Work continues on the 2023 World Cup Piste

The top of the (old) original Jockeys piste that joined the Bouc Blanc above the La Tania gondola is now being reshaped with more earthworks taking place. The start of Jockeys was moved down towards the Bouc Blanc and a beginners area built there.

Jockeys is now much wider, straighter and the rollers / flatter spots taken out for racing – spoilt for recreational skiers in many people’s opinion but the hope is it could become an iconic race piste in the future to help improve Courchevel’s image and brand.

The beginners magic carpet lift is being removed and we guess will be relocated plus a tunnel is being created so skiers from the Fôret chairlift and Arolles blue piste can access the La Tania area with crossing the black race piste.

Further work at the top of Folyères is taking place too – could be connected to the new snow cannon reservoir on Col de la Loze above or just more drainage, anti-corrosion, reshaping / landscaping work.

Summer Lifts & Prices plus details on the new chairlift for this Winter

The Summer lift opening for The 3 Valleys from the 4th July 2020 has been announced. Great to see some Saturday opening in Meribel and St Martin / Les Menuires for weekenders (Courchevel & Val Thorens still believing that Saturday is a changeover day only unfortunately).

There will be certain protection measures, social distancing and restrictions put in place on the lifts – a rehearsal for what may apply in Winter.

The La Tania gondola will be free all Summer with all the rest requiring a lift pass priced as above. Winter Season passes from 2019/2020 are valid for the same areas.

No Plantrey lift this Summer so no access to the tracks that have been built down to the Bouc Blanc – a real shame this as it’s a good link back to La Tania and even access to Méribel via Col de la Loze is not too difficult up the tarmac cycle track on a Mountain Bike.

Looking like no lift opening for Le Tour de France finishing above La Tania on 15 September – a missed opportunity surely? Or to keep the crowds away?

The only new chairlift this Winter in the 3 Valleys is the Bouquetin 6 seater high speed detachable replacing the old Plattières “eggs” gondola. The cabins were sold off this Summer – they were €500 each and sold out in minutes.

From the top of Plan des Mains & Chatelet chairlifts and the newish Plattières gondola this new chair will rise from 2400m to 2700m allowing fast access to Les Menuires via Roc des 3 Marches. There are also 30 new snow cannons being installed in the Méribel Valley guaranteeing access to Les Menuires and Val Thorens areas bringing the total to 887 and covering 64% of the valley’s ski area.

Meanwhile in Courchevel work continues on the 2023 World Championship piste (used to be Jockeys but becoming unrecognisable now) , a further 76 new snow cannons are being installed (now 806 in total covering 56% of the ski area) and a new reservoir of 170,000m³ is being constructed at the top of Col de la Loze with a gravity feed for cannons requiring no electricity.

The renovation of the La Tania gondola is due to take place with ultimately higher capacity and speed improvements taking place. The gondola cabins are being taken away – this lorry load spotted outside The Drop Inn in Le Praz – we’re unsure if this is for a refurb or for a replacement like the ones on Mont Vallon which was rumoured a while back. They’re certainly not for sale anyway!

Further investments in signage and the renovation of toilets across the ski area is also being made plus further work and promotion on the Freeride Lab area where the Creux Noirs lift used to give access – no news on the promised drag lift replacement though.

Over in the “4th Valley” the gondola from Orelle is being replaced and is expected to open for December 2020. The brand new gondola linking to this and going right up to the summit of Cime Caron is under construction but with Covid-19 related delays the focus may be on the Orelle replacement and the Caron link may be delayed.

Work on the new La Masse gondola (going direct from base to summit, replacing the current 2 separate gondolas) is underway with a planned opening for December 2021 still on track.

Winter 2020/2021 Opening Dates and Prices for The 3 Valleys are here

Summer Lift Opening Dates Confirmed

S3V have announced 2020 Summer lift opening (with certain social distancing restrictions to be announced) from 5 July until 28 August. This will also give them the chance to test any appropriate protection measures that may be required for next Winter.

No mention of which lifts or any confirmation of any Tour de France lift opening around 16 September as of yet. Last Summer the La Tania Gondola, Verdons, Plantrey and Saulire opened in the Courchevel / La Tania sector. We’d expect the new Praz gondola to open too in order to support the new car park and reduce traffic.

France is still awaiting an announcement on when restaurants and bars will be allowed to start limited opening – perhaps starting with social distancing on outdoor terraces with table service for example.

S3V have also announced a policy change on lift pass refunds. From this Winter lift passes will now be refundable up to the day before use and passes from 2-21 days will be reimbursed pro rata in the event of the ski area closing.

The Best Ways to Enjoy Every Season

Everyone has their own favourite season, but if you are fortunate enough to live somewhere that has four distinct seasons, it can be very enjoyable. It’s great to embrace the changing weather and get excited for the different activities that are available throughout the year. Here are some of the best ways to enjoy yourself as the seasons change. 

