 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm spending 9 weeks in Les Deux Alpes this winter in 2 stays, 3 weeks initially and then 6 weeks towards the end of the season. I'll be driving down and using the same apartment each time. I'll be having some friends staying but mainly it will be me. I don't even think my daughter's coming, too busy with A levels.
I'm well used to SC stays up to 2 weeks but this will be a lot different, I guess I'll eat in a fair bit of the time. L2A has a good supermarket reasonably priced. But there must be things that you just can't get over there or if you can they cost an arm and a leg.
So what do I need to throw in the car?
- My favourite tea bags
- Iron (if there's not one there)
- My vast collection of skiing suncream
- A few medicines
But what else?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Music? DVDs? Books. Gaiters, if you have them (for snowshoes). Walking boots. Any favourite UK foods such as Marmite. Bacon, if that's your thing. Toilet rolls. Resources for learning some French?
Why would you need an iron?
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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'm pretty sure.... they sell toilet roll in france 
uk multiplug with eu-uk adaptor so you can charge your camera, laptop, phone etc all same time.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Bisto for the Sunday roast and HP sauce for the bacon.
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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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| pam w wrote: |
Why would you need an iron? |
2 actually, 1 for the skis and I'm sure I'll need to flatten out a few clothes?
Got a few books to take, music on the player, will have to check on DVD, my laptop doesn't have one. My french is OK but rusty hoping that just using it more will help.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Bacon, lots of bacon
And take a laptop, there will be days when you don't ski if you are there that long and something to do if the weather is terrible is a plus.
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Iron? Eh? Creases in your ski trousers?
Have done extended stays ourselves. We didn't have a gap between stays. Can you leave your gear in a big cupboard or will you be loading up the car in the meantime?
On our list:
DVDs defo -we like boxed sets of good drama series such as Homeland etc, as well as good films. Music, and the ability to play it (if not in apartment). DVD player if not got one in apartment. Board games, pack of cards (not much use if you're on yer tod admittedly!!)
Make sure the apartment has wifi and if not, get it installed, so you can update and bore all Snowheads with your days on the slopes! In our first rental, the agents installed wifi and we were charged on a monthly basis and could end the contract at the end of the season.
Get a french mobile phone.
Basics for the larder that you can't get in france easily or are expensive-so (in our case) Marmite, curry powder, chilli powder, dried herbs, salt and pepper. Hip flask and hip flask contents!
Not sure if you will get bedding and towels, but make sure you have a change of sheets. Tea towels.
Given our car (a big pickup) was loaded last year heaven only knows what else there was. Snow tyres were essential and fab. Plus chains.
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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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Perty, Helpful thx. No wifi and I don't think it will be be possible, I know the bars around though with it. Snow tyres will be fitted to the new car shortly and chains purchased. I can probably leave stuff in resort, I know plenty of people there.
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Claude B, I don't think there's much grocery wise that I really miss that I can't get in Chamonix or Geneva. L2A? I have no idea.
I can't get;
Baxter's pickled beetroot
Savlon
Potato scones
Decent haggis
Scottish style black pudding and sausages.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Rather than books and a load of DVDs get a Kindle and an external HDD and load them up. Rewire a multi-plug adaptor or two to euro plugs for electronics/kit you'll take. No idea how you survive without an Internet connection at home mind you.
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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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under a new name, I'll make sure savlon is in the medicine chest, things like that cost a packet in France. I'm not worried about the other northern delicacies 
meh, the apartment was such a bargain I was willing to take it without, one with worked out a lot, lot more! I might look at the alternatives in the next 2 or 3 weeks. I've loaded the kindle app on my laptop and have started downloading a few.
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I love french food but every now and again I really miss Cheddar.....
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You know it makes sense.
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Claude B, maybe investing in a tablet (google nexus or such) just for casual internet usage/watching mpora or Vimeo for (as fore mentioned) the days where skiing just isn't an option
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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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One with 3G that works abroad may I add. None essential of course just something to pass time!!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Claude B, you should look into 3G dongles or pairing with a phone as the rates might be reasonably affordable and at least let you access Facebook/Snowheads/erotic fiction.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Whatever non-prescription medication you might need. French pharmacies seem stupidly expensive for run of the mill painkillers and flu medications.
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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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if you are cooking yourself and like any sort of spice in your food, I would second the comment about taking curry powder or chilli powder. I am yet to find anything even close to what you can buy in the uk.
If you like thai food, again, bring thai paste and any spicy sauces! you can get coconut milk easy enough though.
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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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I wouldn't bother with an iron. Just wear tshirts and fleeces and hang them up damp to minimise creasing.
Certainly, going to France, I don't think there's anything I would need to take that I couldn't buy as part of my weekly shop, maybe buy a French sim-card for my phone, I think that's about it.
I'd be more likely to take my waxing iron and ski vice than a clothes iron 
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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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Lizzard repellent.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Filthyphil30k, She's in Alpe D'Huez this season, I'm sure we'll meet up for a beer and a slide though
Waxing iron and dilapidated old workmate will go in the car to be sure.
Not a spicy food person now, can't handle it. Cold cure stuff is a good call.
I think investigation into some wifi solution will be a priority before I go.
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Claude B, kettle and toaster maybe? Often french owned apartments don't have them and you can get them so cheaply here and not there in our experience.
