November 19th, 2008 - Posted by: Powder Monkey

Let it Snow – 80cm of Snow Forecast in the French Alps!

With only a few weeks to go before the French ski season gets into full flow it’s time to start thinking snow. I’ve been obsessively checking my favourite snow forecast website over the last couple of weeks and my dedication to the cause seems to have paid off – there’s a big snowstorm brewing. Temperatures are expected to plummet to well below freezing, light snow is forecast to fall on Friday night and to continue right through the weekend, with the heaviest fall predicted on Sunday night. A thick blanket of snow will cover the mountains by the beginning of next week, which will stand resorts in good stead for when the lifts open.

Read on for details of how much snow is forecast in your favourite resort and when it is open for skiing.

The lifts are already open in Tignes. The 20km of pistes on the Grande Motte glacier have been open since the end of September and the Double M piste, which enables you to ski all the way back to town, opened last week. Skiers in Tignes have already been treated to a number of November powder days up on the glacier and the 50cm of snow forecast at resort level this weekend should mean it’s possible to freeride the 1400m vertical from top of the Grande Motte to town. Neighbouring Val d’Isere, which opens in less than 2 weeks (29th November) can also expect 50cm of snow on the lower slopes, so things are looking really good for the Espace Killy.

Over 70cm of snow are forecast at 2300m for Val Thorens, which opens this weekend (22nd November), so it looks like an epic first week of the season. The lift-linked valleys of Courchevel and Meribel can expect 40cm and 60cm of snow in town, respectively, and up to 70cm on the upper slopes. There will be a partial opening of lifts in Courchevel (1850 only) on 6th December and the rest of the valley will open the following week. With the opening of Meribel on 13th December the whole of the Three Valleys will be accessible.

For Les Arcs a uniform 65cm of snow are forecast and in La Plagne between 38 and 57cm of snow are awaited: great news for the opening of the Paradiski area! Both resorts are opening independently of one another on 13th December but the Vanoise Express that links the twin resorts will not be open until the following week.

La Rosiere is predicted to get the most snow with a massive 80cm due on the upper slopes. The resort opens on 13th December. Last to open in the area is Sainte Foy, the lifts will not start turning until 20th December but with 63-78cm of snow arriving this weekend I’m sure they’ll be some keenos hiking up in the freeride paradise.

Check our webcams next week to see the transformation from autumn to winter for yourself. With all this early snow it looks like 2008 is the year to ski in December.

Tags: Courchevel, La Plagne, La Rosiere, Les Arcs, Meribel, Sainte Foy, Tignes, Val d'Isere, Val Thorens
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