A Whale has visited and winter returns to Meribel

After a period of lovely warm weather winter has returned to Meribel. Following a night where over 20cm fell it has been snowing all day today even at Les Allues level and below. I can't give an eyewitness account of the conditions on piste as today has been one of admin, cooking and watching the tiny patches of blue sky struggle against the low cloud and mist. Temperatures have fallen and look set to remain at a wintery level for at least the next 5 days.

A friend recently told me of the shark alarm being sounded at Dee Why beach in the Northern Beaches area of  Sydney. We don't have such a dramatic warning system here of a change in the weather and as in many places even weather forecasts seem to vary. We do however have a peaceful, subtle warning of snow arriving in the form of a Whale which when sighted is much more welcome than a Shark on Dee Why Beach. The place to keep an eye on is Mt Blanc, when a cloud shaped like a Whale appears on the top of Mt Blanc but you can still see the top of the mountain above the cloud snow is on the way.

Baleine de Neige on Mt Blanc

The example above snapped earlier this season is not the most perfect Baleine de Neige but it did bring a decent snowfall the next day. At their very best these clouds really do look like a Whale sitting across the mountain peak, I will try and get a better example later in the season. 

As we are expecting more snow over the next 5 days I will report back later this week on the conditions underfoot particularly from the lower, tree lined runs which provide improved visibility if the cloud remains low.

January in Meribel

One week into 2014 and we have been enjoying beautiful conditions under our skis with what feels like endless blue skies and sunshine above us. People often ask us which month is "best" to come skiing and to be honest each year is different. January is often though of as a cold snowy month yet in the past we have experienced more than one January where barely a snowflake fell. 

Whilst we can't predict the weather one thing we do know for sure is that once New Year week is over the slopes are very, very quiet. Coming from Australia where January is the main holiday period this is something that still takes a bit of getting used to. Even in busy periods it is easy to avoid queues across the Three Valleys by planning your day carefully but the joy of skiing wherever takes your fancy without having to think about bottlenecks or what time ski schools deposit their pupils is sheer joy. Today we skied the popular Choucas piste all by ourselves and this morning found plenty of corduroy, untouched runs in Courchevel as late as 10.00am, a time by which most pistes have usually been visited.

Not a soul on Choucas Piste

Following a fall of approx 20cm on Saturday we have had a sunny week with mild temperatures. Despite this the snow on Piste is in excellent condition with just some softening in late afternoon at the lower levels. Off Piste is currently not recommended due to the unstable nature of the snow pack. The weather forecast suggests a change is about to arrive and this morning we certainly felt it with a chilly wind blowing at the top of Mount Vallon. The chill was worth putting up with though as a couple of centimetres of fresh snow made the runs down Mt Vallon extremely enjoyable.

Sunny but clouds gathering

We will update the weather situation in the next post and explain the significance of seeing White Whales whilst skiing around the Three Valleys.

Holiday time in Meribel

Carol singing in Meribel Centre

Although a little late Merry Christmas from Meribel - here's what has been happening here over the past 2 weeks.

Firstly Santa did leave us some snow along with his presents which was lovely. Christmas Day itself was not a bluebird day but plenty of lovely skiing on very empty Pistes. We find that most people have a slow start on Christmas Day and many do not venture out at all preferring to spend the time with family. This year the weather was certainly changeable, the sun tried to shine but was beaten back by ominous skies which eventually gave snow. 

Carol singing in Les Allues

Many people ask what it is like in Meribel at Christmas and the answer is very "Christmassy". Most Chalets are decorated with outdoor lights, the centres at each level of the resort have beautiful decorations and the activities from Church Services to Santa arriving on his sleigh are all available to be enjoyed. One of our favourites is the Carol singing which we have seen grow over the last couple of seasons. The first Carol singing event is held in Les Allues and features Vin Chaud and the opportunity to catch up with the locals and visitors alike. On Christmas Eve a second Carol concert was held in Meribel centre and a large crowd joined in with the Choir and local schoolchildren. Explaining Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer to a French person takes some doing but they do join in with enthusiasm and true Christmas spirit aided of course by the Vin Chaud.

We are enjoying more fresh snow over the next few days which means continuing great conditions for those visitors arriving for the New Year week. Here are a couple of pictures taken over the last few days

Berries remaining defiant against the snow in Les Allues village

9.00am waiting for the first lift from Chaudanne

Early morning sun from Saulire mid station

More on the new Season

Sunny days in December

The 2013-14 Season is now 6 days old and as we have been out skiing every day it's time to report back. There has been no fresh snow in the area for 10 days however we have been enjoying great skiing not to mention glorious sunshine. The considerable snowfalls during November have provided a great base and the ability to run snow cannons most nights has ensured there is great snow coverage. The official depth at the top of the resort is 95cm which is pretty impressive for the time of year.

