 Poster: A snowHead
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Trip to La Rosiere, 3 generations, Christmas 2012
We were a party of 7, age range 20 to 88, experienced skiers, one beginner and one non-skier. Looking for a suitable property for someone with restricted mobility, pretty architecture, Alpine views, a fair guarantee of snow and easy access to skiing.
Le Refuge at Les Eucherts, and La Rosiere did a fair job of fulfilling those requirements.
The advance party, of myself and my 88 year old Aunt flew from Stansted airport mid-morning on the Friday, Easy Jet to Geneva. I will post a separate thread on my opinion of Stansted airport! Plane staff and mobility help at Geneva airport could not have been better, extremely helpful and polite.
Took the train (free of charge with a ticket collected at the baggage hall, mobility staff took us to collect tickets and took us right to the train) to Geneva Cornavin and stayed overnight in the Hotel Bernina. http://www.bernina-geneve.ch/ chosen for its adjacent location to the station.
Hotel staff were helpful, the rooms were clean, quiet and comfortable if a little outdated. Free tea, coffee and wi fi was available in the lounge, I could not pick up the wi fi in the bedrooms though I was told it should work. We had a very good, early dinner (and the most amazing beer) in the apparently famous Les Brasseurs next door. The hotel staff had pre warned us that it could get a little noisy later in the evening but we did not stay late.
Cornavin station was a little confusing as there is work in progress but we found the correct platform after a little bit of a walk and got into the first class carriage to Chambery. Train was very busy! We had to change at Chambery, but this was just getting off one train, and waiting 40 minutes till the next train pulled into the adjacent platform. We had coffee sat in the enclosed waiting area and a lovely chat to some locals who had also found the signs a little confusing due to an earlier scheduled train being delayed. Train to Bourg was also busy but first class was not full. I forgot to validate the ticket at Chambery but no one came round to check. Both parts of the journey passed through lovely scenery and we arrived in Bourg St Maurice late lunch time.
The rear guard of my husband, sons and a girlfriend met us not long after, having taken a ferry crossing late Fri evening and driven through the night. We had a good lunch at Le Tonnau and my 3 sons caught a bus up to La Rosiere (only just over 8 eu each for under 25`s) whilst the rest of us went to the Super U. Snow started to fall and we had a very snowy drive up the mountain. The Land Rover Discovery handled it well though and we did not need chains.
The apartment in Le Refuge, for 10 to 12 persons was on two floors with access doors from the sitting room and one of the bedrooms on the upper floor. Thus meaning the communal lift could be accessed from either floor. As the apartment had one bedroom off the living room this was not too relevant for the oldest member of the party. It was well appointed, very clean and comfortable but a bit lacking in surfaces to put things down on and only one pillow was provided for each person. The extra pillows supposedly available from reception had all gone by the time we requested them but the chalet hostess came up with an original solution of duvets rolled up in sheets to make a bolster! The towels were changed mid-week and slippers and bathrobes were provided to use around the pool and sauna. Bread and patisserie orders were delivered to reception each morning. The lighting was too dim and the wi fi a bit slow but I would definitely go back again.
We arrived in heavy snow but awoke the first morning to beautiful sunshine and breath taking views right across the valley. We hired the bits of kit we needed from Twinners on the Sat evening. They were the only place still open but matched the discount which residence at Le Refuge gave us with their competitors. You could ski from the Chalet down the road to the lifts but we discovered this was prohibited; good skiers could ski back to the chalet in good snow conditions. Although it was only a short walk to the lifts most days those wishing to be on the slopes by 9am drove the car down, loaded with all the kit and those later starters meandered down in snow boots and changed at the car. Those who finished early drove the car back and the others skied back to the apartment when they were ready. Access to the chalet was sufficiently easy that we had lunch there most days. The free drag lift for beginners meant we saved money on a lift pass for the first couple of days for our beginner.
Being a wimp, conscious of my age and health issues, and very out of practice, I skied nothing more difficult than a red. The snow conditions were pretty perfect and our 20 year old beginner was also happily tootling down reds by the end of the holiday. The guys went pretty much everywhere and, as everyone does, moaned about that essential drag over to La Thuile. (The connections were closed two days) By and large conditions were better on the La Rosiere side and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the skiing. Those of us who only ski in `nice’ conditions lost a day and half to heavy snow fall but most of the rest of the time the sun shone beautifully. Much of the time the slopes were pretty empty. We never even really experienced a ‘proper’ lift queue and I would certainly like to ski there again.
