 Poster: A snowHead
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Has anyone done it? By all accounts a charming little hameau... but is it close enough to the skiing?? And is there any budget accommodation about? I understand it's a fairly quiet place. That's fine, so long as we can get up (and down) the hill without too much angst. The skiing's the thing.
Tips/warnings? Thanks in advance for any advice!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Beautiful place, however as far as I am aware the only way to get to/from 2alpes from there is a gondola (i think it takes 20min ish?) - there are runs from 2alpes down to Venosc but I believe they are currently closed (not enough snow lower down?) A couple of excellent restaurants and shops down there tho, so definately worth popping down from 2alpes!
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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If you want to ski LDA, stay in LDA, that's my advice. Plenty of budget accommodation to be had.
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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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If you want to ski LDA, stay in LDA, that's my advice
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+1
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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+1 what jocrad says
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Hi stayed at the campsite in Venosc the Champ du Moulin in our motorhome charming place but not much going on and a bind to use the gondola each day up and down 10 minute ride and views are spectacular, but just got back from christmas in LDA second time had a brill time would suggest staying in the resort itself plenty of accomodation to suit all budgets and slopes close to town so not so much trudging with gear, I also had a lesson from Charlotte at easiski must recommend her for sorting my bad habits out!
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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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And also, whilst we did see a few restaurants and the like when we had a trip down to Venosc, it is far more limited than LDA.
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eddiethebus, good point, and I like LDA, but the runs back to town are not a selling point of LDA - the green is often hideously busy and the blacks are not straightforward. Don't know what the "new" Diable (?) red is like, though.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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eddiethebus, not liking the busy blacks back into LDA does not in any way preclude you from being good enough to cover a fair distance and enjoy visiting a different village for lunch each day. Also my group is mixed, with some not very strong skiers and some very experienced folks who like to travel around. That said very few of us enjoyed those blacks home - I've been skiing 25 years and I still like my last run home to be a nice cruise, not an endurance ride of dodge the terrified. And while I know it claims 200km of piste I find it both small AND inconvenient on piste - doesn't feel anything like the size of les Arcs, AdH or SerreChevalier never mind large areas like 3V, combined Paradiski etc. It's very long and narrow and I seem to end up back at the same spots. A lot! For glacier skiing it's a different ball-game, you are expecting a small area of piste!
I'm not alone in my view either: http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/resorts/DeuxAlpes
I know LDA is the marmite resort, some love it, that's why I checked originally if lucalu had been before...
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Fri 3-01-14 15:13; edited 1 time in total
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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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I've been skiing 25 years and I still like my last run home to be a nice cruise, not an endurance ride of dodge the terrified.
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+1, which is why I frequently download in a gondola in places where the runs to resort are not enjoyable. I haven't the slightest problem with doing that. I don't know LDA well - have skied there several times, but always in lessons, not just bimbling around.
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+1 for staying in L2A rather than Venosc, it is one of the cheaper resorts for accomodation.
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You know it makes sense.
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marmite for sure yes. everyone likes difference things, I personally love tight tracks with loads of switchbacks!
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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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eddiethebus, you're mad!
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Poster: A snowHead
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haha not really, wide open groomed pistes are just a bit dull!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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did my first ever ski holiday in LDA and despite being blown away by the whole thing having now experienced Austria and Italy LDA does deserve it's marmite tag. I have to admit to only managing to get to some blues by the end of the week and found some of them terrifying enough. The black valentine into resort is not an easy ride and although my other half is a very good skier she hated it preferring the diable black at the other end. The green run is horrific and is the summer mountain track used to take vehicles and supplies up the mountain. It is narrow and very long and windy as well as being busy. I tried to do it three times and hated every attempt finding the white eggs a far better way to come down.
venosc is a trek as people have said and it does take a long time to get to the top even from LDA but then it is very very high
saying all that we plan to return at some point in the next couple of years cause i want to go back and ski all the runs i am now capable of and i will not hesitate to stay back at Crystal's Chalet Les Sorbieres with its balcony hot tub which i would recommend to anyone staying there.
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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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lucalu, I stayed on a campsite in Venosc. http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=24657#559485 The timing of the gondola means that you can't stay late in LDA and there isn't much to do in Venosc of an evening. If you have a car, it is a long way by road back to LDA, which we had to do one evening when there was a power cut. It was an experience, but I wouldn't do it again. But then, like a.j. I hated LDA for all the same reasons as her.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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This is super helpful feedback, everyone. Thanks so much!
Basically, you've cumulatively confirmed my concerns about being trapped in a rural idyll that is too far from the skiing. I'm sure it's good for those who want to get away from the mainstream rush, assuming that maximising slope time is not your priority. But I might only get to ski 6 days this winter, and I'll be there to ski, not to commute.
