Chalet Fire in Courchevel – Pic

Chalet fire photo’d by Avid Eaters Cath this afternoon.

Nick Ski Snow Report Easter Sunday 31st March 2013

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Yet another powder day. Saulire opened 12 noon and we were first down Suisses on and off-piste. Must be about 25cm of fresh snow at the top but still in the clouds. On our way home the sun was starting to come out about 1pm. Photo from Coqs chair. Tomorrow could be a perfect day although remaining relatively cold. Nick www.nickskithreevalleys.co.uk

14th Annual La Tania Saisonnaire Poll 2013 – VOTE NOW!

The best skier, boarder, most improved, fanciable, hero, extreme drinker, bar person, best band etc….

VOTE NOW at http://apps.facebook.com/my-polls/hslxn

Ballot box in the Ski Lodge too for non-electronic voting…

Poll closes 8 April 2013 at noon. Awards on 9 April at Pub Le Ski Lodge.

Sun, sun, sun. Best day of the week today. Cam Pics 8am

In Defence of the Plane…

First off I do love travelling by train and have spent 28, 36 and 39 hour journeys across Australia, India & China in the past. But these were where the journey was part of the trip – getting to The Alps the trip should be about the skiing or snowboarding in my opinion.

But that’s all it is, an opinion and in getting to La Tania the plane in general is much, much quicker and cheaper. Of course there is the environmental impact (the big bad airline industry contributing a massive 2% of CO2 emissions) but if you’re really “green” you should be travelling 5 up in a modern economical car via the tunnel – better even than the train when it comes to carbon footprints and getting to The Alps. But is the plane going anyway whether you’re on it or not? 🙂

Comparisons are all over the Internet of course but rarely like for like. Charter hell from Gatwick at midday on a Saturday seems to be used rather than a scheduled service from a regional airport or even travelling the night before (and arriving the night before and getting extra days skiing that way). They also don’t compare overnight journeys either and what about flying in to Chambéry cutting the transfer time in half or hey, Courchevel has an Altiport – but no train station….

Surely in comparisons both type of transport should leave at the same time – in fact Eurostar Trains say that the check-in requirement for the Alps Trains are 1 hour before departure while easyJet is 40 minutes. Unless you live nearby in the city, I’d argue that airports in general are easier to get to too and remember trains got delayed by the recent snow in the UK and Northern Europe recently (as well as the flights) but with easyJet alone having 60 flights in to Geneva on a Saturday there are often alternatives available.

Direct Eurostar Services from St Pancras to Moûtiers depart on a Friday evening at 7:31pm arriving Saturday morning at 05:51am with a 20 to 30 minute journey up to resort. But no bed to sleep on and what’s the point of arriving at 06:30am in the morning when the lifts don’t open until 9am and you’re unlikely to be able to get in top your accommodation? Note there are showers, changing rooms and lockers now available in La Tania this season from 08:30 on a Saturday). Options via Paris exist with a taxi or trip on the underground between stations (carting skis around an airport doesn’t seem to be a big deal compared to that really) and overnight sleeper trains are available but in reality are you not going to stand in the bar all night?

Fly British Airways at 7:25pm from the excellent Terminal 5 – direct motorway access, meet & greet car parking, 40 minute check-in, practically zero queues, excellent food & drink, 75 minutes in the air (with a decent glass of red wine or a refreshing Gin & Tonic) and late night in to Geneva airport you’ll be in your hire car or private transfer in 30 minutes and in resort in under 2 hours easily making the Ski Lodge for 12:30 / 1am and time for a good hour relaxation and drinking time before bed.

Then 7 hours proper bed and proper sleep and still out skiing for 9ish in the morning….

The same can be done using easyJet too, meet & greet car parking is available at all airports now, again there’s only a 40 minute check-in, priority check-in is available with no queues, even fast track security for £3 is available at Luton. Granted the choice of food & drink may not be as plentiful as Heathrow but there are some decent places plus Pret and M&S for some quality sandwiches to take on board if you can’t last 75 minutes without eating.

Both easyJet and BA have flights back to London on a Sunday night at 21:45 – plenty of time to ski all day and get back to Geneva.

And as for the costs – get in quick, avoiding holidays and especially if avoiding Saturdays we got plenty of return Luton – Geneva flights for under £70 (including ALL fees, taxes and a bag in the hold). Note that easyJet flights went on sale on 22 March 2012 for Winter 2012/2013 – no sign of them yet for Winter 2013/2014 but they must be imminent.

You’d never think about the train for a cheeky weekend skiing now would you? (ok, I do remember the Eurostar Promotion with a “day trip” to Les Arcs a few years ago – I quite fancied that actually).

Anyway, it’s about when your here that counts – it’s about the skiing this season…..

PS. I actually did the BA trip above in November – got to the Drop Inn in Le Praz for 4 minutes past midnight (La Tania wasn’t open until the week after). Meanwhile a week or so later Auntie Mary travelling by train was delayed at the tunnel, missed her connection in Paris and got stuck near Chambéry for a couple of hours due to Cows on the line!

PPS. There always driving (or even cheaper hopefully, the coach services!) – a 7 hour (illegal) blast from Calais? All the driving details, laws, routes etc you need here – including Speed Camera Information: http://www.latania.co.uk/resort/driving.htm

Road to / from Mottaret closed

 

Nick Lean Snow White Transfers Info@snowwhitetransfers.com 0033 (0) 479234771

Another Month Yet – Bouc Blanc Video from 22 April 2012 (final day of season)

Showing how April skiing can be fantastic – and there’s plenty of cover to be skiing down to resort until the final day (as is usual – only once in the last 11 years have you not been able to).

Found this clip from the final day of the 2011/2012 season down the Bouc Blanc run just above La Tania – No need to head off piste for powder, there was no one about and  it took all morning just to ski out the runs. Anyone you did meet – you knew!

And here’s the final day Snow Report from that day…

Nick Ski Snow Report Thursday 21st March 2013

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“My legs, my legs”. Yet another powder morning and I’d say about another 25cm over night in the La Tania and Courchevel bowls higher up. Morning off so out early and straight down the La Tania gazex then over to Motterat where only about 10-15cm of fresh on this side. Back to the Courchevel bowl and freshies (see photo) behind the big rock on Saulire and then a few more runs down the La Tania gazex. Nick. www.nickskithreevalleys.co.uk

La Tania Harlem Shake with Les Trois Tetes

With Les Trois Tetes and Cyclop Camera Hire at La Taiga Bar/Restaurant in La Tania.

Nick Ski Snow Report Tuesday 19th March

More light and powdery fresh snow over night. Many of the usual suspects on the first few gondolas. Some headed straight down Jockeys which had been groomed and we headed down the reds to Le Praz then down Jean Blanc. La Tania chair opened about 10am and it was like “rats down a drain pipe” on the gasex (see photo of our tracks further over). On the 3rd chair up Suisse when it opened about 11am and fresh tracks all the way down. About 80cm of settled snow in the back garden which will keep us going until May or so! Nick www.nickskithreevalleys.co.uk