2012/13 - The season that really was very, very white

As we start to experience winter in Sydney - OK it's 22 degrees and sunny in Sydney but we have had 2 days of fog - and the Alps start to feel stronger rays of sunshine it seems a good time to look back on last season before moving onto the next.

When we arrived at the end of October there was already a decent covering of snow on the higher peaks and our swap from sandals to hiking boots was swift. By the time the lifts opened on 8th December more than 2 metres of snow sat at the top of the lifts and almost 1 metre at the resort level. Those wanting a white Christmas were not disappointed and snow chains were getting a good workout even at the Les Allues level.

First snowy walk in early November

January is always a special time; the slopes are quiet and it's a great time for those working in resort to catch their breath. For most I suspect lie ins were forsaken for frequent trips up the mountain as we enjoyed powder day after powder day. In January we also had our first taste of temperature inversions where it felt so cold getting on the bus at Les Allues that a short ski day was being mentally planned. As if by magic it was warmer the higher we went and those short days became long days enjoying magical conditions.

Temperature inversion - warmer at the top than in the valley

February can be summed up in two words - cold and snow. We experienced a minus 28 degree skiing experience in Val Thorens which presents an interesting dilemma of - do I ski faster to get to the hot chocolate stop sooner or do I slow down because the faster I ski the colder it feels. We didn't reach a conclusive decision on the best course of action except to say don't venture over to VT when it's already showing minus 12 on the thermometer at the base of the lifts in Meribel. The snow fell throughout February and many guests enjoyed the best half term skiing in memory. The resort was busy but the amazing size of the area and the efficient lift system kept everyone moving and away from the main centres  which meant we still found empty runs to enjoy

Minus 12 at the bottom of the lifts

Towards the end of February we did start to see the temperatures rise and thought "is this an early Spring"? No not at all, it lasted a few days and then started snowing, heavily, again. As Easter fell at the end of March/start of April the talk of the resort from confirmed Easter skiers was "never seen anything like it". Well into April spring skiing made an occasional appearance but as fast as layers of clothing were being discarded the clouds were gathering and more snow fell.

Ist April, Meribel Altiport and the snow keeps coming

The unpredictability of the weather is always part and parcel of a ski holiday. Whether you are a Skier or a Rider the changing conditions are what keeps you challenged and what makes the sport so addictive. We had dream conditions with so much snow but I think it would be fair to say many people took more tumbles than usual due to the huge amounts of powder and the sales of fat powder skis sky rocketed in the Alps. 

So looking forward to next season with a hope that it will be even better than 2012/13 or failing that half as good would do. One thing is certain the whole of the Three Valleys area will do everything possible to ensure you have a great experience and at Chalet Vache Bleue we will do everything within our power to provide you with a modern,comfortable base for your time in the snow. Look forward to seeing you next year.

Meribel - not a bad place to call your office

At the end of the first week of April and the snow continues to fall here in Meribel, Spring has definitely gone awol this year and we have been making the most of the superb conditions. last week we shared a chairlift with a member of the Ski Patrol who together with the Pisteurs and the Lift Attendants play a huge role in keeping our playground safe and in tip top condition. 

The huts where these workers are stationed can be a valuable source of information as has been mentioned in previous posts, they are also often decorated with a certain "personal touch" by the workers who call the huts their office. A bit like office workers decorating their cubicles at work the styles and intensity vary, here are a few pictures taken around the Three valleys:

Homemade but effective telescope set up to show piste users the highlights of the surrounding Alps

Fun for visitors from all corners of the globe, we couldn't spot any Australian locations though 

Always my favourite hut at the top of the Creux Noirs Chairlift in  Courchevel

Look carefully there is a "Avalanche Dog" inside this igloo. On bad weather days he was kindly taken inside the hut at Chatelet Chairlift and placed in the window

At the top of the Lagopede Piste in Meribel the workers have kindly provided "toilet facilities. OK the Ladies is just a door but at least they tried.

I can't explain this except to say it is in Les Menuires

At the end of the season the Pisteurs also take part in a race which showcases their incredible skills of being able to ski whilst pulling a sledge affectionately known as a "Blood Wagon" amongst piste users. They complete the race in pairs through a slalom course and are required to swap positions half way down the course. We managed to be on the Roc de Fer chairlift at the right time to see the spectacle.

At the start - no injured bodies required just bales of hay

Skiing down this piste is hard enough, controlling a "Blood Wagon" as well takes real skill

As we enter the last few weeks of the season the next post will be a round up of how the season went for Meribel, the Three valleys area and Chalet Vache Bleue.

