Welcome to the SkiCourchevel Blog. In this section of the site you can find updates on our chalet as well as skiing tips and advice on what to do when you get to the slopes.
THE LASTEST SKI WEATHER REPORT FOR THE COMING SEASON 2012
Here is the updated latest 6 month winter weather forecast for the French Alps:
December 2012
The 3 weeks of the start of the month will be disruptive with the air flow west to northwest. The weather will be rainy with often abundant snowfalsl in the mountains as in the valleys and plains. Snow depths will be a thick layer of snow at 1000 m, very thick 2/3000 m. The last 10 days of the month will be sunny and mild, often cloudy in the valleys and plains.
January 2013
A fairly stable period of weather is exepected, cold and sunny for 2 to 3 weeks and then return disruptions in northwest bringing heavy snow from 800 to 1000 m altitude.
February 2013
A stable period ofv weather, sunny, cold in the valley bases for the first 10 days of the month and then return again very heavy snowfall at all altitudes. The avalanche risk will be higher and higher.
March 2013
As we will be under the influence of the southwest, the weather will be genrally very warm almost spring time even if one or two cold snaps bring snow and frost but the impression of most of the month will be warm and suny, the foehnwind blowing often in the mountains.
April 2013
Back to the unstable weather, cold, snow frosts right down to the plain, but some eter by the end of the month with some days of sun and spring like warmth.
Posted on 10/12/12 | Permalink
6 MONTHS WEATHER FORECAST FOR COMING SEASON, NORTHERN FRENCH ALPS
OCTOBER
The sunny and mild weather will continue until the middle of the month, when new purtabations arrive. From the 19th/20th of the month the weather changes with the arrival of cold air and snow in the mountain valleys bringing a good start to the snow cover at altitude.
After which there will be a new mild period.
NOVEMBER
An active current of air from the NW will bring significant unstability to the weather with heavy rain and snow, particularly to the middle and high mountains.
Between the disturbances there will be a few sunny, beautiful days.
The end of the month looks to be very cold with snowfall down to the plains and all of Eastern France!
DECEMBER
Stalemate! with a blockage of the weather, West North West. Precipitations will usually be of snow, maybe a little rain at lower altitudes. Giving significant amounts of snowfall accumulations at mid to high mountain levels.
In the valleys there will be a large variation of temperature and snowfall amounts.
JANUARY
The month will start disrupted and cold, then from the middle of the month with the lenghtening and brightening of the days it will seem to announce the warmer sunnier weather.
FEBRAURY
Sunny weather to begin the month and then a more sudden and organised cold spell from mid Feb to the end of the month. This cold snap will be all over Eastern France and culd be monstrously cold!
MARCH
The month begins still in the grip of the cold snap, and last for the first 3 weeks with significant accummulations of snowfall to all levels, its not till the end of the month when spring will make a feeble arrival.
APRIL
A Westerly air flow current persists, bringing alternate periods of rain and snow to the mid and high mountain with some milder days in between the disturbances.
Posted on 01/10/12 | Permalink
MERIBEL NEWS INCLUDING PLANNED FOLIE DOUCE!!
Continuing on the ski lift and area improvements, sees in Meribel the finishing of the Saulire Express ready for the coming season, (the upper gondola was replaced last season)
This summer the Saulire Express 1 will be built and the redesigning of the lower lift station with a new entrance and ramp to the front of the building. The combined 2 stages will rise 1265 m and take just 12 minutes instead of the old 20 minute journey and like Saulire 2 it will have an 8 seat gondolas, carrying 2,400 passengers an hour.
The access piste to the Chaudanne "Traversee Bourbon" is to be made wider and gentler made possible to the removal of the old Saulire pylons
In Motteret the old Plattieres 1 and 2 gondola are to be replaced by a single gondola, it is to be erected and working by the start of this season 2012, and will be the first 10 seater gondola in the Three Valleys! (should be interesting loading this, New Year and Feb half term week)
This lift will take just 7 minutes to do the old journey that used to take 22 minutes.
