The La Tania Ski Blog
Latest news, snow, pics, gossip and information from the locals in La Tania – latania.co.uk
All the latest news from around the Three Valleys from the La Tania locals. A real blog since 2006, not just endless re-posts for search engine optimisaton! Photos, gossip, snow reports, what's on and all the latest on the Apres Ski scene... Now fully optimised for iPhone, Touch and Android Mobiles - just go to latania.co.uk/blog and view on your phone. Our other past blogs & favourites here
All Winter 2019 Ski Bus Timetables revealed – more buses for La Tania
The new “pre-season” bus service was announced last week and now the rest of the season service has been revealed which for opening week includes La Tania for the first time ever.
This is something we’ve requested for years when 1850 lifts open and there’s no lifts or bus service from La Tania.
There’s an increase in the service in main season too for La Tania although the main season timetable is still PROVISIONAL at this time.
There’s an early bus departing La Tania at 08:30 to arrive in Courchevel 1850 for 09:00 then it is simply a 10 minutes past the hour service every hour from 09:10 to 01:10.
No gaps in the evening service now and a later bus back to Courchevel by an extra hour. Similarly the last bus back from 1850 is now 00:40 with a service to Le Praz departing 1850 at 01:40 arriving 02:03.
All the bus timetables and further information at: www.latania.co.uk/resort/skibus.htm
Snow! La Tania Webcams on Val Thorens opening day…
Another additional 3 Lifts now opening at Val Thorens tomorrow – Sat 24 Nov 2018
Val Thorens have announce an additional 3 lifts opening tomorrow and the Grand Fond area is opening – you should be able to see the new Cime red piste from over there.
Well done to the teams involved in opening as much of the mountain up as fast as possible – we’ll have a Video Snow Report no doubt!
The 3 additional lifts are:
Grand Fond Funitel
Moutiere Chair
Lac Blanc Chair
These lifts were announced earlier in the week:
– Funitel Peclet
– Moraine Gondola
– Portette Chair
– Cascades Chair
– Deux Lacs Chair
– Musaraigne & Campagnols Magic Carpets / Travelators
– Castor & Pollux Magic Carpets / Travelators
– Cairn Gondola (to come from P4)
Val Thorens has confirmed that it will be opening for it’s La Grand Première Weekend on Saturday with an expected 30% of the ski area opening.
With temperatures falling this week snow cannons were at last able to operate and fill in pistes down to village level at 2300m. Ten piste bashers are currently working on getting these runs ready for the weekend.
The Brand Village area will be open for your chance to test the new models of skis, snowboards etc from a huge host of manufacturers for free and benefit from their professional advice & guidance….
Meanwhile Orelle has confirmed that it won’t open this weekend as originally scheduled (and obviously no link across from Val Thorens will be available too).
Opening Times for Winter 2019 – Lifts, Bars, Restaurants etc.
Val Thorens opens its lifts this weekend so here’s an update on all the opening dates for Winter 2019…
Courchevel is planning a special opening event on 8 December with a focus on children (free lift passes for under 13s and plenty of events for kids scheduled with some free food about too) with the help of the Courchevel Tourism partners – Haribo, BMW, Head and Moët & Chandon – it could only be Courchevel!
Opening Times we have so far…
La Taverne Méribel – Fri 09 Nov
La Boulotte Bar 1650 – Tue 20 Nov
Le Farcon Restaurant – Fri 23 Nov
Val Thorens Lifts – Sat 24 Nov
L’Elephant du Praz – Tue 27 Nov
Pub Le Ski Lodge (from 17:00) with Tenacious Ski from 22:00 – Sat 01 Dec
Le Bubble Bar 1650 – Sun 02 Dec
Courchevel & Méribel Lifts – Sat 08 Dec
Pub Le Ski Lodge 25th Birthday Party (from 23:00) – Sat 08 Dec
La Folie Douce Méribel – Fri 14 Dec
Courcheneige Hotel – Fri 14 Dec
La Taiga Restaurant opening plus Westy with Open Mic Night – Fri 14 Dec
La Tania & Courchevel 1650 Moriond Lifts – Sat 15 Dec
La Tania Lifts Opening Party with DJ Fred & Hook from 14:00 – Sat 15 Dec
Le Bouc Blanc Restaurant – Sat 15 Dec
La Tania Saisonnaire Welcome Night – Mon 17 Dec
Santa Visits La Tania on his Sleigh 15:00 to 15:30 – Mon 24 Dec
Val Thorens Opening Details for Saturday 24 November 2018
Updated with expected scheduled lifts (we guessed well!):
– Funitel Peclet
– Moraine Gondola
– Portette Chair
– Cascades Chair
– Deux Lacs Chair
– Musaraigne & Campagnols Magic Carpets / Travelators
– Castor & Pollux Magic Carpets / Travelators
– Cairn Gondola (to come from P4)
Val Thorens has confirmed that it will be opening for it’s La Grand Première Weekend on Saturday with an expected 30% of the ski area opening.
With temperatures falling this week snow cannons were at last able to operate and fill in pistes down to village level at 2300m. Ten piste bashers are currently working on getting these runs ready for the weekend.
We’d expect the Peclet and Moraine / Portette areas will be involved but maybe not Grand Fond or Caron focused on with the link to Orelle not being open. Further details will be posted this week.
The Brand Village area will be open for your chance to test the new models of skis, snowboards etc from a huge host of manufacturers for free and benefit from their professional advice & guidance….
Meanwhile Orelle has confirmed that it won’t open this weekend as originally scheduled (and obviously no link across from Val Thorens will be available too).
