The La Tania Ski Blog
Latest news, snow, pics, gossip and information from the locals in La Tania – latania.co.uk
All the latest news from around the 3 Valleys from the La Tania locals. A real blog since 2006, not just endless re-posts for search engine optimisaton! Photos, gossip, snow reports, what's on and all the latest on the Apres Ski scene... Now fully optimised for iPhone, Touch and Android Mobiles - just go to latania.co.uk/blog and view on your phone. Our other past blogs & favourites here
ESCAPADE 2024: The Belgians!
26 January 2024
Congratulations to Yves, Bert and Jeroen
Being lifelong friends we like to push our limits. We’ve been skiing together for almost 15 years now and we actually had our own version of the Escapade a few years ago. Last month we found out about the latania.co.uk version and the rest is history.
We started from Les Menuires, and first on the list was La Masse, then Val Thorens, L’Orelle, …
Bert & Jeroen, they were the Sherpas for me. They know the map like the back of their hand. I just had to say the next chairlift and they would bring me there. We actually missed the Pionniers chairlift because we were going fast and the slope was perfect and therefor we had to take an extra chairlift, luckily we could continue our journey and made it in time despite the setback.
In the end we had a lovely day out! It was sunny, it was very hot and it was very crowded but we had a good run.
On the picture from left to right:
Bert Swartelé (skiing), Yves Van Laer (snowboarding), Jeroen Horemans (snowboarding). We are all from Belgium!
P.S. We use the “Slopes” App to track our day! See below.
ESCAPADE 2024 – 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 – doing it in a day was a bit tricky though!
It all started out as a late night “is it possible?” discussion – the history and our original route from 2006 are here
Originally punch cards had to be stamped at each check point until electronic passes arrived and then the use of a lift was recorded – now we use Apps such as Ski Tracks or Relive to prove our route.
Note that the Escapade is no longer officially promoted by Les 3 Vallees from Winter 2017 but we still record successful tracks for anyone who is interested in being in the sought after La Tania Escapade Hall of Fame
The original Escapade took 30 lifts, around 13000m vertical with 70km length and by 2016 reached 34 lifts, 17000m vertical (twice the height of Everest) and around 100km. The latest ESCAPADE route
This is NOT a race
ALWAYS CONTROL YOUR SPEED. 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 (you won’t be insured), think about the safety of others as well as yourself but above all, think of other people, take care, don’t wreck things for others & don’t even think of blaming anyone else if it all goes wrong…..
Changes through the years
2006 – First year and cards with hole punches stationed at lifties huts are used.
2008 – Electronic lift analysis is now used – no use hiking out the 4th Valley now!
2010 – The piste map did not include the top of the 4th Valley and the Col lift in Val Thorens.
2011 – The X-Wing Discovery was launched but only had 10 check points and doesn’t count!
2012 – Peclet included and Biollay / Vizelle used for Saulire access.
2015 – Foret used instead of La Tania gondola.
2016 – Mont Vallon is included for the first time plus the Montaulever drag lift.
2017 – Chapelets replaced by Petite Boss drag and La Tania’s Bouc Blanc chair replaces Tovets.
2018 – The new Roc de Tougne chair replaces the drag lift of the same name.
2019 – Legends replaces Roc de Fer and the Montaulever drag in Les Menuires has been removed.
2020 – Cime Caron now back in use.
2022 – New Pointe de la Masse and Orelle-Caron Gondolas (for example) could be used.
2023 – Using the new lifts, we ski all the resorts, all the perimeters and classic peaks – ESCAPADE 2023
2024 – No changes to 2023 route!