Val Thorens Snow Report: 12th December 2013

This beautiful sunshine, combined with mild temperatures and empty slopes have created particularly enjoyable skiing this past week. The slopes and lifts are virtually empty, giving us the impression of skiing in our own personal ski area. It’s a joy to be able to walk straight onto normally-busy lifts such as Cime Caron in Val Thorens, or cruise in splendid isolation down motorway runs like Creux in Courchevel. If you’ve never skied during these pre-Christmas weeks, do give it a try one year – it’s a very different experience from high season.

Around half the pistes in the 3 Valleys are open already and more will open this Saturday when la Tania, St Martin and the lower Courchevel ski areas open up.

Piste conditions are good for the very start of the season, although nothing like the spectacular powder of the past two Decembers. There is over 1m of snow on the upper runs and these runs are mostly in excellent shape. Just a few of the lower and steeper runs are hardpacked. The lower runs are mainly cannon snow and there are one or two stones around, but generally the snow is fine all the way down into the resorts.

Off-piste, we’ve spotted some beautiful tracks on high pitches. However, I’m too aware of the relatively thin snow cover to want to venture away from the marked runs – in December there is almost invariably too little snow depth to cover rocks and boulders safely.

Skiing in Courchevel 1850 today we noticed some of the changes to the ski area. The Col de la Loze lift has gone; the new Bouc Blanc chairlift is in place but not yet running. More entertainingly, the resort seems to be trying to outdo itself in chichi-ness. Not only are there even more kitsch sculptures on the summits, but the Saulire gondola has had a make-over and resembles a large designer handbag. The cabin exterior is now black and gold with faux crocodile skin and the wallpapered interior features trompe l’oeil gilt pictures and a dado rail. I hope this is irony, but I’m not entirely sure…..

Regular readers of the report will know that my skiing life is one long quest for the perfect hot chocolate/coffee stop. Many thousands of calories have been consumed in order to keep you informed of the best places to take a break in the 3 Valleys. There are plenty of wonderful mid-morning stopping points in Méribel and Courchevel but until now, Val Thorens has been something of a hot-chocolate desert. So I’m very glad this week to have discovered the swanky Altapura hotel in Val Thorens centre, an oasis of loveliness and the perfect place to take a break. The terrace has comfortable sofas and spectacular views; the interior is uber-chic; the loos exemplary and the hot chocolates and coffees delicious without being eye-wateringly expensive. Highly recommended.

No snow is forecast for the next week, so we will be working on our tans, making the most of this fantastic weather and enjoying the smug feeling of having the 3 Valleys to ourselves before the holiday hoards arrive.