 Poster: A snowHead
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| tomj wrote: |
| @Gazzza, sorry it was a few years ago and no restaurants are springing to mind. I just remember that inside the 'front de neige' was a bit redolent of concrete underpasses and we joked about 'A Clockwork Orange'. The skiing was fine enough, though. |
No worries, cheers. It's incredible to think that they could make the inside any worse looking than the outside !!! 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I know we still a few days out of an accurate forecast but at the moment it’s looking like we may be needing our snow chains on Saturday morning. I’m refreshing the weather sites way too much!
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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?
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Snowysarah,
On several dozen descents from Orelle to Val Thorens (over many years) we have never seen the blue piste closed. As blues go, it's at the easy end of the spectrum (in gradient), though relatively narrow for the first couple of hundred metres. At that altitude, however, the snow is usually excellent.
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@sparklies I'm in the same boat........lowered T5 Camper with 20" wheels.......finally tried fitting the snow chains on Saturday......I can't get my hands under the wheel arch but worked out turning the wheels will allow me enough access to get them on. After a few goes it was quite easy but obviously nothing in the cold/snow etc. 
@Gazzza, - what was the La Clusaz deal, we're heading there this year?
We're heading from Brighton on Thursday --> Eurotunnel --> La Clusaz. Travelling down in our VW T5 Blue camper (on NI plates), it's got a Stone Roses lemon on the back if you see us. I think our train is 16:00 and we'll drive for about 4 hours in France before pulling up somewhere (usually a motorway aire) to get something to eat and then popping the pop top up for the boys to go to sleep. Then a breakfast of cereal and croissants before driving the rest of the journey hoping to get there before 11. We're coming back the following Saturday afternoon, getting an early train Sunday morning.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| breeze11 wrote: |
| I know we still a few days out of an accurate forecast but at the moment it’s looking like we may be needing our snow chains on Saturday morning. I’m refreshing the weather sites way too much! |
The forecast seems to have eased a bit since I looked at it earlier today - lighter now.
Thing that's worrying me most is Eurotunnel - done the drive many times before - seen it all including half term nightmare delays. But one of our son's has disabilities and this is the first time driving to the Alps with him. The thought of getting him into the Eurotunnel terminal and out again when our letter is called is giving me sleepless nights!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Bergmeister wrote: |
Snowysarah,
On several dozen descents from Orelle to Val Thorens (over many years) we have never seen the blue piste closed. As blues go, it's at the easy end of the spectrum (in gradient), though relatively narrow for the first couple of hundred metres. At that altitude, however, the snow is usually excellent. |
Thank you!! Super helpful. Looking like a good option
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@frejul, if you miss your letter for any reason you'll be put on next train. Don't fret it, they'll get you on
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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.
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Now just need to decide between Orelle and Les Sybelles. Nothing like leaving it to the last minute!
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@Snowysarah
| Gazzza wrote: |
| , ...The red from VT back to Orelle is mostly ok but with (from memory) two solid steep sections. There's also a blue. So if she's confident on blues you should be fine. However I have known the blue to be closed due to avvy risk and the only way back at the end of the day was the red, which duly got mogulled to oblivion and back as it towards closing time. ... |
For the return from VT to Orelle there is also the blue Lory piste from the Col de Thorens (at the top of the Portette / Thorens lifts) which is perhaps a bit easier than the Gentianes blue described by Gazzza.
The most awkward part is sometimes going to VT: the blue from the top of the Rosael lift (Chamois?) starts as a narrow zig-zag track that can also cut up a bit if busy. But if it looks too bad you can avoid it by walking 3-400m up to the top of the Grand Fond funitel and take that down.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Roger C,
Possibly a silly question as I don't know the area or your circumstances but why not leave the hotel in Moutiers dressed in ski gear, arrive in Meribel 30-60 minutes later (Google Maps), go skiing/boarding and then get into your apartment later in the day, no stress.
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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.
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| Boris wrote: |
| @frejul, if you miss your letter for any reason you'll be put on next train. Don't fret it, they'll get you on |
Yeah - I know. Normally I'm not bothered.
Just need to get to our night stop fairly early this time - to sort out various things for our son. He often won't take his medicine unless he's lying down somewhere nice and comfy.
Forecast is now looking like relatively clear during Saturday with a big dump that night. Hoping we can get into the resort - unloaded and parked up before it starts in a big way!
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You know it makes sense.
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@Dan, Last year I seem to recall they had a similar end of season deal for reduced ski passes in the last couple of weeks of the season. They also offered free lessons and free ski hire for beginners at the end of the season. Sorry I haven't looked this year. Safe travels down.
@ecureuil, yes I'd fogotten that newer Lory blue run back down the valley to Orelle. I've still never done it. It didn't exist (as a piste at least, though was commonly used as an off piste route) the time I mentioned where Gentianes was closed. Going from Orelle to VT, yep you can walk along the top between the top of the Rosael chair and the Grand Fond (it's pretty flat) and ski down the niverolle blue.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I really like the Lory piste. It seems unusually quiet, and it has some fantastic views and genuinely is quite fun to ski. It's fairly narrow with corners but it's not steep at all so that's not an issue. The only time I haven't enjoyed it was on a day when everything that side was boilerplate.. the run down into Orelle that day pushed me out of my comfort zone but probably improved my skiing as a result!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I'm driving to Austria on Friday morning, any idea how busy the eurotunnel will be for the 7:20am crossing on Good Friday ? I've been on the eurotunnel loads of times before but never gone out there on such a busy day before, normally I escape a few days either side of the peak times. I've experienced the delays of returning on Feb 1/2 term from the Calais side, does it get this bad on the Folkstone side too ?
