Val d'Isere Snow Report: 12th December 2014

The link to Tignes will be opening via the Col de Fresse tomorrow

featured in Snow report Author Josy Daughtry, Val d'Isere Reporter Updated 25 May 2016

When I first turned up to resort almost a week ago, I knew there wouldn't be much snow, but there was honestly none at resort level! Le Face was an unrecognisable bare mountain face looking very sad without snow. But fear not if you have booked an early season ski holiday. Since I have been in resort, the snow has fallen and it is now beginning to look like the world renowned ski resort that it is!

Over the past few days it has sprinkled with snow, just about enough to cover the resort. The bulk of the first guests arrive this weekend and will be pleasantly surprised as we are due at least 10cm on Sunday and even more going into next week.

The Fornet glacier has been open for almost 2 weeks, and I hear there is at least 30cm at the top. The rest of the Fornet up until the mid point is also open and the snow cannons have been working hard to fill in the gaps. The Solaise cable car and chairlift is open and you can ski to the mid point also. The reason for this is due to the snow factory used for the cannons, it is the biggest and most efficient in Europe, and with the snow cannons in full use it means that Val D'isere has more skiing currently, then anywhere else in the Alps!

With the snow falling the lifts are gradually opening, 24/87 ski lifts in the Espace Killy are currently open. This does mean that the skiing areas are busy and queue times for lifts are a little longer than usual.

I have just been told that from today the Bellvarde ski area will be open and will be accessible from the Olympic cable car. The lift office have also just announced that from tomorrow the link to Tignes will also be opening via the Col de Fresse.

There is already a lot happening in town. Bars and clubs all seem to be open, and have had some good DJs playing already - Ed Solo and Ben Pearce to name a few. Cocorico has its opening night tonight. If you have visited Val before then it was previously called Le Chalet but has had a revamp and lots more decking(!), and will open as a 'cool' apres bar.

The leisure centre is looking like the place to be on bad snow days. A new addition to this year is a tight rope in the main pool. We watched a guy walk over it backwards the other day – very impressive!

With the snow set to get even better this weekend, it is good news all round and I look forward to seeing the home runs open, and watching people ski down Le face from my chalet.

Keep an eye on the weather & snow forecasts, and don't forget to sign up for our dump alerts - be in the know for when it snows!