Apres ski is limited, but did not bother us. We had Christmas Eve Dinner at Les Marmottes in La Rosiere, which was delicious and good value if a little cramped. Father Christmas found us and amidst much hilarity gave the two youngest members of the party presents.
Christmas Day was dinner at L`Accrouche Couer, as it was next door to our Chalet and no-one wanted to drive. We had a super meal, served by a friendly English waitress, sufficiently delicious and enjoyable that we went back for dinner on the last night and had a similarly good meal, value for money in a nice environment. On the night of my middle sons 23rd birthday we ate at Le Genepi in La Rosiere, it was the night of the snow storm and our elderly relative could not be persuaded out, so we walked through the woods to get there. A beautiful walk! 4 had the menu degustion and the other two just ordered main courses. Staff were good fun and happy to provide extra plates, even though my sons are huge eaters after skiing, we still had far too much food. I would thoroughly recommend eating there, but its not cheap!
We were all sad when the week ended, the first member of the party to leave took a bus down the mountain at 8am (which had a small crash!) and another bus to Chambery airport where she was delayed for an hour and a half but was still back home by early evening.
Two of us went by car down to Bourg mid-morning, where we did a little shopping and had a nice lunch opposite the town hall at Le Bon Coin, before catching the train to Lyon. The remaining family members skied for the day before driving to Annecy where they stayed overnight in the rather grotty Great Western Hotel.
The train to Lyon Part Dieu was busy but not crowded and it was a pretty journey, particularly at first. We arrived at Lyon to discover the taxi rank very busy but right next to the tram to the airport. We took the tram which was very easy to manage even for someone with impaired mobility; the conductor was very willing to assist too. We stayed overnight at the NH Lyon Airport Hotel, from whence we were collected by the efficient airport mobility assistance team. The hotel was just what you would expect from a chain hotel, everything you need, polite, helpful staff, quiet comfortable rooms `though some background noise maybe from the air con, disturbed my sleep occasionally. Again I will report on Stansted separately!
Those who drove home left Annecy around 8am and were on a ferry by 7pm, (booked as they were en route to the port) even having stopped off at a supermarket for some shopping.
I hope the above information is helpful. We have driven to and fro the Alps many times in summer and winter, often with a large twin axle caravan in tow, and we had split the family before and done flights from both Geneva and Lyon’. However the whole the train ‘thing’ was a first! It proved to me that you can take less abled and elderly people on a snow holiday, with a bit of forward planning. It was something my Aunt had always dreamed of doing (she has travelled abroad many times in earlier years but never to the Alps in winter) she loved the train adventures and every other bit of the holiday
We met some amazing people, on the flight out a lady who could only just walk with the help of a stick making her own way by plane and train to join family skiing in Verbier, and a chap with similar mobility issues just travelling on his own, on the way back a lady recovering from a hip operation who`d spent Christmas with relatives. It was a really nice to realise that poor health and advancing age does not have to stop you travelling. My Aunt was amazed at what she had managed and is already talking about the next trip abroad!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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CaravanSkier, well done, glad it went well and that your Aunt enjoyed herself. Snowboarding next trip?
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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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CaravanSkier, cracking trip and report. Many thanks.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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CaravanSkier, beautiful story, thank you. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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CaravanSkier, your forward planning paid off! Very pleased you all had a great time 
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Well done CaravanSkier you had a bit of a challange there. But you did it!
It seems like my task of hearding cats onto a ski trip will be a dodle!
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Remembered a couple other things which may be of interest.
The little Sherpa in Les Eucherts runs out of stuff late afternoon and does not have a huge choice even in the mornings. The Huit Huit in La Ros is a better bet, even better stock up at the Super U in Bourg before driving up.
You can not buy separate stamps in Les Eucherts (you can maybe if you buy WITH a post card) only in La Rosiere.
I`ll add anything else that comes to mind.
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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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Hi, wondered if anyone knows which is the closest ski hire shop to the lift in La Rosiere? And if it stores skis? Or if there is a ski store at the lift? We've got a last minute to Lo Roz and not been before, we arrive just after lunch on Sun and hope to catch a couple of hours skiing but don't want to be lugging skis around.
TIA
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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Ps CaravanSkier, great report.
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You know it makes sense.
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Thank you Wayne, sorry I could not help in your quest for a ski shop, but we were not in that area of the resort much so I did not notice. Hope you have a great time.
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FAQ
They reported ski conditions were better our side on those occasions so I stayed nearer to home with our beginner.
