Review: The Ski Weekend 'Warm Up Weekend' 2024

The 25th annual Ski Weekend Warm Up Weekend in Val d'Isère was another great success.

 

The first on this winter's snow

Ever popular as the opportunity to be the first to be on the new winter’s snow, the weekend started on Friday 29 NOVEMBER with guests arriving throughout the day, and time to arrange equipment hire before an excellent dinner at Casa Scara.

Ski Weekend goggle covers for all

Under blue skies on Saturday morning, the day started with everyone being gifted a unique ‘Ski Weekend 25th Anniversary’ goggle cover, before we split into several groups for instruction and guiding during the day.

 

A choice of experienced guides

There was a choice of touring/freeride, off piste, ‘Piste Perfection’ and, for the first time, a ‘veterans’ group – all led by our experienced team of returning guides, Guillaume Ravenel, Nico, Frank and Nawelle.

The day included skiing the Solaise and Bellevarde areas, as well as dropping down to La Daille and the challenging La Face descent to resort.

Stories were swapped of a fantastic first day’s skiing at the superb Taverne d’Alsace that evening, as plans were made for a first-lift rendezvous for Sunday morning.

 

A trip to Tignes

We were greeted by more blue skies on a cold sub-zero morning, as our groups headed to Tignes via the Col des Fresses. Val d'Isère’s Espace Killy neighbour was quieter than expected as we explored the area, before returning under Tommeuses and via the Tufs chairlift.

Dinner that evening was in Les Cinq Freres – one of the original Val d'Isère hotels, still run by the same family almost 90 years after it was first opened.

Snowing hard 

Monday brought overcast conditions, although there was snow at altitude towards the end of the day, and at resort level by the evening, bringing a fine weekend to a snowy close.

By our final day, it was snowing hard in the morning with around 10-15cm higher up, bringing excellent conditions for our last day on the snow.

It was an amazing end to our four days in Val d'Isère. Snow conditions surpassed all expectations

 

Great feedback


Ed Robinson, a regular on the Warm Up Weekend, felt it was the “least snow I’ve seen in twenty-plus years, but yet it’s been one of the best weekends!” Another regular attendee, Richard Fleming, agreed: “This has been one of my most enjoyable 'Warm Up Weekends' yet.”

Janice Mueller perhaps summed up the weekend better than anyone with these kind words:

“I first tried skiing in 2006 and the bug bit, so I signed up for a Ski Weekend ‘Piste Perfection’ course. Seventeen years later, I am still enjoying snowy adventures with the Ski Weekend team, including the same amazing guides, and loyal returning clients who have become skiing friends.”

“Congratulations on 25 years of hosting the ‘Warm Up Weekend’ in Val d'Isère – it’s always a great way to start the season!”


Make sure you don't miss out

 
Don't miss out on the Ski Weekend experience. You can join any of our Chamonix-based courses this winter, with full details and dates available here.
 
Details of the 2025 Warm Up Weekend will be released shortly. Make sure you follow us on Facebook so you're the first to hear about it.