 Poster: A snowHead
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Im off for a season in tignes in a few weeks and was just wondering if anybody has got any advice on the best/cheapest way to do things like mobile phones, and bank accounts and stuff. Basically it will mainly be for getting in touch with people in resort, and for the odd text/ short phone call to home to tell them to get on skype. Also is there any cards that people would advise to use in order to avoid big charges for taking out cash and for buying stuff in shops?
Any essentials that people would advise to take as well?
Cheers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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a nationwide credit card is pretty useful and can be serviced on line, and doent cost anything
for banks and payg phones should be able to sort both down in Bourg Saint Maurice, all the main banks are there and a couple of phone shops, can alo get payg phone via carrefour super u and eleclerc supermarkets
the super u in bourg had a few cheap payg models when i was in there last
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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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Lots of socks. Seriously, they go missing constantly.
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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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Yeah i use a nationwide debit and credit card as it is, so its a good option to stay with them? Yeah i was in france last week so was checking out all of the awesome deals in Hyper-U! So is bourg the nearest place with decent size super markets to tignes?
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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.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I really wouldn't bother with unlocking your phone and getting a French SIM; I did it at the start of last season and the inital 15 euros credit I had only lasted for a few texts sent and received. I was fortunate in that the job I had afforded me a mobile phone that had free calls back to the UK between 8am and 8pm so I used that, but otherwise I'd have just used Skype. I left my personal mobile switched off for the duration of the season, I dread to think how much I would have spent on it otherwise.
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Skype, socks, more socks and skype!
Seriously though..... If you're going to be phoning home all the time then skype is free for skype to skype calls.... If you want to use mobiles then if you've got vodafone use passport as it's £0.75 connection and then you use your contracted minutes.
As for bank acconts.... If you can try and open a French account, might be useful in later years... But it's not as easy to open one over there as it is in the uk.
Oh yes and buy some more socks!!!
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Yeah skypes all set up pretty well, and i get wifi in the chalet im working in and that, Ive got internet banking and the little card reader that they send you, got plenty of socks and hats so looks like im fairly well set to go! I think an external hardrive isnt a bad idea actually, i could load it up with loads of films and music because i use a netbook without a cd drive... Hmmmmmm im getttting excitedd!
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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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You may want to get a local sim, depending on what everybody else has got. I got myself a local phone/sim in Austria, and if you topped up a certain amount there was a 'winter bonus' so I got free calls to others on the same network for most of the season.
Re Nationwide, they charge for cash machine withdrawals (unless they've changed it again) so go for something like the Caxton FX card, pre pay credit card that you can top up online.
Internet banking is a must, only way to check your bank statements back home (just try not to lock yourself out!)
Skype for phoning home (or get somebody at home to call your local phone if you get one, doesn't cost you then).
Spare jacket for in the pub. You don't really want to be leaving behind your good skiing jacket/having it nicked, particularly if it contains your lift pass.
Deffo on the hard drive, my music/film collection was a god send on the bad days and when I was injured. The collection also expanded massively when out there.
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| Quote: |
If you can try and open a French account
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When you're on a four month contract being paid a pittance in sterling and it costs you both to run a French account and transfer money from the UK? Why would you do that? 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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My thoughts being tgat it could be the only time you're a Resident of a different country and in later years having a euro account or a non uk account could be useful.
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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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What Lizzard says.
As others have said, Nationwide isn't so good these days. Pre Paid cards & Internet banking look to be the way to go. In the past I have ran a Euro account (with a Spanish bank) but I've canned it now as the expense of operating it was more than we saved.
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Unless things have changed recently you need to take your passport with you when you buy a new phone!!!! It's a French thing and a long way back to Tignes if you haven't got it 
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You know it makes sense.
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I think you need the passport for a Sim card, let alone a phone. Cheapest credit card is supposed to be Halifax Clarity (acording to moneysavingexpert). Account charges probably make keeping a local bank account not worth it in the long term.
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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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| welshskier wrote: |
| I think you need the passport for a Sim card, let alone a phone. |
Spot on.
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Poster: A snowHead
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absolute need a passport they'll usually photocopy it and send the copy of to the network provider
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| gravystuffing wrote: |
| Unless things have changed recently you need to take your passport with you when you buy a new phone!!!! It's a French thing and a long way back to Tignes if you haven't got it |
You should not leave home without your passport anyway. You are required to carry a form of identification with you at all times. The French carry their ID cards; as we don't have them, passports it is.
