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Serre Chevalier 2007-2008

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
We've booked to go to SC during Feb 08 (thanks to all the snowHeads who helped).

In previous years we've (Mrs SM and I) skiied the chosen resort during a long weekend to get to know the place before taking the children. To complicate things further, this year we're taking my daughters' (novice) friend. We like to pick out some nice runs and gain some familiarity.

I get some time off during December and we can pop over for a weekend.

Historically - what's the snow record for December, and typically - when does the resort open?

Any excuse...... wink

Thanks

SM
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
shockingmoment, the resort is due to open on 15th December. It usually opens on time, it was certainly open on 16th last year. I can help out with accommodation in Monetier if you're interested PM me, we have availibility until 22nd December.
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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?
shockingmoment, there are plenty of snow cannons but in the 6 seasons I've been here there has always been enough snow by the middle of December.
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shockingmoment, you'll be fine for snow. If you want advice on who to school the kids with pm me as i am personal friends with an englsih instructor who is absolutely fab!!! Can put you intouch with a great ski hire shop, we get 25% discount for you. And any other information you might want to know with regard to children of all ages (including ones mistaken for adults!!!) Glad to help if i can so you can make the most of the whole of serre che!
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Thanks everyone.

snowangel - this was to be my next question. My daughters friend has skiied just the once, on a school trip last year. She's now caught the snow bug, but school trips are horrendously expensive, and her parents are not that keen - so she's coming with us.

Her mum and dad have asked us to keep the costs down, so we are considering group lessons with ESF for her - costs seem quite reasonable. Any thoughts anyone?

btw - the ski hire shop offer sounds good - more details would be much appreciated. We're staying in Chantemerle.

Many thanks,

SM
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shockingmoment, I can vouch for Denis Lucas at ESF in Chantemerle. He's an excellent instructor and speaks first rate English. A really nice guy. Though I'm sure many many others there are also well-qualified. Denis has an English wife (Karen) and they run a chalet (Les Marmottes) in the village.
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I have known Denis and Karen for many years and stayed in Les Marmottes - they are a great couple and he is an excellent teacher. Highly recommended.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
shockingmoment, I know karen and denis, and while he is good, i can recomend better and much younger which i think works much better for kids.. I am not a fan of |ESF, so it wont be with them!
http://www.ecole-ski-buissonniere.com/ Ask for either Graham or Christian, both are english. But on top of everyone else i recomend Davina (she used to be the big boss at buissonniere but is now freelance) email her at davina.alp@gmail.com She was coached by our very own easiski many years ago!.

RE the ski hire place, if you can drop me a pm the week before your due i'll give you all the information, infact i can probably reserve them for you if you give me all the details.
Feel free to ask for anymore info!
i can highly recommend Le Bistrot for food and drinks and also Ca Basa. Tell them both that kim from High Rock Chalet recomended you, you never know you might get something free!
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snowangel., as the father of young children himself and having also experienced first hand his teaching, I'd say that was a decent qualification/recommendation. Have you had lessons with Denis as well?
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Mark Hunter, skiing in my house is swear word, esf is even worse wink we are all snowboarders. I would rather eat my hat than ever recomend anyone from esf.

Davina rocks, especially with young children and yes she has taught both of mine. in skiing not snowboarding
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skilegs, he also supplies some pretty decent wine from (blurred) memory Cool Madeye-Smiley
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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.
shockingmoment,
If you are going for group lessons I would agree with snowangel., that buissonniere are the ones to go for compared with ESF. The ESF groups can be very large particularly during school holiday time. We have used buissonniere quite a lot and always found them great with children. Eureka at Monetier have a great reputation as well but I have no personal experience and they might not be the most convenient. If you are going in the French school holidays it's a good idea to book in advance.
I have just noticed you are staying at Chantemerle , buissonniere are Villeneuve based but I am pretty sure they do pickups from Chantemerle.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Thanks everyone. I'll give them both a call and get some info.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
shockingmoment, yeh they will pick you up from chantemerle or meet you up at serre ratier
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
T Bar, good point about Eureka. I've used them on 3 occasions and always found the lessons excellent. Melanie, one of the co-owners posts here sometimes. I'd have no hesitation recommending them. Getting to Monetier is quite straight forward from Chantemerle - just jump on the resort's ski bus which picks up/drops off from the centre of the village.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Mark Hunter, and is really worth doing if your in chantemerle and the it takes more than 20 mins to get to and thats not with the wait for the bus rolling eyes what a waste of a day, when you got instructors that will meet you in chantemerle where your staying rolling eyes
come on guys lets be sensible here. They're staying in chantemerle, they want good instruction in chantemerle.

I say again, give davina an email, she will give you all the advice you need re ski lessons. davina.alp@gmail.com
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
snowangel., thanks.

Sent mails yesterday to davina and buissonnierre. Hope something comes back on monday.

We plan to get the area pass so can ski from town to town. However, my lot aren't up with the larks usually so a local instructor would probably be better. I sometimes whizz off early and meet up with them at lunchtime!

Where are the lessons taken?

Would a return from Monetier be ok for the novice in our group?
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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?
shockingmoment, is it a boarder or a skier. The Cucumelle piste from Monetier to the rest of the area is a long red run I would suggest a bus back from Monetier for a first-weeker.
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shockingmoment, seriously you dont need to go to monetier to get decent instruction. Its just rediculas to tell you to do this. It takes 20 mins to drive from chantemerle to monetier and i do know exactly how bad the busses are. DONT DO IT!!! I dont know when your coming but honestly you'll wait ages for a bus, then when it comes it will be full and then you'll sit on it for 20 mins! If you were staying in Monetier then lessons there would be worth while but your not! Your not coming here to sit on a bus for half your holiday are you?

