J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by Smokey Barr

Cheers.

It's fantastic. We got lost about 3 times... But what a place to get lost!

Ok, I've not done this before, so if I leave anything out just drop me a line and I'll do my best to answer any questions.

I would rate myself as an average, middle of the road, intermediate skier. Pretty good at parallel turning (better turning right than left which is annoying) and found myself carving quite a bit towards the end of the trip. I also went with my bro who is pretty much at the same level as me but is a boarder.

Both of us tend to enjoy just cruising so stuck to mainly greens and blues, of which there are ample in the Espace Killy area. Having said that I think there are more red runs than any other, of varying difficulty. We saw quite a few blacks but some were in fairly poor condition given the fact it hasn't snowed since December!

The Espace Killy area is brilliant, granted I don't have a hell of a lot to compare it too, but we literally didn't do the same run for the first 2 days, and I think if you were a good intermediate or advanced skier you could quite easily spend a week without skiing the same run at all. From what we saw there seemed to be a hell of a lot of off piste skiing as well. We didn't do any ourselves as we were content with skiing the marked runs, our ability, and the off piste conditions didn't look to good due to the snow fall. I assume like most places you'd be wise to hire a guide to take you around.

The lift system was also very good; the lift passes are split into three areas - Tignes, Val d'isere and the two combined. It's definitely worth paying the extra to gain access to Val d'isere... it's less than £5 per day extra.

We stayed in Val Claret, all of which, in the right conditions would be ski in-ski out. We stayed in 'La Vanoise', a fairly small, but excellently managed hotel, which is literally 10 meters from the nearest lift. I think we counted 5 chair lifts, and the train that takes you up to the Grande Motte in Val Claret alone.

Val Claret has a good mix of Bars and restaurants and most are reasonably priced. We never paid more than £3.50 a pint (apart from the Grizzly bar), which compared to London, and the fact you're half way up a mountain seemed ok. There is also a free bus service that takes you to Le Lac and I think Le Lavachet. We didn't eat out in the evening as our hotel included Breakfast, a 5 O'clock snack and dinner, but we did have lunch up the mountain which varied from £15-£40 for the pair of us. (£40 for two pizzas, a bowl of chips, a coke and a sprite in Val d'isere!! I still haven't told the Mrs…)

Apparently conditions aren't great at the moment due to the lack of snow. If Conditions are bad now, I can't wait to go when they're good!!

My conclusion would be that the marked runs are generally an intermediates paradise. As seems to be the case in most resorts, some of the blues seemed more like reds and visa versa. I would also say the off piste skiing would more than satisfy the advanced skier if they felt there weren't enough marked blacks. Oh, and there are 3 brilliant snow parks as well…

We had such a good time, and were so impressed with the hotel we were considering rebooking to go back next year there and then, but as I'm a civil servant, I'd rather hold on until after Aprils budget before I commit… :hunf:

Cheers chaps.

Tony - I'll give it a shot. Bit busy this afternoon, but will message you over the weekend. :thumbup:

and what a fantastic time we had. The Espace Killy area is amazing, and if the conditions are supposed to be a bit shoddy at the moment, I can't wait to go when they're good! Given the fact it's hasn't snowed since December (contrary to every snow forecast I read before I traveled) I thought the conditions were very good. A few pistes had patches of ice and some of the busier pistes, without snow cannons, are in need of a good snow fall and will certainly be in bad shape once to hordes of half termers turn up...

On that issue it was a relief to read the email yesterday that J2ski get most of their forecasts from local resorts, because I have to say the forecasts on here are some what inaccurate.

In the weeks leading up to my trip it said at least 9cm would fall in the area. However not a cloud in the sky apparently the week before, certainly the week I was there, and it looks set to continue that way.

Look forward to returning next season...

3 more.. BOOM!!

Custom shelled?

If by that you mean are they custom boots? Hmmm, not sure what constitutes a custom boot... I spent a while with the fitter picking the boots, and he has stretched them around the left toe, and around some 'extra skin' I apparently have on my left foot. But other than that not really. The boot comes with a liner that needed heating and moulding to my foot, but that seems pretty standard with most boots these days.

Dids1 wrote:Maybe in the future if you're not tied to dates you can wait and book late, where the snow is.

If I do decide to give it another go, this is exactly what I'll be doing...

I wouldn't be as bothered, but I've just shelled out £250 on a new pair of boots!!

Thanks Andy.

Typical. My first year at this resort, and it's reporting 'unusually s**te conditions' for this time of year!

Unfortunately I think this is gonna be my last year chucking money at a skiing holiday.

Questionable conditions, and there not being a hell of a lot of snow seems an all to frequent occurrence in my experience.

Global warming?