Activity Reviews in Val d'Isere — 13 of Our Favourites

1. Evolution 2 Wilderness Camp Adventure

If you're looking for something a little out of the ordinary to do on an evening after skiing, Evolution 2 offer the chance to join a 'Wilderness Camp' in the forests near Tignes.

I was picked up in Val d'Isere and driven over to Tignes les Boisses where the adventure started. I wasn't sure what to expect as we arrived, in what appeared to be the middle of nowhere and were told to follow the beacons of fire up to the camp.

a night time camp in the trees in tignes

After a few hundred metres we arrived at a huge bonfire and a pair of large tipi tents in the woods and were supplied with a local rose wine, followed by a warming winter vegetable soup. The fire was surrounded by seats carved into the snow and covered with cow skin rugs which set a comfortable and authentic atmosphere, making the perfect setting to enjoy a pre-dinner drink while feeling the warmth of the fire.

The staff welcomed us with a short talk, explaining the plan for the evening and that all the produce, including the wine, was all fresh locally sourced. After this we were led into the tipi and took our seats around the dinner tables which were laid out in a circle around the log burner in the middle of the room. Shortly after we were seated the waiters brought out the cheese fondue and the trimmings that went with it, which included a charcuterie board, a huge basket of bread and pots of potatoes. With the bottles of red and white wine also waiting for us it really was an incredible spread and definitely didn’t disappoint when it came to taste either.

a cheese fondue on the table

The fondue was mouth watering and intensely flavoursome. Where some fondues have a strong wine tang this locally sourced pot of melted deliciousness had purely a natural cheese taste. Accompanied with the charcuterie board, potatoes and bread it was am extremely satisfying dish, both in flavour and in volume and it left most in what could only be described as a cheese-induced coma. For pudding, we had meringue and ice cream which seemed like a slightly strange fit to finish off a traditional alpine meal experience, but after eating my bodyweight in melted cheese it was a refreshing end to the meal.

After that, the real adventure was about to begin. We wrapped up warm in every piece of ski gear we had to face the bracing cold as we mounted our sledges. Sallopettes, jackets, boots, gloves, helmets and goggles, plus a high visibility jacket were all required to tackle the descent from Tignes le Boisses down to Tignes les Brevieres.

We were escorted to the top of the blue run we were about to slide down by 2 Evolution 2 instructors, one leading the way on skis and one joining us on a sled. Spurred on by the excitement of the situation plus the added dutch courage from the wine, we were eager to get going and started the descent on a long straight section before veering off onto the windy roads of the piste down. The views off the side of the run were sensational and the lights from the instructors and the lit scene of Les Brevieres down in the valley provided a constant target for us to sled towards.

people in a tipi tent in tignes having dinner

After the twists and turns of the flat road section we came to the final pitch of the journey, which was the steepest part of the run and led to a flat section where thrilling high speeds were achieved before we skidded to a stop in the centre of the valley, which marked the end of our descent.

When we got to the bottom, we were met by taxis ready and waiting to pick us up and drive us back to Val d’Isere. All the guests, including myself had a fantastic evening and I would definitely recommend this as an alternative night out. It's a really traditional alpine experience with added excitement and adventure and costs just €69 per person including transfers to and from resort. Give it a try!

Whether you're staying in Val d'Isere or Tignes you can book this experience with Evolution 2.

2. La Folie Douce Val d'Isere

La Folie Douce is one of the liveliest paces to head on the mountain for apres ski, with cabaret dancers, musicians and magnums of champagne being delivered to thirsty party-goers by a mini cable car.

If you aren't dancing on tables in your ski boots from the moment you arrive, you're guaranteed to be by the time you leave. The atmosphere is always electric and the music makes you think you're in Ibiza or Florida, except you're on the side of the pistes.

More than just an apres ski venue, the Folie Douce also offers lunch in the form of two restaurants - La Fuitiere is a more formal dining affair, whilst the Nuvoself is a self service restaurant.

La Folie Douce is open daily from 09:00 to 17:00 so you can always pop in for a coffee first thing before returning for apres at the end of the day.

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3. Hiking & Wildlife Spotting in Val d'Isere

Come spring in Val D'Isère, the sun blazes down, bathing the white hillsides in light and warmth, and almost overnight the snow seems to melt away. Paths that have been hidden under a deep blanket of snow all winter soon become accessible and provide the perfect opportunity for hiking and a bit of alpine wildlife spotting.

