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Portes du Soleil - which village would you stay in?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Ok understood. Thanks all for helping. Now I just need to find a decent apartment/room and get some more info from the ski schools...
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
You could try contacting Pamski... I think she has a place in Les Gets... or certainly might be able to help you out mate... Smile
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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?
jackmate, now replied to your PM
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Smile thanks!
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There are 650km of piste in PDS, there are MORE than enough blues to get you round the entire area JUST on Blues great for beginners wherever you stay... It's what I did when I first started! Like I said before, I love Chatel and been many many many many times. I think it's a real shame that soooo many people think the PDS is made up of just Avoriaz Morzine and Lets Gets Shocked Puzzled
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marmotte16, I seriously need that troll smiley, where are you and where is it??
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dennisp wrote:
marmotte16, I seriously need that troll smiley, where are you and where is it??


yeah yeah....
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Quote:

I plan to take about 4 or 5 days morning classes with my kid

Normally it's best to have separate lessons as children learn differently from adults - and often far quicker! You're going at a quiet time, which will make life easier, but you'd be best advised to talk to the ski schools about your needs - many probably won't be thinking much about next January's bookings until mid-autumn at the earliest, though.

Usually, if you wanted a lesson together, you'd need a private lesson - needn't be too expensive. I suspect Les Gets would be a bit more expensive but 5 x 2 hour private lessons for two people in my resort (Les Saisies) in low season last season would have cost €290 - €15 an hour each (and would be even better value for 3 people, same price).

Les Saisies would be ideal for your ski needs, and for private lessons, but not for ease of access - you need to drive, really and there are no British tour operators. (snowHead snowHead snowHead) It's not possible to get to Les Saisies by bus and taxis cost too much for 2 people (practicable for a bigger group). You could get an apartment for less than €450 though. For €450 you could rent a nice 2 bedroom piste side apartment or a one-bedroom place right in the middle of the station, near all facilities.
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Insiders wrote:
There are 650km of piste in PDS, there are MORE than enough blues to get you round the entire area JUST on Blues great for beginners wherever you stay... It's what I did when I first started! Like I said before, I love Chatel and been many many many many times. I think it's a real shame that soooo many people think the PDS is made up of just Avoriaz Morzine and Lets Gets Shocked Puzzled


I am not convinced everyone thinks the PDS is just Morzine and Les Gets...

Chatel, IMO, has a slightly longer transfer, probably not enough to worry about. I don't think the immediately accessible skiing is quite as good although there's a lovely super steep black in Torgon.

The new link between Chatel itself and Linga will open up some awesome terrain, which may or may not be a good thing.

It's always nice to have a ball shrinking cornice to keep the tourists out of the best powder...
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pam, I'm pretty hooked up with Morzine/Les Gets area. It is very convenient to travel from Geneva without a car (1:15-1:30) and seems to have great beginners to intermediate ski slopes.
Bass Les-Gets just contacted me and will offer me soon some private lessons package, so will see.
I already contacted other schools and asked for a solution. Lets see how it goes. I already got some accommodation list/prices from Les-Gets tourism office and can found some 350-450 Euro range at the middle of village, close by to ski-lift and shops. So looks ok.

It was really helpful to use this forum to get new ideas (changed my mind from Morzine/Avoriaz to Les-Gets 19-26/01/2014).

I guess I will checkout Chatel for next time.

Thanks!
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Just got an email from Les-Gets tourist office saying all apartments are Saturday-Saturday basis and can't offer any Sun-Sun basis at the moment.
Well another new email say they will check with the owners and maybe someone will compromise.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
under a new name wrote:
Insiders wrote:
There are 650km of piste in PDS, there are MORE than enough blues to get you round the entire area JUST on Blues great for beginners wherever you stay... It's what I did when I first started! Like I said before, I love Chatel and been many many many many times. I think it's a real shame that soooo many people think the PDS is made up of just Avoriaz Morzine and Lets Gets Shocked Puzzled


I am not convinced everyone thinks the PDS is just Morzine and Les Gets...

Chatel, IMO, has a slightly longer transfer, probably not enough to worry about. I don't think the immediately accessible skiing is quite as good although there's a lovely super steep black in Torgon.