How to avoid getting lost

The last post covered some tips to stay safe when visibility becomes limited, it proved to be quite timely as we have been dealt a few bad visibility days since the post was published. In between we have had more snow and some lovely sunny days which can tempt many to make the most of the huge skiing area here in the Three Valleys. So in this huge area how do you find your way around?

Piste Map:

Freely available everywhere, you can even get one printed on a lens cloth. The entire 3 Valleys is on one side of the map, the other side shows one of the Valleys in a larger scale which is much easier to read. The larger scale side will show the Valley where you picked up the map so as you move between the valleys it is a good idea to pick up a new map. The Piste Map also has the closing times of the lifts so no excuse to miss the last lift.

The 3 Valleys App:

This puts a wealth of information at your fingertips whilst you are on the go or sitting at home planning your day. It's a free App which includes webcams, suggested routes, weather conditions plus much more. Better than a brochure and it can track your progress around the ski area, available through the Apple App Store

Sign boards:

At the top and bottom of the major lifts there are signboards which give you information relating to lifts and the pistes they give you access to. Opening and closing times, status of runs, weather conditions, a clock (again no excuse to miss the last lift) the current avalanche risk rating and direction information to get to other valleys are usually included as standard. In addition you will often see blackboards or whiteboards as in the picture below, with additional information such as which runs are groomed and sometimes the Pisteurs suggestions for "Piste of the Day". If the weather turns nasty the blackboards are where information relating to the best way home are posted so be sure to read them. If bad weather is expected you will see messages relating to the sudden closure of links between the Valleys, pay particular attention to these as lifts can close as suddenly as the weather changes.

Lots of additional information written by the Lift operators each day

Maps showing the pistes available to you can be found at the base of each lift

Piste Markers

Probably the most obvious source of information about where you are can be found on the Piste poles. The colour of the pole tells you which grade of piste you are on and every couple of poles there will be a pole with the name of the piste on. Where there are numbers these count down as you move down the piste so if you are on a nasty black piste and the number reads "15" you have a way to go! The numbers are very important if you need to report an accident or summon help, also handy to identify exactly where on  a piste you are if you become separated from your group and someone calls you and asks that infernal "where are you" question.

Some piste markers also include the name of the ski are as this one does in Les Menuires

Finally one of the best sources of information are the people around you in particular the Lift Operators and Piste Patrols. They ski the area daily, most of them have lived locally for years so don't be afraid to ask for help or advice. All lift stations carry maps and will point out to you exactly where you are. In addition to staff at the start and end of each lift you will also see huts like the one below where the Piste Patrols are stationed, don't be afraid to knock on the door and ask, none of them bite - not even the Avalanche dogs who will often be inside waiting to be sent out to do their very important work.

I can't see a thing............what to do

The bulk of the School holidays ended this weekend and although Saturday is always a lovely quiet day on the slopes being the main changeover day today was exceptionally quiet. I promised to post about finding your way around this huge ski area which I am going to do in 2 parts. The first part is about finding your way in bad conditions which is relevant in any ski area.

All very pretty until the cloud descends

Last week we were basking in glorious sunshine in Courchevel above a layer of cloud which had settled lower down in the valley floor. We decided to ski down to the Pralong Chairlift and suddenly met a wall of cloud, by the time we had come back up the Chairlift the visibility had decreased considerably so we decided it was time to head home. Making our way to the top of the Loze things just got worse, the visibility decreased further and throngs of people were trying to make it back to Meribel. Conditions like this are not frequent, we experience them perhaps 4 or 5 times a season, many people ski for years without experiencing them which can make for a frightening experience when it does happen. So what should you do? 

Firstly find a friend - in these situations your best friend is a piste marker pole, specifically one which has a different coloured top. The one above is on a blue piste but has a red top, sometimes they are more orange than red but always a different colour than the rest of the marker. These poles are always on the right hand side of the piste so once you find the line of them make sure you keep to the left of them to ensure you stay on the piste. Last week I saw a group of skiers become confused by piste markers on a blue run which resulted in them all toppling down a fairly steep slope. Luckily they realised and managed to climb back up but it could have been much worse if they had continued far off piste in such terrible visibility or been unable to climb back up

Secondly know your enemies - yellow and black poles as shown below signify "danger". It may be a cliff, an obstacle or a huge hole so stay away.

