WEATHER
Same weather as yesterday - big blue, cloud-free skies and no wind.
There was a good freeze.
Warm sun plus overnight freeze is the recipe for spring skiing.
So be aware that until the sun softens the snow some of the lower pistes may be solid.
The good news is that the sun is already hard at work.
The temperature at 9.20 is
- +2° in the Village.
- +2° on Solaise.
- +3° on Bellevarde.
- 0° on Pisaillas.
The maximum temperature at 2000 metres will be +9°
ROADS
No problems are expected on our roads.
SKI REPORT
Most pistes and lifts are open and in fab condition, though some will be more flattering to ski on when the surface softens.
They started the grooming as soon as the pistes closed yesterday,
but it was a race to do as much as possible before the freeze
as it is much more difficult, and slower, to prepare frozen pistes.
The few closures are :
- Tunnel piste in Le Fornet.
- On Bellevarde :
Joseray, which is being used for
an exam for the guys that drive our grooming machines.
Avoid this closed piste, as the machines are a lot bigger than you are ! - Moutons can’t open as
- Mont Blanc chairlift is still waiting for a spare part,
- The Raye is reserved for an Altigliss challenge.
The L and the Santons will close by lunchtime.
There was another big avalanche into the L yesterday.
Runs are not just closed to annoy you ….
If you need a reminder, please look carefully at the photos, on our website, of the avalanche into the L a few days ago.
The following were not groomed :
AT LE FORNET
There was a problem with a machine
so less was groomed than usual
- Fôret
- Signal
- Petit Bois
- Col
- Table d'Orientation
ON SOLAISE
- Combe martin
- S
- Lessiėres
- Rhône- Alpes
ON BELLEVARDE
Just the lower part of the Epaule du Charvet
but you can do the grooomed top and avoid the challenging exit by cutting across to the Santons.
Tignes can be accessed via the Tommeuses or Borsat chairlifts.
The avalanche risk today is again 2 out of 5.
IF you fancy skiing off piste,
choose YOUR companions carefully.
If they are better with a beer than a beep,
stay on our pistes until you can ski with a mountain guide.
The lower slopes may be tricky after melting yesterday afternoon then freezing overnight.
DON’T forget : you can save both your legs and sense of humour by taking a lift down.
All our walking paths and cross county tracks are open and recently groomed
apart from les Branges.
LOCAL NEWS
Freestyle enthusiasts had a treat yesterday evening as over two hours
Riders First competitors hurled themselves from the enormous mound especially prepared by the snowpark team.
Their acrobatics had the huge crowd screaming !
Most of the 1000 or more watching were students from the GEM Altigliss,
but it also included plenty of locals and 'normal' holidaymakers.
The weather was perfect, which is worth a mention as it snowed during the competition in previous years.
The full event was not just about skilled, agile, athletic and courageous skiers, but included DJs and music.
See the photos and video on our website.
Moving on to a completely different and more somber discipline,
which takes place in Val d'Isère at least once during the winter.
Over the last 2 days, 40 or so dog handlers from a large number of Haute Tarantaise resorts
took part in avalanche training on the slopes of the Datcha.
As with most dog training, the best results are when the dog believes it is a game.
The piste grooming team had prepared big holes.
Young dogs, new to this, were encouraged to find a roll of material left in a hole
and partially covered by snow.
They were initially led to the hole by their personal ski patroller (handler/master/friend) and rewarded for finding the roll.
Exercises were built up until 6 volunteers were buried by a large amount of snow,
and then waited patiently for the dogs to find them.
The ski patrol in Val d'Isère have 5 avalanche rescue dog and handler combos,
all trained to quickly work through an avalanche.
There is a video report on our website.
Despite the warmth of the last few days, this evening's Cross Country Ski Relay Race will be going ahead.
This is a fun event for both competitors and spectators.
So head to the Place des Dolomites, between Val Village and the Nursery slopes before the start at 18.30.
Finally.
Congratulations to Team GB's Dave Ryding who is officially the World’s 7th Best Slalom Skier.
18.30
Register from 18.00
Cross country skiing Relay Race
Do not miss it !
Free to enter, free to cheer on !
A temporary track with bumps and banked corners has been installed
on the Place des Dolomites next to the bottom of the nursery slopes.
Boraso Sport, next to the track, will lend whatever kit you need to whoever wants to take part,
and there will be free hot drinks for both competitors and spectators.
The race is a relay, with two in each team.
One skis while the other catches her (or even his) breath,
the aim is to do as many laps as possible in 20 minutes.
The teams can be made up of local ski instructors,
novice holiday makers, enthusiastic youngsters from our village, or a mixture of all three !
If you don’t want to ski, come and sip a mulled wine while cheering them on !
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 07.30 to 22.00.
The Ice-Skating Rink is open from 14.00 to 20.00.
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 14.00 to 19.00.
The Reservation Centre (On the Lower Ground Floor 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.
