International (Europe/Japan/Southern Hemisphere) Going global: L'Espace Killy=>Tignes/Val D'Isere guide 12 yo Manhattan born and bred

[dustyfog]

Introducing some international flavor from the East Coast where right now we are in the middle of a very pleasant Summer!
Hi, for the benefit of those who have not suffered through my longest Trip Report on another forum, my enthusiasm remains unchained, so for those who have not seen it, here is the video of a ski through L'Espace Killy which comprise to contiguous (And connected in many ways) Ski areas, in France, Tignes and Val D'Isere. Many here have probably skied it, but if you'd like to see what a kid enjoyed, and it's the entire area on and off-piste (and we only were there for 7 days of skiing April 3-11, 2015).
Quick observations before the video:

• We stayed in Tignes Val Claret, highest and small village in Tignes, the best ski-in/ski-out place at a family run hotel, half-board at a cost you can only dream of ! 2 lifts are outside the back, ski schools meet outside the back, the town square is outside the back, the restaurant cluster is outside the back. Val D'Isere is better known as are the other Tignes towns of Le Lac and Les Breviaries.
• !2 yo too Dad skiing about 50-60 miles on day 1, end to end, started in Tignes Val Claret, and with Serge, skied all the way to the Eastern outer reaches of Val D'Isere, the top of the Pissailas Glacier. In fact our first real ski run into Val en route to the East End was the world famous Face du Bellevarde (1992 Olympic Downhill, they do not use it anymore as the winner Patrick Ortlieb complained, it was "too dangerous, too steep"), it was powder laden but hard to see because of the snow and light, and fog, we didn't gun it, just skied it, beautiful stuff, on camera too. Then came back to Val Claret, lunch, and then headed up to Tignes' famous Aiguille Percee, real whiteout conditions everywhere, and skied down easier blue part of the Sache on-piste all the way to the lowest part of L'Espace Killy, i.e. Tignes in this case, the East end where you arrive first by road, Tignes Les Breviers. 12 yo was tired, Dad of course was on O2 reserves, but relentlessly following 12yo. After seeing the real deal on day 2 when it was bluebird , so change from blinding snow, complete whiteout, to blazing high alpine sunshine, 12 you sagely noted "Tignes Val D'Isere is 44,000 acres (note:give or take a couple of thousand acres), on-piste is 20% and off-piste is 80%, where (he compared it to the stateside big enchilada) Whistler-Blackcomb (8200 acres), which is about 35-45% on-piste and 55-65% off-piste.
• Personally, 12 yo would like to go back to improve his 'guiding' and get more off that off-piste mojo going, and get more experience in the thrills, chills and foreboding that come with knowing, everywhere you are is avalanche terrain.
• The bowls to compare, are so huge, they don't look it from below because of the sheer size of the massifs, cliffs and peaks, but most of the open bowls were bigger than the Wind Lip top expanse at Blackcomb Glacier which is bigger than anything we have seen in the Americas. The size and scale were intoxicating-ly intimidating! That was the key ,the fear factor seemed much higher to the old man, and 12yo guide quietly said, there were places he was "scared" , and often enough(last and only time he said that was going around the corner on the hike to Highland Bowl, where the snow was above the rope line, and it is a left hook around a lump/mound of hard snow just past patrol hut on the path up and it was sheer ice which huge steps carved into the snow, and the right side was a steep drop-off, of rock hard New England wall, and this kid has skied the Sapphire Chutes in Backcomb, with nary a thought).
• Old man and 12 yo guide's view, as many ski books and magazines suggest "arguably, the single best ski area in the world", well, "No argument from us, hands down, the best" , in fact it is so good, 12 yo and old man were kind of wistful, "where are we going to this year, if we do go?" because "cannot imagine topping that experience?" Those books are not far off, personal tastes of course vary, but for us, with I think a pretty broad experience, this place owns the title hands down on the overall criteria beyond specifics.
• It is a hike though, and we went from NYC, landed in Geneva, and drove, there is a train to Bourg St Maurice, and then bus or cab but an avalanche/landslide had landed right on the tracks and took out some sheds too further down-valley so the train was down, on our drive down...sh-te happens
• Everywhere things got hairy in a hurry , and you often did not see it coming , so going with an instructor or guide or a local is absolutely critical. We never made it to a place called Col du Pers (time and possibly ski group, and also conditions), but you could be skiing over a what seems nice flattish ski bed, but it's over a roaring stream or river, do not fall in - you are not making it out, this is called Gorges du Malpasset ; the old man fell on one of the snow bridges coming off Tour du Charvet but luckily did not go swimming; the sudden holes on both sides as the lane narrowed surprised me.
• Well, please you are invited to share in our joy and perhaps if you have not , go experience it yourself, and if you have , reminisce
• Note cameras make a lot of terrain look a lot easier than it is, and in some of the most dangerous, cameras went lights out as old man was concentrating on staying alive.
• Hope you enjoy it , it is 14 minutes, be forewarned, shot on a GoPro Hero2 and iPhone 5:
• 1. Video Markers: On-Piste
     • Face 0'31" to 1'26"
     • The Leissieres chair intro: 1'32"-1'37"
     • West end Aiguilles Percee 2'06"-2-25"
  2. Video Markers Off-Piste:
     • Chardonnet shoulder: 2'41"- 3'13"
     • Vallon de la Sache 3'15"-8'55"
     • Grand Vallon 9'32" - 10'44"
     • Tour du Charvet 10'45"-12'34"
     • Cognac (pics) 12'32"-12'55"

 

[Lewn]

Looks great. You had excellent conditions.

Tignes/Val D'Isere have always been on my to do list, vast area. Maybe next season.