Corsica shatters snow records

Corsica is known as the “island of beauty”. Although a part of France it is a fiercely independent backwater lapped by the warm seas of the Mediterranean. The Island is best known for shapely supermodel Laetitia Casta and songbird Alizee, not somewhere you associate with serious snow.

Corsica
Laetitia Casta amongst Corsica’s many attractions

However this year it has been benefiting from the same pounding that the south of France has been receiving from the snow gods and as we enter April it is officially the whitest corner of France with more than four meters of snow at 2350 meters. That is a record for France for 2009[1]. Meteo France tells us they’ve not seen so much snow since they started monitoring on the island 30 years ago.

The Vercors, just south of Grenoble is not too shabby either with over 2 meters of snow at 1650 meters. Better than at the same period in 2006 (140cm) and 2005 (160cm). Both legendary seasons for ski touring (and avalanches). However 2005 bests this year with a max of 310cm at the start of February. This season topped out at 270cm.

Our roving reporters say these figures don’t give the whole picture. 2009 has not been particularly cold, just snowy, and the situation lower down is not as good. For example last week in Corsica it was only possible to ski from 1300 meters on north facing slopes and that rose to 1500 meters on southerly aspects.

Anyway in true Daily Telegraph style talking about Corsica has given us a lame excuse to publish a picture of “La Casta”.

http://www.meteo.fr/temps/france/nivose/pics/MANIC.html
http://www.meteo.fr/temps/france/nivose/pics/LEGUA.html

[1] According to Meteo France’s system of automatic monitoring stations.

Posted by davidof on Wednesday, 01 April, 2009 at 01:43 PM

Thanks Davidof! I read this at work, you know!  rasberry

Posted by  on  Wednesday, 01 April, 2009  at 05:34 PM

sheer filth! great report. i’m looking forward to seeing how much snow will be left when I visit the island on holiday in june.

Posted by tom on  Thursday, 02 April, 2009  at 12:27 AM

great article.

Posted by  on  Thursday, 02 April, 2009  at 11:12 AM

personally I think the more excuses to publish pics of La Casta the better.......I shall be on the island first week of May hope to bump into her then!....

Posted by  on  Sunday, 05 April, 2009  at 07:15 PM
Page 1 of 1 pages

Comments are now closed

 

Sections

Archive Summary

Forum Posts

Sunday, 19 May, 2013

Girl survives 4 nights out at 4000m on the Vert

Posted by juice at 11:44 PM
• (3) Posts • (1891) views • Read More...

Monday, 29 April, 2013

Colorado's deadliest slide in 50 years

Posted by Simon Scott at 01:41 PM
• (3) Posts • (1582) views • Read More...

 

Thursday, 25 April, 2013

PGHM Officer killed near Ref Argentiere

Posted by juice at 01:38 PM
• (5) Posts • (1643) views • Read More...

Friday, 19 April, 2013

avalanche in st christophe

Posted by davidski at 11:32 AM
• (1) Posts • (1401) views • Read More...

Monday, 15 April, 2013

Avalanche on the Tete de Chevrette, Vallorcine

Posted by Alan Scowcroft at 04:57 PM
• (1) Posts • (1379) views • Read More...

Thursday, 11 April, 2013

Alpine Bindings

Posted by djfrost at 10:08 PM
• (10) Posts • (1521) views • Read More...