 Poster: A snowHead
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masmith, there's popular and then there's upmarket.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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PJSki, Courchevel, for example. Is it popular, upmarket, or possibly both ?
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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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masmith, yes, but with upmarket British clientele. You never go there to save money, would you.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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laundryman, well not in the resorts I frequent they won't, because Brits are a tiny minority of visitors. Been out all day today and not heard a word of English. I have noticed, though, some welcome moves to the kind of "menu" I describe above - because French visitors are also reluctant to spend much money. As ever, the big majority of French family skiers are doing self-catering holidays on a tight budget.
Prices are expensive in the big places, especially if you have to pay in £, as we and most British skiers do. But I get fed up with everybody complaining that the French are "rude". I suppose they might sometimes be rude to the sort of boorish British punter who rocks up without so much as a "bonjour" and mumbles an order in poorly articulated English without even the courtesy of asking "Do you speak English"? But today, I will hear not a word against them. My husband lost my season lift past - virgin one, never been used, down some unreachable crack between the metal seat supports in the car. The woman in the local pass office, with whom I'd had a joke when I picked up the passes yesterday, got on the phone to her head office and in 10 minutes I had a brand new one. She said she wasn't going to charge me the admin replacement fee, as they'd told he she should, as she knows me and I buy a pass every season. So just 2 euros for the holder (refundable at the end of the season) and I was on the slopes. I had written off at least half a day to battle with that one.
She speaks not one word of English. My French is not fantastic by any means but I could explain what had happened, she listened with a grin, gave a Gallic shrug which meant "men, what can you do with them", and got on with it. It'll be one more thing to joke about next time where down there with visitors, helping them to buy passes. It's the same kind of story all around - lifties, the man in the ski shop, the restaurant people, shops. All charming. I don't know what some people must do to drive French people who are basically there to make their living by parting them from their money to be rude to them. By nature and culture they are usually polite people.
On my odd forays to the ski factories of the Tarentaise I do sometimes shudder at the behaviour and general demeanour of some of my fellow-countrymen. Maybe the Austrians are just more ready to grin and bear it, for the sake of the cash, than the average Frenchman?
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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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When comparing bar/restaurant prices please remember VAT currently in a British bar/restaurant is 15% in a French restaurant its a whopping 19.5%.
Anyone know Austrian or Italian rates?
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pam w, I've have seen a few shocking examples of bad behaviour towards French shopkeepers and felt the need to apologise once, though the people concerned were absolutely nothing to do with me. I think most Brit punters are OK though.
I'm interested to see what happens in Megève this year. It does fall into the 'upmarket' and 'significant British clientele' categories. Although I can afford the prices, I'm expecting the 1:1 exchange rate will be a psychological barrier to me. I'm expecting to eat more at the 'free' breakfast buffet and afternoon tea (if I'm back in time) than normal and skimp on lunch. I'd be surprised if takings weren't down in some establishments.
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When and that is a very probable "When" the Restaurant's and Bar's are empty, they will be forced to reduce prices to attract punter's. As with any business the laws of supply and demand apply.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| PJSki wrote: |
| masmith, yes, but with upmarket British clientele. You never go there to save money, would you. |
Agreed, I woudn't go there with the intention of saving money, but then again I'd never go skiing at all if that were the case.
I have only been to Courchevel twice, I am British but not upmarket and always travel with a moderate budget and on both occasions the holiday cost no more than equivalent ones on say Meribel of Val d'Isere. I think it has a large proportion of upmarket guests yet but not exclusively so. I guess it boils down to your interpretation of upmarket and popular. For me, Courchevel, Meribel, Val d'Isere, Megeve are a few French candidates that fit into my definitions of both.
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Kel, if that happens, I don't think it will be until next season, probably on the back of a bad start to the season and then only in a few resorts. And even then only if Sterling hasn't recovered. There's still enough wealth in the system for prices to remain 'high'...along with the sound of people moaning.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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It will be interesting to see if the traders in Val d' Isere raise their prices for the World champs in February, or will they resist getting out those half term menus early 
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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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The problem is that skiing attracts the Costa del sol types, who are used to behaving badly abroad. Those of us used to more genteel parts of the continent, who like and appreciate the foreigners, are not rude to them and get on perfectly well with them.
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James the Last, your wrong, it all boils down to your manners and values. Wherever I holiday, I treat everybody with respect and hope to be treated the same in return. Manners and a smile cost nothing 
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Alpinebullit, Yes I agree. I always make a point of a quick bonjour to lifties, or at least a nod or something. It's remarkable how many people just ignore them and this ignorance crosses all nationalities.
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Poster: A snowHead
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masmith, very very true.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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p.s that goes for the lifties at the top of the lifts 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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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3.8 €uros for a 0.4 litre beer weekend before last in Sant Cristina (Val Gardena) and the same up the road in Selva. Spag bol or Lasagne was 7.6 up in the mountain huts. Prices seemed the same from hut to hut there.
Got a 1 litre jug of house wine with dinner one night and that was 12 €uros. So not that bad.... Those prices are better then France but in Saalbach last Feb we stopped in one bar up the mountain when we saw the 3 €uros for a half litre beer. And nice beer it was!!! 
