 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Interesting to hear that it seems busier this year. Friends just returned at the weekend from La Rosiere had horror stories to tell about traffic, there and back.
We decided to give the whole Christmas/New Year period a rest this year, been for the last five years, and usually lost at least one day, sometimes two, to poor weather (cloud and/or falling snow or rain). Instead we let the apartment for three weeks straight which will possibly help it to pay for itself this season.
Our youngest is in his last year at school so we are already planning for next season - we hope to go out the week after New Year and enjoy empty slopes, also we will be free at last from the tyranny of the half term break.
This year, will be out for half term and also a half-week in late March. Also got my eye on a long weekend later this month if everything works out ...
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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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Hi everyone
I've got a trip to morzine booked for the end of January and the flight timing means we won't be arriving in morzine until after 10pm. Previously we've just gone to eboule for pizza when we've arrived late but I've heard that he's now closed... Can anyone confirm if this is true? Also if he's no longer operating is there somewhere else hungry late arrivals can go to get food?
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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Eleanor, no idea about Eboule sorry - I don't even know where it was/is/might be.
Most places should be open at 10pm. If you're late and need a quick bite then the very well named Burger Place on the corner just opposite the road up to the main Pleney lift does good burgers and Mama's (on the hill down to the town hall (Marie)) does a good variety of well priced meals.
The Sherpa (pub) also does chips / burgers.
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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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Eleanor, where is eboule ?
is it the little hut on the way out of town before the Sherpa ?
hope not, that was Fab for late pizza or chips.
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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 may have spelt it wrong... Eboule is a wooden hut from which you could buy very tasty pizza and chips. Only open in evenings the times I've been in Morzine (Jan and Feb) and has a large wooden swing at he front and a yurt that you could eat in apparently, we never did. Its on the main road on the montriond side of morzine and I think near sherpa as you say. Id heard he'd been offered silly money for the plot and a chalet would probably be being built. Hopefully we'll be early enough for sherpa or the burger place. Or Im wrong about him closing!
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Eleanor, the yurt has gone and there is, indeed, a brand spanky new chalet where it used to be. I know this because we set out to have a burger at the yurt the other night and it was...well...gone. (The one I'm thinking of is near Ed's supermarket / Super Morzine.)
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There is/was a take away hut selling pizzas and other hot snacks in central Morzine, just on the road on the way down to the Dixie Bar
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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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That one is still there Whitters. At the very top of the Rue du Bourg. Or it was earlier today...
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Avoriaz or Morzine for a stag weekend? I've never spent the evening in Avoriaz but have just got back from a few day's in Morzine. We know either won't be crazy. Thanks.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hi all, first time here.
I'm off to Morzine in a few weeks for a long weekend and was searching the forum trying to find some answers and came across this thread.
I'm wondering if we'll have time to hit the slopes the day we arrive? We're due to land at 9.25am local time, what's the general time to get your baggage and get to the resort? We're booking a private transfer so hopefully won't have to hang around for that. What time do the lifts stop running? This will have a bearing on how long we could possibly get on the mountain.
Do we need photos for the lift passes? Don't see it mentioned on the lift pass site but worth asking.
It will be my first trip for 6 years so the excitement is starting to build, will be watching this thread intently until the trip.
Thanks for any advice.
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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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Nunfa1, If you land at 9:25 you could reasonably expect to be in Morzine by 12 latest. You can order your passes online (don't need photos fro less than 8 day passes) and you can pick them up at the Internet Sales Desk at the Pleney lift or ask them to send them to you at home. Mine arrived really quickly but I've got mates who are still waiting after two or three weeks. Lifts close about 4:30, so you should definitely get something done. Depending on where you're staying you could go to a number of places.
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Nunfa1, Welcome!
If you are on time you can certainly get some skiing in. GVA is pretty efficient and you could be through by 10.00 if all goes to plan. If I am doing a pick up from GVA I reckon to get there 20 mins after arrival time and people are usually coming through then or soon after. Short transfer and lift passes as Andy advises. You can get a 5 hour pass in Chatel or for the PDS so I assume Morzine will be the same. Lift times change as the day gets longer and if a few weeks before you go they may have switched to the later closing times by then.
Enjoy!
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You know it makes sense.
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Thanks for the quick replies.
Are the passes cheaper online? We're probably only doing Morzine/Les Gets as we've only got 3 full days on the slopes. Also, I have noticed that its cheaper to buy a weekend pass and single day than to buy a 3 day pass.
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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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Nunfa1, i think they're the same price.
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Poster: A snowHead
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The local.passes vary by resort but in Chatel the weekend pass is a real bargain and you're well advised to buy that if you are there over a weekend and there is a similar Morzine offer. Maybe get a PDS pass for the extra day.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hi All
Does anyone know what the 'Swiss Wall' is like at the mo? Going on Sat and plan to give it a go if its open
ta, Gaz
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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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| Gaz_H wrote: |
Hi All
Does anyone know what the 'Swiss Wall' is like at the mo? Going on Sat and plan to give it a go if its open
ta, Gaz |
Big icy moguls the size of VW Beetles I should imagine.
