Sunday 18th Dec. 8am.
Colder today, cloudy right now and still great snow. Big avalanche risk so high lifts were all closed yesterday. Xmas will be great if the temps say cold. Prepare with Snow chains if driving for next few days.
Update when the sun comes out !!
THURSDAY 15TH DEC. 10AM
More snow falling here at 1100m. Great. Should be fab for Xmas. If driving prepare snow chains for Saturday. Big dump expected tommorrow. Next Mole report Sat morning early, before I hit the powder at 09.00 !!!
E-mail for last minute vacancies. Still a few left.
12TH DEC. UPDATE. 11.15AM.
IT IS DUMPING IT DOWN. THE SNOW STORM ARRIVED EARLY!!
TOO LATE TO MOVE THE CAMPER !! IF IT KEEPS COMING ALL DAY PROBABLY 25-50CM OVER NEXT 24 HOURS. REALLY BIG FLAKES. FABULOUS..
12th Dec. Early..5.30AM.
Up early so as to move my camper up to Mottaret before the snow storm arrives (Yes ..the locals say it is coming!)
If you are camping (I am not any longer luckily) in Meribel, Raffort is now closed to campers. A new area has been created up at Mottaret. So mine is moving this morning before I need to buy chains.
So..snow was great up top at weekend. Beautiful sunny weather too. Lower down was icy and worn in places but the snow cannons were working in all 3 valleys.
This week promises up to 7 days of snow ..so could be excellent for Xmas.
I shall update as it changes over next week or so. I shall also update our new facebook page regularly so feel free to join us for the very latest news, photos (and videos hopefully) from Meribel.
I have the new head camera arriving so once sorted and I learn how to use it ..shall video piste conditions each week.
Some great bargains before Xmas..and also 31st Dec from London
..e mail us for details..
Restaurants:
Evolution is great food again..especially Sunday Lunch. Best in 3 valleys.
Meribar (The old Cactus) is also re-vamped and had great Cod and Chips there on Friday. (14 Euros) . Closed evenings.
Tsaretta in Les Allues has superb pizzas and great "bangers and Mash", + other UK favourites.
Have yet to sample the other restaurants....reviews to come on facebook..soon..
So.meanwhile .look forward to a great snowy Xmas..
The Mole..
6th Dec. 11.30am. Big Breakfast at Evolution ..& snowing heavy outside..!! Wonderful ....
3rd day of snow and more to come they say. Mountains now covered..and snow this morning down to les Allues..1100m..
Now looking great for the Saturday lift opening. Will keep you posted as days go on..
happy skiing..
4th Dec 2011.
Yes, great.
New snow finally arrived last night. Nice way to start the new season's Mole reports..
I just arrived a few days ago in Meribel from Greece. Arrived to the same weather I left behind, sunny ,warm, blue skys..etc.. So Meribel lift opening was postponed, and my skis stayed packed.
BUT..wonderful news, woke up this morning,and I am now looking up at white capped mountains at last..
Not a great deal of snow by Alps standards to be honest but at last the summer weather seems to have ended and we are forecast now to get 15-30cm of snow over next few days, and more to follow.
The colder weather also means the snow cannons should now start working too.. so it is starting to look very promising..keep an eye on these reports for new changes in conditions..
here's to a snowy,cold Xmas..
The Mole..
July 25th . From a broke but very hot karpathos.Greece.
High season bookings for Meribel are already flooding in so for Feb 11th or New Year do not wait too long !! Some changeover dates are again strange for New Year so check first before booking flights.
February half-term is usually the busiest week of the ski season but next year luckily it does not coincide with the busiest of the French 4 weeks breaks. 18th Feb till 25th Feb is the busy Paris area week for French schools. If you can try avoid both dates. Remember January has lower prices and usually great snow. Last year we had fabulous cold sunny days almost all of January, and March was still good snow higher up and fantastic hot sunny weather.
As Meribel did very well for snow conditions in a poor season generally for the French Alps,we hope for another good season for 2012. Our 700 snow cannons ensure a good base lower down from early December up till end of March usually.
The Saulire bubble is being replaced. Next season it will have a new first stage. 2013 will see the 2nd stage completed. It will meet the Courchevel cable car. For regulars to Meribel sadly the really cheerful guy at Saulire bubble for many years died tragically a short time ago..
!!Plattieres Bubble in Mottaret is also being modernised. More details coming later.
A few of next season highlights. Dates TBC.
January .
British Forces Ski Championships.
Natives Workers Challenge
March
The Feeling Rock Festival.
April -
British Land Ski Championships
3 Valleys Rally
La Tania Charity Day
Easter 2012.
April 6th - EASTER Good Friday
April 8th - EASTER Sunday
April 9th - EASTER Bank Holiday Monday
May 13th. Karpathos Island.Greece
Today on Karpathos Island (Near Rhodes) it is raining,cold and miserable..!! Unlike Meribel which had it's sunniest winter in memory..with temperatures down to minus 20c in January and plus 25c in April!
However, for those of you that were reading the UK newspapers snow reports this past season , please look back on my weekly mole reports.Trust me, the skiing/riding was generally great for most throughout Dec/Jan/Feb/March.
With just a few notable exceptions every single day from the start of December till end of March was great piste skiing, with blue sky and sunshine. Temperatures throughout most of January, although sunny with clear blue skies , were FREEZING, (-20! some days) so the snow cannons were working non stop.Although we had no real big dumps during the season, somehow the lift company kept almost all the pistes open and easily skiable right up to beginning of April.
Most Meribel skiers in 2011 would have had a great holiday this year, even though off piste was mainly out of the question. Powder monkeys would definetly have been disappointed as fresh powder days were indeeed few and far between.
Late March and early April, saw blue skies, sunshine and very high temperatures so lower slopes were slushy during the afternoons. However those that caught the first lifts would have had a great morning's skiing, with fairly quite slopes.
Latter part of April this year was indeed disappointing. After many years of heavy late snowfalls, this year it just did not happen, so many pistes were closed before the end. Courchevel suffered more than Meribel, as we have more snow cannons and free water. (Courchevel lift company has to pay for theirs!) Val Thorens was still ok and of course is only 45 minutes skiing from Meribel !
Mountain restaurants had a great season, with the terraces full, and paraponte tandem flights were the most popular for years they tell me.
So when should you come next year ? Impossible to say. For very early December, best wait for signs of snow..although last year was fabulous.
January - Febuary - March is almost 100% guaranteed due to the Meribel slopes being so high (1450m - 2700m)
April..well..normally we love it...but this year did prove us all wrong.. but at least there were the usual ski sales on..with up to 50% discounts..on equipment and clothing, and summer weather of course.
In these days of uncertain weather conditions Meribel, as part of the 3 Valleys,offers the best chance of sure snow in Europe,with an excellent record over the past 20 years. We are biased, so we would strongly advise you to think twice before booking at some of the lower resorts in both France and Austria. Sadly they did suffer badly last season, while here we were still skiing over 600km of nicely groomed pistes..!!
So there you have it. A pretty fair review of 2011 season, here in the heart of the Trois Vallees.
Next mole report when something worthwhile comes up to report..Keep a regular check for all the latest news from Meribel.
Have a good summer..
The Meribel Mole.
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