However, unsettled weather is continuing after the stable conditions over the last month with the (cold) temperatures as expected for the time of year and plenty of precipitation in the forecast. Snow cannons will be continuing across The 3 Valleys along with some real stuff – predicting actual centimetres of snow is ridiculous though, far too many variables including temperature, humidity, aspect, altitude, pressure, wind, size & weight of flakes etc etc!
Aldi Ski Wear Event Starts 25 Nov 2018. Pre-orders available now.
This years Aldi Ski Wear event has started with the same incredible value products.
While not trying to compete with top end kit their products are unbeatable value especially for families kitting themselves out for the first time.
The example jacket above still has the following spec though:
• Fixed 2 layer hood
• Ventilation opening
• Elastic inner sleeve cuff
• Adustable outer sleeve cuff
• Breathable membrane 3.000 gr/m²/24h
• Waterproof fabric up to 3.000 mm
• Windproof fabric < 5 L/m²/sec
• Inside collar and center back with warm and soft fleece lining
• Inside mesh goggle pocket
• Bottom hem with drawstring
• Stopperhigh loft wadding
• Taped seams
If they’re like last seasons they’re certainly well made, of a decent quality and a good buy!
Not sure about a helmet for £9.99 but it’s got to be better protection than not wearing one – as long as you don’t ski or board like you’re indestructible…
Further information at: www.aldi.co.uk/specialbuys/about-our-specialbuys/skiing
Snow Cannons Fire Up Across The 3 Valleys As Temperatures Drop
Temperatures finally drop (and are set to remain cold) so snow making kicks off on an epic scale that only The 3 Valleys can deliver…
-3°C overnight down at La Tania resort level last night – starting to feel like Winter at last!
England v Croatia (again)
Turned out to be a big game at Wembley this afternoon as Croatia beat Spain mid-week and set up a decider for a semi-final place in Portugal next Summer in the Finals of the Nations League.
Unprecedented queues outside Wembley as either additional bag checks or the move from bar codes to QR codes on self printed tickets slowed everyone getting in. Certainly many thousands missed the first 15 minutes – us included.
Once again this young 3 Lions team just looked more lively than we’ve witnessed for years and despite going one down goals from sub Jessie Lingard and Captain Kane saw a fight back in the last 15 minutes.
This was the first-ever time in 601 competitive internationals that they have won a game (in 90 minutes) when trailing with 15 minutes to go – what a stat!
Roll on a trip to Portugal next June….
New JUNIOR rate added to 3 Valleys Wellness Lift Pass
The main lift pass news for Winter 2019 is that a single basic trip to Aquamotion is included in 2-day and above Courchevel Passes (but not season passes) and the “3 Valleys Wellness Pass” includes 2 full access trips to Aquamotion.
There is now a new “Junior” rate on the 3 Valleys Wellness Pass for customers aged over 13 and under 18 who are normally treated as adults. Only available to skiers in the Courchevel & La Tania Valleys.
A JUNIOR 6-day 3 Valleys Wellness Pass with 2 full access trips to Aquamotion is €345.
An Adult 6-day 3 Valleys Wellness Pass with 2 full access trips to Aquamotion is €369.
An Adult 6-day 3 Valleys standard Pass is €306.
The Courchevel 6-day pass (which includes Aquamotion basic access “Aqualudique“) is now €272 and the standard 3 Valleys 6-day pass €306 (a €34 difference) so if you’re not going to Aquamotion and will ski another valley just once it’s now cheaper to get a standard 3 Valley Pass (you used to have to visit a second time to make a 3V pass worthwhile).
Also to add in to the mix are the Duo and Tribute discounts and the family pass (kids under 18 for this pass) where everyone pays the same prices for 2 adults and up to 7 kids. A 6 day 3V Wellness family pass is €299 per person (std 6 day 3V family €244.80).
Aquamotion Prices – for comparison purposes:
Aqualudique basic access to pools and wild river – €23 (14.50 on Saturdays).
AquaWellness full access to all pools, sauna, steam, jacuzzis etc €37 (or duo for €68).
Trying to make sense of it all with all the lift pass options:
www.latania.co.uk/skiing/passes.htm
(Main Season prices quoted unless stated)
French Motorway Automatic Toll Payments from the UK – Sanef is now Emovis Tag
Sanef Tolling the suppliers of French Autoroute automatic payment tag units in the UK are now called Emovis Tag. Everything else remains the same however, including their UK HQ in Harrogate and they now have tags available for Spain and Portugal too.
To order a tag in the UK follow this link and receive €5 off your fees.
www.emovis-tag.co.uk/subscription
Tolls for the Calais to La Tania run are now €71.40 (one-way via Bourg-en-Bresse and the route towards Geneva then via Frangy/Annecy).
More at: www.latania.co.uk/resort/driving
Charges: There’s an initial one-off €10 application fee and then €6 every year management fee plus €5 per month that the tag is used in (but capped at 2 months usage per year, so a max of €10 in a subscription year).
Tolls are charged in the UK in Sterling on the average mid-market commercial exchange rate for the month it is used in (NOT the tourist rate) plus a 2% foreign exchange charge (like most credit/debit cards) – but still works out better than travel money / bureau de changes. All charges plus VAT.
The convenience of course is the main thing – especially if driving alone in a right hand drive vehicle! – and avoiding tailbacks to manual booths on busy Saturday transfer days is priceless… Buy here!
Full instructions supplied and which booths to use (including the 30 km/h ones) are included. You get notified when the power is dropping & you need sending out a new one amd remember you can carry this with you and use on hire cars from the airports too!
