A cheap laugh for the New Year

We all know the Internet is a place of wonder and my favourite skiers website (snowheads) flagged up this gem today. Not many things are free at the moment but laughter still is!

Happy New Year!

Chris
www.skifamille.co.uk

New Year, New Snow?

With very low temperatures throughout Europe the snow that fell before Christmas is bearing up well under the weight of the massed New Year skiers. Les Gets is incredibly busy and the Tourist Office has indicated that it is officially "full"!

Once we pass 3rd January a kind of sanity returns and it would be nice to have a bit of fresh snow to top things up (although there is still a very decent 65cms of compacted snow on village level slopes). I aim to get my skis on for the first time this winter on around 16th Jan and would like flattering conditions....

Looking ahead at the various forecasts we tap into (see previous posts for links) it seems that a wave of snow is going to start coming in this evening and should give US around 20 cm over the following 48 hours. A very welcome layer of fluff to add to the superb base.

Most importantly of all it's set to stay very cold - so the snow we have now isn't going anywhere.

Next update next year!

Chris
www.skifamille.co.uk

Christmas in Les Gets - weather outlook

I’ve been trying to put off writing about the weather outlook for Christmas and New Year. Not because it’s bad but because it is astoundingly good!

I am set to spend the festive period in Hampshire and Sussex under a blanket of grey. My resort based colleagues, on the other hand, are likely to develop full blown “panda eyes” at a very early point in the season.

The weather gods seem happy with the ample snow cover and the sun is now set to shine for the next 5 days. Temperatures are staying low though so don’t fret about that snow! Perfect Christmas conditions.

I'll keep a smile on my face while having my brisk Boxing Day constitutional along Bexhill seafront but I can't help thinking that I'll be missing out on something....

Chris
www.skifamille.co.uk

Fresh snow on 18th December

Yesterday saw solid snowfall throughout the day, nicely topping up our already superb base with around 15cm of fluffy stuff. Packed snow at village level is now 110cm with 170cm at 2002 metres.

The official opening of the resort is this Saturday (20th) and there is certain to be a rush to the unskied corners of the area as soon as the lifts not already up and running start - I would forgo all of my Christmas presents (to be fair I'm not expecting much!) to have first shot at Les Creux coming down from Pointe de Chamoissiere.

Our UK office gaffer Sheila - I only look like I run the show, she does all the hard work - is in Les Gets today checking up on our new and refurbished chalets and will not have time to get her skis on before her return flight tomorrow morning. Imagine the frustration...

Chris
www.skifamille.co.uk

Weather and piste update

Despite the excellent snow cover a disappointing number of runs are open in Les Gets and Morzine this week. This is a reflection of the resources available to the lift company more than anything else - but come on folks! Some Austrian resorts with less snow managed to get everything up and running a full two weeks early...

Nonetheless, our first clients are now in resort and feedback from staff is that everyone is having a cracking time. We're offering to take guests up to Avoriaz a couple of times this week in light of the low numbers of local lifts running, but many are choosing to stay put and stick to the local pistes - they are in such good condition.

There is an upside to the limitations imposed on us this week; we'll hit Christmas and New Year with pistes in tip top condition. Every cloud etc... This can only be helped by a few sprinklings of snow due to fall during the course of the next few days - nothing dramatic but, without wishing to be smug, we don't need it to be a dump.

Weather links below:
Chamonix / Mt Blanc weather
Snowforecast.com

Euro parity … and why a package holiday makes sense

As reported in the papers at the weekend, Sterling has now effectively reached parity with the Euro. Whilst one of the key drivers (interest rate reductions) is almost certainly a good thing, this could make a ski holiday in the Euro zone look pretty unattractive – although arguably no more unattractive than a ski holiday in North America.

A chalet package with a UK firm selling in Sterling can, however, insulate you from much of the impact. If paying for a chalet, apartment or hotel room in Euros you would currently be looking at a hike of around 35% year on year, without factoring in any actual price increase.

Chalet operators haven’t kept prices static, but increases are typically nearer 10%. Still a significant amount of money, but nowhere near as bad. Add to this the fact that many packages will include food, wine, airport transfers etc (all of which you’d pay for in Euros locally if doing your own thing) and the picture gets better still.

There is another element that ought to be considered. These are difficult times and no industry is immune from the impacts A package holiday company should, however, be offering financial security through either a trust account or a bond (An ABTOT bond in our case). This means the money you pay for your holiday is secure – not normally the case if you are pulling your own arrangements together.

Most important of all – the snow is amazing throughout Europe! Is this really the winter you want to go without your ski fix ...?

Chris
www.skifamille.co.uk

... and then the sun comes out!

Following staggering snowfalls the sun is now out in Les Gets. Yesterday and today have been text book "blue sky powder" days. The air temperature is still very low and the snow cannons continue to pump away topping up the already thick snow.

This really is the best start to the winter we can remember. If you have an opportunity to get out to the Alps over the next few weeks grab it with both hands!

- Chris
www.skifamille.co.uk

View from the front line

I've been in Les Gets for 48 hours now and can't remember early season conditions like it. The snow just keeps on coming!

It's a good thing the lifts aren't working or we'd all be supremely frustrated at having our heads down getting our chalets and team sorted out for the season.

The only real "on the snow" experience is trying to get around the resort in our minibuses. Even with four wheel drive and snow tyres conditions are "challenging".

Chris
www.skifamille.co.uk

Encore du neige!

The snow keeps on coming and the forecast for the rest of the week is for it to continue.

To quote snow-forecast.com:

Days 0-3 Les Gets Weather Summary:
A light covering of new snow mostly falling on Mon morning. Temperatures will be below freezing (max -2°C on Wed morning, min -15°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Les Gets Weather Summary:
A heavy fall of snow, heaviest during Sat night. Temperatures will be below freezing (max -1°C on Sat night, min -7°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SSW on Thu morning, strong winds from the WSW by Fri afternoon).

I try desperately hard not to blatantly plug Ski Famille holdays on the blog - but if you can drop everything and head out to the mountains on 13th or 20th December this is surely the year to do it!

Chris
www.skifamille.co.uk