Ski-ing here at Tignes

Tony,
I can remember reading something very funny once, saying that 80% of us believe we're better than average drivers!

The point I was trying to make, is that technically I am a very good driver, but I'm not used to driving long journeys down motorways or in cities. I simply need more experience. I suppose it's something like learning to ski perfectly in a snow dome, and then being dumped at the top of a mountain somewhere with a piste map.

Apart from anything else, I know my actual driving is fine, because I was wondering what to do a couple of years ago when we were staying in Cardiff, and I decided to have a driving lesson in Cardiff. It was fun - I drove like I normally do, and found out what I do wrong according to modern driving test standards.

Like most people, I would think, I didn't keep my hands in the ten to two position. I also got a bit too close to the car in front in stationary traffic - I didn't know we're supposed to be able to see the tyres on the tarmac of the car in front. And I get flustered when I'm trying to parallel park in traffic, and I can't do it because I get embarassed at holding up the traffic. I can do it if there's no-one coming.

But I was amazingly good at reverse parking - I got into a space in a car park that the instructor said she'd have had difficulty with. Many years ago now I used to be able to reverse our tractor and 20 foot trailer with a load of hay on, into the hay shed or anywhere else. She was also impressed with the way I still use my mirrors - apparently most people give up using them after they pass their tests.

Actually, I found it quite handy having Tom Tom on, on the motorway, because it tells you when the left hand lane is about to disappear off to the left, and advises you to keep right.

I think Tom Tom dumps people in the same place, when they reach a certain post code. I sometimes see a car stopped in the road outside our house during the summer, and it's always holidaymakers trying to get to another holiday cottage which is 1/4 mile away up a private drive, but with the same post code as us, who've been dumped by Tom Tom. Unless they have a map, or ask someone, they'd be hours trying to find it.

Satellite navigation is very clever, but as you said Tony, I think it should be used with caution, and I think one should always have a map as well, especially of the detailed part at the end of the journey.

Slebech park, a posh holiday and conference place not that far from where we live, actually has a warning about this on their website. They say 'Do not input the postcode into your Tom Tom or other satnav device - you are likely to end up lost in the middle of a forest.'

http://www.slebech.co.uk/resources/res_161208233723.pdf

TheoBane, I hope you have a great time during your holiday at Val D'Isere, and Tignes.

Ally

Got back late last night (well actually very early this morning) and as the school run, work and unpacking have to be done I can't write much now but we had a FAB time - sorry AllyG but the snow that fell once you left was wonderful. Agree staff fantastic, food fantastic and prices in chalet reasonable. Will write more later!

Zwee,
I'm looking forward to hearing all about it,

Ally

Zwee,
I'm still waiting to hear about what I missed at Tignes - like snow :lol:

Have you got any photos (or videos)?

And I've just noticed that you say you live at Havant. My grandparents used to live on Hayling Island i.e. not far away, and we used to sail there.

Ally

Well as you know plenty of snow fell last week - we were soooo lucky - the groups before us could only sit and watch the snow falling as the mountain was shut for 3 days due to high winds but finally opened at 1:30pm on the Thursday. This led us to a late transfer from Geneva to resort as some experienced sliders left their inexperienced "mates" to ski down on their own, they struggled and obviously the transfer bus had had to wait for them!

Our first morning the 3 of us felt a bit nervous but particularly our 1 week only friend. We asked advice on the best runs for her and, after a sharp intake of breath, it was suggested that we should go down the chair lift on the left after coming out of the Furnicular and then up a drag lift. Trouble is we couldn't work out how to get down the chair lift :roll: - it seemed to be chained off - so after chatting to some folks from chalet we decided the only way was up!

First part of the red run was fine and she (& we) were fine but then it suddenly got steeper and lumpier - she lost count of the number of time she fell over (at least it was soft!) and after a hideous experience on a drag lift we stopped for lunch and she gave up for the day :cry:!

Prices at the restuarant were expensive (4.80 for bowl of chips) and even the French were complaining.

Slamb and I ventured out after lunch trying to see if we could find anything suitable for our friend but were not confident enough in our own abilities to be able to encourage her out or teach her anything. But we did have a good ski - and I managed an extra run with some other chalet residents.

