 Poster: A snowHead
|
We are a group of three friends going skiing for the first time in March 2014. One of our friends has a place in Les Contamines and has generously allowed us to stay there for 14 days. We can’t wait to get out there.
During our stay we intend to spend our days learning how to ski and our evenings enjoying the après ski.
Having done some research on Les Contamines there appears to be a distinct lack of après ski there. The primary purpose of the visit is to learn how to ski but we want to get involved in the après ski too.
From my research it appears that Chamonix has a livelier après ski, but it looks quite far away from Les Contamines.
Has anyone been to Les Contamines that has experienced the après ski there?
Is there anywhere close by that does have good après ski, or is Chamonix the only option?
We should have access to a car but none us want to be driving around at night. Is there a transport link to Chamonix or anywhere else close by that has a livelier après ski?
Does anyone have any advice or information that can help us?
Any responses will be greatly appreciated.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Cham is an hour away. Not many km's, but slow roads. Les C isn't bad unless you want to go clubbing/pick up girls/pick up boys every night. We had mighty craic there in March. If your idea of a good night out is getting fitshaced and laid, you should concentrate on the skiing. If your idea of a good night out is getting fitshached and have a good laugh with the locals, the Apres should be perfect. I don't remember any of the drunks I met in VT. I remember all the the ones I met in Les C. When you are there, there is a pub/restaurant about half a mile down the road from the the bottom of the main lift. The service is shockingly bad, the food is excellent and the owner will feed you free liqueurs until you forget how bad the service is. I will try and find the name for you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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 have only been to these areas in summer but even in summer you can see that there would be very little apres ski in Les Contamines. It is a quiet village. St Gervais 10 mins down the road has bars, cafes etc and I expect Megeve (10 mins further on) would have more apres ski. You'd really need a car to get to these places. Taxi might be an option to get to Saint Gervais.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
The Apres in LC isn't massive but does exist, start at the bars at the bottom of the lift stations and then when they're about to close catch the last ski buses back to centre and the bars on the main road.
Most of these shut at about 21:00(ish) but there's one (I've forgotten its name) which does stay open until 01:00 or 02:00.
As snowymum, says, further afield there's St Gervais and Megeve or the Casino in La Fayet plus cham.
(Cham is only half an hour........... having lived in Les Contamines it was a regular trip!)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| Quote: |
Cham is only half an hour........... having lived in Les Contamines it was a regular trip
|
It's because of locals like marcellus driving that road in 30 minutes that it takes the rest of us nearer an hour. 
I'd say that if a rip roaring apres ski scene is your priority, go somewhere else and rent a cheap apartment. Well, cheap if it's the second half of March - the first half is French school holidays.
Les Contamines is a super little ski area, though and much more suitable for beginners than Chamonix.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Les contamines apres revolves round the bars The bar du tele at the bottom of the gondola is where most of the lift people go after work it is normally open untill 7-7.30 has a large screen tv music and wi fi periodically once a week or two there are live bands that play usually starting about 10 pm and going through to 1.30 am.Ty Brze in the the village is open most nights untill after midnight and also have bands on occasions usually alternating with the bar du tele. there are several bars that stay open untill2am The tetras and the Saxo( recent new landlords).There are several good resturants one of which is the L'air du temp try the flambe apple tart and enjoy the free drinks after the meal the owner is quite a character Going to cham for a night out is quite an under taking i would say it was 45 mins drive each way that means one person would not be able to drink. Megeve and st gervais are much closer but I have no experence of the night life there
P.S Dont forget there is happy hour at the end of sking in les conta up at etape and bar du tele.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Over 14 days you'll want at least a day off or a change in scenery - go up to Chamonix for a day - hit Chambre Neuf early doors, get drunk, sweaty and laid*
* this tactic may not work if you don't like 80s hair metal or are male.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
Over 14 days you'll want at least a day off or a change in scenery
|
I agree, it's quite a small area for 14 days. OK for beginners, and OK for experts who could make use of the off-piste and touring possibilities. But not for piste-bashing intermediates.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Thanks for all the help everyone.
The free liqueurs sound good Thornyhill, I’ll make sure I compliment him on the service. Brock thanks for details, the après ski for a week sounds good, but from what everyone is saying by the second week we may be getting a bit bored of it. Although he skiing in LC sounds just up our street, so if we could stay there it would be great.
As Snowymum and Marcellus have suggested Saint Gervais or Megeve sound interesting for après ski, does anyone know what it’s like there? I suppose there is no chance that there is any public transport between LC and Saint Gervais or Megeve, anyone know any different?
