+44 (0) 1635 37774SKIING LATEST
Creation of a new three
hour 'anytime' lift pass for the Courchevel 1650 or Vallée de
Courchevel ski areas - learn
more
What about fitness levels
needed for skiing? We have the info and training advice needed to get
you into the best shape for the piste, now with warm up routines on video - read
more
Are there consequences
for the alpine environment as a result of snowsport activity? Can we
yet see any effects of climate change upon the ecostructure? - read
more
Opening in safety overnight
here's how and why - read on
Three Valleys packed with
legendery slopes and hidden treats for you to discover. Here's a sample
to get you started -
read more
Detailed off piste information - La Tania sector
** Off-piste skiing and snow boarding is dangerous **
Usual warnings apply - Shovel, probe, transceiver (and know
how to use them - especially how to use a grid search with the analogue types).
Ski or board with someone who knows exactly what they're doing and remember
that simply going down marginal areas one at a time and waiting for that person
to move to a safe area will save lives.
La Tania Favourites courtesy of toffa. www.latania.co.uk
Plumbers Crack above Col de Loze is one of the more famous
off piste runs. The Courchevel Free Ride competition is held here down the
large couloir accessed by walking up the ridge on the right - takes from 30
minutes to an hour to walk up. Avalanches frequently.
There are at least three routes down the Col De Loze to the right of the Dou
des Lanches chair (see Moguls below) accessed by walking across the ridge
at the top. These are known locally as Gasex 1, 2 & 3. The Gasex machines
are the large pipes that stick out of the mountain blasting compressed gas
out to set off controlled avalanches - all remotely controlled now. There
were originally only three - suppose we could have a run called Gasex 16 now.
Again this can be unsafe and you must traverse right above the tree line to
return to the piste. There is a route through the trees to the Folyeres
piste but this can be tricky in poor snow conditions and has some narrow gaps
between the trees.
The Dou des Lanches red run has lots of options especially
to the right (watch for the cliff below the first ridge though) and some nice
drop offs, chutes and gulleys between the few trees to right of the narrower
steeper section.
There are numerous options from the top of the Col de Loze into the Meribel
Valley (Three Valley pass needed). Keep away from going directly under the
Rocher De La Loze chair though - it ends in a very steep and narrow cliff-like
chute between the trees.
Finally, the runs through the trees around Boulevard Arolles can
be fantastic after a heavy fall - although the trees tend to stop avalanches
this can still be dangerous, as anyone who has fallen in to a tree hole will
tell you. A personal favourite is the run down towards St Martin de Belleville
straight off the top of the Olympic chair from the Meribel side. This is a
wide open snow field with a relaxed gradient for about 400 metres before you
cut hard left and avoid the cliff lower down to eventually re-join the piste
running down to St Martin.
The Creux bowl has several great runs after traversing from
either chair but is notoriously dangerous. The other side (accessed from Saulire
and a long traverse left until your above Mottaret) is another great route
down but watch out for some big boulders with drops on the other side!
The far side of Lac Blue (often closed due to avalanche risk),
the trees below the Plantrey lift, Mt Vallon (over the back or between the
pistes) and lots of routes in to Val Thorens (but especially the terrain straight
above Restaurant Genepi accessed by traversing to the left fro the top of
the Moraine & Col chairs).
Ask a local about the Les Avals valley and the wonderful isolated runs in
(and the hike out).
Moguls
Often found under the 4-man Dou Des Lanches chair lift directly
above La Tania - not a marked run but quite heavily skied and hence the bumps.
The top part is fairly steep and can be tricky in poor conditions. Suisse
in the Courchevel Valley usually has some great bumps too.
Speed
Get the first La Tania gondola in the morning at 9am. When you're told
the 4-man chair isn't opening straight away belt down Folyeres in a straight
line (but only if you've got first tracks). This is a roller coaster of a
ride - watch the humps - when the run is empty and covered in fresh snow it's
amazing how fast you are traveling and how much air you get out of these.
Take care though, more than one La Tania local has ended up crashing off the
piste and flying into the forest, there are no nets! If you're in to speed,
think about others, wear a helmet and please don't go for it at the end of
the day when this slope is full of beginners! Alternatively try Saulire first
thing when it's been perfectly groomed. A group of us managed 97km/h down
it early one morning, timed via GPS - so wide it didn't actually feel that
fast.
Snow parks
Our local is in Courchevel, at the side of the Verdon piste. Half pipe,
table tops, jumps and a skier/boarder X course are usually available. Some
man made moguls and jumps around the top of Chenus too. Locals often create
a jump under the Lanches chair to the amusement of people on their way up.
There's also a big park near Plattiers 2 gondola station above Mottaret
and all the other major resorts have a "snow fun" area of some
type.
Bad weather and resort runs
Use the tree lined runs down to Le Praz and La Tania, it's amazing
how much contrast the trees give in whiteout conditions. There are 2 good
black runs and a red down to Le Praz, the blacks (Jean Blanc & Jockeys)
have steep sections followed by flatter bits so are quite manageable in good
conditions - they can be hairy when icy however. The 2 runs down to La Tania
are great fun in fresh snow - the red is consistently steep but usually wide
and smooth. The blue Folyeres run is a roller coaster - see above.
Beginners can have problems when snow conditions are poor but the
new snow cannons should much improve this run and relieve the traditional
icy points on the run down. There are a couple of "chicken run"
paths into the forest that avoid the steeper sections - they aren't really
sign posted though so ask your instructor / escort / guide.