Les Arcs - sunshine and new skis

Sat 30th

Play day!  After the usual faffing about from Tina before her first day on skis we were on the Mont Blanc lift whizzing up in the fresh cold morning air. We both were on our new Scott skis, appropriate choice of brand don't you think?

new skis

The snow was a bit hard packed but still good to ski on, we did the Mont Blanc run twice to let Tina get her ski legs and get a feel for her new skis - " really nice and easy to turn". We moved over to the Arc 2000 area but it was a bit busier, after the obligatory hot chocolate stop so we continued over to the Derby lift above Arc 1800. The pistes were much quieter and we enjoyed an hour playing on some good snow. Next was a picnic lunch stop. great views and not too cold sitting in the by now fading sun.

picnic table with a view

says it all

We did about another hour before the sun faded completely and the light was very flat which made it really hard to see the slopes - like skiing blindfolded. We took an easy run back down to the resort. Tina was very tired by now but had enjoyed her first day back on skis.

In the evening the forecast rain in Bourg appeared - snowing above 1500m, so we had to don our waterproofs to walk into town to Le Chalet for dinner. This is run by Nadine who we have known for over 20 years as she used to run the Savoyard hotel where we have stayed many times. After a great meal we staggered back in the rain to our nice warm welcoming van. Another great day.

Bourg St Maurice - Tina's arriving tonight!

Thurs 28th

Earlyish start, left site after 9am and enjoyed the drive back down the Maurienne Valley in the sunshine. I arrived in Bourg about 1pm and did some food shopping after filling the van with cheap diesel at Super U.

I got a text from Andy to say that our new skis we had ordered through him had arrived - yippee. I collected them from the auberge and continued up to Tignes Le Brev for another free night's parking.

Friday 29th

Busy day ahead! After a nice breakfast watching the pistes & lifts come alive I headed back down the road to Bourg to have the bindings fitted to our new skis. Once they were checked in it was round the corner to Intermarche and the laundry machines. These are outside, so once parked up and the machine loaded it was time to brush and hoover the van carpets. Did I mention Tina was arriving tonight? Better make sure that van was clean!

laundry finished, back to Intersport to collect our skis. Very friendly and efficient service. Next across the road to Le Versoyen campsite where we were staying for the next 3 nights. Reception was closed so I selected a pitch and got the van level. Clothes dryer out, pants on the wiper blades as you do..........

It was very warm, tee shirt weather in January? Once reception was open I went and told them my pitch number - I was told that it was already block booked - I asked when they were arriving? The answer was " it is kept clear incase we have a booking on the internet".  My response was - "ok which website can I reserve it on please?" This really confused them and very quickly I was told it was ok to stay there. No harm in asking was there?

taking the dog for a walk?

After a light dinner I walked round to the station to meet Tina off the 9.00pm train. It arrived 5 mins early. Great to see her and catch up on the news from back home. 

Bonneval Sur Arc - the end of the road...........

Weds 27th

Crikey, I had to set the alarm for this morning as the plan was to get the 9.01am bus up the valley to Bonneval Sur Arc to try the skiing there. I was up at 7.40am and after a quick breakfast I got my packed lunch made, then washed and shaved and got all my ski kit sorted. Phew, tired already.

I walked to the bus stop and there were a few folk already there, a real mixed bunch of walkers, ski de fond (cross country) and downhill skiers like me. The bus arrived a few  minutes late and we all squeezed on, with ski boots on and a pair of skis & sticks this was no mean feat!

Bonneval is as far as you can go in winter as the Col D'Iseran which connects it to Val D'Isere is most definitely under snow. I have ridden my motorbike over this a few times and it is wonderful. Once above Lanslevillard the road is not gritted or salted, today sections were still snow covered but the bus didn't hesitate at all - hang on!

It was a 10 min walk uphill to the bottom lift,  pass bought up I went. It was very, very quiet with hardly anybody on the lifts or pistes - brilliant. The snow was hardpacked but very skiable and very good in places. The views were breathtaking.

empty piste

another great view

downhill hairpin - great fun!

There are 8 lifts, 5 of them are draglifts with 3 of them "tres difficile" as sections of them are 60%. Certainly gives the old gluts a work out. :-)

beginners slope by bus stop

The bus back was packed and very hot. We passed a Brit motorhome on the road, he was taking it very slowly - wonder if he had winter tyres? As we approached Bessans on both sides of the road were numerous cross country ski trails with lots of people out on them in the sunshine. They were mostly of the "older generation" which was great to see. There is also a biathlon stadium, I would love to see one live. The final descent back to  Lanlesvillard involved some hairpins, the bus driver obviously relished them as he didn't really slow down, bit of a hang on tight job.