Interesting idea by Pam_W & Fatbob, we could go somewhere else for the second week, as in the first week we are determined to learn how to ski and LC sounds ideal for that. Where would you suggest we go that is close by and reasonable, where we could also carry on learning how to ski?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
kodster, what dates are you looking at? The first two weeks are French hols and accommodation will be expensive - cheaper by the second half of the month. But apart from Chamonix none of the resorts round there are exactly banging. I have been to both St Gervais and Megeve quite a few times but not spent evenings there; I suspect the apres-ski would be a bit sedate for you (this is assuming you are young).
| Quote: |
I suppose there is no chance that there is any public transport between LC and Saint Gervais or Megeve, anyone know any different?
|
I suspect you are right! I think you can forget it. You might be surprised how tired you get if you are busy learning to ski all day - you could be ready for bed by 11 pm.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| brock wrote: |
| ....There are several good resturants one of which is the L'air du temp try the flambe apple tart and enjoy the free drinks after the meal the owner is quite a character...... |
That is the one I was talking about. It is a must visit 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Pam_w we arrive on the 1st March and have the place in LC until the 15th, so it sounds like it is at the most expensive time.
We are not exactly young, but all three of us have not been away together for ages and we'd like to make the best of it. We are planning to do half day lessons so we actually learn skiing, rather than being tired all of the time. Plus we'll also have energy for later on.
| Quote: |
You might be surprised how tired you get if you are busy learning to ski all day - you could be ready for bed by 11 pm.
|
But I doubt we are going to have the energy for public transport. What to do? 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
But I doubt we are going to have the energy for public transport
|
There isn't any, anyway. If you don't want to drive or to pay huge tax fares you will have to stay in Les Contamines. Pleasant bars, some nice restaurants, friendly atmosphere, not too expensive. Sounds OK to me. If you are planning to go out every night you might try to book afternoon lessons, which can be a bit cheaper (getting out for morning lessons, which could be some distance from where you are staying, can mean getting up seriously early in the morning).
In those weeks you will need to book lessons in advance.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
the international ski school is good with christoff or philippe
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
kodster, Public transport between LC and SG only runs through the day... and you have to change bus on the outskirts of LC as well... It literally is only 5 mins between LC and SG but I really couldn't comment on the price of cabs...
If you have access to a car can you not drive down to SG on the odd evening, as a break from LC... get a cab back and then schedule yourselves some skiing in SG the following day. This way you can get the free buses down to SG the following morning and drive your car back in the evening... A possibility for your 2nd week maybe...???
As Marcellus has already pointed out, your next best stop would be Chamonix but if you are reluctant to drive in the evenings then that is a no goer...
My guess is as pam w says... I reckon that this thread will all be insignificant as you'll find, as the time goes on, you'll be happy with beers in the village until 7 ish and you'll be too knackered to go on anywhere else...
You could easily do 6 or 7 nights in LC, spread around different bars and restaurants... Perhaps 3 or 4 nights in with a case of wine and cook yourselves. then the other few nights down in SG...
I think you'll welcome those nights in
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
Pam_w, thanks for all the advise it is appreciated. Just one more question, if we do lessons in the afternoon, will the snow not be slushier due to the sun?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
brock, where we are staying he was saying to go ESF, what's the difference?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
AlpineAddict that sounds like some really good advice. Between the ski lessons in LC, the LC apres ski and the odd night in SG I think we'll be well covered. 
We are thinking of going out to Chamonix for one night, do you know of any cheap hotels or hostels for a night?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
kodster, The international ski school is small and all the people that we know including our children have been very satisfied
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| Quote: |
if we do lessons in the afternoon, will the snow not be slushier due to the sun?
|
well, that's quite a good question and not terribly easy to answer. However, I don't think it'll be a problem. First, you are not going late season. It MIGHT be very warm in the first half of March but it might equally be pretty cold. And when there is an afternoon melt and an overnight re-freeze (typical spring conditions) then the early morning can be a nasty time to ski - icy and ridgey.
Your instructors will know where to take you to find good snow (and because of the aspect of most of the LC slopes sun is not a big problem, on the whole)/
And, of course, there might not be any sun! It might snow all the time.
If you do morning lessons you are likely to have to be out of bed and firing on all cylinders by 7.30 am at the latest to get yourselves organised and to the ski school meeting place (possibly even earlier, depending on the location of the apartment - somebody like brock, who knows the resort very well, could advise on that.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
pam w, wow I think maybe the afternoon might be better, thanks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