If you go with Buis or Davina or any of the other Chantemerle based ski schools you'll have your lessons around Chantemerle. Up at Serre RAtier there are some very small begginer runs where you will generally start. then they'll take you up the bubble to the green run on the Grande serre. Once you've got that down you'll hit Valons, which is a great blue run which can be taken from the top of the grande serre or joined at the bottom. My 6 year old did it last year on her own on her board for the first time!
Chantemerle is idealy suited for learners and young kids at that, because of the way these 3 runs link together, it makes teaching and learning that much easier!
I'm sure you'll find that both Buis and Davina will be able to help and will meet you at Chantemerle and hence make sure you spend most of your holiday on the piste and not on a damm bus!
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
ok i've just seen that your coming the 8th of feb.

DEFINATLEY DONT DO THE BUS, you'll be waiting so long, the kids will be cold and miserable. If it were jan youc could of got away with it. But no way do it in Feb.
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snowangel., perhaps they just fancy skiing to Monetier and back, some people do you know?
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
can this either be moved to a resort thread by a kind mod or if there is snow in SC now, let's hear about it, I keep opening this thread hoping to see pics of a huge dump in the region, but then get disappointed Wink
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
kitenski wrote:
can this either be moved to a resort thread by a kind mod or if there is snow in SC now, let's hear about it, I keep opening this thread hoping to see pics of a huge dump in the region, but then get disappointed Wink

That's a good point, the thread has become something of a resort discussion. I'll move it across.
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kitenski, me too.
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Helen Beaumont, yeh but your talking about sending someone with kids on a hellish bus ride for ski lessons???!!! Now we all know that you have a vested interest in Monetier but these people aren't staying there!
If they want to ski to monetier they'll do it, i do it regularly, i personally once every now and then drive there to start. I would never consider taking the bus as its a bloody nightmare and i think it rediculas to suggest this to a family when they have everything they could possibly need in Chantemerle!.
shockingmoment, Has already said that the group is a novice, Helen Beaumont, has already said that the cuc run isn't the most novice friendly so why are you still suggesting they do it???

If your not happy with the suggestions to ski schools i've already made then the next best would be Generation Snow, being that this is where all the local freestyle kids (both skiing and boarding) are trained through. All the coaches are pro riders as well as instructors and all speak english. Again they come highly reccomended. If you book with them, tell them that Liam's mum recommended you. (as liam rides with the team)

kitenski, as soon as we get a decent dump, or any snow infact i can gaurantee i'll be on it like a fly on something nasty!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
oh and before anyone mentions it, i have a vested interest in St Chaffrey not Chantemerle. I get nothing other than satisfaction that someone will thoroughly enjoy their stay in Serre Chevalier by these reccomendations.
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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.
snowangel., I did not suggest that at all. I also did not suggest they get a ski bus to Monetier for lessons,if you read the thread properly. Other people on the thread were only commenting about their own experiences in Serre Che with other instructors, and offering shockingmoment a choice. They also suggested Eurekaski may not be the most convenient option.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Hmmm Bit of a Hornets nest!

Anyway - I've had an email back from Davina - she seems keen to sort us with some lessons so we're quite pleased with that.

Thanks snowangel. Nice beany website btw.

The original post did enquire about snow.... but .......drifted..... a little!

Thanks for your help everyone.

Any snow yet?
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
shockingmoment, see snow reports. And enjoy your trip(s).
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
I am 99% certain we are going to serre chevalier. Just waiting for confirmation of a large apartment in Le Bez about 50 metres from the piste. Cost per person about £260 inc flights (ryanair rolling eyes bristol to turin); private taxi/ minibus transfer from turin and a large aprtment as opposed to TO shoe box. When I price companed Neilsen and Crystal they were 50% more expensive. In fact TO prices seem much higher than last year. this will be our first DIY trip and I'm the one who has pushed not to go with a TO.
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dan100, Le Bez is v nice, quiet picturesque village thingy, easy walk to hire shops, banks, amenities. Good choice!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
dan100, When are you in SC..?
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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?
8-15th March . still waiting to get confirmation of apartment. I tried to call owner whose English wasn't very good (but infinitely better than my french) and she couldn't tell me whether she's reserved it to me or someone else
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dan100, fingers crossed for you. If it doesn't work out, let me know, I know a couple of people with larger apartments.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
helen that's kind. its possible that the owner has optioned to us, but its not clear. If you know anyone with a 4 bedroomed apartment ,please let me know.
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dan100, http://www.eurekaski.com/accommodation-grangevielle.htm , but you may have already looked at this one, and it is in Monetier, and not Villeneuve.
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Thanks Helen- we're looking at another otption in le bez, but i'll bear that in mind
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
dan100,

A few of us are down in Le Grave from the 5th Mar onwards....we will probably get about a bit that week.
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JT -Hmmm- think you guys may be a 'bit' out of my league -I've seen your thread. My off piste sking tend to be 3 turns and a face plant. Something to work on this time.

http://www.serrechevalier-appartements.com/ Very Happy eagle's nestThis is where we are staying I think it looks rather nice for a ski holiday costing £310 per adult for flights transfers and accomodation. Again in Le Bez. supposed to be at foot of le bez piste

Anyone any experience of the ski schools in serre che 1400 for my friends who have children and a reccomendation for me for a private lesson
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Buisonniere are in Villeneuve, but I have no experience of them, although I have heard good reports. If you can get to Monetier easily, try your private lesson with Gavin from Eurekaski. No doubt others will have some suggestions too.
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