The most accessible of these hikes can be found behind the popular Morris Pub in the centre of the town, where there is a public footpath that zigzags upwards to meet a path that runs along the side of the mountain. Once on this path, enjoying incredible views of the town, you can either hike to Le Daille or Le Fornet. Both walks are beautiful and offer stunning views and the opportunity to see some of Val D'Isère's less rowdy inhabitants.

The first of these, easily spotted (and heard) are alpine marmots. Having hibernated during the winter, in Spring and Summer these furry little critters can normally be found grazing for food in the long stubbly grasses on rocky slopes. Their dens are small holes or burrows in the ground and they use a loud whistling sound to communicate with each other. I saw dozens of marmots by following the path to Le Fornet; some would freeze on the spot and watch me suspiciously as I went by whereas others could only be seen as a large brown and black fluffy tail disappearing into the ground.

Above the path and further up the steep rocky slopes, dotted with wild flowers, we found an enormous herd of alpine ibex. These large mountain goats have long curved horns used for fighting off predators and competing for mating rights. They live above the snow line all year round and in winter occupy very steep rocky slopes where little snow has accumulated. Despite their lack of interaction with humans they are surprisingly calm and apparently unfazed by humans ogling at them, so I managed to get very close to take photos and watch them grazing and lazing in the grass.

Whilst watching the languorous ibex, I saw a flurry of movement further up the cliffs. It was a lone chamois dashing full pelt along incredibly steep terrain. These goat-antelope species are numerous in the region and are brown with characteristic black and white markings as well as small straight horns. I assume that this chamois was a male since the females live in large herds with their young, whilst males live solitary nomadic lives until mating season in November. With exceptional ability to navigate treacherous terrain the chamois can run at up to 50km an hour and jump a distance of 6 metres. During my hike I saw a couple of chamois but they tend to live at very high altitudes in summertime and are therefore not so commonly seen.

The final and most impressive animal that we spotted whilst walking on the cliffs above Val were the enormous golden eagles circling above us. With dark brown or golden plumage and a wing span of up to 2 metres, these eagles are truly spectacular to watch. Despite their size, they are difficult to spot against the dark grey of the cliffs and are definitely worth taking a pair of binoculars for. Nesting on the high cliffs, and preying on small mammals, such as the whistling marmots and even the chamois, the eagle has become the symbol of Val D'Isère.

If you would like to see some of these beautiful animals in their natural habitat then try hiking during your stay in Val D'Isère. Head to the Tourist Information Office for maps or pick up an IGN map for the area. Some more suggestions for hikes in the area can be found here.

4. Val d'Isere Ski Touring Report: 2nd December 2015

Since the week's worth of snowfall on the 20th November, we have been given some epic on and off piste skiing conditions.

I’ve been out ski touring in the L’Aguille Du Pércée, Aguille Du Chardonnet and Toviere regions of the hill before the resort opened which had given some fantastic conditions for those that were willing to work for their turns, before the lifts began running on the 28th November.

On the 30th November I headed up to L’Aguille Du Pércée and skied the south / south-westerly face from the summit of L’Aguille. Due to the aspect of this face, there are some rocks starting to poke back through the snowpack at the top section of the face where the snow is melted from the recent mild weather.

However, once in the bowl itself and down from the top 50 metres, the snow is still in brilliant condition, giving us some excellent turns so early in the season - this was a great introduction into the Tignes off-piste for the season!

There is still an easy traverse back to either the Aguille Rouge or Marias chairlifts from the summit of L’Aguille, just cut back skiers left once you reach the bottom of the bowl and a little rock hopping will lead you to the pistes back to the chair.

Since the lifts have started running, I’ve been lapping some of the classic Tignes / Val d’Isere off piste runs including the Chardonnet Couloir and Little Chardonnet Couloir (on the 2nd December) which gave some absolutely fantastic cold powder on the northernly aspect which has been kept out of the sun for most of the day.

The Chardonnet Couloir currently has an extremely easy entrance which allows for a simple slide in with some amazing fresh all the way down the couloir, although this might change over the next few days. As we came round to do our second lap in the Chardonnet bowl the snow was becoming slightly tracked out and heavy as the sun came round onto the face and more people were lapping it.

I also got a sneaky lap down towards La Daille in Val d’Isere by skiing from the Toviere bubble down ‘Familiale' which has excellent snow coverage and then down ‘The Hidden Valley’ which has seen a lot of snow melt due to the recent mild conditions with rocks, branches and tree roots becoming a common sight from around 2000m. It is still offering a fantastic ski all the way back down to the La Daille bubble lift with a little hop over a stream at the bottom - early season conditions are looking great!

