 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi there,
Having an early break in 2 weeks time and unless Avoriaz or Flaine snow
levels pick up, we are off to Cervinia for some decent stuff.
Here's the problem though..... Our flight back is on a Sunday early evening and so to maximise slope time we were thinking of leaving italy
early morning and skiing somewhere on the way back to Geneva for the day (french side of Mont Blanc I guess). Can anyone recommend a handy
place to stop for the day say an hour max away from the airport for
intermediate standard
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Welcome SpeedyK,
Les Contamines is reasonably snow sure and good for intermediates, but probably a shade more than 1hr from the airport.
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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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SpeedyK, The Chamonix valley is not much more than an hour away from the airport. If you were to ski at the bottom end in Les Houches which is practically roadside, it's mostly motorway fromt there. There are other resorts even closer, but if you're coming through the tunnel then it brings you out just before Les Houches, so more time on the slopes.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I second Les Houches too. It is the last one before you leave the Chamonix valley and you can actually see the condition of the slope at the bottom. Like Cymru am Byth said it is dual carriage way all the way to the airport.
Les Houches may not have snow all the way to the bottom in Mid December though.
Also I would allow at least 1:15 to 1:30 travelling time myself from setting off from Les Houches. The road is generally clear but you do have to cross the France/Swiss border check point.
For snow sure skiing you have go back to Chamonix direction to try La Flegere. That will add 15 minutes to the journey time on top of (about 1:30 to Geneva with no jam). Grand Montet in Argentere can be had for another 10 to 15 minutes up the valley.
I wouldn't recommend to go to Brevent because it necessitates going through Chamonix and up some steep and narrow roads. Les Houches, La Flegere and Grand Montet are just off the main road but I would spare a bit of time to search for Grand Montet unless you know where it is. Brevent can be accessed via a cable car link from La Flegere.
Flaine is pretty close too coming off from the first motorway toll booth after you leave Chamonix valley en route to Geneva. It is a possibility but unless you can park near Les Caroz it is a long drive round the winding roads. Chamonix valley from start of the tunnel is majority dual carriageway and fast roads.
You can do Courmayeur too on the other side of the Mont Blanc tunnel coming from Cervinia. Courmayeur is next to the main road literally a stone throw from the Italian side of the tunnel. The drawback is you can't ski to the road side and have to take the cable car down.
In this respect if snow is there you can ski from top of Les Houches into the car park, throw the skis into the car and hit the French tolled motorway in 10-15 minutes.
It is a good solid hour drive after leaving Chamonix and travel on motoway only to Geneva airport assuming the maximum legal limit. From memory the motorway section is between 90 to 100km. The distance between the Tunnel exit to the Sallance, which is the first town after chamonix valley, is 17 miles and unsuitable to average above 50mph.
I have skied several seasons in Chamonix valley and had to pick up and return my brother family (from Norway) to Geneva airport.
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Thu 2-12-04 12:43; edited 1 time in total
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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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If the snow's good, there are places to ski in the Juras, just north of Geneva. Also, if you go over the Grand St Bernard and through Valais and then Lausanne to Geneva (not the shortest route, I think), you can stop off at any of the places in Valais en-route.
But the Chamonix side is probably best.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I'd avoid the courmayeur recommendation as you are going on a Sunday..........that is unless you plan to get there and to the front of the lift que by 9am, otherwise it could be a long long wait.
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It's about 1 hr 30 - 1 hr 40 from Courmayeur to Cervinia if I recall correctly (it's the road up from the autostrada that takes the time). Time getting to Courmayeur from Geneva can depend on whether you get stuck behind a truck on the way up to the tunnel, but I wouldn't have thought it'd take you any longer than 1hr 30, even with a hold-up or two.
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| I'd avoid the courmayeur recommendation as you are going on a Sunday..........that is unless you plan to get there and to the front of the lift que by 9am, otherwise it could be a long long wait. |
Or get the Val Veny cable car (it's on the road up to the tunnel anyway) and though the Sunday queues exist, I've never missed more than one car travelling from there. Though I'm sure it can get crowded at certain times of the season.
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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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SpeedyK, think you're on the right track aiming at Flaine or Avoriaz - I'm out that weekend (Friday to Tuesday) so may be following in your tracks!
If Avoriaz and Flaine are not good, I doubt that Les Houches will be any better - Les Contamines holds the snow well but that doesn't help if there hasn't been much! If you are confident intermediates I would suggest Argentiere to go high (but leave extra time for driving back down - it will be busy Sunday afternoon), otherwise Courmayeur.
Anyway, keep your fingers crossed and it will all turn white before then...
Also keep an eye on La Clusaz - in common wind/pressure combinations the bowl at La Balme (great and not-too-extreme off-piste but take note of the local avalanche risk) can grab much more snow than you might expect from the altitude and they often open the sector before the rest of the resort as it's popular with the locals.
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SpeeeyK, I think you ought to let the hotel know you could late. Getting out of Geneva Airport and on to Autoroute is straightforward enough but how much time have you allowed in Geneva to pick up your hire car? Some of the hire car desks are not manned full time or shut at about 8pm. You should get to Chamonix in about an hour, allow another 30mins to get through the tunnel and then about 90 -100 minutes from Courmayer to Cervinia. I'd echo the comment about skiing Courmayer on the way back, park at the Val Vemy cable car station, get there early enough and you should be able to pack in a reasonable day's skiing.
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