The new link between Chatel itself and Linga will open up some awesome terrain, which may or may not be a good thing.

It's always nice to have a ball shrinking cornice to keep the tourists out of the best powder...


I didn't say 'everyone' I said 'soooo many' ! and the transfer is like 10 mins longer... oooooo....

And the skiing is well easy to access, if anything easier than morzine, just like anywhere, unless you're ski in ski out you've gotta get to the lift, no problem if your staying somewhere where they offer drop downs - after all Once you're out skiing, you're out skiing it doesn't make any difference!!!

Yes the new link will be very good, but getting from Chatel to Linga/Pre la joux is totally easy, if you even need to do it... I mean you're on skis! ski round... that's what you're there for!

complicated linkages are more annoying... like Lets Gets to anywhere!
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We don't find access from Les Gets at all annoying, so horses for courses. But we do take the car to Ardent if we are skiing Avoriaz, Chatel etc although we sometimes ski over to Morzine and onwards. We always have cars with us so I suppose it is different if you don't.
It also doesn't bother me doing a spot of walking - we stayed in Champoluc in March this year and we had a walk from our hotel to the lift and that was quite enjoyable. The walk I don't enjoy is from where the bus stops near the church in Chatel and then there are steps to go up - usually get a bit grumpy there - but that is just me. Younger, fitter people just get on with it.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
le petit train across Morzine is no more complicated than the bus between Super Chatel and Chatel Linga. In fact I'd even say it's less complicated. 5 minute clomp if you miss one. Same in Les Gets between Chavannes and Mont Chery - in fact even then, a lot of the time you can skate right across town on the white path. Nasty steep hill up from the bus stop in Chatel to the lift station - take care if it's icy.

Not entirely sure how going up Super Morzine, Pleney, Chavannes or Mont Chery lifts can be any more difficult to access a ski slope than going up Super Chatel or Linga. Even in Avoriaz, Les Crosets, Champoussin etc. with virtually ski in/ski out, you'll need to go up a lift before you can properly ski anywhere.

I've often skied from Chavannes over to Morgins or Linga and back. Best scenery on the Swiss side, and best skiing in the Plaine Dranse - Linga area.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
jackmate, try Boomerang Hotel. It's a while since I have stayed there but as far as I know they still have a chalet accommodation as well as the hotel. Reasonably priced basic but clean & comfortable. Hotel has a great atmosphere/good food in the evenings. For that time of the year I think it would be worth giving them a call and negotiating for an early booking. Used to get some cracking deals for weekends with friends and they were very flexible on days of week etc.

andy, the white road hasn't been there last two seasons but it's only a 10 min walk across from bottom of Chavannes side to MC gondola.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Insiders, "getting from Chatel to Linga/Pre la joux is totally easy, if you even need to do it... I mean you're on skis! ski round... that's what you're there for! "

What are you talking about? Have you ever even visited Chatel?

You can't ski from Chatel to Linga or Pre la Joux.

Puzzled
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Maybe insiders meant skiing round, i.e. via morgins, champery, mossettes, lindarets etc.

Of course, you can't ski chatel to Linga directly, but oddly, you can ski back.
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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?
I've had great lessons with 360 in LG and have heard good things with them for kids as well.

The last three times we've been to LG we've stayed at an apartment in the old village called Les Fenerets. The decor is basic but the location is perfect for us and it's cheap for the size. The owners tend not to rent it out until after the second weekend of January.

You may be able to get a cheap place direct from the owner here - http://www.leboncoin.fr/locations_de_vacances/offres/rhone_alpes/haute_savoie/?f=a&th=1&location=Les%20Gets%2074260
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Quote:

Bass Les-Gets just contacted me and will offer me soon some private lessons package, so will see.

They are excellent but very pricey even for group lessons, let alone private ones! Hope you can get something sensible worked out. We had some very good family holidays in Les Gets - in catered chalets, and one short stay with my sister in a small apartment booked for 4 days at the very last minute - you are unlikely to be able to book anything but weekend/weekend till very close to the time. And many places won't even have their 2013/14 bookings in full swing yet.
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snoozeboy, linga to Chatel, an interesting excursion thru' Morgins?
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under a new name wrote:
snoozeboy, linga to Chatel, an interesting excursion thru' Morgins?


