Wednesday 26 March 2014

What's the weather like in March?

Simple question impossible to answer. As we come to the end of March we would reasonably expect to be in Spring Skiing mode. The days are long, lifts open until late afternoon, the odd fly has been spotted and the goggle tans are developing. All of this was completely true until the end of last week when winter decided she had not quite finished yet. By Sunday we were experiencing temperatures of minus 25 in the wind and wondering if we had imagined the temperatures of 14 plus degrees and apres drinks in the sunshine only days before.

The dramatic drop in temperature brought snow, lots of it. Even down at Village level the early Primroses were hidden by snow and the alarm clock was beaten by the snow plough off to do his snow clearing. The Pistes are fresh and in beautiful condition so it seems a shame that there are so few people here to enjoy it. When Easter falls late, March is usually a quiet period. There are no school holidays and the idea of "Spring Skiing" can raise concerns around the quality and quantity of snow. 

So is it risky to book a snow holiday for March? Our experience would say not at all. The Three Valleys area is high and benefits from a mostly northerly aspect which keeps the snow in good condition. Piste grooming in the area is amongst the best in the world which ensures the conditions are the best possible. The efficient lift system can get you up high quickly and even if spring snow appears at the bottom of the area down lifting using Gondolas at the end of the day is always an option.

We have been in the area many times during March and a quick check through our Photos confirmed that it always snows during the month. So as many people start to think about their snow holiday for next season don't forget about March as a possibility. As an added incentive next March from the 18th to 22nd March the 2015 Alpine Skiing World Cup Finals will take place in Meribel. This is not just a "first" for Meribel but also a "first" for France. What better excuse do you need?

To show off our lovely conditions here are a few pictures taken over the last 7 days.

Enjoying the sun before the weekend

Lovely afternoon sunlight on the way home

The Altiport area plunged back into Winter

The sun did try but the snow clouds won in the end

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