 Poster: A snowHead
|
We are looking to go to Chamrousse at the end of March, has anyone been at this time? What's the snow like and the resort?
J 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Two years ago we went in the third week of April and it was great. End of season snow, but we had two fresh snowfalls in the week, and it was really good. The resort itself is very French, many restaurants have no English speakers, but they are very welcoming especially if you try to speak French (nothing like trying to use schoolboy French in Paris where the shopkeepers not only laugh at your pronounciation, they go out and call all of their friends to come and hear what the stupid Englishman said). The skiing is enough for us (seven weeks experience) and while prices have gone up this year its still much cheaper than the huge resorts. We keep coming back, in fact we're on our way home from two weeks there now 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Szymon, glad to see you keep going back...its our first time in chamrousse going first week in april. just wondered where the best rates are for ski hire / lesson or 2 .try to avoid the ski schools previously as in a large enough family .
hope you can help with some inside info
cheers whitesark
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
whitesark, welcome to snowheads Try skimium.com to get an idea of ski hire rates - and if you do a quick google search you will probably find some further discount codes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Hi there whitesark, welcome to SnowHeads.
We booked ski hire with Skiset this time, good rates online (and a "large family discount" at the time, there are five of us and it effectively gave us one ski-hire free on top of their already discounted price). If you're going to buy their theft/breakage insurance then do it online, because in the shop they can only do breakage and it's the same price (as it happens we were glad we took it, my son managed to break one of his skis by crashing sideways into a rock, and they swapped it over no problem). It does somewhat depend on where you're staying though, Skiset are in 1750 so if you're in Domaine d'Arselle or in 1650 then you'll probably want to hire locally.
In terms of lessons, the ESF school there are pretty good, although they can and do fail people - my son passed his Etoille d'Or in a group of nine, and only three of them passed. My wife and I had lessons with them in previous years, this Christmas/New Years we just had one private lesson (and the kids had lessons every morning so we had time to ski by ourselves).
I'm sure you'll enjoy it
-simon
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
excellent thanks for that ...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
we are staying in Les Domaines de L'Arselle was too tempting price wise so trying to do everything on a budget...will start my research going. thanks again
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
One hint about the Domaines de L'Arselle...check in early and ask for a place nearer the lifts. The locations can vary, and you can be right next to the lift - but at the other extreme you can also be a kilometer walk away from it! One of the folks we met last year was staying there and said he paid a €50 bribe on check-in to get a place right next to the lift...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Went there first week of easter last year - 11 of us with ski passes / 3 apartments / ski hire / one set of lessons for under £2,500 - very cheap.
Accomodation was clean and nice - very spacious (about 30% - 50% bigger than apartments I have stayed in in the 3V)
snow was fantastic - slopes great
food - there is a big dining block in the centre and that serves good basic food / on the mountain was cheap, but only okayish
skiing was lovely - took a beginner child who was skiing most of the mountain by the end of the week
we were not by the lifts - but down below, so a few minutes walk to the lift - but another tip is that if you drive (which we did, inc. one with a van) leave one vehicle parked up near the lift for the week as a ski locker!
have fun there
Alasdair
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
thanks again and to you too alasdair..where did you drive from...we are doing the same...never driven up a mountain before and mrs is twitchy...i ll be ok my eyes will be shut... will we need chains etc etc..
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
In April you might not need chains, but must have them - the Police tend to check on swapover day!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
cool..thank you for your help everyone and sorry missed your comment earlier pam w,
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
I drove from the Cotswolds - left at 4am - channel tunnel at 7.30 and was there for tea time
It is a fantastically easy run - head for Grenoble and turn left! tomtom satnav worked well... I hate heights, but found it one of the nicest runs up a mountain I have ever done - no feeling of drops or horrible turns - so reassure the mrs - it is fine
we weren't checked for snow chains - but roads were very clear - I carried them, but was driving a ford kuga which had no issues... on the return day, I left early and got out and down the mountain very quickly, my friends who left 2 hours later had difficulty getting their range rover out of the snow which had fallen in that two hours and nearly didn't get out of resort let alone down the mountain...
It was a lovely friendly resort and place to stay - if you plan to self-cater (i.e. not eat out), then there is a small shop which is well stocked - but the apartments are lacking in the kitchen utensils - so take any you especially need, as I had my 11 yr old godson with me we mainly ate pasta and steak, so it wasn't too tough!
have fun
Alasdair
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Oh yes, take a kettle and a toaster! I guess it's something the French don't get
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
Thanks so much for the info alasdair.... you probably heard the wifes sigh of relief ... think we have more than a game plan now...cheers again..
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
hi everyone just trying to re open a question regarding maybe a private lesson for the missus...everything drawing near now and as the kids are older and madder they dont want ski lessons and missus doesnt want to be lost in a ski school...anyone have a lead for anyone local please ...hope your ski seasons have been a success...buzzing to get out after watching so much on tv
cheers whitesark
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
