Tignes Snow Report: 1st December 2012

Excited as I was about the prospect of my first day on the hill I did wake this morning a little woolly in the head. As well as the opening of the lifts in Val and Tignes it was also the opening of the Fall Line bar in Val last night and ever one to sample all that the resort has to offer, so that you dear reader are kept abreast of all that is going on in resort, I went along to the bar and had a few scoops.

Never the less I was in the lift pass queue bright and early first thing this afternoon. Although the morning was definitely sunnier and by about 1pm the clouds had moved in and the light had flattened a little the weather was still pretty good.

Solaise and Olympique were both  running and we took the latter to the top of the Bellevarde bowl. The first site that greeted us was the new Fontaine Froide departure station. This now means that the lower sections of Grand Pre and the runs down there are now properly connected to the top of Bellevarde. Ideal for novice skiers as they can now enjoy the gentle Grand Pre piste and get back to Olympique for the lift down to Val.

Looking around and checking the board showed that although the resort was open not all the pistes and lifts were actually up and running. It didn't really matter though as the whole area was so quiet that even with the closures there was plenty of space and no queues.

We headed down the OK/Orange piste and found the slope in great condition. Not competition smooth but with plenty of cover and about 8 - 10 inches of powder at the sides of the piste. Although a couple of times we went through this powder to the rocks below in general there was more than enough cover and some safe and fun fresh snow to be had.

We lapped the Marmottes chairlift a few times and then headed to Tommeuse to have a look at conditions in Tignes. We headed down the Paquarettes piste under the Aeroski bubble and the snow up top was great. Once again the piste was complete with no rocks or grass showing through and there was unridden powder at either side of the piste. Lower down the snow cannons had been firing and the run was in less good shape. A crusty layer was sitting on top of the soft snow underneath that wasn't much fun to ride.

The Palafour was another one of the closed lifts so we were we weren't able to ride over to Val Claret. We jumped on the Aeroski and headed back over to Val and rode the Bellevarde bowl a few more times before heading down for a pint and the second half of the rugby. Not a bad Saturday really.

There is plenty of snow at the moment and although not all the pistes and lifts were running this weekend they will open up soon, I'm sure. The snow cover, as I've said, is good and the quality of the snow is great; light and soft. With more snow on the forecast pretty soon the offpiste will open up a little more as the base compacts and the snow pack deepens.

The Espace Killy is in great shape for the coming winter skiers. If you are planning on an early season trip to Val or Tignes, rest easy, there's plenty of snow and the night life is as good as ever.