Lastly slow down. It really is like the Tortoise and the Hare, bad visibility calls for slow steady progress. Apart from the possibility of becoming lost the lack of visibility makes it hard to read the conditions, bumps seem to appear from nowhere and it is very easy to be caught out by changes underfoot which you are not quite prepared for. Making slow, definite, in control movements on the piste will help to keep you out of trouble. Stop frequently to check where you are and if in any doubt ask at the closest lift station for directions.

Next time finding your way around in perfect conditions such as those we experienced at the end of last week - nice enough for a picnic lunch!

The circus leaves town

Ready, set..............GO

The Ski World Cup event was completed successfully and the circus which came with it has rolled out of town. As previously posted the event was a good rehearsal for 2015 and it certainly gave us all a taste of the excitement that such events can bring. Although we couldn't turn on the sunshine we did deliver a French podium position so the locals were all very happy. Fresh snow gave organisers and ESF Instructors plenty to do as they were given the job of clearing fresh snow from the course as mechanical means are forbidden once a certain time prior to the start of the race has passed. The layout of the course made it very easy to get close to the competitors although it certainly was a case of blink and you will miss it, the speed at which they travel was quite amazing to be so close to.

Plenty of local support

Very snowy finish line

In addition to the excitement of the World Cup events it has been the busy half term period in the Alps which is now drawing to a close. We are currently experiencing the Parisians so the    bars are full of talk of aggressive driving techniques! After a week and a half of the very best spring weather the Parisians seem to have brought winter with them. For the first time in what feels like months upper lifts were closed down today as gale force winds had most people skiing the lower slopes all morning and then taking an early mark. Light snow is forecast over the next couple of days which will freshen up the slopes, temperatures are dropping again so time to dig out the layers which we thought had been put away for the season.

We enjoyed some skiing over in the neighbouring resort of Les Arcs recently with good friends who have skied the area a couple of times. We put ourselves in their capable hands and didn't have to consult a Piste Map but this did get us thinking how hard it can be arriving at a "new to you" ski resort - especially the largest ski area in the world as Three Valleys is. How on earth to you stop yourself from getting lost, ending up in the wrong valley or finding yourself at the top of a Piste you really did not want to ski down. Next Post then will be full of tips on how to find your way around.

Finally one thing we did learn in Les Arcs is that some Gondolas do not actually take you anywhere...........

Exciting times in Meribel

This weekend Meribel will host the FIS Alpine World Cup downhill and super combined race for women. This is a great honour and the excitement is definitely building together with the appearance of marquees at Chaudanne and the marking out of the course. This event will be a great opportunity for Meribel to shine on the world ski stage and will be a superb dress rehearsal for the 2015 Alpine Ski World Cup Finals which Meribel is hosting is 2015. There are many viewing points for spectators and importantly for those who didn't actually choose to be on holiday here  during the event the normal ski runs are unaffected. There are a couple of serious contenders from France so no doubt lots of French flag waving.

World Cup course marked in red - seriously a lot steeper than it looks from across the valley!

In addition to the World Cup event it is the middle of the busy half term period which means an influx of visitors. Luckily due to the sheer size of the area and the efficient lift system the impact is minimal especially with some pre-planning. We skied empty slopes yesterday by starting late and finishing late - easy now it is still light at 5.30pm. Today we skied early and called it a day once the end of the lunch period came around. The other helpful hint is to be flexible, we hit a huge queue at La Masse this morning despite not seeing another skier all the way there. A quick change of plan and we were able to find empty slopes and didn't face any other long lift queues. If you do find yourself at a lift with a queue look out for the "single person only" line which is used to fill up chairs and gondolas not operating at capacity. We find at this time of year the queues seem to form because groups want to travel together not because there is insufficient capacity on the lift.


A welcome additional visitor this week has been sunshine. This season has been remarkable so far for lots of snow and not a lot of sun. It's only mid-week but already the ski instructors have started to take on their usual bronzed appearance and the areas outside restaurants and bars are busy with sun bathers where previously there have been empty deck chairs. Snow is forecast for this weekend which will freshen up the pistes after the half term additional numbers although local knowledge has assured us that when the full moon arrives we will have 2 weeks of glorious sunny weather. We will wait and see.

At last the sun arrives............

Plenty of powder days here

This snow will last all the way to the end of the season and beyond

Finally it is only fair to say that whilst we have lots of snow and now sunshine it it still very cold. This picture was taken last saturday at Chaudanne which is at Meribel centre height. Minus 12 down there meant it was about minus 29 up in Val Thorens where we were skiing. Lots of layers, handwarmers, feet warmers and many hot chocolate stops were required.