Heliski operations at Val Heliski are beginning from the 6th December due to the great early conditions we are experiencing. If you’re interested in Heliskiing departing the Espace Killy region then send us a message from the above website to secure your seat.

After a massive dump of snow on the 20th November, the snowpack has slowly begun to settle and consolidate after a period of settled weather following the dump. However, recent high winds have led to a build up of windslab, particularly on north to east aspects, where you will notice much firmer feeling snow and will look like much more of a ‘flat’ white. After a period of warmer temperatures and no significant recent snowfall, there are some hazards within the snowpack - watch out for rocks that are still not fully covered.

The avalanche danger was reduced from category 3 to category 2 on 1st December but you still need to be aware of the possible dangers lurking in the snowpack. We are going to see more settlement and consolidation of the snowpack (due to fine and dry conditions in the forecast) particularly on lower elevations, but it’s also worth remembering that we may see some persistently weak layers lingering due to the lower temperatures higher up.

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NB: Skiing and snowboarding off piste can be dangerous. The opinions expressed in these articles are very much time and condition specific and the content is not intended in any way to be a substitute for hiring a mountain guide, undergoing professional off piste training and/or the individual's own back country decision making.

A group of people skiing down a snowy hill

5. Val d'Isere Backcountry Snow Report: 8th January 2015

It was an early start as usual at the Gourmandine restaurant to catch up with Andreas Bjorklund partner and guide of Alpine Experience ready for a morning of ski touring somewhere in the Val d’Isere region.

With the snowpack in its current condition we knew whatever route we chose would be mellow and most likely avoid steep pitches. Andreas decided we would ski the Col Des Fours route which begins in Le Fornet and spits you out underneath the Manchet Express chairlift in the Manchet Valley. Andreas highlighted that with the current conditions route selection both on the ascent and descent would be crucial in order to ensure group safety.

With a plan in mind we headed up to Le Fornet and met up with Sacha, Hanibal and Chippie on the way. Once up the Vallon cable car we did a quick transceiver check and skied off down into the Vanoise national park where our ascent would begin. The initial hike up is relatively straight forward at a fairly shallow gradient.

As this was my first tour this season it was incredibly refreshing to get away from the crowds on piste and take in what is in my opinion some of the most incredible scenery I have ever come across. As we walked up there were plenty of signs of recent avalanche activity across all aspects. The latter part of the ascent gets slightly steeper with Andreas opting to bootpack the final ridge line in order to avoid a potentially dangerous traverse across a loaded south facing aspect. We reached the summit in one hour and twenty minutes which considering we were taking it easy was pretty good timing. At the summit the views of the surrounding national park looking out towards Italy are truly breath-taking!

After a quick water stop at the summit we were all set to head off for the descent. We dropped into the Col Des Fours bowl and traversed across to the main pitch one by one, which to our delight was completely untracked. The pitch is pretty mellow allowing for great wide long turns in what was some brilliant snow! Andreas took the first track and we all subsequently picked our own lines and as always it’s interesting to see great skiers interpreting the terrain in their own unique way.

The second stage of the descent is a little trickier with a few narrow sections and fairly mellow couloirs. As we descended the snow cover did thin out in sections with a few rocks poking their noses out and definitely catching a few of us off guard! In the conditions that we were skiing and with the relatively low snow cover it is important to maintain a slower speed, as obstacles can be only an inch or two below the snow.

One of the things I enjoy about skiing with Alpine Experience is the time that Andreas and all the guides take to stop and explain the current snow conditions and the reasons behind the decision making process that goes into planning a day of off piste skiing. Throughout the morning we stopped to inspect the snow pack, which constantly keeps you clued up on the current conditions which will ultimately dictate route selection not only for that day but for weeks to come.

With the very unique and frankly dangerous conditions we are experiencing at the moment Andreas was keen to highlight the very unstable base layer that we are stuck with. Putting it very simply the snow crystals in the base layer across many aspects have almost zero cohesion. Holding a handful of snow from the base layer is like holding a handful of sand. This is due a high temperature gradient occurring on a thin snowpack. Snow crystals in the base layer have become angular rather than round which dramatically limits their cohesive properties. This unfortunately is an irreversible process. Essentially the only way that the snowpack will now stabilise is through a thaw-freeze, rain or skier compaction. Therefore slopes sat above the freezing level are likely to remain unstable for some time!

