Fernand Bonnnevie.
His sponsor is now teaching his son.
And a final memory
A very tasty Lili Pouchkine raspberry and blueberry tart……….
Moving onto our Culture Department.
Put 14th -17th April in your diaries.
The 28th International Festival of Adventure and Discovery Films.
Tickets for this popular event can be bought online.
Adventurer and travel writer Sylvian Tresson will lead the festival.
He knows a thing or two about the subject having crossed Iceland by motorbike,
explored caves in Borneo,
cycled around the world,
walked across the Himalayas,
rode horses across central ASIA,
spent 6 months alone in a cabin by a lake in Siberia,
then fell off a roof of a chalet in Chamonix…..
Surviving 4 skull fractures and a coma inspired him to walk across France
before nipping to Tibet to visit snow leopards.
The 11 films competing for the 5 prizes will take you to exotic locations, and scary sports.
The jury is made up of well-known TF1 TV journalist Claire Chazal,
Paul Bonhomme, a Mountain guide who excels skiing steep slopes,
Kti Devos, a champion parapenter turned parapent magazine editor and
Rémy Tézier, a documentary maker.
The festival films are complemented by debates and exhibitions.
FINALLY, continuing with culture….
You are invited to a "vernissage" (the official opening of an exhibition),
in the Maison de Val, the building next to the swimming pool.
at 18.00 this evening. –
Not one exhibition but two….
And not even 2 for the price of 1, as there is no charge.
Firstly, the famous French author, illustrator and cartoonist Clément Rizzo
will be presenting “Raconte” (“Tell us…”).
This Savoyarde artist went out and about meeting people before transferring their
stories, emotions and journeys into the
colours, bubbles and squares of his grown up cartoons.
Stretching further along the same corridor….
Exhibition No Two.
« Toutes les Vies se Val ».(« Every life has value”)
Black, white and all shades of grey.
Portraits of avalins…the locals of Val d’Isėre.
Charcoal depictions of colourful characters.
Both our stars and the people who work quietly behind the scenes
to make Val as good as it is.
Quick confession…..It is my job to share local news,
and to tell you about interesting events happening in Val.
But I risk blowing my own charcoal…
Christėle Bonnevie asked me to do these portraits.
My aim was to capture moments in time,
in a different way to a photo.
Giving a glimpse of their personalities.
It is a series in progress, as I haven’t had time to do everyone.
I hope you enjoy them.
Plenty of time to visit as both exhibitions
will be open until the end of the season.
It is a bit of a secret that there is a thriving art community in Val.
The Association Couleurs et Toiles was created 20 years ago by
our talented artist and teacher, Rozenn Roszak.
Every week 50 adults and 50 children benefit from her
tuition, support, encouragement and top tips.
Merci Rozenn !
FROM 12.00 - 18.30
Ecomove Day
From midday, and all afternoon, in the Tourist Office square,
The Vie Val d’Is is raising both money and your environmental awareness :
a garage sale, a zero waste kitchen, a snack bar.
Information about food waste.
An area to leave old phones and computers.
From 17.00 there will be a “soup disco…”
music and soup….
All in a good cause…
New summer eco projects for the town
including vegetable gardens and a Naturons Nous week.
17.45
Yooner and Snooc
Savonette Nursery slope.
Come and try our modern, light, comfortable and easy to handle sledges.
Known as a ‘paret’, this was originally wooden and consisted of a single ski,
a plank to sit on and a handle for ‘ control’ – term used loosely !!
Yooner is for children and Snooc for adults.
Free and you don't need to book.
18.00
Vernissage in the Maison de Val. (Next to the Swimming pool and sports centre)
The famous French author, illustrator and cartoonist Clément Rizzo will be here in Val, presenting “Raconte” (Tell us…).
This Savoyarde artist went out and about meeting people before transferring their
stories, emotions and journeys into the colours, bubbles and squares of his grown-up cartoons.
Further along the corridor….also at 18.00
Another exhibition. This time by a very local, and less famous, artist, Laura M.
« Toutes les Vies se Val ».
(Every life has value.)
Charcoal portraits of “avalins”…
Both of our stars and the people who work quietly
behind the scenes to make Val as good as it is.
This challenge was dreamed up by cheeky Christėle Bonnevie.
The aim is to remember and share their interesting faces
save something more than a photo can give.
It is an ongoing project as she hasn’t had time to do everyone !
Plenty of time to visit as both exhibitions will be open until the end of the season.
19.30 – 22.00
Head to the evening event at the Swimming Pool and Sports centre.
You are invited to relax after 19.30 until the centre closes at 22.00.
Anyone who buys a ticket for the swimming pool,
can take also use the Wellness Centre’s jacuzzies, saunas and the hammam
without paying the usual extra charge.
Free local Buses
The red shuttle bus (‘le train rouge’) runs between La Daille and Le Fornet, via the roundabout adjacent to the nursery slopes (‘Rond-point des pistes’)
It leaves la Daille every 10 minutes from 07.00 to 19.50 and then every 20 minutes until 02.10.
The night bus leaves Le Fornet at 20.10 then every 20 minutes until 2.30.
The blue shuttle bus (‘le train bleu’) travels between the Rond-point des pistes and Legettaz every 15 minutes from 08.30 to 23.00.
The yellow shuttle bus (‘le train jaune’) takes you to the Manchet valley via the main street and the rue de la Balme and Rond Point des pistes every 20 minutes from 08.30 to 23.20.
The Purple shuttle bus between Val d’Isère and Tignes : leaves the new bus station at La Daille at
07.55 8.35 10.50 16.25 17.25 18.20.
On request it will stop at La Reculaz and Villaret du Nial.
It leaves Tignes 1800 at 08.05 8.45 11.00 16.35 17.35 and 18.30.
The Swimming Pool and Sports Centre is open from 7h30 to 22.00
The Tourist Office is open from 08.30 to 19.30.
The Multimedia Library is open from 10.00 to 12.00 and 14.00 to 18.00.
The Town Hall (La Mairie) is open from 9.00 to 12.00 and from 14.00 to 18.00.
The Association for Employees in Val d’Isère (Vie Val Dis) is open from 09.00 to 12.00 and from 15.00 to 19.00.
The Reservation Centre (On the Lower Ground Floor of the Tourist Office) is open from 08.30 to 19.00.