Didn't ski Avoriaz but just got back from the area.
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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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Gaz_H, we went over it on the chair last Monday, it was windblown and scraped/icy. Not sure if there's been much fresh snow in the past week?
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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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Are there any particularly good boot fitters in LG? I've had a child and lost a lot of weight since my boots were heat molded and they weren't feeling nearly tight enough at the end of last season so I want to get them fixed up. Also need to hire boots/skis for a child and get our gear serviced so if there is anywhere particularly good/awful could you let me know?
Thanks in advance!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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MeMyselfandI, people speak highly of Berthet Sport, our daughter bought boots in Delevay a couple of years ago and was very pleased with the fitting there.
Son in law has just bought new skis in Berthet and had our daughter's skis serviced there - it was about 40 euros but he thought they were very well done.
And there is someone called Pierre at Vermont Sports who is meant to be good at boot fitting.
I am afraid that having been to Bicester to CEM I now lug mine back if they need tweaking.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Mon 7-01-13 21:56; edited 1 time in total
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| shep wrote: |
| Most times the adjacent couloirs are a much better ski. |
Nothing to see here.
Move along.
Move along.
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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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FlyingStantoni,
What's that? 
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MeMyselfandI, I can highly recommend Jamie at All Mountain Rental in Morzine. The shop / coffee bar (Beanies) is on Rue de Bourg just along a bit from the big Intersport. You can get a Cornish pastie whilst you wait too!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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MeMyselfandI, Sarah at Trust and Dust http://www.trustanddust.com/welcome-packs/ will do personalised shopping for you for a fee.
As far as I know you cannot simply buy a PAYG SIM card in France like you can in the UK. We tried it a couple of years ago and had to go to the Orange shop in Thonon armed with passports, proof of address, etc. Measures against use for illegal purposes - welcome to French beaurocrasy! When we got them the credit expired after a few months and the SIM cards were deregistered after six months of non-use. 
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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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MontriondSkier, lefrenchmobile.com. UK operators have to unlock your phone (they might charge you a fiver) and then you can buy one from there.
They post to your house i the UK too.
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Thanks so much Pamski, MontriondSkier and andy from embsay.
I'm driving from our home near Zurich so may just stop off at the Orange shop in Thonon. The two small things will be going MENTAL by then though and the thought of trying to control them after they've been strapped down and fed a diet of sweets & DVD's for so long is *almost* worth being without internet for 3 weeks.....
I appreciate all the rec's so much, have decided to get the skis serviced here and will probably hire the child's stuff as well but still interested in any further recommendations for a top class boot fitter 
(Pamski, thanks again, I feel a bit guilty for almost using you as a travel agent!)
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You know it makes sense.
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MeMyselfandI, don't worry - pleased to help. Wish I had known all these helpful people when we bought our bit of land and built 13 years ago! Lots has changed since then but we still love it. Kids have grown up, married,children and we had a houseful of all their friends earlier today.
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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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@flyingstantoni Thanks for the confirmation though I'm not happy about it... They sure do build fast in Morzine! Would the place you mention on the rue de bourg be open into the evenings?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Eleanor, yep - it does takeaway and don't forget Mammas on Rue du Bourg too.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Nadenoodlee. Thanks. Looks like we won't starve then!
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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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I keep checking the web cams now, less than 4 weeks to go, and the upper slopes on Pleney never seems to have anyone on. Is it closed up there or does it just not get very busy?
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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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Hi MrsCnP, I'm a little out of touch with all the various shops, but it sounds like Taberlet Sports may be what you've seen? They are just around the corner from ESF, don't know anything about them. Star Ski are a few doors further down and were highly recommended to me recently. There are loads of hire shops within 100m of ESF, no doubt someone else will be along shortly who knows which ones do on-line reservations. Have a great holiday!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Hi all. I'm off to PdS on 26 January for a week and have registered to seek answers to a few questions!
We're staying in Ardent. I'm a virtual beginner (3 days in Meribel two years ago - I could ski greens well and did a blue badly by the end). My wife has never put on skis before.
The tour company suggested we do a course with ESF but I think my wife will respond better to private lessons and besides she doesn't want to commit to skiing all six mornings. I was thinking we'd do two hours on each of days 1, 2 and 4 - does that sound sensible?
Which ski schools are good for people based in Ardent? It appears that only ESF are definitely based in Les Lindarets, although some of the other schools' websites suggest that they might accommodate starting from there. Alternatively, there are schools that do lessons from Avoriaz. Do you think the extra hassle of travelling between Ardent and Avoriaz is justified to get lessons from a school like AASS or TSI? Alternatively, BASS say "A limited range of higher level courses and private lessons will be available in Avoriaz starting from Ardent." I get the impression that apart from the single green there's little or nothing for beginners at Les Lindarets and that's why BASS and the other schools do the beginner stuff in Avoriaz. Does that mean lessons with ESF will involve travelling up to Avoriaz on paid instructor time/moving to the harder end of blue more quickly?