Winter
While winter may bring a lot of snow shovelling and windshield scraping, it also brings sports and activities that can only be enjoyed during the winter months. For people that love the high adrenaline thrills of sports like snowboarding and skiing, they live for the winter months and only hope the season lasts longer this year. One of the best experiences you can have is taking a vacation to a gorgeous ski resort and barrelling down the slopes for a weekend. La Tania is a well-kept secret amongst skiing fans, and it is truly one of the best places to enjoy the winter months. You might even run into a celebrity while you’re here.

Spring
Spring is an amazing season that most would say is the perfect temperature. When winter finally ends, you should be outside enjoying the fantastic weather and sunshine. In the spring, I love to travel and experience new cultures during a time when everything is not as busy as in the summer tourist season. Architecture tours are a great way to get outside and learn some of the rich history attached to different sites. In a country like Italy alone, you can see many famous historical places like The Colosseum, and The Leaning Tower of Pisa, or unique sites like Casino di Venezia, which first opened its doors in 1638 making it one of the oldest casinos in the world. 

For those that don’t feel like traveling, luckily there are many activities you can enjoy right at home in your own city. Riding a bicycle is great exercise and the perfect way to get outside. Spring is also the best time to start working on your home garden. From flowers to vegetables, you can transform your backyard into something spectacular. During the springtime, many sports like baseball and distance running get started, so if you are into fitness you can join a local league and meet some like-minded athletes. 

Summer
Of course, summer may be the favourite season for many people, and for good reason. With the sunshine overhead and the worries of winter far behind, this time of year brings out the best in communities and most people seem happier to be getting some natural Vitamin D outside. For cities around the world, summer means lots of festivals for everything from art, to music, to local foods and traditions. These can be some of the best opportunities to bond with your community and embrace local culture if you are traveling. 

No summer vacation would be complete without a trip to the beach however. It’s nothing short of magical to enjoy the sunshine and ocean on a beautiful beach. Regardless if that’s in California or Bali, there are many choices to pick from if you find yourself planning a summer beach vacation. 

Autumn
While everyone has their favourite seasons, Autumn might be the most underappreciated of them all. If you are lucky enough to live in a location with a true autumn period, you will find that it is one of the most beautiful times of the entire year. All of nature is changing and the air around you is crisp and fresh, watching the leaves change colours is one of the best parts of the season. With Halloween and many fall festivals coming up, it’s fun to decorate your home and get into the fall spirit. One of my favourite activities during this time is taking a trip to the local orchards and picking bags full of apples to take home. With the evenings getting colder out, this is the best time of year to curl up and watch movies on the couch by the fireplace. 

Deconfinement Plans / Rules for France – updated 01 May 2020

Translated from Maireinfo – 01 May 2020
Original below (2 pages)
Download English PDF here

Winter 2021 Three Valleys Lift Pass Prices Announced

Lift Pass prices for The 3 Valleys for Winter 2021 have been released with around the usually expected prices rises. Main Season, adult prices below:

One-day 3 Valleys goes up from €63 to €64.50 (2.4% increase)

Six-day 3 Valleys goes up from €312 to €321 (2.9% increase)

3 Valleys Season Pass goes up from €1336 to €1370 (2.5% increase)

Courchevel Valley and Wellness (inc Aquamotion) pass prices have yet to be announced.

Full details and downloads at: www.latania.co.uk/skiing/passes.htm

Duo and Tribu Discounts

The DUO pass discount was introduced in Winter 2014 for 2 adult passes, of 6 days or more, of the same type, dates and duration, bought together.
A 2021 Three Valleys 6 day pass is €311 instead of €321. A 3.1% discount.

The TRIBU discount is for 3 are more passes of 6 days or more, of the same type, dates and duration, bought together.
A 2021 Three Valleys 6 day pass is €306 instead of €321. A 4.7% discount.

The Duo and Tribu passes do apply right through to Season Passes.
3 x Tribu 2021 Three Valley Season passes bought together saves €180.
A 4.4% discount.

The Family Pass 2021

For 2 adults with 2 to 7 kids and minimum of 6 days:
All skiers pay the same price eg: €256.80 each for 6-day 3V instead of €321

They must be of the same type, dates and duration (minimum 6 days) and bought together. Note that kids in this instance are under 18 rather than under 13 for a “normal” kids pass and that separate passes are issued, you don’t have to ski together!