Having said all this there is still some great off piste skiing to be done in the region as we proved on Thursday. With the correct knowledge and guidance it is possible to find untouched, relatively safe snow to ski. Skiing with Alpine Experience is always great fun but more importantly it is a highly considered and safe experience. Not only that but every time I ski with Andreas and his team I learn something new about the mountains and how to ski safely!

Alpine Experience are based in Jean Sport on the main road in Val d’Isere opposite the Morris Pub. They are open to take bookings from 16:30 every day and can accommodate anyone from first time tourers or highly advanced skiers. Jean Sport also offer some great off piste touring equipment to hire on your day of skiing. Pop in and book yourself an unforgettable day of skiing!

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For conditions over in Tignes, take a look at our Tignes Snow Reports.

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NB: Off piste skiing and mountaineering are dangerous. The opinions expressed in these articles are very much time and condition specific and the content is not intended in any way to be a substitute for hiring a mountain guide, undergoing professional mountaineering training and/or the individual's own back country decision making.

6. Val d'Isere BackCountry Snow Report: 22nd February 2015

It's been an incredibly busy week here in the Espace Killy, with French and British half term coinciding it’s definitely been prime time to slap on the skins and go for a walk to escape the holiday crowds.

At the beginning of the week we decided to head out towards Barme de l'Ours which can be accessed from either the Borsat or Grand Pre Chairlift in Val d’Isere. There is a short ski down from Grand Pre where we chose to begin our journey, this takes you out in the direction of the Parc National de le Vanoise to the Ruisseau du Charvet at around 2400 metres. From there it is about an hour and a half skin up towards the base of Le Sana at approximately 2800 metres. On the route up we overtook one small group of skiers and didn’t see another soul until around 12noon!

The ski down was absolutely breathtaking. There were a few sets of tracks here and there but we managed to find out own lines down and we skied approximately 1000 vertical of skiing over the next hour. The snow was creamy powder at the top and slightly firmer at the bottom of the valley. We also encountered a small amount of spring snow at the lower half of the descent. The route takes you through the bottom of the Tour d’ Charvais and into the Manchet valley where you can pick up the Manchet Express back up to Solaise. It was an excellent route and most definitely worth the effort!

Mid-week we decided to explore the Pissales Glacier as we had a small dump of snowfall in town which actually put around 30-40 centimetres up on the glacier in Le Fornet. Wednesday was an incredibly busy day and we waited approximately 25 minutes at the bottom of the Cascade Chairlift which definitely confirmed that our decision to skin that day was the right one! Once at the top of the Pissales Glacier we hooked into Pays Desert and managed to find some fresh snow amongst the crowds who had also hit it that morning.

We skied down the main route then slapped our skins on for a quick 20 minute hike to around 2800 metres which gave us access to a huge open face of fresh powder which had been completely untouched all day. The ski down was short but exceptionally sweet with beautiful fresh light powder all the way down to the Pays Desert drag lift. With snow this good we couldn’t resist another run and the second was just as good at the first. It felt good to be skiing such amazing untouched snow only a few hundred metres away from one of the biggest lift queues I have been in all year!

On Friday a few friends and I decided to head over to Tignes and ski the Terre Rouge ski route which is towards and above the Vallon du Sache. The skin up was fairly exposed with the final section on a steep south facing slope so it was essential that we were there before midday before the snow began to soften up. The ski down was completely untracked with perfect creamy powder on the top section and slightly firmer snow lower down as we neared the Sache. It was a beautiful bluebird day and we didn’t see anyone else out for all of our trip. It was very enjoyable to explore an area that I very rarely visit in the company of good friends.

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NB: Off piste skiing and mountaineering are dangerous. The opinions expressed in these articles are very much time and condition specific and the content is not intended in any way to be a substitute for hiring a mountain guide, undergoing professional mountaineering training and/or the individual's own back country decision making.

7. Ice Diving with Evolution 2

After spending two years scuba diving in the warm waters of Thailand, I was very intrigued to see if I would hold up under the ice in conditions that were very new to me.

The snow had managed to hold off for the morning and the sun was trying to make an appearance as I made my way down to Le Lac in all my thermals and warm socks. When I arrived by the edge of the lake, we were met by someone who would give us our safety talk and tell us all the do’s and don’ts about ice diving. Once clued up, we started getting in to our gear, the hardest task of the entire day. Leaving all our thermals and socks on, we wriggled and stretched the dry suits on until we were covered from head to toe and could barely move. We then attached gloves to the end of the dry suit and we were good to go.

