Snow report

This was a poor year for the whole of the Alps, however, Les Gets still had good pistes when compared with many other resorts.   We had a number of clients come to us who had skied at much higher resorts who said that the pistes in Les Gets were much better - they said that the piste groomers knew how to make good pistes out of thin snow whereas in many other resorts, although the measured snow depth was deeper, the quality of the pistes was much worse.  In Les Gets, the snow does not get blown off - as it does in higher resorts.

Overall this was another brilliant year for snow in Les Gets. The season started off with good snow right at the start of the season.  There were a couple of days between Xmas and New Year when the whole of the Alps had poor weather however, after this, the season was again excellent.

Outside Hastings, snow was typically one and a half metres deep and you could ski back for most of the ski season.

The snow was outstanding this season in Les Gets.   The problem was keeping the steps to Hastings cleared so clients could get into the Chalet! Snow started in October, conditions were excellent before the lifts opened and were good right through to the end of the season.

We visited Les Gets in mid December, February and March.

In December, the snow was excellent and the month of February was outstanding.  The Easter Holidays the snow was so good that the opening of the lifts was extended for a week.   The only disappointment was that the lifts could have been kept open for at least two more weeks beyond the official end to the season. We went to Avoriaz on a couple of days, but the conditions in Les Gets we felt were much better – with softer snow and much better weather. Throughout the season, it was never really cold, and the large amounts of snow that fell ensured the skiing was always very good.

We are grateful for Tony, who ran the Chalets1066 business up to Summer 2008 for much of the following report – this is a practical perspective from some one living in Les Gets:

For the first time in 5 years the snow came very early. After a mild and dry autumn the hard cold hit mid November prompting the resort to fire up the snow canons despite the lack of water available.They need not have bothered. Consistent snow began falling at the end of November leading to opening the ski lifts for the first two weekends in December.  Heavy snow in the middle of the month followed by very cold temperatures gave fantastic conditions for the festival period. Snow continued to fall throughout the winter, despite a quite period at the beginning of February.  Temperatures of -12 or less for over two months ensured it didn't melt.  There were further consistent and heavy falls late February and early March.  There were some warmer periods allowing for snow to melt, but inevitably succeeded by cold snaps and temperatures of -14°C in mid March! However, eventually the sun came out again, amidst perfect skiing conditions, giving an exceptional winter. The walls of snow were very high, the depth on the piste consistent all winter. Les Gets has a snow record to match anywhere.

Dry conditions are always worrying, and it didn't seem too cold prior to Christmas. In early December it was possible to fire up the snow cannons, even get a piste ready, but nothing to inspire confidence. 17 December and no snow and little forecast. 18 december - 30 centimetres, 19 December - 20 centimetres, 20 December - 50 centimetres. The season began thus with 70 centimetres packed down on the pistes, perfect!! Further falls before New Year meant a superb festivities period and the snow stayed fine until late January. Whilst many resorts began to suffer, Les Gets continued to have over 90% of the ski area open, before substantial falls and very low temperatures all but meant the season was assured. By mid February more heavy falls followed by more bitter and freezing temperatures led to many clients claiming their finest ski holiday ever. The lift company issued a number of warnings to protect children properly in the cold, typical warnings that you would expect in Tignes or Val Thorens, but not Les Gets. These warnings were still around into March when on 5 March temperatures of -22°C were recorded. Eventually the cold weather eased around mid March, leaving its place to radiant sunshine with impeccable snow cover. Easter was once again a top ski period in Les Gets, albeit with somewhat dull weather - it actually got better as April progressed.

The remarkable record breaking heat of the summer of 2003 continued on through the autumn with above normal temperatures, and hardly any rain sparking fears of a water shortage for the snow canons. A cold week at the end of October saw the parking blocked for a couple of days, and there were other sporadic falls that enable Avoriaz to open early, but most melted away in an Indian summer that endured right up to Christmas week.

The Les Gets pistes opened on 20 December in a small part, whilst no one skied the next day as torential rain battered the area to 1800 metres before turning to snow in blizzard conditions and -10°C. Bitter cold then preserved near perfect pistes for a week. Maginficent Christmas! New year was a very cold and snowy week, very little sun, and Janaury starts well before 3 days of very heavy rain around 10 January (filled the lakes up nicely for the snow cannons though....). This is then followed by weeks of snow and cold temperatures and almost perfect conditions. However, the sunny weeks of the previous season are only to be repeated for a couple of weeks in February as the snow continues falling, albeit much lighter, right into April, when it starts to get heavier and colder. More snow in May!!! No one complained about the snow conditions, this time not enough sun!! No pleasing some people.

One of the more remarkable seasons. Heavy snowfalls in December, but high temperatures saw it all melt by Christmas. It then rained over the holiday period for 2 weeks, almost non stop, particularly hard over New Year. It was totally unskiable. I discussed with Christian Berthet how awful it could be, to which he replied how it could all pick up, a bit like 1994/5. And so it did. As the last hordes were leaving from the festive season so it snowed, and stayed cold. It then snowed again in January, still staying cold. It snowed well into February and was cold until 19 February when the snap stopped and was gradually replaced by a very hot March. The result was a season with either sun or snow (after 3 January), and the long cold spell, allied with the snow canons, had provided an extraordinary base which was to last well into April. In all, only just over 4 metres of snow had fallen, but the cold had maintained perfect conditions for as long a period as anyone can remember, especially accompanied by lots of sun ! You just had to feel sorry for those who came for Christmas and New Year, whilst the higher resorts would have been very bitter.

A bitterly cold November and December (-17°C) was dry until the Friday before the first Saturday, then it dumped down. It snowed heavily a good part of the week providing for perfect conditions over the holidays, especially the sunny New Year. January saw very little and by early Feb conditions were getting poor.  A solid dump for a week in mid-Feb saved the season and kept us going into April.

Well, it was good whilst it lasted. Lots of snow in November but temperatures of 20°C and more in early December put paid to the start of the season which was only possible thanks to snow canons. Not an inspiring winter, snow came for New Year, end January, bit in Feb, and lasted until March when it rained 19 days and in a month that normally sees 4 days of bad weather, this time was to see 4 days of sun. Generally a dismal and mild winter. Just about got by thanks to the base prepared by the snow cannons which provided the feature of white pistes surrounded by green.