More on Deux Alpes

At end of this post, a report from a different source to last time, but
from someone who skied all week on the glacier up to end July (another
resident trainer)... Given current heatwave, conditions are unlikely to
improve. A never-ending drought throughout southern France - the family
watched with trepidation as huge flames shot up on Mont Ventoux
foothills a week back, fortunately wind died down and they got it under
control... It was between 40°C (104°F) and 43°C (109.4°F) in the shade
driving south from Alsace to Avignon yesterday afternoon. Apparently it
will be hotter today - got to pick up some friends from St Etienne
airport this afternoon, they won't know what's hit them when they get
out of the plane. Traffic jams around Lyon and on the Autoroute du
Soleil - in some cars without air conditioning it must have been hell.
Anyway, back to the reason for this post...

31.7.03 (translated from French)
"Skied all last week on the glacier. Conditions are far from ideal -
lack of snow, crevasses opening up early, snow quality heavy, soup,
rarely frozen first thing!
I highly recommend to all my friends to wait for a real drop in
temperatures before returning to this sick glacier. In their 'wisdom'
the lift company administrators have decided not to close the glacier as
yet, but advise any person on his/her own against skiing
unaccompanied...."

Pete

PG wrote:
A never-ending drought throughout southern France

throughout most of France, it has hardly rained in Paris since February.

And to think, in December the talk in the papers was how Paris was going
to drown under 10 meters of water this winter because of global warming.
Which probably goes to show that you can't trust most journalists.
The latest prediction is that les Deux Alpes will have no summer skiing
by 2010 and Tignes will close down even sooner. There is currently 60
hectares of the 300 hectares of summer skiing open at les Deux Alpes.

- the family
watched with trepidation as huge flames shot up on Mont Ventoux
foothills a week back

In Grenoble the scene can only be described as Dantesque. Just take a
look at these pictures, no it is not a volcano but Le Neron burning
behind the town. Ashes are falling on the town centre and the normally
smoggy atmosphere is unbreathable.

http://mratw73.free.fr/photos/divers/neron-28-07-2003/500/P8045282_500.jpg

http://mratw73.free.fr/photos/divers/neron-28-07-2003/500/P7295219zoom_500.jpg

http://mratw73.free.fr/photos/divers/neron-28-07-2003/500/P8045290_500.jpg

http://jc.mailland.free.fr/IM007375.JPG

http://gummer.co.nz/Coppermine/albums/userpics/neron%201%20aout%202003.jpg

http://195.6.251.219/neron/4.jpg

Thanks to the many local photographers for these fantastic pictures.

According to the press (again pinch of salt), the majority of the fires
in France have been started by arsonists.

Anyway queue annual Daily Mail silly season article about a dead
scubadiver found on a mountain top in Grenoble!

Superb photo of a helicopter bombing the Neron above Grenoble:

http://moacmoa.free.fr/neron/DSCF0051.JPG

I love the smell of napalm in the morning

David Off wrote:

Superb photo of a helicopter bombing the Neron above Grenoble:

http://moacmoa.free.fr/neron/DSCF0051.JPG

I love the smell of napalm in the morning

If you look carefully at this picture you can actually see the scuba
diver in mid air

In message , BrritSki
writes
David Off wrote:

Superb photo of a helicopter bombing the Neron above Grenoble:

http://moacmoa.free.fr/neron/DSCF0051.JPG

I love the smell of napalm in the morning

If you look carefully at this picture you can actually see the scuba
diver in mid air

Hey, you can - I thought he was kidding!
--
Sue ];(