English Weather, News, Ski Report - February 24, 2024

WEATHER

We can expect  a grey, cloudy day with some snow down to 800 metres. 
There might be a few glimpses of sun between the clouds this afternoon.
The south west wind will gust at 30 km/hour on the mountain.

It is cooler,
as befits February !

At 08.30 the temperature is
-7° in the Village.
-10° on Solaise.
-15° on Pisaillas.
Maximum temperature is expected to be  -3° at 2000 meters.

ROADS

The roads in the village shouldn't be a problem to cars properly equipped for the winter,
but may still be busy with people arriving and leaving,
parking to load or unload.

SKI REPORT

ALL our lifts are already open except the Signal. 
There is a technical problem with this draglift but they are busy working to get it open ASAP.

All pistes are open except for the Tunnel piste in Le Fornet and the Snow Park on Bellevarde.
The team who look after our pistes often spend Saturdays using their high tech machines
to move snow around the park
so that you can all have fun there for the rest of the week.

Most of the pistes were groomed overnight.
Those not groomed are :

AT LE FORNET

• Fôret
• Petit Bois
• Table d’Orientation
• Signal

ON SOLAISE

• Cugnai
• S
• Marmottons
• Rhône- Alpes
  

There will be training and racing this morning on

• The upper part of the Orange
• The upper part of the OK
• The Raye
  

But these slopes will then open to everyone.

The Santons and the L may close early due to a high risk of avalanches.
Please don’t ski down a closed run as this upsets the very people
you will need to put their lives at risk to find you
if you get buried.

Tignes can be accessed via the Tommeuses or Borsat chairlifts.

The avalanche risk today is 3 out of 5.
 
IF you fancy skiing off piste ...
Why not book a mountain guide ?
They have diplomas attesting to their knowledge and mountain skills.

All our walking paths and cross county tracks are open apart from les Branges.
Don't forget that if your dog takes you for a walk,
either pick up their poo or pay a 135 euro fine.

LOCAL NEWS

Like last Saturday, it will be a "tricky" on the roads today.
Some are muttering “Chaos”, others “Saturated”.
38,000 cars are coming up the hill and only 6,000 less are heading home.
As always, this is measured between Albertville and Moutiers, so fewer people are lucky enough to be holidaying in Val.

For those heading our way ~
the dual carriage way will be at a crawl from
08.00 and 22.00 i.e. 14 hours
and for those leaving us, from
08.00 - 13.00
and 17.00 - 20.00.

Not all 'complete stops' are due either careless driving or accidents
as the police need to manage this volume of traffic carefully.

If you have the luxury of choosing your travel time, and have to leave us today,
what about  a leisurely breakfast or cheeky extra ski
and leave between
11.00 - 16.00 or after 18.00.
Even better, stay until tomorrow.

New week of the season and another week of French school holidays.

The studious Parisians, and most reluctant young Brits,
will be back at their desks on Monday, which usually gives us "respite".
However the occupation rate of 84.1% = BUSY.
Not much ‘quieter’ than last week.
Many more than the equivalent week last winter, even though,
because of the rotation of the French holiday zones, that week included Parisans.

Yesterday 40 lucky people were able to pick their way down,
unencumbered by the general public, for the
First Tracks event organised by the STVI (Val disère's lift company).
Blue sky, pistes groomed overnight, so smooth underneath,
before being  covered with 15 cm of fresh snow.
Doesnt get much better !
Chaperoned by 4 instructors from the ESF (French Ski School),
they made the first turns down both the Face de Bellevarde and the Diebold.  
Photographic and video evidence is on Radio Val.
A similar experience is planned for next Thursday.

World Cup downhill skiing.
The ladies are racing in the Super G in Italy,
while the men are Back in the US of A, at
Palisade Tahoe for the giant slalom.  
Good luck to our favourite skiers, French or British !