For anyone who is interested, a lot of the Alps have seen some good now over the last week, the first of the season.

Zermatt (Switzerland) is looking lovely..


Chamonix (France) is also looking great


Tignes (France) Had a good dump too... not the prettiest resort. A lot of hi rise concrete accomodation
http://www.tignes.net/tzr/scripts/resizer....eb1caa19f040b0e

Val Thorens (France) had a good amount too
http://livecam.valthorens.com/index.php?langue=3
Looking hopeful a lot of the resorts can open early this season, compared to last year that was a real blow out early winter.

I get very :yahoo: at this time of year! Anyone going skiing? Don't think I can afford it this year :( :cry:

I'm going next March - we go every year to this place. Let's hope that the white stuff sticks around like last year: http://www.telenendaz.ch/page.php?pageid=264

Resort I've never been to Barry.... looks quite good, I shall investigate more.

I've just realised those pics I posted are live links and they keep updating automatically.. I was wondering why people seem to dissapear each time I look at it.. :wacko:

Are you pair skiers then?

I love it SB, only been skiing for the last 3 seasons but been to quite a few different resorts.
I'm a big snow fiend so shooting down some Alpine mountain with crisp air and clear blue skies and the most amazing scenery really gets me going.

I love the villages too.. there are some resorts purpose built high up in the Alps but I prefer the resorts where there is a fully functioning village below the runs where you have to walk or get a train to get to the resorts..

it's sounds really beautiful! I have never contemplated skiiing cos it's a nightmare on knees, and mine have always been dodgy. I've always fancied seeing the Alpine villages in snow, but the holiday is often skiing focused and you pay for that so I've never bothered. Maybe I can find a holiday where I just eat and rink all day in the snow?:lol:

I do a lot of that too SB :D A damn lot! lol
You should do it, just book a cheap easyjet flight or summink like I do and stay in somewhere like Zermatt for 3 nights. you'd love the village and can do as much eating and drinking as you wish!

Zermatt is wonderful for non-skiing activities, particularly the lovely restaurants and it is a proper town.

If you don't want to ski I would not go when it's snowy, I'd go in October when it is sunny and warm but the air is just getting crisp. You can go for beautiful walks and eat out in lovely little hill cafes and don't get too hot and bothered. May/June is also supposed to be amazing when all the wild flowers are out. I went once in July and that was nice enough, but pretty hot.

If you want to go in the snow I'd chose a resort that is a village in its own right (not a purpose-built french nightmare like Tignes - great for skiing but nothing else) not necessarily particularly famous for skiing so that the skiiers don't completely dominate the place. I'd feel funny being a non-skier in a ski resort with everyone else dressed up in their gear lugging skis around clanking around in their boots &c.

In answer to the original question, I am a keen skier, been doing it for 23 years now. My knees are ****ed cartilage-wise, but they don't mind skiing too much funnily enough.

Yeah my catiledges have been screwed for years, plus have a connective tissue disorder so my knees are pretty unstable. If you can do it though then go for it. Must be very exhilirating :ok:

Thanks for the advice. I do liek my Alpine flowers and scenery , and I hate it hot and so early summer or autumn sound nice. I did visit the mountains round Munich and also Innsbruck in October and it was absolutely beautiful. Crisp fresh air, lovely sunshine without the burning factor, turning leaves, great views and some damned fine beer. Paulaner I recall was very good, I'm having one now! :D

Anyway enjoy your nest ski trip :)

Btw I'm quite partial to that stringy melted cheese and the liver dumpling soup :D Oh and excellent milk and muesli.

I heard that the there was a terrible lack of snow last year in most places.

I used to often go skiing when I lived in Japan, staying at my gramps' mountain house (just 3 hours away from Tokyo), although I haven't been to ski much ever since arriving in Europe five years ago. I went to Villars in Switzerland for Christmas in 2005, it was pretty cool even if I hated sweating in the train on the way to the mountain. Skiing suits are so uncomfortable. Well at least mine are...

Oh and I love alpine flowers and scenery as well, I went to St. Moritz and Grindelwald in Summer 2006 although the latter was infested with my fellow-countrymen and my dad even recognized one of them who is an absolute c*nt :o

:o

roflmao there's aot of them about!

Zermatt is looking lovely.. and I ain't going skiing this year :(

We're off to Les Arcs for the New Year, leaving Saturday. The great thing about that area of France is the direct Eurostar :)

you have picked a nice spot Fah, Bourg St Maurice is a nice little town.
Plus, don't know if you already know but if you are staying in Les Arcs village, get the funiculaire back down one day very early and then get a bus upto Tignes or Val d'isere which aren't far from there at all. 3 resorts in one trip then!

Thanks trisco, yes we know the area quite well, having been skiing by train on a number of occasions due to my older daughter's dislike of long coach transfers! :sicky: This was her regularly! And Les Arcs now connects with La Plagne via the hi speed cable car so the skiing area is huge.

Spies Fah.. :wave: How was your skiing trip fah? Good I hope?

Hi trisco - yes it was good thanks! I LOVE Eurostar, great service straight through from St Pancras, tho' the new station is a bit rubbish. Plenty of snow and good weather but hubby picked up the winter tummy bug over there (fortunately no vomiting) so he missed 2 days skiing. Also no high speed link to La Plagne because of a faulty cable, discovered just before the start of the season. How's that for French inefficiency :argh: