looking up towards Face from town centre no snow

Val d'Isere Snow Report: November 29th 2011

First day back in the Espace Killy. Looks like I arrived before the snow

featured in Snow report Author Debbie Priestley, Val d'Isere Reporter Updated 24 October 2014

Last night I arrived in Val d’Isere to a rather disturbing lack of snow. Usually around this time of year there is a fair amount of the white stuff about, and come opening day in Val d’Isere, which is a little later than that of Tignes, you can ski most of the pistes in Val and Tignes, and there is already a ‘Christmassy’ feel about town. That said, there are more runs open in Val d’Isere and Tignes compared to a lot of the resorts in this area.

Although, technically, there is no snow on the forecast everyone is hopeful and there is still some skiing here. If you use the Val d’Isere website’s interactive piste map, you can see that the Fornet Glacier is mostly open; you can ski down as far at the top of the Gondola. The snow is surprisingly good too! You can also ski the top of the Solaise area, where around six pistes are open allowing you to ski to and from the top of the Solaise Express chairlift. In Tignes, most of the Grande Motte Glacier is open, and the snow cannons have been running over time making it possible for you to ski back into Tignes Val Claret. According to the Val d’Isere resort website nineteen percent of Espace Killy is open at the moment.

The forecast is still almost clear of snow, but everyone says its coming. I spoke to Henry Schniewind from Henry’s Avalanche Talks and he’s expecting the snow this weekend. It’s certainly cold enough here for it. Snow showers are due at the weekend, but at the moment it’s only very light.

We may be a little lacking in open pistes, and snow, but the Grande Motte and Fornet Glaciers has been great for skiing with bluebird skies, there’s been a lot of race training on and considering the conditions, a lot of people out on the slopes. Plus, it’s been sunny enough to top up your tan on a terrace when you’re off the hill.

At present the Criterium de la Premiere Neige is still scheduled to take place on the Face de Bellevarde in Val d’Isere on the 10th and 11th of December. As you can see from the picture of the Face though, we will need a lot more snow before then. Fingers crossed though, as this is a great event.

Apart from that, the snow cannons are running every night and, like Christmas, the snow is coming, hopefully before Santa though!!!