"Do not pass GO, do not collect 200CHs" wink
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I am now thinking of the PDS in terms of a Monopoly board. Quite good fun as it happens Toofy Grin
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
under a new name wrote:
"

What are you talking about? Have you ever even visited Chatel?



Puzzled


bwahahaha. owned.

under a new name, I would think so, as he is on the Chatel tourism board I believe.


I do think that was a cross communication to be fair though. I still think the best entry into the PDS is Ardent. If you could get accomodation at the goat village that would be ideal! snowHead
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dennisp, ha, ha I think I see what you mean. Somewhat lost in translation, non?

I do find insiders quite funny, to paraphrase earlier conversation (from memory, thus forgive any inaccuracies or misrepresentations),

q. "Hi, I'm thinking of staying in Morzine, etc."

a. "No, don't do that, Chatel is much nicer, etc"

and now,

Me, "the new link will be great"

Chatel Tourist Board, "well it will be nice, but you don't really need it as there's a perfectly good bus, but why would you want to bother anyway? ski elsewhere!"

Justifying the immense investment nicely I am sure.

Sorry folks, best get back on topic...

Twisted Evil
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under a new name wrote:
Insiders, "getting from Chatel to Linga/Pre la joux is totally easy, if you even need to do it... I mean you're on skis! ski round... that's what you're there for! "

What are you talking about? Have you ever even visited Chatel?

You can't ski from Chatel to Linga or Pre la Joux.

Puzzled


Yessss..... And I did mean through the Swiss side... Have you ever been round that way, clearly not!
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under a new name wrote:
snoozeboy, linga to Chatel, an interesting excursion thru' Morgins?


No, there's a track to the right as you get towards the bottom of Linga. It's signposted on the piste but I don't think it's on the maps. The track is fairly flat and needs a bit of a skate, then a walk depending on the snow cover. It eventually turns into a road that brings you to lac de vonnes by l'Abbreuvoir, then about 10 mins walk down to chatel (or get a bus but that defeats the object a little).

Ok, so it's about 20 mins walk in total, but the walk is flat or downhill and it's a great way of avoiding the crowds when returning from Linga or pre la joux during peak season.
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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.
dennisp wrote:
under a new name wrote:
"

What are you talking about? Have you ever even visited Chatel?



Puzzled


bwahahaha. owned.

under a new name, I would think so, as he is on the Chatel tourism board I believe.


I do think that was a cross communication to be fair though. I still think the best entry into the PDS is Ardent. If you could get accomodation at the goat village that would be ideal! snowHead


Nah... just someone who loves going to Chatel... Wait... that is allowed isn't it, or do we all need to be a Morzine-ite
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
under a new name wrote:
dennisp, ha, ha I think I see what you mean. Somewhat lost in translation, non?

I do find insiders quite funny, to paraphrase earlier conversation (from memory, thus forgive any inaccuracies or misrepresentations),

q. "Hi, I'm thinking of staying in Morzine, etc."

a. "No, don't do that, Chatel is much nicer, etc"

and now,

Me, "the new link will be great"

Chatel Tourist Board, "well it will be nice, but you don't really need it as there's a perfectly good bus, but why would you want to bother anyway? ski elsewhere!"

Justifying the immense investment nicely I am sure.

Sorry folks, best get back on topic...

Twisted Evil


Topic = Portes du Soleil - which village would you stay in?

my answer (if i'm allowed an opinion) = Chatel

Topic answered nicely
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
dennisp wrote:
I still think the best entry into the PDS is Ardent. If you could get accomodation at the goat village that would be ideal! snowHead


I think l'Abricotine above the goat village does mountain refuge type accommodation, i.e. bunk beds in a dorm, but would be great for one night.