By the edge of the lake they have cut out a big hole where you enter and descend under the ice. Sitting by the edge of the hole they place a BCD with a tank on your back, put the mask and regulator on your face and fins on your feet, making sure that there are no gaps for water to sneak in. They then lower you in to the water making sure that everything is where it’s supposed to be and you’re ready to go! I was amazed by how warm I felt. I was expecting the shock of the water to take my breath away but once in it wasn’t even something that crossed my mind. The instructor is already in the water and is adjusting everything so you can move around easily once you descend. As you only go down one at a time it is just you and the instructor, making you feel very safe and in good hands.

Being under the water and breathing from a tank is second nature to me and I don’t even think about it anymore however the whole experience was so different to what I was used to that it made it all the more exciting and new.
Under the ice you see a whole new world of air pockets and incredible walls of ice. You feel like you have entered Narnia or a scene from Frozen. The peacefulness of diving and being the only people there really relaxes and calms you. My favourite part is watching your air bubbles hitting the roof of ice at the top and slowly working their way towards the opening in order to escape in to the outside world.

With the water being so cold you can only stay down for around 20 minutes before you start to loose feeling in your fingers and toes. My whole time under the ice, my dive leader did not leave my side once, he had hold of me the entire time and was constantly making sure all my gear was in the right place as he guided me through the water.

Evolution 2 made my first ice diving experience truly unforgettable. From the ease and helpfulness of booking it to the experience itself, I enjoyed every second and constantly felt that I was in good hands.

Even though I am an avid diver and enjoy being under the water more than on land I would recommend this activity to anyone. It is definitely something to experience if you come to Tignes and it will leave you wanting to do more. I have already booked on to do a second ice dive! So if you maybe want a day off from skiing and feel like adventuring out of your comfort zone to experience a whole different world then this may just be the thing for you.

More Info…

What to wear: Ski thermals and warm socks however nothing with a hood as it will obstruct the dry suit.
Timings: You can book on the diving at any point through the day however it is very popular and so I would recommend booking at least 2 – 3 days in advance. The whole experience takes around 1.5hours however this can vary depending on how many people are in your group.

Where to go: Evolution 2 have 2 main offices, one in Le Lac and one in Val Claret. You can book your dive at either place. The diving takes place in Le Lac right next door to the ice rink at the side of the lake.

Cost: €95 for a day dive and €130 for a night dive.

Tignes lake is covered for 6 months of the year by ice and under the surface you can explore the surreal and beautiful environment, accompanied by a professional diver. Ice diving is accessible to all, for complete beginners who have never dived, as well as those with previous experience.

To be able to dive participants need to be at least 1m45. You will be equipped with a full dry suit. Come wearing base-layer/thermals (nothing with a hood) and ski socks to help keep you warm.

Book My Ice Diving Experience

an image of an inflatable finish gate for a MTB race

8. Val d'Isere MTB 2012 World Cup Review

We thought we'd had a great weekend already mountain biking in Tignes by the time we got to Val d'Isere on Sunday afternoon, but what a way to end my first trip to this neck of the woods, watching the DH World Cup finals with a win from Rachel Atherton, her brother Gee coming in a close second and fellow brit Josh Bryceland finishing in third!

We'd been eagerly watching the videos on line with track-walks and practise runs of the downhill world cup track in Val d'Isere, and boy did it look steep! Getting there and seeing it in person was just as impressive - so steep and technical in places and they ride this in just over 2 minutes?!?! Wow.

When we arrived the last two of the women's riders were coming down; Emmeline Ragot stomped into first place but this didn't last long. Rachel Atherton flew high off the last jump (bigger than a lot of the male racers) and nailed it across the finish line to steal the victory. Amazing riding. Since we'd gotten a great spot at the finish zone, we were lucky enough to see the top 3 women riders coming out and managed to catch a quick couple of photos of them all, and then a word with winner Rachel (hero #1). She said the track and the big jump at the end was pretty scary plus it was quite windy too, which only added to the difficulty. She was beaming from ear to ear and really didn't mind us grabbing her for a photo, in which we were beaming from ear to ear too - thanks Rachel that made our day!!

Here are the top 5 for the womens race:

1. Rachel Atherton - GBR
2. Emmeline Ragot - FRA
3. Floriane Pugin - FRA
4. Myriam Nicole - FRA
5. Manon Carpenter - GBR

On to the men's race; we found a good spot on the bottom section of the track right next to the two jumps, near the big screen and with a view up towards the top of the track. From here we could check split times, who was riding, crashing, doing the biggest and most stylish jumps and generally keep a good eye on everything going on - brilliant!