I also have a couple of questions about what we might do outside the lessons. How hard are the blue pistes in the Lindarets valley - e.g. what are our chances of skiing from Avoriaz or Mossette back to our chalet by the end of the week? I've heard that the runs down to Lindarets and the run down to Ardent itself are not that easy within the blue grading. If that's correct, is it possible to go up to Mossette and see the view and then get the chair back down? Can you get a chair down from Avoriaz to Les Lindarets? Where else would you suggest we practice - e.g. worth getting the bus to try the runs around Chavannes?
Finally, I've read loads of good stuff about Mt Chery - the view and the food as well as the skiing. If we go there, will we be limited to the restaurant at the top of the gondola or is it possible for crap skiers to make it to the top, eat at La Grande Ourse and get back again (either by ski or lift)? How hard is the blue up there?
Thanks - appreciate there are tons of questions here.
Nick
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Welcome to  s tripowski.
ESF at Les Linderats have a particularly good reputation and work very closely with the tour operators based at Ardent and, if I were recommending to a friend then I'd say to go with ESF and do lessons every morning. IMHO it's better to commit to skiing every morning and then having every afternoon off than to do a longer day a few days and take a day off. I also have a strong belief that it's better to learn in a group as a two hour private is actually very, very intense for a complete beginner.
If you do want to go the private route then Mike Hammond (http://www.skiskills.co.uk) bases himself out of Ardent / Les Linderats.
Avoriaz Alpine Ski School are very good, but it will be a significant hassle to drive over to Avoriaz for lessons as you're looking at a 30-40 minute drive each way. It's actually not a difficult ski over to where AASS are based (up the bubble; up the Linderats lift and then a 400m ski on a blue(ish) green). But the ski back is much more challenging for beginners as it's down a blue that has some steeper pitches that can get icy and busy. (Overall it's a lovely run, but easy to freak out a beginner on it and not something I'd recommend.) You can't get a chair down.
TSI don't have a permanent presence in Avoriaz, although they will come to Ardent to teach. As will BASS and Alpine Learning Curves. The downside is that you may end up paying for a 3 hour lesson as they may need to charge travel time.
The terrain around Les Linderats isn't actually the most beginner friendly - so there's quite a step up from the green to skiing down the easiest blue. It's a bigger step than in Avoriaz, Morzine or Les Gets. The run back down to Ardent is a step up again from the blues in the main Linderats bowl and gets very busy towards the end of the day. There is, however, plenty of terrain and as soon as you can ski down one of the Linderats blues then it'll open up some of the terrain on the Avoriaz side.
Mt Chery is lovely, but isn't particularly beginner friendly IMHO. There are blues, but they have steeper sections. Something for when you are both confident on blues. Concentrate on getting better before you focus on "expeditions".
Chavannes has the best beginner terrain in the area. But I'm not sure why you'd want to get in a car; drive over to Les Gets and spend extra money on the pass needed to ski there when you have skiing on your front door step...
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OK thanks. So you think it would be OK for an ESF group to learn in Les Lindarets? Slightly concerned at up to 10 people being taken down a harder blue by one instructor potentially on lesson 2.
We won't have a car so lessons in Avoriaz would mean skiing down. When I was in Meribel I had to get down a blue on the first day (my non-beginner friends went for lunch on a blue - at le Couer de Cristal) and it wasn't something I'd want to repeat so I think that option's ruled out.
As you can appreciate, I want to make sure that my wife gets hooked rather than fed up, hence the importance of getting the right lessons. Took me until the third day of skiing to realise how awesome it could be but I fear she won't give it more than 1-2 sessions if those sessions aren't themselves enjoyable.
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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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tripowski, I was hoping that FlyingStantoni, would be along to answer your queries. He says all the right things that I don't know how to express so his advice is absolutely spot on.
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I've had lessons with ESF in Lindarets and I'm organising a group (we're staying in Montriond in Feb) where I'll be sending two beginners to ESF lessons.
I've found them very friendly and good. Previously two of my group who were complete beginners learned with ESF, one got on great and was skiing down into Ardent (slowly and with a few hiccups) by the middle of the week. The other (who is really not a natural sportsperson) didn't get on great, but that was her fault as she couldn't take to it at all. Because they were an English-speaking group, they paid for group lessons but really there were only 3 of them (though it was January) so they got great attention.
I read someone else on here say that they'll go anywhere following a ski instructor, and I'm exactly the same - we worry too much about the colour of the run, and should trust the instructor to bring us down the right terrain for our level.
I intend having a few group lessons with ESF Les Lindarets myself in Feb to help me push on a bit. I think they're def the best value for money.
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FAQ
so just a couple more days for us.