The best entry to the PDS, in my view depends on the time of the season. Whilst Ardent takes you straight into the middle of it at Lindarets, it's also the busiest crossroads during peak season. Whilst I'll admit to bias, I second Insiders point of view that Chatel is also a great entry point and arguably gives better options during peak season. From Chatel there are three options - Linga/Pre la Joux, Morgins/Champery or Torgon/La Chappelle. The latter gives great views and very quiet pistes during peak season. In fact each sector has its own merits and the three areas complement each other with very different skiing.

Also, similar to Insiders, I have mixed feelings about the new link from Chatel to Linga. Whilst it'll be good for business it'll also bring a lot more traffic through Chatel and to the relatively uncrowded pistes of Super Chatel/Torgon. If you stay in Chatel, you don't have that much of a problem with the broken link as, like most places that aren't purpose built, you have to walk or take a bus to get skiing anyway.

As for the Chatel/Morzine rivalry, there's little point in comparing as villagewise, they're completely different. If you love Morzine, you probably won't like Chatel and vice versa. Their only similarity is that they're both natural villages and neither is ski-in-out.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Anyone know exactly where that link will start/end?

What will increase the traffic is when/if they signpost a full PdS loop as an official itinerary. I think at the moment it's just a "follow the white rabbit", which takes you on all main pistes in the Avoriaz to Linga sector (and a similar one on Morzine/Les Gets side). I doubt anyone actually consciously follows that.

Can't see them doing that until the key link lifts on the Swiss side are all fast detachables.
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Quote:

I have mixed feelings about the new link from Chatel to Linga


Me too. I believe it will open up potentially large areas of not so easy to access, not necessarily well known, often unskied terrain. Which is a bit of a double edged sword...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Surely this is the benefit of the large area that PDS is. There are fans of the various different places, and a good job too - we happen to like Les Gets and stay there for most of the winter, happily skiing around LG and Morzine a lot of the time, particularly if we have friends staying - but then we always enjoy a trip over to Switzerland or skiing round Chatel. The pass for PDS keeps all options open. I think we all tend to like where we have ended up - sometimes by chance. We bought a bit of land and bought after only a long weekend trip to Morzine 14 years ago. Luckily we liked it more and more - and still do - and friends like coming to stay and now we have the joy of watching grandchildren ski there too.
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snoozeboy, New links are a difficult one, and most opinions seem to fall on one side or the other, but rarely see both sides of the coin... (I guess because most that bother to form an opinion have some kind of vested interest in the area and are rarely outsiders looking in)...

So, as an outsider looking in, whilst folk who visit Chatel and beyond abs love the quite slopes and amazing scenery (myself included), maybe the 'quietness' is slowly killing the Swiss side financially??? We all love quiet, empty slopes, yet expect the resorts to continually bash the slopes to perfection and remain open with plentiful bars and restaurants etc... Smile

At the end of the day, I am guessing these villages rely on their 'ski station' status for a lot of their annual income... I appreciate that they must all share a percentage of PDS passes bought, however, entry from these villages must be limited, so surely the link, making it easier for folk on the far side of the PDS to access the Swiss side, can only benefit the area as a whole... from an economic point of view...??? And, I guess it will massively reduce the queuing at PLJ and Linga...

I have not even seen a plan for the new terrain so no idea if it is just a run , or lifts etc...

Chatel is a beautiful village and IMO, Morzine doesn't compare, however, these places have a finite amount of time to earn income... and I guess that is one possible reason why the link from Linga is going in... To help the smaller Swiss stations...

My personal opinion, as an outsider, is that I would be more inclined to re-visit Chatel, if it was easier to get form Linga, PLJ form Chatel centre Smile
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AlpineAddict wrote:
snoozeboy,

At the end of the day, I am guessing these villages rely on their 'ski station' status for a lot of their annual income... I appreciate that they must all share a percentage of PDS passes bought, however, entry from these villages must be limited, so surely the link, making it easier for folk on the far side of the PDS to access the Swiss side, can only benefit the area as a whole... from an economic point of view...??? And, I guess it will massively reduce the queuing at PLJ and Linga...



Indeed, a true 'loop' as Pam says of unbroken skiing and lifts can only be a good thing - there is one on the piste map of course but that involves buses and I guess the aforementioned climb up the steps at Chatel. (I havent done this though).