The tension built and built as we got closer to the final few riders, time after time the no. 1 rider was bumped as someone new took the lead. There were huge cheers and screams as Steve Pete flew past (he finished 12th) a couple of crashes by the top French riders, tyre-blow outs and skids that almost took out the cameraman at the bottom at one point, only adding to all the drama.

Not all the male riders hit the last jump in a big way, but then a few thankfully did cheeky tail whips to get the crowd going. One rode down just on his back rim after shdredding off his inner and tyre (huge cheers for him) plus anyone that crashed out carried on to huge claps and cheers when they finally crossed the line. There were plenty of 'oohs' and 'aaahs' as we saw the split times appearing on the screen, and nail-biting waits for positions as we watched riders pedalling like crazy to get over the line. The atmosphere was fantastic!

Here are the top 5 for the mens' race:

1. Brook Macdonald - NZ
2. Gee Atherton - GBR
3. Josh Bryceland - GBR
4. Greg Minnaar - RSA
5. Aaron Gwin - USA

As soon as the riders emerged from the end zone, we were on a mission for stalking a few more heros. We saw Marc Beaumont (GBR rider who placed 7th) in the GT pits selling t-shirts to happy fans. We asked for a photo which he was only to happy to oblige with. We told him he was an OK salesman but made a much better rider - snap!

Walking back towards the end of the track we sae Aaron Gwin (hero#2) - snap!, Rob Warner (legendary DH commentator & hero#3) - snap! And then Gee Atherton - snap! Fantastic - lots of pictures to update our facebook profiles for the next week and for this report of course...!

The awards were given out on stage not far from where we were, so we sorted of followed / stalked the riders over there and finished off the day, beer in hand, watching them spraying champagne and lapping up the cheers from the crowd. Can't wait til the next one!

For more information on what other activities there are to do in Val d'Isere in summer, check out this page here.

two people breaking trail up a snow covered bowl

9. Val d'Isere BackCountry Snow Report: 15th March 2015

It’s been another incredible week of skiing in the Espace Killy! With high winds and the associated high avalanche risk last week we had to think very hard about where and when to ski.

On Thursday two good friends and myself headed off to ski the Col des Fours route (last skied with Andreas back in January) as we thought it would have been fairly sheltered from the high winds earlier on in the week and we could be in with a chance of finding some fresh powder.

The initial skin up was a little harder than usual as we were the first skiers to head up in that direction for a few days so we were forced to make our own skin track. The winds had also created a few suspect looking windslabs which we had to avoid towards the final ascent of the ridgeline. We decided to bootpack the last section to avoid traversing across an exposed south facing slope. We made the summit of Col Des Fours after approximately 1 hour and 30 mins which considering the conditions and our short diversions was pretty good going.

At the summit our worst fears were confirmed and the top section of the descent was completely wind scarred which made for an interesting ski on the first pitch. However, once we cleared the next convexity we found some absolutely fantastic snow with only a few tracks on. The snow was light and creamy and after the first pitch was an absolute joy to ski! The rest of the ski down was absolutely fantastic and made even better knowing we were skiing what was surely some of the best snow in Val’disere that day! We took a quick stop at the Refuge Des Fours for a drink out of the now flowing natural spring and headed back down to the Manchet Valley for a well earned lunch and a beer or two!

This week we have had some very warm temperatures and as such we have been able to get our first taste of this years spring snow. On Friday we decided to head up to the Grande Motte to ski the 3500 couloir which boasts approximately 1200 vertical metres of some of Tignes finest skiing. As with any spring descent timing is EVERYTHING. Too early and the snow is as hard as concrete, too late and you dramatically increase your chances of triggering a wet spring avalanche. Couloir 3500 is pretty much bang on south facing making timing even more critical. We were at the top by 10:30 just as the sun was beginning to soften the top section of the couloir at which point we decided to go for it.

The couloir can be accessed several ways but we opted for the ‘chimney’ route that involves a small down climb in a very narrow rock formation without skis on. We then carefully clipped in at the top of the couloir on a very icy narrow ledge, once done we were ready to go. I made the first few turns on the top steep section and was pleasantly surprised that the snow had softened significantly on the top layer and was very enjoyable to ski. The next five minutes were a complete thrill of very steep turns on some fantastic spring snow.

Once out of the main couloir we opted to head skiers right down to the Refuge de la Leisse which give you a much longer descent but also a longer skin out. The lower section isn’t as steep as the top but by the time we reached the lower slopes the snow was starting to turn fast and allowed us to open up our turns and ski hard. The final few hundred metres were exhilarating skiing at mach ten in perfect spring conditions!