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Kel, priceless !
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Of course not all Brits are ignorant and rude. Only a tiny minority. Like only a tiny of French people are rude and surly. It's just that sweeping generalisations tend to get my goat - especially on a day when I had such superlative service in our local resort.
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pam w, I fully agree with you, there. And if you're a Brit in France it really doesn't take much effort.
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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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| Jo225 wrote: |
| The best value meal we had was the dish of the day in the restaurant half way down La Face on Val d'Isere - boeuf bourgignon for €12.50, which was absolutely delish (although after skiing the Face, I think anything would have tasted wonderful!) |
Last week:
Restaurant on the Grattalu piste in Tignes: €7.70 for a plastic bowl of not very nice watery vegetable soup and a bread roll, self-service. Seating area slightly chilly and noisy. Toilets were faily horrible and ostensibly €0.5 in addition, although no-one was collecting money.
La Taniere (the restaurant halfway down Face): €7.70 for a waitress-served bowl of nice vegetable soup with bread, cheese and croutons. Restaurant virtually empty but nicely decorated and comfortable. Toilets warm, clean and free.
La Taniere must get about 1/4 of the custom of the other restaurant, yet they manage to run a much nicer restaurant.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Frances, that resto on Grattalu may, or may not be called Panoramique. An absolute pile of shoite, and yet above le Lac on the Aiguilee Perce side, the two restos there are both of excellent quality. 
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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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| pam w wrote: |
| ............... But I get fed up with everybody complaining that the French are "rude"........................... |
I think they are pretty good a lot of the time. And both when the Metro phased me, and when the trains I was goin on had a major reschedule due to a problem on the line, those around me were almost amazingly helpful.
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Frosty the Snowman, there's a lot to be said for asking locals which mountain places are good to eat at. It can be a bit trial and error otherwise. There seems to be a huge variation around the Tarentaise resorts, from excellent to awful. Although with the euro and pound at parity I'm eating back at the apartment most days so it's all a bit academic really...
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You know it makes sense.
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As a result of this thread we have just introduced the idea of packet lunches for our guests which can be pre-ordered and paid for in sterling before the holiday! I'll let you know if it proves to be popular - I have a feeling it might!!
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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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If You Can't Beat Em, Join Em.
Nowhere near finished packing yet, but you can see the roof box is full, the skis are also up there, the floor of the boot is loaded with Coke, Beer, wine, Gin, Baileys, you name it I've got it even Stilton and baguettes made in France.
There is no way I am paying £100 for lunch and a few beers for the 4 of us over 9 days, especially when the apartment I have rented is on the slopes. I will be eating out probably every other evening and going to a few bars, but with the exchange at 1:1 taking a family skiing, this has to be the way to go.
https://snowheads.com/the_zone/showphoto.php/data/500/medium/SNV80059.JPG
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Poster: A snowHead
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Spag Bowl.
Not sure about France but here in Austria the bolognese is made with at least 40% Pork. That also applies to all the Hamburgers that are served on the mountain.
Maybe in France they do not even use meat in the sauce & some folk still pay 14 pounds  I would not pay 1.4 Pounds.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| stanton wrote: |
| .......Not sure about France but here in Austria the bolognese is made with at least 40% Pork. ............ |
That'd be a betrayal of the customer here.
| Quote: |
| The recipe, issued in 1982 by the Bolognese delegation of Accademia Italiana della Cucina, confines the ingredients to beef, pancetta, onions, carrots, celery, tomato paste, meat broth, red wine, and (optionally) milk or cream |
which is pretty much what I expect - though I concede Wikipedia continues
| Quote: |
| However, different recipes, even in the Bolognese tradition, make use of chopped pork or pork sausage.... |
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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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is Bikeandsnow, saying that this is expensive or cheap for spagetti bolognaise as it seems average.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Kel, thats some serious amount of coke!
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Kel, tap water, on the other hand, is free. If you really want sugar in it, you can add your own.
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| Lizzard wrote: |
| Kel, tap water, on the other hand, is free. If you really want sugar in it, you can add your own. |
You are correct, however it is all about choices, I choose to drink Coke, You choose to drink water. No problem.
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| Lizzard wrote: |
| Kel, tap water, on the other hand, is free. If you really want sugar in it, you can add your own. |
If you don't mind drinking the filthy foreign water. 
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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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| Kel wrote: |
If You Can't Beat Em, Join Em.
Nowhere near finished packing yet, but you can see the roof box is full, the skis are also up there, the floor of the boot is loaded with Coke, Beer, wine, Gin, Baileys, you name it I've got it even Stilton and baguettes made in France.
There is no way I am paying £100 for lunch and a few beers for the 4 of us over 9 days, especially when the apartment I have rented is on the slopes. I will be eating out probably every other evening and going to a few bars, but with the exchange at 1:1 taking a family skiing, this has to be the way to go.
https://snowheads.com/the_zone/showphoto.php/data/500/medium/SNV80059.JPG |
Loved the photo - looks like our car when we go (except I prefer diet coke). We usually make sandwiches as do many of the French but that is not good when the weather is bad. Have a great trip!! 
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PS I meant to say are you going to be selling the handwarmers out there?
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FAQ
