Crunch time - should we stay or should we go...

"Lloyd Jenkins" wrote in message
...
Simon,

If it's any consolation we are also going to La Plagne tomorrow for a
week.

If previous Christmases are anything to go by, they keep a lot of the
pistes
back until the Christmas week.

The snow levels reported are still significantly better than Christmas
2001,
when only 50% of the area was open for Christmas week rising to 70% by the
New Year. On that occasion, we had a good week's skiing despite the area
not
being fully open. Dodging the rocks at times just makes you ski more
precisely.

There is apparently more snow forecast. The currenmt snowe levels are not
far from average for the time of year in la Plagne if you look at the
historic snow depths recorded on the Ski Club of Great Britain website.

Go. You'll enjoy it.

Thanks All - you've persuaded us to go! Now got to go and pack. Will
report back in a week!

Thanks again for giving me the shove and have a great, and snowy Xmas!

Simon

Thanks All - got back last night. We had a smashing time. Weather was
about as perfect as we could have hoped for. Snowed on and off Saturday,
through to Monday Night, leaving lots and lots of powder from 2000m upward
and a decent covering down to our resort at Montalbert (1350m) Then 4
clear sunshine days. Temperature was v.cold at the beginning of the week,
but other than that, was spot on. The low temps meant they could make tons
of snow to augment that which had fallen naturally, especially down at
Montalbert, thus enabling them to open up their resort runs; not that we
used them other than for getting home at the end of the day.

V.Impressed with La Plagne as a ski area all in all - ideal for a family
trip with stacks of Blue runs and lots of variety in the runs themselves.
Conditions were excellent I thought for Xmas week, though a bit rocky again
on some of the South facing slopes by the end of the week; my skis are
somewhat trashed! Nonetheless, couldn't grumble for a December week, and
vastly better than I had anticipated.

Cafe's/Restaurants on slope were a bit pricey I thought, but that might be
down to the strong Euro versus the Pound. Didn't make it across the
Vanoise Express - bit of a hike from where we were staying at Montalbert,
and to be honest, La Plagne itself offered enough for our family group to
keep us busy for 6 ski days. So thanks for persuading me to go at the 11th
hour - I'd have kicked myself if we hadn't gone, as it turned out fab. For
those going there this week, some more snow would help freshen things up,
and more is forecasted today.

Cheers,

Simon

Simon Watkins wrote:
those going there this week, some more snow would help freshen things up,
and more is forecasted today.

It's snowing heavily here in Morillon again, perfect timing as last
weeks fall was starting to get a little tired. Some pretty excellent
skiing in the trees above Morillon this after as the snow fell.

Ian

"Simon Watkins" wrote in message ...
Thanks All - got back last night. We had a smashing time. Weather was
about as perfect as we could have hoped for.

Sounds pretty identical to the conditions in Val d'Isere/Tignes over
the same period. Great week topped off by the bizarre sight of a wild
boar wandering around amongst the punters in the queue at the bottom
of the Solaise lift. Dunno whether it was genuinely wild or somebody
had raised it as a pet. Unfortunately by the time we regained the
presence of mind to take a photo it was trotting off towards Dick's
Tea Bar and just appears as an indistinct blob among dozens of legs.

Iain.

Sounds pretty identical to the conditions in Val d'Isere/Tignes over
the same period. Great week topped off by the bizarre sight of a wild
boar wandering around amongst the punters in the queue at the bottom
of the Solaise lift. Dunno whether it was genuinely wild or somebody
had raised it as a pet.

Perhaps it was turned away for not having a lift pass. Went of to Dics
to sulk in happy hour. Maybe watch a film, or listen to Henry's
avalanche talk:-)

I have been to Val for 15 years and never knew there was/is a wild boar
population.
Would be nice to know if it came from the National park further up the
valley.

On a visit to Kruger park in south Africa they are often seen emptying
the trash cans round picnic sights so they are not afraid of people but
are normally considered dangerous.
--
Richard Crapp

"Richard Crapp" wrote in message
...
| Sounds pretty identical to the conditions in Val d'Isere/Tignes over
| the same period. Great week topped off by the bizarre sight of a
wild
| boar wandering around amongst the punters in the queue at the bottom
| of the Solaise lift. Dunno whether it was genuinely wild or somebody
| had raised it as a pet.
|
| Perhaps it was turned away for not having a lift pass. Went of to Dics
| to sulk in happy hour. Maybe watch a film, or listen to Henry's
| avalanche talk:-)
|
| I have been to Val for 15 years and never knew there was/is a wild
boar
| population.
| Would be nice to know if it came from the National park further up the
| valley.
|
| On a visit to Kruger park in south Africa they are often seen emptying
| the trash cans round picnic sights so they are not afraid of people
but
| are normally considered dangerous.

There's been an explosion in the boar population in recent years, to the
chagrin of the French paysan (they can destroy a small field after a bit
of rainfall in no time time at all, digging enormous holes everywhere to
look for worms that have come up close to the surface.) Still, at one
time they had practically disappeared from the mountainous areas of
France, and with other species have made a comeback with the
reforestation policy, particularly in the national parks and surrounding
areas. I've seen estimates of a total population in France of around
350,000, despite the best efforts of the French chasseurs... In the
Savoie they first reappeared in the early 90s, hunt figures here mention
some 3,000 in this department alone killed during the 1995 season.

Pete

PG wrote:

There's been an explosion in the boar population in recent years, to the
chagrin of the French paysan (they can destroy a small field after a bit
of rainfall in no time time at all, digging enormous holes everywhere to
look for worms that have come up close to the surface.) Still, at one
time they had practically disappeared from the mountainous areas of
France, and with other species have made a comeback with the
reforestation policy, particularly in the national parks and surrounding
areas. I've seen estimates of a total population in France of around
350,000, despite the best efforts of the French chasseurs... In the
Savoie they first reappeared in the early 90s, hunt figures here mention
some 3,000 in this department alone killed during the 1995 season.

That figures, I think they're pretty common around Europe. Certainly in
Germany we had them come into the garden regularly and they destroy the
turf just like you say. I'm pretty sure I saw one driving home the other
night in Switzerland on the outskirts of our village and I think I saw
an article in the local Swiss French-language press about hunters and I
*think* a proposal to hold a referendum on increasing the hunting quota,
there again my French is poor and it could have been a report on the
local football club :-)

Ian

"Ian Spare" wrote in message
...
PG wrote:

There's been an explosion in the boar population in recent years, to
the
chagrin of the French paysan

....... snipped

That figures, I think they're pretty common around Europe. Certainly in
Germany we had them come into the garden regularly and they destroy the
turf just like you say. I'm pretty sure I saw one driving home the other
night in Switzerland

...... the boars have cars in Switzerland? Everyone's too rich there ;-)
___
Michael MacClancy