A great day out on mainly deserted pistes, bit of a difference from the bigger resorts during the school holidays.

Les Arcs, then onto Lanlesvillard, Val Cenis

Sat 23rd

Having moved down the mountain to Le Versoyen campsite in Bourg St Maurice I took advantage of the "Je Ski Samedi" promotion. You register online and get a reduced day pass for €30 instead of €47 - bargain.  The snow was good and after moving away from the usual busy pistes in Arc 2000 I enjoyed  a good day's skiing. After returning to the site I drove the van across to Super U to fill up with lpg  - it wouldn't work!  I could only get 2 lt in. Problem to solve.

Sun 24th

I had a brainwave (?) and tried pouring hot water over the lpg filler point and pipe - instant sound of gas in the pipe - had it frozen? The van has been in  minus temps since entering France, but i thought lpg didn't have any freezing problems?

I had planned to move to the Maurienne Valley and the Val Cenis ski area, so enroute I found a Total station with lpg. Fingers crossed - success! Fully gassed up I headed up the valley in glorious warm sunshine.

lunch stop - drying external screen

I arrived at the site about 2pm but had to wait until it opened at 4pm. Seems the owner had decided to go skiing............  only in France.  The site was covered in snow and very icy in parts but I managed to get a level pitch. Lanlesvillard is a lovely low key town with a nice atmosphere. The piste side bars were busy as it was the weekend. And it was sunny and warm.

Mon 25th

after a leisurely start I donned my ski kit and walked across to the lift station. Pass bought off I went for another fun day on skis. It was sunny and the snow wasn't bad up top, lower down it was very hard packed and icy in places. I stayed on the upper slopes all day. I had my lunch overlooking the Mont Cenis dam and reservoir - spectacular with Italy beyond.

Mont Cenis dam

post sking - drying boots & skis

Jan 26th

Another warm and sunny day was forecast, so after another leisurely breakfast I clomped over to the lift and was soon whizzing up. The snow was softer today and easier to ski on - no sudden hard, icy patches to catch you out. :-) I skied all over the area and found some pistes in good condition, shame the visibility was poor at first until the sun popped up over the mountain tops. Much better.

sunshine!

today's picnic stop

I finished the day off having a play on the beginners slope at the bottom as the snow had softened and the tracks over and around the huge mounds of snow-canon generated snow was fun! 

Tignes - another free carpark!

Weds 20th

I arrived in Tignes le Breviere just as it was getting dark having stopped off at Sue & Andy macs for tea and skis. I also delivered some real ale for Andy and 3 bottles of sherry (?) I joined them for dinner with their friend Rick at a restaurant literally 250m away from where I was parked.

There was a snow canon running all through the night - so ear plugs in to sleep. Ski stations can be noisy places sometimes.

Thurs 21st

Sunny day so ski kit ready, first I moved the van to a better slot away from "Mr Noisy Generator" :-)
The sky was blue and the pistes in great condition. I bombed about on my own, enjoying the new Scott, The Ski, skis I was on (make sense?) The snow was good and the lift queues virtually non existent. Excellent.

lovely!

Fri 22 nd

Sue skied with me today which was nice, it is a bit of a tradition that when we are over she comes out skiing with us - just me today.  We had a great day playing in the snow, and had a picnic  lunch precariously perched on some rocks to the side of a piste. Bit cold, but great views. Sue normally only skis half days as she has to actually do some work! I tired her out!, so after one last run on my own we took the bubble back down to avoid the rather awkward , icy home run. A Good Day.

snow canon still working at 9.30am

Ski trip Jan 16 - The Jura Mountains

Welcome back blog!

I am 'flying solo" in the van until Tina joins me on the 29th - she is still working but not for much longer...........

Jan 17th

After a one hour delay on the tunnel I headed for Joinville and an aire by the canal. Bit parky overnight ( -10 C ) but the van was snug. Next morning the canal was almost frozen over.

Jan 18th & 19th

Next was the drive to Les Rousses in the Jura mountains a place we have visited in the summer. The snow increased as I approached the Jura but the roads were clear. Arriving at the parking by the chairlift I saw it was completely covered - no probs as the tyres had lots of grip. I parked up alongside  2 other vans and got settled in for the night.

Notin van with frozen diesel being taken away

lots of snow!

quite snowy 

The skiing was good but I didn't buy a pass that allowed me to ski over into Switzerland as the visibility up high was poor. I had a 4am alarm call as the snow plough whizzed around clearing the car park. It cleared all around the van to a distance of about 150mm away! Precision driving.

Jan 20th

Packed up and drove over into Switzerland and onto Bourg St Maurice. It was snowing when i left but the roads were clear so no problems.

clear roads