Villaret du Nial

A snowHead

Has anybody stayed there or lives there? Thinking about renting a place for the season in the village and was looking for some more information regarding:

Access - are the minor roads cleared in the village, would a 4x4 be needed lets say?
Bars - I have found a hotel on the main road but was wondering if there were any others?
Amenities - small shop, tebac etc

Personally I couldn't give a toss, I'm just there to ski really but the wife is asking all these questions. I was hoping to rent a place in the Chamonix valley, but her in doors put paid to that. Something about not having enough to do for 2 year old twin boys and the skiing being too hard core. rolling eyes

She has a point - so new search in Espace Killy.

Apologies to the female snowheads for my outwardly chauvinistic comments! Please don't lambast me with scathing replies. Embarassed

It's only 3kms from Val D so I was considering a MTB with studded snow tyres just to get me to the funicular or into town.

Any advice (sensible please)

Thanks in advance

A snowHead

I'd be amazed if a small village near Val DI has more to do for toddlers than a significant town like Chamonix. Even counting shopping for luxury brands. wink

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Looking at the satellite images on Google there are 16 buildings in Villaret du Nial, take a guess on how many of them are shops.

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Hahahahahaha I think see was looking at whats on offer in Val DI and Tignes. She doesn't want to be in a big town but I don't want to be too far away from the uplift either. Believe it or not the apartment/chalets are cheeper in Villaret than Cham.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

You'll need to Register first of course.

rjs, My apologies, you have been very helpful on a previous thread. Embarassed

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Hi, I have stayed in Villaret before...in answer to your questions:

a) the side road up into the village from the main road is not maintained during the winter. if you are staying at the top of the village you will need a 4x4 / winter tyres / chains. Otherwise, you can park at the bottom, just on the side of the main road and walk up a set of steps - there's about 100 of them though so not great when you get to the bottom in the morning and realise you left your ski pass in the apartment.....

b) bars/shops - there are none. the hotel on the side of the road is used as staff accommodation for the Blizzard hotel in Val d'Isere so it is not a functioning hotel.

c) access to resort - a bike would be fine to cycle along the main road, and for the most part the main road is maintained so you wouldn't necessarily need studded tyres. However, whether you go to Tignes or to Val d'Isere you have to go through tunnels. Not much fun on a bike, particularly with a pair of skis strapped to your back!

I think it's a nice place to stay for a quiet-ish week - great views over the lake, and a short drive to either Tignes or Val to ski. However, I wouldn't consider it for a season, even less so if I was armed with kids. If your wife thinks that there is nothing to do in Chamonix, then there is even less to do in Villaret. Getting into resort will quickly become a faff, even more so with toddlers I'd imagine.

If you don't want to be in a big town but do want easy access to uplift in the Espace Killy why not look at either Tignes les Brevieres or Le Fornet (top end of Val d'Isere). smaller town atmosphere but more to do within walking distance. Fornet has the advantage of a free bus service too, so less need for a car.

After all it is free

Buddy1664, I'm not enough of a "local" to the area to be offended, I have driven past the turning to the village a fair number of times but am just guessing on the size of the place.

rjs, Fair one, Cheers

El Contador, Thanks for all the advice. Just found quite a nice place in Villaret thats not a ridiculous price.......... but there's a reason for that it seems.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

There are zero facilities of any kind in le Villaret. The road up through it is steep and would be hazardous in winter even in a well-equipped vehicle. Travelling by foot or bicycle would be a VERY bad idea (dark tunnels, narrow roads, icy conditions). The tunnels are terrifying on a bike even in summer.

Chamonix would be a much, much better place for a season with kids. Le Villaret might be one of the worst places I can think of.

I live just down the road BTW.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

stevomcd, thanks. The place just looked ideal, but if you cant get up to it unless you're in a piste basher then it's not much good! Sad

Parking down on the main road seems madness.

Thanks again to all for the advice.

snow reports

You know it makes sense.

Buddy1664, winter in the Alps is great - but there must be a good reason why, in a region where many people are keen and skilled cyclists, and certainly not afraid of the cold, they don't ride their bikes much in the winter. Very few motorbikes about, either.

Just "jumping in the car" isn't so easy if it's under a foot of snow - and covered parking tends to add to the cost. By no means all alpine resorts have a creche you could leave kids in - but there are some good reports of some (I think there were very positive reports of a creche in Samoens). I don't think 90% of British holiday skiers leave their kids in a local creche, actually. I think many choose accommodation with bundled child care and the more budgetally-challenged look after them themselves, sharing child-care with friends and relations.

You might find that a valley town such as Sallanches, or Brides les Bains, or a resort which is also a proper place, such as St Gervais (I can only speak for French ones) will offer a better range of facilities within buggy-pushing distance and particularly a better range of options for long-term childcare (ie the sort of things which locals will be using). Streets in those towns will swiftly be rendered navigable after snowstorms.

When you are looking at rental options, find out what arrangements are made for digging you out. Some will have contracts for people to do that (though they won't necessarily have done it very early in the morning, if you want to go out then) and others will leave you to make your own arrangements, or dig it yourself. If you are up a mountain, as opposed to in a small place in town, there could be a fair bit of digging to do. The few people round my place who have DIY snow-clearing arrangements use a fraise a neige, which looks rather fun - though I expect the novelty could wear off.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

pam w, I ride both. Thats my point.... keen, skilled cyclists that ride a bike just for pleasure are sat on a turbo trainer in their front room all winter. Why should they go out when the roads are in that condition or it's really cold. The Flemish would be an exception to that though. I simply want to go from A-B and only 3kms. If it's not feasible because the tunnels are too dangerous or the road insufficiently maintained then I'll take heed but not because you don't see people doing it. Hence the OP - and a few SHs have given me a good reason or two.

There are only a few types motorcycle, with the appropriate studded tyres, that I would consider riding in the snow and ice. Plus the fact that you'd have to change the tyres when the conditions improved. The power of a motorcycle being laid down on just the rear wheel leave it prone to high siding on icy conditions. Add that to their added weight when cornering.... you'll be heading for the snow bank unless you're very skilled and have the right equipment.
MTBs aren't as much fun in the snow and ice but they can still be used if with the correct equipment. The only issues come with significant gradient change where can't get enough traction (ascending) or even the smallest of braking inputs cause you to slide (descending), even this can be controlled by using the back brake only.

I realise you don't just jump in the car if you've got a foot of fresh. I'm willing to take half hour to clear that, I'll even be signing when I do it. "Is the driveway/access road cleared by anybody?" is one of my first questions I ask. I could see how that may become tiresome over time.
Yes, Val does have a few creches and has childcare that will travel down the valley to VdN. There are no bundled child care accommodation for someone wanting to do a season, unfortunately. We will be doing 99% of the childcare ourselves and sharing with family.

Thanks for the recommendation of a real town not just resort. I think you're bang on. Chamonix ticks that box.

It's all a big compromise....... Smile

Thanks to all for their advice

Help!!

Villaret du Nial

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