 Poster: A snowHead
|
Query for a friend... no, really !!
So I know someone who wants to go skiing with his 13yo daughter to France (wants to practice speaking the lingo a bit) in Feb Half Term 2017 but only for 3-4 days. Daughter is not a beginner but not a superstar either so looking for decent piste skiing - nothing gnarly or mega required. He is a fairly experienced 50ish skier.
I've had the conversation about half term being prime week, doing a 3-4 day trip very difficult at that time, etc. He says he did in Austria (Schladming) two years ago, blah blah. He's happy to DIY.
So summarising I think what we are after here is a smallish ski area that is ideally properly French and has some relatively inexpensive Hotels that may take 3-4 night bookings at half term 2017 - so clearly maybe off the beaten track, niche whatever. Also give it's a shorter trip - long transfers to be avoided. At this stage he just wants resort ideas for him to investigate.
How about Les Houches, Chamrousse, Megeve, La Clusaz?
What are the chances, tactics for getting accommodation?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
pay for the whole week now or book last minute
BTW - I wouldn't put Megeve in the niche/off the beaten track bracket - it's not really my scene but its a "even the lap dogs wear fur coats" kind of place.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
|
In my little off the beaten track French resort? Chance nil. Being off the Beaten Brit Track doesn't mean it's off the French radar. I'd be reluctant to go to any French hotel which needs to take a few days booking in advance for that week.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Indeed, @jedster. Megeve is a premier French resort, and expensive.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Rent a car - stay somewhere like Sallanches or Bourg D'Ois or BSM and be prepared to commute. Guess Briancon is big enough it "might" have options.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
A bit off piste here Layne, but Esprit pretty much always have late availability in half term and usually for 1 adult, 1 child or infant. It may be worth looking at booking a return flight midweek and then holding out for the last minute deals.
Yes of course it would be 'paying for a week' and only using a portion of it, as well as paying for the extra cost of non TO return travel, but it's an option.
I think I was seeing 1 adult, 1 child at ski-in/out in 1850 in Courchevel for about £800.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We did exactly the same in St Gervais a few years ago. We went through booking.com (our first experience of them), and booked Mon to Fri half board during half term, double room, with additional single bed. Typical 2-3 star family owned French hotel just off the village centre. Good food, hospitable hosts, £600 for three. It did what it said on the tin, and worked really well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Chamcham wrote: |
| We did exactly the same in St Gervais a few years ago. We went through booking.com (our first experience of them), and booked Mon to Fri half board during half term, double room, with additional single bed. Typical 2-3 star family owned French hotel just off the village centre. Good food, hospitable hosts, £600 for three. It did what it said on the tin, and worked really well. |
Did you book that well in advance or last minute?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
| ansta1 wrote: |
A bit off piste here Layne, but Esprit pretty much always have late availability in half term and usually for 1 adult, 1 child or infant. It may be worth looking at booking a return flight midweek and then holding out for the last minute deals.
Yes of course it would be 'paying for a week' and only using a portion of it, as well as paying for the extra cost of non TO return travel, but it's an option.
I think I was seeing 1 adult, 1 child at ski-in/out in 1850 in Courchevel for about £800. |
That had crossed my mind. Not sure if the guy wants to do a weekend or mid-week tbh. Will mention this option.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| Layne wrote: |
| Chamcham wrote: |
| We did exactly the same in St Gervais a few years ago. We went through booking.com (our first experience of them), and booked Mon to Fri half board during half term, double room, with additional single bed. Typical 2-3 star family owned French hotel just off the village centre. Good food, hospitable hosts, £600 for three. It did what it said on the tin, and worked really well. |
Did you book that well in advance or last minute? |
It was in advance - the point of it was to get cheap(er) 1/2 term flights by travelling Mon/Fri, so we bought them several months ahead, and booked the hotel at the same time. We hired a car at GVA (see the other thread regarding caution with that at the moment), and there was free parking on certain levels of the multi storey in the town centre, only 100-200m away. This was the hotel:
http://www.chaletlamaisonblanche.com/index_en.htm
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
Chamrousse is the local hill for Grenoble, there are buses running up there every day from the bus station. With a car you could stay somehere closer like St Martin d'Heres and drive every day with the added benefit of having Ikea on your doorstep 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@Layne, By the way, St G is not ski in ski out. There's a regular bus service from the town square to the lift, which takes 5-10 mins, then there's a short bubble into the ski area. You can ski down to the lift base station in good conditions.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
Can't help with accommodation tactics but would recommend St Gervais for your friends skiing and using-the-language needs. It's a proper French town, quite attractive, which shares the same modest (but enough for a short break) ski area as Megeve.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
^^^ agreed.
Eating on the StG side of the mountain is much cheaper than on the Megeve side
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
St G is a good option. If it is difficult to find accommodation then you could consider looking in Le Fayet or Sallanches down in the valley and driving up every day (would also give you the option of parking in Combloux or Les Contamines both on the same area pass
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
@Layne, I did exactly this for a client last HT week - for various reasons they could only do a long weekend (3 or 4 nights); I had a couple of options in the end, and they booked Plagne 1800, ski in/out, with pool etc. Not a package so your friend would need to be happy organising travel (can do transfers to suit their own flights though). Drop me a PM if you like
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
|
Could try staying in Grenoble (I suppose Grenoble airport is a short transfer, even though it is not really near Grenoble) or Crolles and skiing in Les Sept Laux
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
| Rent a car - stay somewhere like Sallanches or Bourg D'Ois or BSM and be prepared to commute. Guess Briancon is big enough it "might" have options. |
This. We stayed in the Ibis in Sallanches at Easter - it's 30 minutes drive to the gondola in Les Carroz.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Be aware that there are only flights to Grenoble at weekends now. Lyon isn't that much further though.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Cheers all, I've given him a summary of the options.
Hopefully he'll let me know how he gets on.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@agw,
| Quote: |
recommend St Gervais for your friends skiing and using-the-language needs. It's a proper French town, quite attractive, which shares the same modest (but enough for a short break) ski area as Megeve.
|
I skied Evasion Mont Blanc area in March. I went with the assumption it would be a modest area but left very impressed at the variety offered by 445km of piste, which I found kept me entertained for 7 full days, and not leisurely cruising either. Don't tell everyone though.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As @intermediate says, the Mont Blanc Evasion area is hardly modest. If 445kms is "modest" what does "sizeable" look like? 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
However, whilst I like St Gervais very much, it's not likely to be easy to get a hotel for a few days over that busy period.
Sallanches is a good idea. There are now two Ibis hotels, one is a new "Ibis budget", which would be a good-value place to stay with a car to access different ski areas - but probably worth booking well in advance at that period.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