Every day this week we have found beautiful soft snow on perfectly prepared runs. There are very few people here, it is possible to ski an entire run alone. The pick of the slopes each day have been the ones "bashed" the previous night by the impressive fleet of snow groomers called "Piste Bully". If you don't fancy taking your chances going up in a lift to see what has been groomed you can find out before you even leave the Chalet and plan you day accordingly. On the Meribel website you can view an interactive plan of the runs where there is an option to see which runs have been groomed:

Plan des pistes - Meribel Official site

On the same Map you can also view which lifts/runs are open or scheduled to open and which 3 Valley Links are operating. If you are already on your way to the slopes and you forgot to check don't worry you can ask at any lift station for advice, the Tourism Information noticeboards display a list of groomed runs each day and many lift access points will have a blackboard listing the condition of the runs the lift serves. If a run is show as "D"  it has been groomed "ND" it hasn't. 

There will be more people around from Saturday although as more lifts and runs open it is unlikely to feel any busier. A change in the weather looks likely from Tuesday next week, in the meantime we will enjoy the sunshine and unexpected pleasures of picnics on the snow in December.

Lac de Creux run in afternoon sun

First day of the season

The lifts opened in Meribel today including links to Val Thorens and Courchevel. This first week is known as Premier Neige - first snow and acts as something as a "soft opening" Not all lifts, runs, restaurants/bars are open but this is more than made up for by the quietness of the area and today in particular the lovely sunshine and blue sky.

This time last year visibility was poor and the huge amount of snow meant links were closed due to safety risks. This time we have a very decent snow depth although no fresh powder, a different situation but still the same excitement and anticipation of the season ahead. The snow conditions on the runs is excellent, we skied Meribel Valley and didn't encounter any loose stones or rocks. The off piste will need fresh snow to cover the inevitable obstacles but off the sides of the runs there is some nice fluffy conditions to play in if corduroy does not float your boat.

Planning to take a closer look at Courchevel tomorrow so will report back later in the week, in the meantime here are some snaps from today - happy faces all around.

Insurance - some things to think about

 It's snowing down in Les Allues today and as the booking season for ski trips moves up a gear many people will be making plans for their winter holiday. In all the excitement of travel arrangements there is something not to forget - Travel Insurance, or more specifically Travel Insurance which covers you for snow sports. 
It's not a very interesting topic and we are not Insurance experts so this post is more about giving a few pointers and clarifying a few myths.

• Do I need Insurance?

It's a no brainer really, sadly accidents and other bad things happen so not having Insurance can end up being very costly

• I live in UK and have access through the Public Health System to care in France so I am OK.

Well yes and no. It is true that with the correctly completed forms you can access care in the French system if you live in UK. What this will not help you with is getting off the mountain and to a hospital or health centre. Even the Pisteurs with their blood wagon will need to see your insurance cover or proof you can pay, a helicopter will cost a lot more. If you want to estimate the cost of a helicopter trip off the mountain take a look at the cost per minute which you will see posted at the main ticket offices, let's just say it's not cheap!

• So how do I get cover to get off the mountain?

The easiest is to get the Carré Neige which you purchase along with your lift pass. It costs a couple of euros a day, store it next to your lift pass as it's the what the Pisteurs want to see when they come to your assistance. It covers other things as well such as reimbursement of the cost of your lift pass in the case of an accident and medical expenses up to 3000Euro if you are not covered by any other Insurance.

If you want to know more about the Carré Neige this site will tell you everything you need to know: Carre Neige 

• I have a Credit Card which includes Insurance so i will just use that.

True many credit cards offer "Travel Insurance" but you need to read the small print. Snow Sports are sometimes excluded and limits of cover can be small. Check the small print carefully especially if there are any restrictions on how much of the trip was purchased on the Credit Card, in some cases cover is only provided if the whole cost was purchase using the card. It pays to check all the details.

• I am a fair weather skier preferring to spend my time in the resort restaurants and bars, I don't ski far enough to need Insurance.

 It's a bit like driving, often the shortest trips turn out to be the more dangerous ones.              Skiing and Boarding is a sport like any and accidents happen. Many will not be your fault but that doesn't make them any cheaper. You can be a great skier/boarder and get taken out by someone else no matter how careful you are. Insurance isn't just for rescue and medical expenses, it provides cover for missed connections, lost/delayed luggage and can compensate you if you are the victim of theft.

There are lots of good Insurance comparison web sites now to help you compare one Policy with another which take out some of the drudgery of selecting a Policy that is right for you and your trip to the snow. As we said at the beginning it's not the most interesting topic but it is important so get a Policy to suit your needs, take care and have a great holiday - no matter what happens!