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Having been away for 6-8 weeks at a time in a slightly more remote Department of France, the most I'd worry about is a box of teabags and a pot of marmite, if you can't live without them.
I'd just sample what the French have to offer, try a couple of different sauces you can't get back home, instead of HP (which is probably available anyway), etc. etc. Then stock up on French things to take back home
Can't believe some of the stuff we shipped to Kourou the first time. Half of it you can get in the local huit-a-huit. And marmite goes on toast, but not on baguettes.
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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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Claude B, haha. Lucky sod, enjoy yourself.
As above basic medicine , toothpaste and skype credit if you need to call home.
Lizzard wanted some new underware I recall, if you are feeling brave.
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| ractys wrote: |
if you are cooking yourself and like any sort of spice in your food, I would second the comment about taking curry powder or chilli powder. I am yet to find anything even close to what you can buy in the uk.
If you like thai food, again, bring thai paste and any spicy sauces! you can get coconut milk easy enough though. |
+1 (you will be in France), and more tea bags.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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What happened to 'when in rome'??
TBH the 'british' aisle in foreign supermarkets makes me cringe
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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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A decent peeler, sieve, masher and sausage grabbers! Again, items not often found in french apartments.
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sarah, It's English owned so should be OK but I'll check on kettle. Not bothered with toaster I'll stick with baguettes.
Filthyphil30k, Lizzard sorted the apartment out for me so I probably ought to get her something!
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You know it makes sense.
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sarah, Will check those, I need something to grab the Diots Savoyarde
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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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About half a ton of nurophens!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Claude B, we take a nespresso machine. I wouldn't be without internet for listening to BBC R4. +1 for the multi plug either rewired or with an adapter. I haven't needed a clothes iron in 8 seasons.
Most important which you may have covered is people to ski with of a similar standard. Get a flu jab, the trip home should eliminate mid season blues.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Cooking knife and sharpener, and good frying pan!
We also take a few ham/gammon's out, the ones that are vacuum sealed, can last for eight weeks or so till cooked, one of those will keep you going for a week with all sorts of recipes! Plus take two joints of lamb/pork out as well, as decent meat is so expensive, but that is a little OTT
Paracetamol / ibuprofen as you're bound to get the dreaded mountain flu, which can be prevalent in big resorts, and even little ones.
+1 for box sets dvds
Also if out there that long you don't have to ski every day, you have the luxury of being fussy with the conditions, though always worth skiing on a Sat as can be empty with all the weekly punters on transfer.
But should you get high pressure and boiler plate conditions (no snow for a week or two and freezing conditions) then give x-country / ski du fonde a go.
And obviously when conditions are right, this is what you can do from LDA though you do have to know where you are going, but up top on the glacier is pretty obvious on the LG side within the ropes and dare I say it, Vallons is pretty obvious, but still best to go with someone who knows it.
https://vimeo.com/38917618
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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 have a 3G dongle we got from an Aldi type supermarket in Austria, it's pretty cheap and we just load it online or pop into the same supermarket to load it up when we go there and stay somewhere without internet, that would really be the only essential for me.
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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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Starting. Xc skiing on icy day not recommended. French toilet rolls are cr@p. I never use an iron in the alps. Except for skis. Without internet you will be more likely to watch French tv.
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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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Claude B, Digital de-tox  Good books and buy a local paper to improve your French?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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pam w, if it's crisp and the tracks have been maintained and you're nimble and agile then it's fine, there again if you're a female then I understand your concerns
Last season before we had WIFI installed I rented a dongle from this company http://www.tepwireless.com/ for eight weeks - worked out very well, and money was saved by not having to go to bars with wifi as that ended up circa €10 per session or more!
PS if anyone goes with TEP you can sign up for the unlimited offer, or if you don't take it and wait, you'll then get an email a few days later offering unlimited to you at a better discount - I might dig up the details as to what I took out last year and post in a separate thread.
Might seem expensive but bearing in mind you stay away from having to go to bars etc it ends up being cheap!
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Thanks all some very good points:-
- I think I'll dump the clothes iron and just take the ski one
- Wiifi, etc is a bit of a conundram. I'll probably be happy with an hour a day max to upload photos, skype, etc. I'm happy doing that in a bar but I'll look at dongles too.
- My french is OK although rusty for the reasons mentioned, it's hardly necessary in most ski resorts. I do hope to use it more/improve it
- The point about people to ski with is a very good one. During the 1st trip I'm doing a course with easiski and a friend is staying for it too. For the longer 2nd trip friends will be in resort for a least 3 of the 6 weeks. I know a few people in resort and easiski is also very good at engineering skiing groups.
- I've been to La Grave a couple of times but wouldn't dream of doing it without a guide or someone who knows what they're doing. I expect to make a few trips while there.
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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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check your mobile phone provider for 3g costs, dongles are a bit (well, a lot!) outdated now
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There is actually free wifi in the tourist office too so I can sit in there and use it. I'm used to using it in bars though and can usually do what i want to do for the cost of one beer.
When I was in Alpe D'Huez last winter they have wifi across the resort with several packages available. I think I paid about £20 - £25 for unlimited use for a week, shame they don't have it across the valley in L2A.
A friend, who's far cleverer than me at these things, set up some sort of amplified receiver in his apartment. It enabled him to use the wifi of all the bars within about 100m
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