Once at the bottom of the valley the real hard work begins. Skiing 3500 requires about a one hour and a half skin back to civilisation. After a quick breather and still high from the rush of our descent we headed back towards Tignes. The route takes you back to the bottom of the Leisse lift via some spectacular scenery and over several frozen lakes at the base of some pretty intimidating looking mountains.

Having skied 3500 for the first time I think it goes down as one of my favourite descents in the Espace Killy and certainly up there as one of my most memorable days of the season!

10. Val d'Isere Backcountry Snow Report: 24th January 2015

After the snowfall we had last Saturday the Espace Killy has experienced some great conditions throughout the entire area. Although the predicted heavy snowfall never actually arrived we had enough snow at the beginning of the week and a further top up in Le Fornet to create some fantastic conditions for the whole week.

At the beginning of the week a group of friends and I decided to ski the White Hare in Le Fornet which spits you out in the village of Le Fornet itself. This was in fact a pretty poor decision as the snow cover was very thin in this area through the trees and I unfortunately managed to gouge a huge chunk out of my skis on some hidden rocks. After a quick regroup and breakfast stop we decided to head over to Tignes and managed to find some excellent lines lookers left of the Aiguille Perce.

On Tuesday we decided to explore the Cugnai bowl and were surprised to find some absolutely fantastic snow. Traversing as far as possible under the large cliff we found some fresh lines that were a real pleasure to ski. We ended up doing a few laps as it is pretty rare to find untracked snow in this area!

During the week as many of you will know from my last report we were expected to receive a significant snowfall in the area. Unfortunately the weather system never really seemed to hit the main Espace Killy area. However mid week whilst Val d’Isere and Tinges was receiving a dusting of light snow, Le Fornet and further afield was received close to forty centimetres of fresh snow. This therefore made for some excellent skiing for the latter part of the week.

On Saturday I skied with Alpine Experience, Andreas opted for the Col Pers route, accessed from the top of the Pissales Glacier. After a fairly long traverse and a thirty minute climb we were treated with 40cm of Val d’Iseres finest champagne powder! Each of us in the group made our own tracks in what I would consider some of the best snow I have skied so far this season. It is a fairly mellow route initially which then leads into the lower half of Col Pers which was steeper but much more skied out that the initial descent, even so the snow conditions were still quite agreeable. We then hooked onto the Col d’Iseran and made our way back to Le Fornet Village.

All in all it has been a great week for exploring more of the Espace Killy area and ticking off some routes that I have never skied before. Once again this week we are predicted heavy snowfalls. Several snow forecasting websites have predicted snowfall for the latter part of the week. This is obviously a few days away but things are certainly looking hopeful. If the snow does arrive the avalanche rating will certainly increase and in certain areas we are still experiencing a very weak base layer, which with the additional snowfall will become particularly dangerous. I cannot recommend hiring one of Val d'Isere's many professional guides strongly enough. Not only will you find some incredible snow but you will do so in a much safer way than on your own.

Get out in the backcountry and enjoy some of Espace Killys’ many off piste options this week!

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NB: Off piste skiing and mountaineering are dangerous. The opinions expressed in these articles are very much time and condition specific and the content is not intended in any way to be a substitute for hiring a mountain guide, undergoing professional mountaineering training and/or the individual's own back country decision making.

11. Val d'Isere BackCountry Snow Report: 6th February 2015

After last weeks dump of snow we’ve had an amazing week of off piste skiing in the Espace Killy. We’ve had some absolutely epic days on the mountain in the past ten days with blue skies and bottomless powder!

We have had quite a mixture of weather ranging from bluebird days to complete white-out with very poor visibility and high winds. Last Saturday after the big dump of snow we were fortunate enough to have clear skies for the whole morning which meant we could take advantage of some of the best snow this season in near perfect conditions.

Although the snow was incredible the avalanche rating was at level four so mellow pitches were the name of the game. We ended up doing several laps underneath the Grand Prix lift which was really great fun with plenty of wind lips to take advantage of. We skied Epole du Charvais which although was closed offered some really deep light snow.

Monday was a similar story with blue skies and high avalanche risk so tree skiing at lower altitude was a good option. Tree skiing both under the Laisanant Lift and Fornet Cable Car offered up some excellent untracked snow. In particular the White Hare in Le Fornet is definitely a lot more skiable with a lot of fresh snow to be found. The Signal Lift also opened this week which in turn opened up access to the Grand Valon area above Le Fornet which during the week was full of fresh snow and heaps of terrain to cover.

