 Poster: A snowHead
|
OED aside, if it's good enough for Douglas Adams, it'll do me 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
admin, fair cop!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Specialman, I will try to 'interconnectednessly' steer this thread back to the original subject and defend Meribel as a potential location for your group. Previous replies have attacked the resort for the hordes of Brits, and I will not deny this can be the case. However we have operated from Meribel and nearby for over 10 years, and many people keep returning because they love it. The resort is one of the better looking resorts in France which is one of the reasons it is so popular, the bars are busy and there are no problems with language. It is conveniently situated with quick access to the other valleys, 2 good snow parks close by, and an excellent snow making set up. Last season was incredibly warm but the riding in Meribel was fine from the beginning with man made snow providing better early season conditions than even the higher north facing slopes of Courchevel. If speaking french is more important than good riding and good night life don't visit Meribel but for a group you should at least consider it as an option.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
skimottaret, spot the small error in that he thinks that the 4th valley goes down to 900m. To my knowledge the top of the Orelle gondola is about the same height as VT? Or can you ski all the way down to the gondola base on a good day? Other than that a really good article - thanks
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
stevew,
The pistes finish at the top of the gondola I believe the rest of the way is skied on the path down but being south facing and rather low I wonder how reliable the snow is?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
stevew, T Bar, i havent done it but in theory you can ski down to Orelle. it is kinda like skiing into Bride le Bains, only can be done on good snow days
One interesting pub quiz type item is the highest lift in the 3V's is actually in the 4th valley.....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
skimottaret, yes, the top of the two chairs (can't remember whether it's Bouchet or Peyron). Did you ski there the year they opened them? The drop off the top chair down a bank towards a precipitous drop was horrifying. Since then they seem to have tidied it up and closed the black (that was hardly ever open) that went over the drop and down the valley.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
stevew, no never managed the to get to run the black up there but it gets REALLY windy and can be a whiteout quickly, i recon thats why they closed the black....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
skimottaret, yes I've been up there when it's uncomformable to stand but thankfully never in a whiteout - it's in the middle of nowhere!
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
The black run off the back of the chairs was one of the best lift accessed off piste runs in the 3 valleys. It generally held excellent snow when other places had seen too much sun but there could be patches of glacial ice you had to be wary of. Hopefully the run will be opened in future with the right snow conditions.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
The seven of us have decided that TTV is the place to be, and I think we've settled on Mottaret for accommodation. However, to make it a bit more fun and to give us some flexibility in terms of how much kit and food we can take, we’re going to drive from the UK.
I’ve done an RAC route planner check and looked on a few websites and the consensus is that it’s about 14hrs (760 miles) to get there.
Is there ‘a good day’ to do this kind of journey? We were hoping to get a chalet we could hire from a Friday evening through to a Sunday, making it a 10-night stay, meaning we can be boarding on Saturday morning before all the coaches arrive. I suppose a 5am start means we could be at Dover/Folkstone for about 8am and be in Calais for 9.30-ish. That would leave us 600 miles to do through France, which I reckon we could do in about 9 hours, getting us there for the evening.
We’ll be in two diesels so return, the fuel costs would be about £300 for the two cars. Got a rough price for each car on P&O Ferries at £270 for both cars (return) and the same price on the Eurotunnel, which is much quicker isn’t it? Would £50 be adequate for tolls?
Fuel: £300
Ferries/Tunnel: £270
Tolls: £50 approx
TOTAL: £620 / £88 each
At those prices it’s cheaper than getting flights (which would be £80 each at least anyway) and then hiring cars, which would be another £350 at least for two small MPVs.
Anything else I should be considering?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A chalet from Friday to Sunday might be difficult to book; most do Saturday-Saturday (on Sunday-Sunday) bookings. Have you thought about spending Friday night in a valley town (Moutiers or Albertville for example), allowing you to be skiing early on Saturday then check into your chalet. For the return journey you could ski all day Saturday then start your drive home after the lifts have closed, staying in a hotel somewhere near your resort, before completing your jorney home on Sunday.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| Quote: |
Would £50 be adequate for tolls?
