Hmmm… what’s new in Val d’Isère? Loads actually! You would not believe the changes that have been going on since the end of last season! High speed public transport, a brand new state-of-the-art medical facility and immense improvements to the whole retail therapy experience…

Equipment hire
Snowfun has been catapulted into the future with the total refurbishment of its Iseran shop. The state-of-the-art rental department is in the basement of the shop while the clothing; equipment and technical sales are on the ground floor. The shop features its own technical boot-fitting department and is set to continue high levels of quality and customer service. Also watch out for the new, improved www.snowfun.fr

Precision are opening their new flagship store. Opening at the beginning of the season, this 600m2 store will be an Aladdin’s Cave of everything for the die-hard skier and boarder. Downstairs will house the massive rental department, while upstairs will feature the skis, boards and technical accessories. New for this winter, Precision will also stock technical clothing brands including Peak Performance, Mountain Hardwear, Mammut, Nitro, K2 etc as well as casual clothing, with many ranges very hard to find elsewhere. The existing Precision rental shop will remain as a satellite rental department, right on the piste, while the previous sales shop has been converted into a specialist boot-fitting centre. CdS members are entitled to 20% off Equipment Rental at Precision & Snowfun shops throughout Val d’Isère and Tignes.

The new precision-ski.com is to be re-launched soon. Full of the latest and greatest developments in Val, you can check out the weather, find out the best way to get here, where to stay and even start planning what do to when you get there! As for shopping, not only can you book your equipment rental online, saving you time and energy in resort but you can also find information about the resort’s ski schools and just check out the equipment and clothing.

Buying Equipment
Thinking of buying skis or a board this year? Better make sure that you are visiting the Espace Killy then. SnowTec have developed a revolutionary Ski & Board Test programme. Located in both Val d’Isère and Tignes, slope-side test centres enable skiers and boarders to test as many pieces of equipment as they wish in one day. Testing different equipment during the same day and in the same weather conditions enables each & every tester to find their perfect ski / board – what are you waiting for?!

For those or you who haven’t already heard, SnowTec are transforming the way that ski and board equipment is sold. An association of professional ski & snowboard shops based in the mountains, SnowTec accredited outlets provide unbiased, expert information and advice on all aspects of snowsports. They provide a guarantee of quality and service in technical ski & snowboard. For more information on SnowTec, visit them at www.snowtec.net.

Development centre
Serious about your skiing? the development centre is the place to head for in Val d’Isère. Not so much of a ski school, more of an opportunity to truly transform your skiing. The directors of the centre are all enthusiastic and experienced British ski instructors who hold the full French Equivalence. Another of their specialities is training people for the dreaded speed test, if you are thinking about doing yours make sure that you contact them. The development centre is based in the new Precision shop in central Val d’Isère but advance booking is recommended, especially during busy times of the season. Check out tdcski.com for more information.

New lifts and medical centre
The start of the season is coming and with that will be the first official flight of the Face de Bellevarde gondola. Departing from the bottom of the legendary Olympic run, these monster cabins are not only able to carry 30 people (24 seated & 6 stood up) but they are also super quick… just 5 minutes to the top of the Bellevarde Peak. Apparently capable of shifting 2600 people an hour, this should absolutely demolish the queues – even in high season.

A little further afield, the Tommeuses chairlift has been replaced – at last! This double three-man chairlift – one of only two ways to get over to Tignes, used to take forever.. and when both chairs were running you could always guarantee that you would be on the slower one! The new, high-speed, eight-man chairlift is sure to dramatically decrease the lift lines and also cut down on the frostbite factor too!

The finishing touches are still being added to the outside of the new medical centre. Although unable to investigate it further at the present there are several indications that it is going to transform the treatment of injuries and ailments in resort. There will be 6 docs and they will have will have use of a trauma and medical unit, 2 X-Ray rooms, a room for minor surgery and a room dedicated to plaster casts – yikes!

Nightlife
Funnily enough there is not a great deal happening at the moment! That is soon set to change though. People are slowly but surely starting to arrive in resort and with less than a month to go until the resort opens officially there are bound to be plenty of opening nights and other parties.

If that was not enough, it is less than two months until the prestigious Critérium de la Première Neige race! Held on the infamous OK (Orieller-Killy) piste this annual event traditionally signifies the opening of the World Cup downhill season – if you’re in resort around the 11-15 December you’re sure of a treat!

A bumper snow season?
Well Val d’Isère and Tignes have already seen a fair amount of snow – the conditions at the moment on the glacier are reported to be fantastic …. fingers crossed for the winter!

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