I have hit Les 2 Alpes before, but as a child. Of course I had a great time, but kids are uncritical, and in recent reviews it doesn't sound that impressive. So I've cut the apron ties with my friends who've booked their gorgeous cosy chalet in Venosc, and I'm free to go on to bigger and better things! Realigning my sights towards the grande Serre Che.
But I do like marmite.
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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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 Glad to have been of assistance. Also - welcome to snowheads!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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thanks AJ! 
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Realigning my sights towards the grande Serre Che.
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Serre Che rocks! I am going back next week after having a great time last year.
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I'm a bit worried reading this thread! We are 3 20 something lads staying in UCPA venosc next week. Hoping for good skiing and a few beers
Another group of friends are staying in Les 2 alpes.
We thought we would be close together but it seems we,re miles apart...
Is there any chance of us 2 groups meeting for a few beers?
Is venosc really that quiet?
Lastly. Lessons don't start til Monday so where is good beginner place to take my friends on the Sunday? They're noons. I've heard that low down skiing in Les 2 alpes is steep...
Thanks
John
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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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jicjoc, The UCPA isn't actually in Venosc! It's in the Venosc end of the resort itself (the administration of L2A is split between Venosc and Mont de Lans, there used to be a Mont de Lans UCPA also but that has closed) and is about 5 minutes walk from the Diable chair straight up the mountain. There are beginner runs at resort level you'll be able to ski with your friends and also fairly gentle greens/blues from the top of the Diable chair. There are loads of blues further up the mountain. There is also now a red run returning to resort as well as several blacks and a green. The red actually brings you back to the Diable chair so it's probably ideal for you. A couple of the blacks also return to the Diable end, they do not get particularly busy, Valentin which returns to the other end of the resort is by far the busiest.
It will also be easy from where you are staying to access Pied Moutet which is the mountain on the other side of the resort, that should have good cover next week (it's quite low). There are several blues there too.
As an aside I'm not aware that there are, or ever have been, any runs down to Venosc. The only way down is by gondola.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thank you so much Claude!! That's cleared an awful lot up!
Are u sure about the adult ucpa being in Les 2 alpes.
Another thread here said there are 2 ucpas in Les 2 area. 1 for kids inlLes 2 itself. Another for adults in venosc
I'm very confused!!!
Thanks again!!
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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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Ditto Claude B, comments, the UCPA is at the Venosc end of the resort, but not Venosc itself. Very close to just about anything you will need, can't add anything further to the above comments on the runs.
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You know it makes sense.
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jicjoc, green runs at resort level will be great for the beginners. Lots of them, and pretty much free of loons using them as motorways (because all bar one or two don't link-up with any other runs much). Depending on how they get on, get them up to the top to do the glacier runs (nice easy v wide blues)
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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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Signal 1 is one of my favourite blue runs, nice and wide, not steep, almost bowl-like and I never seen it particularly busy.
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Poster: A snowHead
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jocrad, agreed. Love signal. Not steep but a bit of a pitch on it, not many punters either
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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You guys are amazing. Thank you so much! Only 4 days to go. Can't wait. I'll post lots of pics... 
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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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There are quite a few inaccurate posts on here about Venosc - are you sure some of you actually stayed there 
The main inaccuracy is that you can't ski down to the village at all. The cliff down is quite steep and unstable. There is no piste, and probably never will be!
The gondola up to the main resort takes 8 minutes and runs from 7.45am until 7pm. At the top, it takes you to within a 5 minute walk of the Diable chair, or there is a ski bus at the top that can also drop you off there if you'd prefer not to walk, or even at the Jandri, in a couple of minutes. I live in the village and leave my skis at Aalborg Sport, which is right on the piste - I saw someone above said it took them an hour to get on the slopes - depends on how much you faff about really, but I do it door to piste in less than half an hour without too much effort 
The village is definitely not the place for those wanting the pumping resort nightlife, but the main bar in town, the Bombance, is run by a very amiable barman who knows how to keep his customers happy - he regularly shouts a genepi round! It is one of those bars that is small, but when it hops, it hops! We've seen conga lines coming out of the bar into the square in the early hours...and the luge down the (steep!) pedestrianised street one snowy evening built by the Bomb's drinkers last year will go down in Venosc legend if only for that fact that no one wrote themselves off! The other good thing is that, being a small town bar, he'll stay open as long as his patrons want to keep drinking:)
One of the good things happening in the resort at the moment of course is that a new blue run is being built to run from Cretes into the resort. It is not open yet of course, but it is looking good - can't wait until next year when it opens - it will make a big difference!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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^^this.
Can't agree that the alleged new blue run is a great idea though. Judging by the gradient on some sections it's going to be more red than blue, and lots of it is a relatively narrow track. Looking like the Demoiselles on steroids if you ask me.
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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, from what you say the new blue sounds like a bit of a nightmare. I hate the Demoiselles as it is.....
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FAQ
By midweek we were very very much fed up of the hike, and it also meant meeting up with those staying in the chalet was pretty much not on the agenda.
