Yes, ice hockey stick ideal! I've seen ski instructors with a stick held out sideways for a small child, including my grandchildren, but none of them was quite that young! The "between the legs" style always looks wrong - the kids just kind of hang, and very often the adult is skiing at an adult pace, the child is enjoying the ride but making no independent input. You don't see ski instructors doing that. At the very beginning they are more likely (in a private lesson, not practicable in a group) to ski backwards in front of them, bending down and helping to hold the ski tips. A harness with a handle on the back is great for hoiking them on and off chairlifts. But trying to hang on to it when they're skiing is unbalanced and back breaking and again, seems unlikely to teach the kid to control their own speed. Most small kids seem to much prefer to just whizz, with skis parallel - instructors will strictly govern their speed and trajectory but parents tend to be much more permissive. Not too horrendous with the littlest groms but an out of control tubby 9 year old, in an untidy, head-down, schuss smashed into someone I knew who was standing at the side of the piste and finished her knee forever, despite the attention of Austria's best surgeons. The parents in some of these videos of littlies have obviously put huge time and effort into it - most holidaying Brits won't have the skills or the patience.
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?
Sainte Foy (Station, not village) might be good. 2.5 hrs from GVA, everything close to the lifts. Not massive ski area but plenty for your needs. Some decent off-piste if that's your thing. A lot of English have property there, so language not a problem! Snow shoe trips are available and the shoes for hire, so that ticks the walking box.
@valais2, Awesome! @2.15 - Amazing natural balance / ability to hold the rail and ski it on a single leg without falling off . . .future freestyle god! Love the hockey stick technique - maybe theres a product development / marketing opp here for a dedicated telescopic version (thats packable) to achieve the same result . . ?
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@Rae, ....check this out for insights into Vercorin. His pronunciation of Vercorin drives me crazy, but he is a good reviewer and the filming is good. The new farm cafe at the Tracui lift base station is wonderful...great owners and one of the best places in the Alps to chill out, good weather or bad, only rivalled by Chetzeron (thanks Sami) and Cabane du Violettes at Crans Montana.
@valais2 Thank you this is so helpful and looks up our street... We are hiring a car from Geneva and have done a bit of Alps driving in previous years. What are your thoughts on the drive up to Vercorin?
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Mon 11-03-24 23:35; edited 2 times in total
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Vercorin looks like a great spot, if you are staying in that hotel. It's a good film, but why can't the man learn how to pronounce the name of the place? Does he think it is somehow beneath his blokey English dignity? If I was doing a film in an unfamiliar part of the UK (for example Alnwick or Ynysybwl or Craobh Haven ) I'd ask the locals how to pronounce it. I've frequently asked French people how to pronounce a place name and found they're always happy to tell me. So now I know how to pronounce Gex!
After all it is free
After all it is free
I guess we don't always pronounce names as the locals do.
It would sound a bit affected to talk of Paree, Roma and Milano. And no one can pronounce Rheims Vercorin does sound unnatural though the way he pronounces it
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.
Well Paris, Rome and Milan have "internationally recognised" pronunciations. Vercorin, Alnwick and Craobh Haven don't, and it is respectful to ask the question.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
It drives me wild when BBC announcers can't pronounce "Plaid Cymru". Pathetic. They've all got clever about Khan Yunis pretty quickly.
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.
@Origen, Yup I know how the locals pronounce it, I had a french friend who lived there, I just can't imitate the semi nasal r very well.
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
@Rae, …re drive from Geneva … roughly 2.5 hours … easy and fast autoroute to just before Sierre then up the side of the valley … very straightforward … some narrow bits but mirrors on pylons by the road to help spot oncoming traffic. A couple of short tunnels … again straightforward. We do that route 20 or some times a year.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Gex = Shecks
Reims = hurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrem
Chamonix = Shamonix (on our side of the hill)
Vercorin = ver-coo-ran
Last edited by You know it makes sense. on Tue 12-03-24 0:22; edited 2 times in total
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
There are some places that even the locals pronounce in different ways depending on how they've been brought up.
How Gullane is pronounced in Scotland seems a bit of a class thing.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Outside Cornwall…
Saint Austell
Locals…
Snozzle
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Quote:
There are some places that even the locals pronounce in different ways
For sure. Some South Wales names, which I grew up with, are now often pronounced much more "Welsh" than used to be the case. But as long as you use one of the local pronunciations, that's fine. My Francophone Belgian friend sounds the x on the end of Chamonix. Other French speakers don't. The woman in the café in Gex told me it was pronounced with the "G" as in French "Je" or "George". That'll do me, even if there are other local pronunciations.
But there is simply no excuse for mis-pronouncing Vercorin. Or Plaid Cymru.
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?
Hi Everyone thanks for all the tips!
We have just come back from 4 days in Vercorin! staying at Swisspeak Resorts.
Day 1 the clouds were low and the lifts were closed, having only visited large resorts in the past we found it unusual. But we were not bothered by this we had a walk around the very sweet village and visited the White Shop Coffee shop. had a lovely coffee and snack. The baby entertained a group of locals with lots of smiles. We then visited The Fondation Pierre Gianadda in Martigny. (really enjoyed the Sculpture Garden)
Day 2 was a beautiful Sunny day (and warm) I rode most of the runs they were perfect runs after having a year off (and a baby.) I felt for such a small place it had a nice variety with the reds at the top and the cruisy blue through the trees of the gondola run down. There were people about and the terrace was busy at lunch but never did the runs feel anything more than quiet. we also got to enjoy the spa at Swisspeak Resorts in the evening.
Day 3 was another Sunny day (and warmer) we decided to take the Mont Blanc Express from Martigny to Chamonix which was truly beautiful all the way! It was not snowy we wondered if it normally is in winter...
Day 4 started off with awful drizzle my husband went up did one run and came back drenched. Not wanting to waste the day pass or the opportunity to be on the snow we decided I should go for a run and perhaps we would rethink the days plan... Up I went and it began to clear so I got some great time on the slope before meeting the fam at the top for lunch and a few more runs after. I stayed on the blue tree run as the cloud cover on the reds didn't look fun. It was a slushy day with almost no one about. But being a lazy snowboarder who's a bit out of practice 'Cruisy Blues' is what I'm here for.
We finished the day with a drink in the sun and a local pizza.
It worked very well, easy drive from Geneva (cheap flights with Jet2) and the 4-month-old travelled well It has opened our eyes to small ski areas. Thank you for the recommendation.
Glad it went well, @Rae, thanks for reporting back.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@Rae, I am very glad it went well.
Did you see the chamois? And visit the lovely cafe in the farm just near the Tracuit chair base?
On the days you describe we would have been there too! the Grom mainly going backwards. Me in filthy green Patagonia kit. We did inbounds for a couple of days and then toured up through the woods on the Marmottes route. Wonderful route but will not be in condition in a couple of days’ time…
We did a ten day mix of Grimentz, Vercorin, Chandolin, Lauchernalp, and Crans Montana. We would have done some stuff at Nax but poor weather stopped play.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
It has opened our eyes to small ski areas. Thank you for the recommendation.