Yes, slopes will get busier in some places, but this will relieve the pressure on other areas and improve the PDS as a whole.

pamski wrote:
We bought a bit of land and bought after only a long weekend trip to Morzine 14 years ago. Luckily we liked it more and more
We did the same this year after 5 days in the PDS for the first time. Hopefully it will also continue to grow on us! - not in Morzine though Wink
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Quote:

maybe the 'quietness' is slowly killing the Swiss side financially???

certainly looked that way in summer. OK Les Crosets bike park was kind of busy, but apart from that, the place seemed deserted. Stopped off for lunch a couple of times, and there were maybe 2 other people in there at the same time. In fact we were even surprised some places were even open.
And imho, much of the best skiing and mountainbiking (XC - I don't wear DH pyjamas and storm-trooper kit) and walking and most of the scenic views are on that side.
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I think I see both sides as I have two, conflicting vested interests. Hence the mixed feelings.

I don't get the impression that the swiss side is in trouble financially. I've lived in Switz for 8 years and whilst I love it here, the fact that the lifts are less modern on the Swiss side of the PdS is consistent with the general dichotomy of the place. They have one of the most modern, efficient public transport systems in the world, but other parts of the place are like travelling back in time, e.g. the 1000s of crappy old restaurants with net curtains over the windows - never seem to be busy, never make an effort to refurbish, yet never go bust. Near my house, there's a hotel with a permanent sign outside, "Ce Soir - Raclette", which I interpret to mean, "this evening (every evening), we can't be ar$ed to cook".

Nonetheless, apart from a short-lived blip in 2009, the Swiss economy has continued to grow throughout the recession.

If, unknown to me, the swiss side is under threat financially, the slow lift issue is the lemon-next-to-the-pie of the swisser's making, i.e. last year's legislation initiated by Helvetia Nostra, to limit the construction of holiday homes. However, it was reported that the legislation was supported mostly by those whom it didn't affect, those in the cities, yet opposed by those in rural areas.

Swiss rant over.

I was told that the lift owners derive a percentage of the PdS revenue from the amount of traffic that clicks through, but this could have been a wives' tale. Whilst it would make sense that a Chatel link would benefit the lift owners on the swiss side, I strongly doubt that they would have contributed to the investment. I just can't see it working like that, though I would welcome being corrected. I think it's more likely that the new link would be funded by traffic through Chatel.

I've heard that the lift will run from Lac de Vonnes to a run that will go down to Linga. It's probably a two way lift over the same track that I described as skating along earlier.

Apologies for the thread drift.


Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Fri 14-06-13 9:07; edited 1 time in total
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dennisp wrote:

Yes, slopes will get busier in some places, but this will relieve the pressure on other areas and improve the PDS as a whole.



Exactly, it'll relieve the pressure on your side by reducing the quiet on mine! wink
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dennisp, we only stayed in Morzine, bought in Les Gets.

New lifts are not always an improvement - the big new six man up the Chamossiere has just ended up with taking lots of people up there are too quickly quite a few of whom cannot cope once they are there. In the 'old days' with the slow 3 man lift and the bit of a plod to get there if you hadn't got enough speed up, or the very steep drag lift, then that sorted people out, slowed the access and made the whole thing more enjoyable, not less.

I don't mind the drag lifts either, I find they make a bit of a change, and you can tootle up on your own, put the world to rights, sort out the cooking for the next few days, and just hop off at the top.
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Well finally I got a confirmation on accommodation in Les-Gets.
I found an apartment in the center near the lifts (main lifts) for 420Euro on Sunday-Sunday. Thanks goes to Les-Gets tourist office.
I booked flight tickets to Geneva using Easyjet (from Tel-aviv).
They also told me that booking ski-pass with them, will cost me 20% less or about 125 Euro for 6 days (for morzine-lesgets area).
I still need to find a private ski lessons for my kid and me. Any ideas for reasonable price? (on the week of 19-26/01/2014)

Thanks
Zvika.
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jackmate, good news. For private lessons try 360 as I mentioned above. LGS also very good but expensive.


Pamski, I agree new Chamossiere chair has not been an improvement in that sector.
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