The lower lift station will be in a slightly different place on the other side of the plateau, and Plattieres 3 will continue to run to the top of the mountain.
The blue Martre piste just below the Plattieres mid station arrival is to be reshaped, widening and made less steep, so making access to Motteret easier for less experienced skiers, and hopfully better snow conditions.
Of course the most important news for Meribel is the planned opening of a Folie Douce Bar !!
First there was one in Val d’Isere, then they spread over to Val Thoren, now the owners of one of the most famous bars in the Alps are opening up one in Meribel.
If you have not heard of these bars you clearly haven’t skied within 10 miles of one as they are not quiet!
The new bar will be just under the Saulire 1 lift replacing the restaurant Choucas. It is a good location but the run down is not the easiest Red piste I have skied, in particular if the conditions are not good. No doubt this is not welcome news to the owners of other bars in the area.
In Val Thorens La Folie Douce is blamed on killing the real apres in the resort, lets hope it doesn’t do this in Meribel.
Posted on 20/06/12 | Permalink
WHATS NEW FOR 2013 SEASON
Recently released is news of a 7 year, 118 millions Euro plan for Courchevel alone, which will see realised the frequently talked about lift fro Bozel!
The mayor of Courchevel has expressed concern on the outdated lift infrastructure and has put pressure on the lift company S3V to improve the ski area.
Highligted in their council meeting minutes is the surrising fact that a number of lift have not been entirely upgraded for over 30 years, plusupdated security measures not met.
The result is that 118 millions of Euros is to be spread out over the system in the various resorts of Courchevel over a period of 7 years.
Courchevel 1650, renamed this year to Courchevel Moriond, will receive 29 million Euros:
Removal of Trois Valley Chairlit.
Ariondaz gondola to be relaced by 2 new Gondolas, 1650 Belvedere and Belvedere Bel Air , (this due by 2013)
New Marquis chair to inprove ski to door facilities (due 2013)
New piste to expand ski area served by Chapelets chair (hope this does to effect the off piste play area we love over there!)
On the Pralong / Altiport area 6.1 million Euros:
A new garage for the piste bashers and snow cannons for the Cospillot piste.
Courchevel 1850, 1550 and Le Praz will receive 13 million Euros to contribute to:
Replacing the Biollay Chair to a new high speed 6 man chair (due 2012)
Snow cannons on Creux to inprove snow cover the whole season
A liason piste fron Grande Coombes to Cospillot with a bridge and artificial snow cover.
These proposals will no doubt be modified over the next 7 years, but it goes a long way to improving the ski area and lift system, and will indeed entice many more skiers to the region, plus give the satifaction that our hard earned lift pass charges are being put to good use!
Proposed Lift Improvements Courchevel
Posted on 20/06/12 | Permalink
FIRST 6 MONTH WEATHER FORECAST OF THE COMING SEASON!!
Back again with the first look at the coming weather predicted for the coming winter season.
We were not too far off with the predictions last year, which is quiet something when you consider the mountains have their own mini systems to contend with as well as the main weather systems across Europe!
September 2011:
Probably disturbed period due to the number of cyclones in the Carribean. First part of the month cold and unstable with snow falling as low as 1500m. Second part of the month will be sunny and unseasonably warm.
October 2011:
A huge anticyclone stretching from Russia to Europe will give very cold with any snow falling right to the valleys. This said it should for the most part be sunny and dry.
November 2011:
Continuation of the blockage, with very cold periods, but for the main sunny and dry.
December2011:
More cold weather, with weak snowfalls, but also periods of stable sunny dry weather. Heavier snow falls expected for the end of the year.
January 2012:
End of the blockage permitting the arrival of a west to north west currant carrying heavy snowfalls to both the mid and high mountain, near to the seasonal norm in temperatures.
February 2012:
Snow falls at the beginning of the month, then a return to anticyclonic weather of cold temperatures and sunshine.
Posted on 21/09/11 | Permalink
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