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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?
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@boredsurfin, do tell! I'm only aware of coming at if from Boulogne (sp) direction, which can be quicker as the queue builds up other way
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@jw83113, 7.20 crossing wont be that bad probably just a 20/30 minute delay. The delay lengthens by 20 mins every hour until noon in my experience!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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We're booked on 9:50 as we were always arriving at overnight hotel around 3 and kicking our heels somewhat. So this year booked later crossing - now just kicking myself as wish I'd stuck with our usual 7ish crossing to avoid queues.
Going to still aim to get there around 8.30 - never know may just sneak on! As an OH vehicle can sometimes get lucky and be used as filler for coaches
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Boris, Go past the main tunnel entrance and take the next exit the road brings you in just by the Doggy check in gates.
Or go through Calais town (not at night!) and come in on same junction. Its all sign posted quite well, but don't get carried away and follow the CitieEurope signage which is similar  , theres also a cheap fuel staion at the Sangatte end. Has saved us a couple of times when the queue was back across the bridge from the motorway.
BUT I don't know what affect the new traffic layout has had on this
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@boredsurfin, cheers - was looking at Google maps and thought that would be the case. I assume/hope that the new arrangements (if implemented after trial) will mean the queues before check-in are removed/reduced
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| boredsurfin wrote: |
| @jw83113, 7.20 crossing wont be that bad probably just a 20/30 minute delay. The delay lengthens by 20 mins every hour until noon in my experience! |
Thanks, that's good news. I'll probably try and get there a bit early just to be on the safe side.
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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.
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@boredsurfin, there were no changes to the layout when we were at Calais on Sunday. I think the trial finished on Saturday.
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@Hells Bells, We'll be taking the puppy in July now, obviously wasn't old enough for Rabies jab this time so she's eating my eldest daughter and her furniture at the moment . How long does the pet check take? Is there any thing I should know about it as a first time user?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@boredsurfin, Pet Check at Calais takes about 15 mins. See the posts above about the need to go to Pet Reception first.
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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.
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@Gazzza, thanks, I think we're a week or two too early. 
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@Matt1959, Ah yes I missed that back in the depths of page 3. ta.
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You know it makes sense.
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@boredsurfin, it has never taken us more than 10 minutes, and only if there is a queue and someone has forgotten to do something like go to the vets beforehand. Usually in and out in 5 minutes.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Reading this thread I get an impression that many people stop for the night somewhere. I have never done this or actually met anyone who has. Is it possible to run a poll and find out how common it is?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Roger C,
Not keen on skiing on a skiing holiday.... Whatever next?! 
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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?
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@johnE, polls are possible I think, but no idea how!
My gut feel is that overnight stop is very common, the Feb halfterm thread supports this. Maybe as people travelling Feb/Easter have kids and it's easier?
When it was just 2 of us we did in one day,still do come back in one hit, but would always have extra day on way out
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Despite no kids now, we always stop for the night in both directions. Always have done.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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On the way out overnight stop in Moutiers, or Brides, or wherever, straight into ski clothes and on to the slopes the following morning. Back in one hit.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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We stop overnight in both directions. On the way there, usually somewhere basic, functional and suited for a late night arrival - Ibis or F1 - and somewhere more pleasant, with a decent restaurant on the way back. This is mainly because of the kids who are still fairly young, but even without them I think I'd still stop over. It is a holiday after all (then again, without the kids we would probably fly - and not go during school holidays...).
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| johnE wrote: |
| Reading this thread I get an impression that many people stop for the night somewhere. I have never done this or actually met anyone who has. Is it possible to run a poll and find out how common it is? |
We have driven from home to resort without an overnight stop many times, and indeed back in one hit, including times towing the caravan. But we have also done many variations both with and without the caravan. If we have stopped its most often just been for a few hours sleep in the caravan in an aire, but we have stopped overnight in an hotel on several occasions too. We have also tacked a few days on staying in places, not for skiing just to visit the area, or meet with relatives or friends.
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We always stopover on the way down.
On the way back, if it’s a Sat/Sat week, we tend to ski the Saturday, leave late afternoon and head for Troyes. If Sun/Sun, we leave 7:30 ish and do it in one go.
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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.
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We used to drive overnight too Austria, there and back, the return being during the day, never stopped. In the early days of being in Les Gets we would stay somewhere cheap near Bethune probably on the outward leg but not on the way back. But in recent years with more time on our hands we tend to stop both ways, the exception being in the summer last year when we did it in one day and decided never again.
But our adult children who travel with their small children never have thought of an overnight stay.
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@johnE, When the little avago's were very small, we would drive through the night doing 2 hour stints - 9-10pm eurotunnel crossing, arriving in resort for breakfast. It worked well for us then as money was tight. As the boys, and us got older, we decided to leave earlier and stop off en route to the mountains. We now ski on departure day, leave resort at 5pm and stop overnight around Chalon Sur Saone on our way back north.
We're having to drive through the night this Easter holidays, as we can't get away until late Friday 6th.
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FAQ
