Skip to main content
SeeValThorens

3 Valleys Snow Report: 9th December 2014

Fresh snow fall overnight in the 3 Valleys Ski area

featured in Snow report Author Caroline Sayer, Val Thorens Reporter Updated

It’s snowing! Aren’t those the two most beautiful words in the English language? Well, perhaps that’s a slight exaggeration, but for those of us simply aching to start skiing, they are the words we most want to hear. A little fresh snow has fallen overnight, the temperatures have dropped dramatically (to -13C on the peaks) and winter appears finally to be starting.

The situation so far is this: after a relatively mild November, the summits of the 3 Valleys are snowy but the lower areas have only a smattering of the white stuff. Snow depths vary across the 3 Valleys with 90cm on the summits in Val Thorens, and 20 – 40cm on Méribel and Courchevel’s summits.

Méribel has put back its lift opening date until Saturday December 13, when these lifts are expected to open. And you can see which lifts they're planning on opening here.

Courchevel also delayed its opening date from last Saturday, and today managed to open a handful of lifts on the Saulire (Vizelle, Saulire, Verdons). Many more are expected to open this weekend.

High Val Thorens has been open for a couple of weeks already, with reasonable snow cover but busy slopes. In total, the 3 Valleys now boasts 43 open pistes and 26 open lifts, the vast majority of which are in Val Thorens.

In short, things are getting better and should improve more this weekend with snow forecast on Saturday. Even if the snow gods are currently sulking, we are fortunate in that can produce our own snow. The 3 Valleys area boasts plenty of high skiing (85% of the ski area is over 1800m) and 2,000 snow cannons cover one third of the ski area. Now that the temperature has dropped to a more seasonal level, these snow cannons will be pumping out enormous quantities of snow to prepare the ski area for the holidays. If you are coming out for Christmas, don’t worry, you will be skiing!

I will be out on my trusty skis on Saturday for the opening of the Méribel lifts and will report back later that day with news of conditions. A bientôt!

Location

Map of the surrounding area