So in 2021 two adults with four kids who are aged 13 to 17:
6 Family Passes costs €1540.80 rather than €1926
Saving a total of €385.20 which is a full 20% discount

Snow Guarantee and Stats

The 3 Valleys is the biggest ski area in the World – it has 169 modern, high performance ski lifts, 600km of pistes from 3230m to 1100m with 85% of the skiable area above 1800m, 120km of cross-country tracks, 2535 snow cannons covering 53% of the ski area, 77 state of the art grooming machines for 1512 hectares of groomed pistes, 335 marked runs, 25 accessible summits, 6 glaciers, 1200 lift staff, 424 ski patrollers and over 3000 Ski instructors. Plus, they guarantee to have more skiing than anyone else…

All the lift pass prices details, opening dates, options, discounts & offers at:
www.latania.co.uk/skiing/passes.htm

Winter 2021 Opening and Closing Dates

All subject to change, snow cover, weather conditions, safety, staff availability, maintenance and utilisation with limited areas & lifts open at the beginning and end of the season.

La Tania Classic Travel Poster from Colsy available on-line

Ex Ski Lodge barman Aussie Colsy created this great classic travel poster of La Tania during lockdown with having more than the usual amount of free time on his hands…

“Hopefully this piece captures some of the magic of that little country town in the sky”

If you didn’t manage to buy an old Plattières 3 Gondola (they sold out in minutes) maybe this is a good reminder of La Tania, Snow and Mountains…

Prices start at £13.84 for small posters (including postage in the UK) plus get 11% off using code 11FORYOU

Art Prints up to size 61cm x 81cm are also available.

Available from Redbubble here

Old Gondolas for sale today – 28 April 2020 – for €500

The Plattières 3 gondola in Méribel Mottaret is to be replaced by a high speed 6 seater chairlift and the old (36 years) gondolas, many with unique paint jobs, are to be sold off for €500 each with the money going to charity.

They are to be sold on the internet from “the morning of Thursday 28 April 2020” – click on this link

They weigh 320kg and you have to collect yourself from Mottaret on one of two days towards the end of May – colours / paint jobs can’t be chosen.

Above the Murk 13 March 2020. “We’ll get above this – Alway worth a look”

Final Escapade in a Day for Winter 2020

Jan Barnett:
Day Summary – We originally planned to do the 3VE on Saturday, but changing weather conditions and poor visibility put an end to that idea.  Mainly following the route posted by Andy Lee on 20 Jan 2020, we set off Sunday morning on the 2nd gondola out of La Tania at 9am making very good progress until we hit queues at Legends.  Again progress was good until a 10 minute wait at St Martin Express due to “problème technique”.

Changes to Andy’s route were taking Moutiers and Grand Fond instead of Cime Caron to get down to Orelle and we missed out Sunny Express, as were able to stay high to get to Becca.  There were no queues at Plan des Mains, so took the chair out of the Mont Vallon sector rather than taking the Ours piste.  Made it to Forêt at 16.33 and had a fantastic last run down Folyères for a well earned drink in Ski Lodge.

Such an enjoyable day and great challenge. Big thanks to LaTania.co.uk for keeping the unofficial challenge  going.

Jan⛷ Paul & Matthew⛷

What’s this all about?

The 3 Valleys Escapade was the lift company promotion of visiting (originally in 2006) 14 points across the Three Valleys and gaining a certificate & badge over the period of your holiday – then we had the idea of doing it in a day…

It’s probably the toughest day skiing ever for a recreational skier but lots of people have got involved over the years so we feature them in our Escapade in a Day Hall of Fame

This is no longer being promoted by The 3 Valleys but we’ll still stick you in the Hall of Fame if you complete it – send a Ski Tracks or similar trace in plus a pic of your group.

What started out as a late night “is it possible?” discussion became a challenge the following week – the history and our original route are here

Originally punch cards had to be stamped at each check point until electronic passes arrived – they could then be checked by the lift company. The original Escapade was 30 lifts, 13000m vertical and 70km and 2016 peaked with 34 lifts, 17000m vertical (twice the height of Everest) and around 100km total distance. It became a little less for 2017 and 2018 saw the use of the Roc de Tougne fast new chair instead of the drag plus we lost the Montaulever drag altogether. In 2019 we gained the new faster Legends chair out of Méribel and then an improvement in speed on the Mont Vallon lift too. 

Certainly getting easier with the improvement in lift infrastructure and we will make it harder for 2021. But, it’s still a big, big day out with all the planning, chatting, moaning (and lunch) kept to the lifts…

Updated 2020 PDF route with the 19 “Escapade Lifts” in bold

You do this entirely at your own risk, act responsibly, take full ownership for your own actions and all of those with you, respect other people (& the mountain), ski & ride within your limits, always obey the skiers & snowboarders code, observe all signs, pay attention to all notices, advice & instructions from Pisteurs, only ski off piste if fully equipped & knowledgeable, it’s not a race (and you won’t be insured), think about the safety of others as well as yourself but above all, take care, don’t wreck things for others & don’t even think of blaming anyone else if it all goes horribly wrong…..