That evening we met up with a British instructor who I had been in touch with on another well known forum (rorie) who was lovely and suggested how he could help all of us the next day.

We met him at 8:45am the next morning and he showed us how to get down aforementioned chairlift :oops: and up the T-bar. Our friend was still struggling and so he sent slamb and me off and he spent the morning with her. We met up again at 11 - all smiles from them and us - she had remebered everything she'd been taught before and we had skiied a black run very succesfully (without knowing it was such until after the event!). Rorie then took Slamb and me out and gave us excellent instruction - a bit of carving, a bit of coping with ice, a bit of offpiste/powder and a bit of bumps all whislt skiing the Double M to the bottom. He left us at 1:45pm with only 100E from us in his pocket - excellent value for money for 5 hours! By the time we got back up the mountain there was no food available and by the time we had a loo stop and an incident woth the chair lift the lifts had stopped running so there was no more skiing that day.

Saturday night it snowed again and although there was a sweepstake we never did find out how much fell - Sunday loads of powder but light was so poor that you couldn't see the contours or lumps of soft stuff so it was very tricky skiing and I finally fell over. I wimped out soon after that with a list of excuses - tired, jelly legs, can't see, boots not right but I do tend to go to pot on my third day on all my ski holidays - I think I need to get fitter.

All in all an excellent break - really glad we didn't have to take walking boots (although that would have been lovely too) - I think next time we will try to go a bit later once more lifts are open. The Chalet was basic but comfortable, warm and food excellent, staff very attentive, very sociable guests - thanks to the "welsh lads", "Kim and Sarah", the "4 lads with a scottish guy" and "Declan's crowd" they kept us laughing. :lol: :lol: :lol:

According to the equipment guys a group of just women is "odd" so come on girls get out there!

Well done to all those still reading this - will post some piccies when I've worked out how to!
Zwee

Also met Emily Sarsfield whilst we were there - an Olympic hopeful recovering from a knee injury and finding her ski legs again.

Hi Zwee,
Thanks very much for that excellent report. And if you can't work out how to put the photos up, just ask your kids :lol: My daughter very kindly put up her Tignes facebook album for me - but the only problem with that, is that I think you can only see the photos if you're registered with facebook.

So, if you do finally work out how to put photos up, perhaps you'd let me know.

It is interesting to know that, as I'd suspected, too much snow can be just as much of a problem as not enough snow. It sounds as though you coped very well with it, in spite of everything. I'm glad your less experienced friend found an instructor and managed some ski-ing, and I agree with you - the lessons were a real bargain.

We had a problem with that chairlift being chained off, as well. I came to the conclusion that they were doing that when they didn't have anyone there to supervise people getting on, as there were still people getting off it. Sometimes it was open, and sometimes it wasn't, but it didn't matter if you could cope with going all the way up using the gondola.

I e-mailed the link of the video my daughter took of me ski-ing, after my lesson, to my instructor, Ben Harris of the TDC, to ask him if I'd improved. I couldn't really tell, looking at the video, because I didn't know how bad I looked in the first place since I've never been videod before. I know it felt better though.

Anyway, he was kind enough to reply, and this is what he said (video link is on page 3 of this thread, for anyone interested). It is very nice to have his comments in writing, because I always find it very difficult to remember what instructors say. I think, all in all, I had quite good value for 45 euros (my half of the total 90 euros).

Hi Alison,

I you had a good trip back and all is well. I'm glad you understood the points we were making in your session and you were thinking about what to do after the session!

We were trying to get you to stand more on the outside leg and lean down the hill more, it is worth pointing out that it is allot harder to do on steeper slopes but you seem to attempting it well.

Having watched the video you do well but we can always do more! If you pause the video on 7 secs you should be able to see that your body is aligned and leaning into the hill. On 13sec, you can see your outside leg seems to be getting away from you because your weight has fallen onto the inside. This is where you need to be leaning down the hill to help you keep your outside foot under your body.

The slope you have tried this on is steep and you do ski it very nicely in control. When you work on things it is best if you practise on shallower slopes then move it on to something a bit steeper.

I hope this is of use to you, and I wish you luck with your skiing career and hopefully see you back in Tignes at some point in the future.

Regards,

Ben Harris
the development centre
Tignes and Val d'Isere

top quality ski coaching
www.tdcski.com