Today was by far one of the best days of the season with a dump of around 20-30 cm of snow in Val d’isere itself and a further 10cm on top of that in Le Fornet where I skied all day. We were first to ski the White hare this morning and were treated to bottomless powder and fresh turns from 09:30 to about 2pm when my legs finally gave out. I can honestly say that I think the skiing today was some of the best tree skiing I have ever done in Val d’Isere! With blue skies forecast for the coming days we should be set for even more amazing conditions throughout the week.

Some of the most dangerous slopes are still steep north facing slopes above 2500m where the weak layer of snow still exists where the freeze thaw process has still not taken effect. These slopes should generally be avoided. The avalanche rating was bumped back up to level 4 today which means the snowpack is generally unstable in most places and avalanches can be triggered from very low additional loads. Hopefully the avalanche risk will settle down as the week progresses and we can start accessing some steeper lines.

Most weather forecasters are predicting a week of sunshine so for those of you arriving this weekend you should be in line for a great week of skiing some of the best snow we have had all season alongside some excellent weather conditions! ENJOY!

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NB: Off piste skiing and mountaineering are dangerous. The opinions expressed in these articles are very much time and condition specific and the content is not intended in any way to be a substitute for hiring a mountain guide, undergoing professional mountaineering training and/or the individual's own back country decision making.

Father Christmas Santa Claus in his sleigh

12. Christmas in Val d'Isere Review

Santa is on his way to Val d'Isere and he's bringing with him some snow. Although it has been a slow start to the winter in terms of snowfall all that is set to change on Christmas Day and Boxing Day with over 30cms due to fall.

A white Christmas, and on the higher, open slopes a Christmas white-out, is guaranteed but there are so many things to look forward to over the festive period here's our top five to help you navigate the Christmas holidays.

Santa Claus will be in Val d'Isere and Tignes on the 24th December to meet the children before setting off around the world to deliver presents. If your little ones want to meet him before he sets off he'll be in the street outside the Tourist Office from 3pm in Val d'Isere and outside the Tourist office in tignes le Lac from 5.45.

Torchlit Descents are a familiar festive family favourite. You can watch the ESF procession down the Toviere piste in Tignes le Lac on 24th December at 5.45 and on Le Face on Christmas Day at 6pm. There will be free mulled wine and fireworks making this a Christmas spectacular not to be missed. If your children were impressed then they can join in on Christmas Eve in Tignes Val Claret from 6pm and on Boxing day when there will be a special Children's Torchlit Descent down the nursery slope in La Daille.

The Street Party in Val d'Isere takes place every Thursday and this week there will be a special Christmas feel to the proceedings. Enjoy the closed road and the unusual and spectacular shows on display from fire breathers to ice sculptures.

Christmas Day Ski. It looks like it's going to be a white Christmas with a proper dump of Snow on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. So there will be some great, fresh snow on both days. To make the most of it try and stick to the tree lined runs. We would recommend the runs in La Daille in Val d'Isere. Not only will the visibility be best here but you can stop at the Folie Deuce which is always a good Christmas party and then take Tommeuse chair back to Tignes or the bubble back to Val.

Of course not everyone who came to the Espace Killy came with kids and for those looking forward to a Christmas & New Year Party you will not be disappointed with what's on over the next two weeks in Val d'Isere and Tignes.

Kissy Sell Out will be live in the Doudoune in Val d'Isere this Boxing Day from 1am and there will be parties in all the bars in town over New Year. You should expect to pay an entry fee for New Year or buy a ticket in advance.

But for a free New Years Eve party, and the biggest one across the resort head to Tignes le Lac for the Fire Mix Party on December 31st . There will be live music, fireworks and a crowd of thousands to help you bring in 2014 in style.

Whatever you decide to do this festive season in Val d'Isere all of us at SeeValdIsere.com wish you a Merry Christmas and all the best for 2014.

13. Early season ski touring adventure in Val d'Isere

Keeping an eye on the weather and the snow conditions, Tuesday 14th November was a perfect time to leave Tignes and go to Val d’Isere to start our backcountry ski touring hut to hut adventure which began in the Manchet valley. It would also give us a great opportunity to check conditions and the snowpack for the winter coming.

I love my low season time in the mountains as fewer people are around and there are lots of adventures to be had. Ski touring this time of year is a completely different game compared to going ski touring in spring as going ski touring at the beginning of winter takes a lot of preparation and different skill sets. To have a great experience, to be insured and to be safe, you are strongly advised to go with a mountain guide or instructor.