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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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Jealous.....have a fab time
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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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James the Last, that's not actually true.
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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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Lizzard, can you amplify? I too thought that ID was needed in France & Switzerland.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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welshskier, I've never carried mine.
mxoli22, One of the best tips given to me was to get a 4 way UK extension and then you only need one French plug adaptor. also make it a long one as the French seem to like to hid the sockets in the worst place possible.
I would also get one of the clip on led lights for bed side reading or getting up and not annoying your room mates in the night.
Take a sense of humour, a big slice of patience and the ability to get drunk on 2 glasses of chalet wine.
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If you have an iPhone, Viber is free calls on wifi and simple to use on any wifi.
Whatsap is free texts.
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| bar shaker wrote: |
If you have an iPhone, Viber is free calls on wifi and simple to use on any wifi.
Whatsap is free texts. |
Viber is on Andriod now and texts as well, good call bar shaker
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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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I know you have a laptop but this could be of use for someone without one.
Kindle 3g can do basic browsing and mail as well as books and lasts well over a week on a charge
also, there are a few media player / hard drive / internet browser devices that plug into a telly for entertainment
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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love it!!
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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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Some advice please - I am doing a season in France which is contracted until 28th April but I have just noticed my passport expires at the end of May, is this cutting it too fine?
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Skola, no.
I'm told you can even travel to/from France on any official piece of ID. I've just done it on a French ID card, but I've never tried it with anything else.
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You know it makes sense.
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Skola, I've been to France with a passport that ran out while I was there, not one customs man batted an eye.
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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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Excellent!
Thanks folks 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Skola, no you will be fine, but just in case make sure you hae some other photo ID like a UK driving license
Dwarf Vader, you were lucky many years ago I got back from an over seas trip to Hong Kong, China and Russia with the good old British Blue job with about 6 months left on it, UK was fine but when I landed at JKF a few weeks later I was given the third degree, by the men in dark suits about my reason for visiting the US all was OK but it was a little scary.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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All you need to enter the UK is to be able to prove your ID, and an out of date passport is fine.
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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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| James the Last wrote: |
| All you need to enter the UK is to be able to prove your ID, and an out of date passport is fine. |
Is this based on Fact and experience or what should be the case?
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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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livetoski, I was referring to inside the E.U.
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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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| Dwarf Vader wrote: |
| bar shaker wrote: |
If you have an iPhone, Viber is free calls on wifi and simple to use on any wifi.
Whatsap is free texts. |
Viber is on Andriod now and texts as well, good call bar shaker |
But turn off 'mobile data' if you're using these services from your phone without a local sim card- whilst whats app etc doesn't charge for texts it uses the 3g /wifi connection to work. Last thing you want to come back too is a big mobile bill for using data abroad.
As to the local sim thing - I looked at this a coupe of years ago and there wasn't much difference between a local pre-pay sim and a roaming (contract one) for light usage...in the end I just used my UK sim, but if you're texting round resort a lot that could get expensive for your mates. Also I'd be surprise if there wasn't a place in Tigness doing sim cards - if there was one in peisey-vallandry then you'd imagine somewhere like tignes would do them
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| marcellus wrote: |
| James the Last wrote: |
| All you need to enter the UK is to be able to prove your ID, and an out of date passport is fine. |
Is this based on Fact and experience or what should be the case? |
Depends on the Airline, had a friend who was not allowed to fly as passport was out of date.
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| russ_e wrote: |
| marcellus wrote: |
| James the Last wrote: |
| All you need to enter the UK is to be able to prove your ID, and an out of date passport is fine. |
Is this based on Fact and experience or what should be the case? |
Depends on the Airline, had a friend who was not allowed to fly as passport was out of date. |
I was talking about driving not flying. I would not try to fly without all paperwork been correct
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Oh yeah Im talking about flying but as I said passport is valid until the end of May and I will flying back end of April
Just wonder as some countries you need a passport which is valid for another 6 months or....? Something like that.
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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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Skola, not the case for someone travelling in the EU on a UK passport. Assuming the EU still exists by the start of the season.
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Lizzard, LOL. I see, thanks again.
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FAQ