|
No. Calais to Mottaret would be around 95 euros tolls (for each car) and the same coming back. Plus possibly a Swiss vignette, depending on the route you choose. Eurotunnel could be more than £130 return. Depends when you book, and what time you travel. I just booked a return trip at a fairly obscure time of year (out in September, back early November) and it was over £200. But if you can cross very early, or very late at night, it's cheaper. Free, if you have loads of Tesco vouchers! And will your diesels still do 40 mpg at 80 - 85 mph? Ours doesn't! And budget for chains, too. And possibly covered parking in Mottaret. And continental breakdown cover. It's marginal, in cost terms. Depends what you enjoy doing, but with at least two drivers per car it's no problem. If you fly then unless you want the car in-resort a private taxi transfer might be better than hiring - taxis dig themselves out of snowdrifts and you can sit in a toasty car while the driver does the chains!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| Quote: |
Calais to Mottaret would be around 95 euros tolls (for each car) and the same coming back. Plus possibly a Swiss vignette
|
Tolls were 136 Euro return this summer and you definately dont want to go into Switzerland. The route i take is
Calais - Reims - Dijon - Lons - Bourg en Bresse - turn off to Chambery just before Lyons - Albertville - Moûtiers - Meribel - Mottaret (approx 600 miles)
On the way back you can stop in Bresse for world famous organic bresse roasted chicken which they serve in Gordon Ramseys and the motorway service stations
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| Quote: |
| No. Calais to Mottaret would be around 95 euros tolls (for each car) and the same coming back. Plus possibly a Swiss vignette, depending on the route you choose. |
Won't be going via Switzerland (I don't think) but had thoughts last night after posting that my estimate for tolls was a little frugal!!  The route is Calais > Reimes > Dijon > Annancey > TTV, bypassing Lyon and Grenoble.
| Quote: |
| Eurotunnel could be more than £130 return. Depends when you book, and what time you travel. I just booked a return trip at a fairly obscure time of year (out in September, back early November) and it was over £200. But if you can cross very early, or very late at night, it's cheaper. Free, if you have loads of Tesco vouchers! |
Checked it yesterday and the website quoted me £135 per car (with four adults). The same price was quoted by P&O Ferries for each car with four adults. Thought the tunnel was better because it's quicker for the same money.
| Quote: |
| And will your diesels still do 40 mpg at 80 - 85 mph? Ours doesn't! And budget for chains, too. And possibly covered parking in Mottaret. And continental breakdown cover. It's marginal, in cost terms. |
Yes, will have to sort some chains. Will the big hypermarkets liek the ones at Albertville sell these? What are they, about €40? Breakdown cover is sorted anyway. Parking is one thing I'm asking all chalet/apartment operators. My Mondeo will easily do 45mpg sat at 80mph. The other car is a Volvo V70 diesel that shuld do at least 40mpg. It's more about the drive there, enjoying the journey and being able to take as much as we want food-wise, as well as the amount of kit we'd all like to take that airline baggage allowances don't accommodate for.
| Quote: |
| Depends what you enjoy doing, but with at least two drivers per car it's no problem. If you fly then unless you want the car in-resort a private taxi transfer might be better than hiring - taxis dig themselves out of snowdrifts and you can sit in a toasty car while the driver does the chains! |
There will actually be six people who have lisences, although I reckon it'll only be the four fellas who'll wnat to drive - the gals want to sit down and not have any worries (and responsibilities). Can't blame 'em!! 
We didn't mind flying before, as we hired cars when we flew to Grenoble. We just want to try something new. Who knows, we might thinks it's a rubbish way to holiday afterwards and go back to flying/renting at the airport. It's just having a car either way allows a bit of flexibility with regard to stocking up away from extortionate resort prices.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Specialman, dont go throught annecy!!!!! there is a new bypass around the northeast of lyon for the airport, then onto chambery. it looks longer but is MUCH quicker than annecy route. i have done the trip 20 times and Annecy route can get conjested around geneva
I would also sort chains out here before you go to limit hassle factor. If you dont get them beforehand virtually all the shops in Moutier have them though. The Super U on the outskirts of Moutier just before the run up to Meribel is a good shop that has everything and you can gas up/get groceries before you go up the hill.
where are you staying in mottaret? if Le chatelet parking is free and fairly easy to come by. You wont really need a car once in mottaret......
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
To be honest I would totally pass on the 3V.
Imho the sking is over rated, the slopes are over crowded, the terrain is an extream ammount of traverses and the resorts (especially VT) is full of people whos prio 1 is drinking snow sports are about prio 10. Meaning the atmosphere is more or less Ibiza.
Imho VT is propably the single resort that represents the bad sides of the alps the best. A ski trip to VT has nothing to do with natur at all. It might just as well be a theme park.
If you still wana go to the VT then I would recommend staying in Meribell as you get better access to the entire system from there. Its quite far to go from VT to Courchevell so you wount ski that part of the system if your staying in VT.
