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22 mars 2024 | Articles

English Weather, News, Ski Report - March 22, 2024

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WEATHER

Good news is that after yesterday's rain and grey skies, we have been rewarded with a sunny day.
The clouds moved off at dawn leaving a clear sky.

At 09.30 the temperature is

  • +4° in the Village.
  • +5° on Solaise.
  • +3° on Bellevarde
  • 0° on Pisaillas

It was windy during the night - 119 km/hour on Pisaillas at 03.00, but this won't be a problem today. 

ROADS

No problems for anyone driving carefully in the village.

SKI REPORT.

Most pistes and lifts are open.

The few closures  are :

  • Tunnel piste in Le Fornet.
    On Bellevarde :
  • There is training on the Raye.
  • Moutons can’t open as
  • Mont Blanc chairlift is still being repaired
  • The Snow Park should open shortly.

The L and the Santons will  close early due to the high risk of
yet another avalanche crashing down.
Don’t be ‘reassured’ by recent avalanche activity, as there are still plenty of slabs waiting to go.
Our moutains are big and can be mean, don’t gamble with them !
NEVER risk skiing down a closed run.

The following were not groomed

AT LE FORNET

  • Fôret
  • Signal
  • Petit Bois

ON SOLAISE

  • 3000
  • Leissiers
  • Marmottons
  • S

ON BELLEVARDE

  • Epaule du Charvet
  • Club des Sports
  • G

Tignes can be accessed via the Tommeuses or Borsat chairlifts.

The avalanche risk today is again 2 out of 5.
A stronger 2 once the sun warms up the slopes.

IF you fancy skiing off piste :
Why not book to ski with, and learn from
a mountain guide.

All our walking paths and cross county tracks
are open
apart from :

  • Les Branges
  • Les Marmottes
  • Laisinant.

LOCAL NEWS

Friday again, so Weekend Road News !
As the end of the season approaches,
the traffic between Albertville and Moutiers becomes easier.
This weekend
61,000 cars are approaching us and 68,000 leaving.
Coming uphill,  the worst time will be tomorrow afternoon,
particularly 15.00 - 19.00.
Going down,
it will be slow this evening around  18.00
but best to avoid travelling
tomorrow between 09.00 - 14.00
Sunday between 16.00 - 19.00 will also be slow
but at least you will have squeezed every last minute out of your lift pass.

As we told you yesterday, our local, born in Le Fornet, downhill ski legend, Firmin Mattis,
died on Wednesday morning at the age of 94.
Amongst his many achievements
he won the slalom at Val d'Isère's first  December World Championships ( Critérium de la Première Neige) in 1955.
Quite a different race back then, very long very skinny skies, more bulky ski suit and
on fresh snow on the Legettaz - a far cry from the specially iced pistes of today.
Firmin and his friend Henri Orieiller competed in
the Olympic Games in Oslo in 1952
and the World Championships in Sweden in 1956,
where he came 12th in the slalom.
After hanging up his racing gear, he went on to share his passion and talent by
teaching at our French Ski School,
and coaching our champions at the Sports Club
including Marielle et Christine Goitschel and Ingrid Jacquemod.
Just last summer he enjoyed lunch by the Ouillette lake with Jean Claude Killy (another of our local Olympic heros).
Social media has been flooded with tributes.
Our thoughts are with his family and friends.
His funeral will be in our Church at 10.00 on Wednesday.

Today is the last day of the Poet’s Spring, the week dedicated to poetry.
and will finish with a Concert by Red Fish at 20.00 in the Multimedia Library.
For those unfamiliar with the term,  a 'slam',
this is a modern, interactive form of poetry reading where audience participation is strongly encouraged.
Red Fish led several popular slam workshops this week.

Another event this Friday – « A Night of Water »
Another first for Val d'Isère. We are always innovating !
A charity event organised jointly by the French Swimming Federation ( Fédération Française de Natation), UNICEF France, and
our team at the Swimming Pool and Sports Centre
Today's many events include
diving
an aquatic triatholon competition (swimming, aquajumps on a trampoline, walking around the pools)
and 'mermaiding' : dressing up and swimming like a mermaid.
A sport that has become increasingly popular in the last 20 years.
There will be a fundraising challenge 14.00 - 18.00.
19.00 - Midnight
The event will finish with an aquadisco !
We love a party !
The band Scratch Water will accompany the watery day.

Our day finishes with a closing ceremony for the
GEM Altigliss Challenge.
After a week here, the students are finishing their week with a beautiful BANG !
The firework display, at 21.15
will be best seen from the nursery slope.

Today's Events

We have a busy evening !

From 14.00 -  midnight
The Night of Water
The Swimming Pool and Sports Centre, has arranged many fun and educational activities
for this Charity event including :

14.00 - 18.00

  • Diving
  • Swimming like a mermaid - yes mermaid, not a typo.
  • An aquatic triatholon competion comprising
      swimming,
      trampolining
       walking
  • An Australian rescue challenge.
  • and  our fireman (Pompiers), who in France also respond to medical emergencies
    will share their first aid skills.

From 19.00 until midnight.

PARTY TIME ! With an aquadisco.

The Band Scratch Water will be playing throught the event.

20.00
Go to the Multimedia Library (in Maison de Val, next to the Swimming Pool & Sports Centre)
for a performance by the Musician, rapper, slammer Red Fish
A fun and fitting finale for the week we have dedicated to poetry.

21.15
A firework display on the nursery slopes to mark the end of the very successful
GEM Altigliss Challenge week.

Bons plans

From 19.00
You can take the
Solaise Bubble lift which will be open for GIGI's guests
and enjoy eating under the stars,  at 2551 metres.
This is always a special ride, both seeing the night lights of Val
and taking you away from the
hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Let alone the delicious food and drink inbetween.
Please remember to  phone
+33 4 58 83 00 91
or email
contact@gigi-valdisere.com
to reserve your table.
GIGI restaurant


From 22.00
Head to the Tontons Bar, In Val Square, La Daille
where The three time World DJ champion
DJ Fly
Will   blow your mind with his creativity !
Don’t miss without a very good excuse !!
Tontons Bar

Free Public Transport

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.
Opening times

The Swimming Pool and Sports Centre is open from 10.00 to 21.00.
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 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’Isėre (Vie Val d’Is) is open from from 15.00 to 18.00.
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.

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