The death of the ski season is greatly exaggerated! MailOnline discovers excellent conditions in the French resorts of Val D’Isere and Les Arcs – with snowfall over the Alps

The death of the ski season has been greatly exaggerated.

I’ve just returned from a snowboarding trip to Val D’Isere Ski Resort in the French Alps and I’m happy to report that the winter season is alive and well there – with lots of snow from head to toe.

I was in the Les Arcs ski area in the north the previous week and enjoyed similarly good conditions.

I arrived in Val D’Isere on Friday (January 6) – which, along with neighboring Tignes, offers 300km (186 miles) of pistes – to the joyous sight of snow-covered chalet roofs in the village, which sits at an altitude of 1,850 is. meters (6,069 feet).

I stayed at the very luxurious Chalet Blackcomb run by Consensio and after breaking away from the cozy facility the next day I enjoyed a great morning of snowboarding with the brilliant guide Antoine from Oxygene Ski & Snowboard School.

The slopes were well groomed with plenty of soft snowfields to turn around. (And as usual with us snowboarders – to sit.)

Many resorts in the Alps have struggled with poor conditions this year as we reported, but Val D’Isere was certainly in good shape.

And it got better.

On Sunday (January 8th) we had breakfast when the snow started to fall – and by the time we got half way up the mountain it was practically a white tip. A winter scene on a postcard awaited me further down in the forest. I even found some small pieces of fresh powder to slide around the sides of the piste.

Ted describes Val D’Isere as “postcard winter scenes” on his last trip.

Ted’s “brilliant” guide Antoine (right) from Oxygene Ski & Snowboard School in Val D’Isere. On the left of the photo is Helen, one of his group

Ted took this photo on Sunday January 8th in Val D’Isere. Is winter coming? It’s already here

Ted at Les Arcs which he visited in December/January

In Les Arcs I stayed between Tuesday 27 December and Monday 2 January at the impressive Bear Lodge Hotel in Arc 1950, a beautiful VIP ski hotel.

It was billed as ski in/ski out – it was exactly what was possible.

I’ve seen better conditions in Les Arcs – the snow was a bit heavy on the lower slopes – but further up the mountain the slopes were in good condition.

Will the good conditions last?

Things are looking promising for Val D’Isere and Les Arcs – and resorts elsewhere in the Alps.

Val D’Isere will see 24cm of snowfall today (Monday) at low mountain level – 2,700m/8,858ft – and a further 8cm on Wednesday, with temperatures between -1°C and -11°C.

Ted describes the slopes at Les Arcs (above during his trip) as “in top condition”

Ted stayed at the “impressive” Bear Lodge Hotel in Arc 1950 (right). He writes: “It was billed as ski-in/ski-out – it was exactly what was possible.”

Les Arcs expects 33cm of snow today at mid-mountain height – 2,390m/7,841ft – and 12cm of snow on Wednesday, with temperatures between -1°C and -9°C.

Fresh snow will also fall over the next six days in French resorts such as Avoriaz, Courchevel, Flaine and Les Deux Alpes, according to Ski Club UK; Austrian resorts such as Kitzbuehel, Mayrhofen and St. Anton; Italian resorts such as Cervinia, Cortina and Courmayeur; Swiss resorts, including Davos, Grindelwald and Zermatt; and in the Spanish resort of Baqueira.