Tex
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
skimottaret, didn't really look ate every direction that RAC Routeplanner gave me but I'll take your advice ont hat as a seasoned pro - would hate to do 12 hours of driving, thinking I'm nearly there, only to end up in the French version of the M25!!!
TexMurphy, I'm looking at it as TTV region seems to be popular and I suppsoe I'll find out the bad points alongside the good bits – hopefully the good with far outweigh the bad though.
We are looking at Meribel, Mottaret, VT and even La Tania before we settle on accomodation, although most of us like the look of Mott - it's a case of working out everyone's finances and it's going to be based upon what the person with the least money to spend wants to do. We don't want to force him into staying somehwere dead expensive, only for him to be skint halfway through. It's only fair that way.
I'm not gonna llie and say I go for the nature – I go boarding ebcause I like bezzing down snowy hill, that's it. The drinking side of things is par for the course but it'll be done in moderation on some nights, to make sure we're fresh. That's how we've done it all the other times we've been and it'll remain that way. Each to his/her own I say. If people wnat to get wrecked and have a hangover and a long lie in the next morning, fair play to them – it means less peole on the slopes when we get up early.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Dont get me wrong I dont mean a nature experience as in go out hiking.
What I mean is if you in any way expect to find uncrowded runs, untracked lines after 10am and a layed back atmosphere then 3V region isnt the place to look. If these three things really arnt an issue then no worries.
Id still advice to stay in the Meribel valley as it is logistically better to stay in the center especially if your not looking for the bigger party scene in VT. Le Menuier (spelling?) is so hiddiously depresivly uggly that I wouldnt recommend you staying there, in fact I recommend you to close your eyes while passing through it when heading by bus up to VT if you decided to stay there. Get my point.
Tex
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| Quote: |
Thought the tunnel was better because it's quicker for the same money.
|
Yes, definitely. It's far quicker, and easier, just sit in your car. And no chance of being seasick. If you all focus on collecting Tesco clubcard points for the next few months you could probably go for nothing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Specialman, Les Menuires is awful, La Tania is nice but low down and if snow cover not good can be a pain to get up to high altitude skiing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Specialman, Les Menuires is ugly but is quieter and cheaper than most places in the 3v. The Reberty Villages area is very contrived but quite and really rather pleasant. LM also has access to some awesome skiing. My 2 fave spots are the LM and St Martin end of the 3v and the valley on the very far side; Courchevel 1650.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
LM is cheaper to stay but very limted to go out for meals and beers and just as expensive IMO.
As frosty say St martin is lovely but low down and off the beaten track..
whats wrong with Mottaret seems to tick all your boxes....
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
One of our group raised a point: My missus is a little uneasy on big chairlifts (she had a panic attack on the one from Champagny up to Grand Rochette in La Plagne once) so the least number of chairlifts from the resort up to a high starting point the better. That means Meribel-Mottaret would be a good choice looking at its location
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
La Tania is one stand up gondola up, from where you can ski down into Meribel, or down into Courchevel, and then take further bubbles up into the top parts of Courchevel.....
They also really look after the snow at La Tania, so it's been possible to ski down to La Tania on the last day of the season for the past couple of years, La Tania opened 16th December last season
A good review of last season from a 3V view here:
http://www.latania.co.uk/photos/2007/SNOW/EndOfSeasonReport.html
cheers,
Greg
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Thu 30-08-07 11:20; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
brian
brian
Guest
|
| kitenski wrote: |
| La Tania is one stand up gondola up, from where you can ski down into Meribel, or down into Courchevel, and then take further bubbles up into the top parts of Courchevel..... |
One gondola plus one hi-speed quad (Meribel or C1850) or plus one drag (C1850 slightly shorter).
LT is pretty much all ski in/out and reasonably attractive for a purpose built resort. You're also right in the tree skiing if the weather closes in.
The only big downside to the place is the limited number of bars/restaurants, particularly the former.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
>> One gondola plus one hi-speed quad (Meribel or C1850) or plus one drag (C1850 slightly shorter).
ah yes, forgot about that bit Brian 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
You don't have to take the drag when going from La Tania to C1850. You can take the chair and then ski back across the Col de Loze plateau - but it's very flat, and boarders in your party might hate you for it!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| rob@rar wrote: |
| ...it's very flat, and boarders in your party might hate you for it! |
Flat is good when you've run out of puff Should really give up the fags...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
