WEATHER
We are in for a cloudy day. It was snowing in the village earlier and more snow is expected later.
There will be a South Westerly wind with gusts of 40 to 60 km/h later reducing to a Northerly wind of 20 to 30 km/h.
At 9.40 the temperature is
0° in the Village.
-4° on Solaise.
-6° on Bellevarde.
-7° on Pisaillas.
Maximum Temperature -3° at 2000 meters.
ROADS
As it is Friday, time to share how many vehicles are expected on the roads of the Tarentaise this weekend.
Maybe look away if you have no option but to join the crowds tomorrow?
41,000 vehicles are coming up the hill between Albertville and Moutiers while 70,000 head down towards home over the next three days.
Tomorrow will be the busiest day, as it is the end of the Xmas holidays, with 32,000 vehicles heading home.
The worst times on the road will be between 09.00 and 13.00, but the whole day could be tricky.
If you have the option of leaving VERY early or VERY late your journey is likely to be less stressful.
Traffic on Sunday is expected to be free flowing in both direction.
This is assuming all the cars are equipped for the conditions and that everyone drives sensibly, so there are no accidents blocking the road.
If you need to put chains on, anticipate and put them on in the designated areas so that you don't block the road.
If you are not used to putting chains on, we would like to assure you that it will be even more stressful if you are blocking thousands of people in thousands of cars.
Life on our roads would be so much easier if all the cars had winter tyres.
Safer for both you and the cars around you !
SKI REPORT
All of our lifts are open !
At Le Fornet
Everything will open except the Tunnel piste.
The Signal, Foret and Table d’Orientation are all difficult pistes, and have not been groomed. This does not make them easier !!
On the Pisaillas area
Everything is open.
On Solaise
The only closure is The Piste L.
The 3000, Marmottons and Rhone Alps have not been groomed.
On Bellevarde
The Santons will remain closed until there is enough snow.
Boarder cross is closed due to poor visibility.
The British Infantry are racing on the upper parts of the Orange and the OK. Why not go and cheer them on ?
The Raye is also closed for training.
The Epaule du Charvet is a difficult black run that has not been groomed.
Tignes can be accessed via the Tommeuses or Borsat chairlifts.
The avalanche risk today is 3 out of 5.
If considering skiing off piste.
Please read the local news, slowly and carefully…….
The avalanche risk yesterday was ALSO 3 out of 5.
There were MANY avalanches, both small and large.
There were three MAJOR rescues.
Several people were VERY VERY LUCKY.
Including two professionals skiers.
Avalanches are unforgiving beasts but were RELATIVELY kind to us yesterday.
Ski only with people who
Regularly
- Do beep searches.
- Can flick out their probes
- Can DIG.
Why not use this cloudy day to refresh (or learn for the first time) those skills.
If in doubt - hire an instructor or a mountain guide.
OR stay on our groomed and well marked pistes.
Cross Country skiers can enjoy skiing on the tracks in
- The Manchet Valley
- La Daille
- Lac d’Ouillette
Our beautiful walking paths are all open.
Keep them beautiful for everyone by cleaning up after your dog.
LOCAL NEWS
Yesterday was busy day for the Emergency Services, with several serious events off piste.
There were many avalanches – both small and large.
Several of these involved skiers.
In the Grand Pre area
a skier was partially buried by an avalanche
luckily this was witnessed by professionals who, along with ski patrollers,
released him, uninjured.
In the Tour du Charvet
in the middle of the afternoon
two skiers, one of whom was a professional,
were swept 150 metres
before finally stopping, fortunately on the surface.
They lost their equipment, were rescued by helicopter, but had no obvious injuries.
At the end of the day, the most spectacular of the rescues…..
on the steep slopes of the Cairn.
Two skiers, again one of whom is a professional, who were skiing a steep narrow gulley (“couloir”) at the top of Bellevarde were taken by an avalanche, landing above rocks.
A knee injury required the ‘blood wagon’ (“barquette”) but the accident could have been a lot more serious.
The avalanche risk was three out of five yesterday.
These episodes remind us that skiing off piste
is never without risk, and that an indepth knowledge of the mountain and CURRENT snow conditions is indispensable.
Huge thank you to our ski patrollers.
The final descent down Bellevarde last night was a lot more jolly !
120 instructors snaking down the mogul covered black run, the Face, for the Impressive Torchlight Descent.
There was a huge crowd, many there early to see the children doing their cute version, carrying lanterns as they skied down the Savonette.
Then everyone enjoyed the Firework display, oh, and the mulled wine !
The New Year's Eve ceremony for the Mayor of Val d'Isère
will be held on Tuesday, January 9th.
This an opportunity to hear Patrick Martin's plans for 2024.
Finally
if you fancy yourself as a bit of a film buff -
The “Little Big Festival” which will take place on Friday 29th March at the Conference Centre (Centre Henri Orieller), is looking for two more jurers !
If you are chosen, your role will be to work with the team to review the films and choose the best !
Contact the Vie Val d'Is if you are interested and think you have what it takes !
Interviews will take place next Wednesday and Thursday the 10th and 11th January from 10.00 to 12.00 at the Conference Centre.
17.30
It is the Dynastar Trophy competition his evening on the Savonnette slope.
This famous race is only for holiday makers, NOT for secret semi-pro or pro skiers.
By that I mean, if you belong to an Alpine Ski Club, or are on a ski training course you must not compete.
It is a single-elimination parallel slalom with three simple categories – men, women, children.
Winners will receive a prize from Val d'Isères partner Dynastar, who will also donate a pair of skis for the raffle.
There isn’t a fee to enter but there are only 32 places for men and children and 16 places for women, and there are a lot more people than that here on holiday at the moment, so if you want to experience the thrill of racing so don’t hang around –put your skates on and get to the Club de Sports to register ASAP.
You can find the Club office next to the ticket office between the bottom of the Olympique and Solaise bubbles.
18.00
Mass will be celebrated at both The Chapel in La Daille and in the Church in the Old Village.
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’) every 6 minutes from 07.00 to 20.00 and then every 20 minutes until 02.00.
The blue shuttle bus (‘le train bleu’) travels between the Rond-point des pistes and Legettaz every 15 minutes from 08.30 to 23.20.
The yellow shuttle bus (‘le train jaune’) takes you to the Manchet valley via the main street and the rue de la Balme every 20 minutes from 08.30 to 23.20.
The shuttle bus between Val d’Isère and Tignes does 6 round trips a day.
- Leaving La Daille at 07.55, 08.35 and 10.50 in the morning and 16.25, 17.25 and 18.20 pm in the afternoon.
- Leaving Tignes 1800 at 8.05, 8.45 and 11.00, in the morning and 16.35, 17.35 and 18.30 in the afternoon.
The Swimming Pool and Sports Centre is open from 10.00 to 21.00.
The Ice-skating Rink is open from 10.00 to 20.00.
The Tourist Office is open from 08.30 to 19.30.
The Multimedia Library is open from 14.00 to 18.00.
The Town Hall (La Mairie) is open from 9.00 to 12.00 and from 14.00 to 17.00.
The Association for employees in Val d’Isere (Vie Val d’Is) is open from 09.00 to 12.00 and from 14.00 to 16.00.
The Reservation Centre (in the basement of the Tourist Office) is open from 08.30 to 19.00.
The Post Office is open from 09.00 to 12.30 and from 14.00 to 17.30.
