Andy Moore from AFGHANISTAN writes:
Just returned from Val (Val d'Isere) and must say the skiing experience here is still one of the best in the Alps. As an ex-racer I skied all over Europe in the 70s and have revisted many since to see them at a slower pace. Anyone who is advanced will immediately appreciate Val for its 10%+ black runs and tons of off-piste skiing. The powder here can be deep and 'dusty', (as it is right now) particularly off the top T-bar on the Le Fornet side and off the top 'old' charlift on the Tignes side (sign-posted as servicing a steep off-piste area) - [not true actually].
One needs only a few days to learn the lay of the land to figure out where to deviate from runs to access powder, often untouched days after a snowfall. The funicular from Tignes offers one of the best easy to imtermediate skiing at one go in the Alps... the funicular (Standseilbahn or train) takes you up a whopping 1000 meters or more to stunning col at the foot of the Grande Motte where you can ski down non-stop for 15-20 minutes on packed powder runs to the tunnel entrance. So after reading about the crowded icy ski outs from other contributors this is the place for you. Or you can continue from the col up the Grande Motte to the 3456 meter level and ski a great intermediate to advanced 'freeway' down groomed or non-groomed runs to the col or off to the right down int/adv run to a chair (and it's true that easy runs can become more difficult, in spite of its designation).
As one contributor pointed out it is true that the Austrian 'gemutlichkeit' will impress you more than what passes as French service (charming as the language and culture are), and the high-speed lifts of Switzerland are superior to its neighbours chairs and T-bars..., as is the case with costs where Val (Val d'Isere) is definitely at the upper end of the scale (generalizations, but true). But from a skiing perspective you'll find it hard to beat the quality of snow and massive area to explore of Val, particularly if you explore beyond Tignes down the valley with a guide.
I don't plug anyone or any establishment; there are plenty of sites to find out where the best places to eat and stay are. Suffice it to say you do still pay 14% tax in restaurants (it was not rolled back as of Jan 17 2010 as one contributor had hoped for) and reservations are needed at the good ones. Quality and variety of food varies a lot, but most have a nice French style alpine ambience. Do your homework on restaurants as there are a few fabulous establishments that are a must visit.
Get out and walk through the old town at night... it can be magical. Walk up to Le Fornet (don't take the bus). Walk back to Val on the mountain trail that starts on the other side of the bridge (over the gorge).
As a world traveller (from North America, Asia, Australia, Middle East) you may also be less than thrilled to find out how over-run Val (Val d'Isere) is now with one nationality. In my week here this time (less so in the past) I was rarely in the company of French/German/Italian speakers. For me, riding lifts, being in restaurants, and sharing the breakfast room day after day overwhelmingly with one nationality/language/culture in a French resort makes me want to travel to Whistler, Mont St Anne, Aspen, Vail, Lebanon, or Slovenia to slip into another world. What most people don't know is that the Eurostar from London travels directly to Bourg St Maurice (closest train station), and when it pulls in the cultural lanscape changes considerably. All resorts have changed this way to some extent, but Val And St Anton have been most affected. If you are looking for a more cosmopolitan continental European skiing experience and want excellent skiing then Verbier, Saas Fee/Zermatt, Sella Ronde/Val Gardena/Alta Badia are a few great locations.
But if skiing is your passion, and you have the time, ability and money, then the huge resort of Val (Val d'Isere) is one of the best in the world (Quatre Vallee [Verbier...], Trois Vallee [Val Thorens...], St Anton/Lech-Zurs/Rendel/Stuben, St Moritz/Corvatsch..., and Saas Fee... being the other European mega-areas).
2010-01-18 |
