 Poster: A snowHead
|
We don't seem to have a thread on St Gervais specifically, though it's been mentioned on threads about other resorts near Chamonix.
Here's a good article on St Gervais from The Independent.
Any comments?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
I think the article is very fair, and conjures up pretty well the right picture of the place. The only thing I'd say is that there are some challenging pistes and off-piste areas within reach: Mt Joly has been mentioned on another thread.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Yep would agree too, some lovely runs back into Le Bettex and also off towards St Nicolas - de Veroce. Snow quality is quite good from Le Bettex and above but can sometimes be patchy below. I would drive to it personally, you can make the best of the lift pass, visit other smaller resorts and its one of the closest to Calais too only being a few miles off the motorway in the base of the valley.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Yes, of the smaller resorts nearby, Les Contamines is outstanding, IMO. Of course, there's Chamonix too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
That about sums St Gervais up. But, if you got expecting not many English to be there you'd be very disappointed. 10 years ago that was true and it used to be very, very quiet. Nowadays it's hard to get a table at a restaurant in the evening at any time in the season without booking and most of your fellow diners will be English.
In fact most of the English are like the ones they mention in the article, they all claim to have been coming for years and years when for the most part they certainly haven't 
Considering it as a station with a base of 800m is really a nonsense as well, the base of the skiing is really Le Bettex at 1100m with the cable car for access from the valley floor. When the run back is skiable (it's rarely open) it's actually very, very good. This is actually very handy, getting around and in and out the station with the car is much easier at this height.
Avoid Le Bettex though, it's pretty pointless driving up to park there for the day and to stay, unless you have a guarantee the accommodation is right next to the lift, just don't do. Some of Bettex is well below the lift and since skiing down is not an option you'd be left walking up or even using the car. You're also cut off from St Gervais in an evening.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