 Poster: A snowHead
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We (2 of us plus 2 teenage daughters) are planning a long weekend skiing in French or Italian Alps, and are looking for advice/recommendations on where to go, accommodation and transfers. Dates 21-24 Feb, 28 Feb-3 March, 7-10 March, or 14-17 March. Fly from Manchester. I know this is a pretty wide question, but this forum comes highly recommended. Any ideas?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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Finny, welcome to snowHeads 
With a weekend, time is of the essence so things to consider would be availability of well-timed flights to maximise ski time. Hire car for transfer. Short transfer times to resorts. With 2 adults and 2 teenagers one can sort out car hire while other is waiting for baggage etc. etc etc.
Accommodation shouldn't be too hard to sort - get some ideas using a website such as www.booking.com or the resort website.
There are some specialists that you could contact to get some prices - http://www.mountainsunltd.com/short_breaks/ or www.skiweekends.com
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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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First thing would be to find out to where you can get good priced early evening/early morning flight out and late evening flight home. Rest is easy!
Be aware that weekends are comparatively expensive for actual ski time.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Finny, welcome to snowheads.
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Be aware that weekends are comparatively expensive for actual ski time
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good point. Particularly, perhaps, in France at that time as all your proposed dates fall within the key 4 week French winter holiday period. If you decide on France you will struggle to find resort accommodation which straddles two of those key weeks, except from specialist "ski weekend" providers. But there are a number of places where you could stay in a valley hotel, rather than in a resort, within reach of a number of good resorts. Sallanches is one example - there's an Ibis hotel. From the point of view of the French holidays the two last weeks in February will be particularly busy. If those dates are the only ones available to you, later will be better.
I am not familiar with skiing in Italy (though hoping to rectify that soon). I understand from my son, who lives in Italy, that loads of people in the cities go skiing at weekends so that might not be very easy, either.
You didn't mention Austria but Innsbruck could be worth looking at - plenty of hotels and a range of ski resorts within a short bus ride.
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| Ray Zorro wrote: |
Finny, welcome to snowHeads
With a weekend, time is of the essence so things to consider would be availability of well-timed flights to maximise ski time. Hire car for transfer. Short transfer times to resorts. With 2 adults and 2 teenagers one can sort out car hire while other is waiting for baggage etc. etc etc.
Accommodation shouldn't be too hard to sort - get some ideas using a website such as www.booking.com or the resort website.
There are some specialists that you could contact to get some prices - http://www.mountainsunltd.com/short_breaks/ or www.skiweekends.com |
Mountain sun include transfers sometimes, and free equipment. I found my three days with them pretty cheap, if maybe a bit less luxurious than other holidays.
I have checked and paid £310 including bank holiday supplement for half board for 2 in a double, flights were £165. I think that's a bargain. Only lift pass and drinks on top.
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yes, if mountainsun have suitable vacancies, they are a very good bet.
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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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blahblahblah, I agree that mountainsun (and skiweekends) prices are very competitive, but their fixed travel dates don't suit everyone.
I've done two long weekends so far this season, one DIY and one mountainsun. Mountainsun was pre-season and DIY was peak season; DIY added up to be over twice the price.
Mountainsun packages are different pre-season and during season. They currently include lift passes and transfer and half-board but don't mention ski/boot hire.
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Another vote for ski weekends.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I've done Chamonix for a long weekend a couple of times. Geneva has plenty of flight options and the transfer is around 60-90 mins. There seem to be a fair few accomodation options too. Might be worth a look?
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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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Finny, I have frequently stayed in a chalet in Morzine which is quite big and usually has some spaces for flexible trips. Their main market is UK so they aren't booked up for French holidays. I've had a quick look and they seem to be available for most of the weekends that you've asked for apart from the first. They organise everything apart from your flights and I have found the owner Nicholas to be incredibly helpful. I'm a repeat customer and brought a group of 18 last year so they must be doing something right. www.mountainmoments.co.uk
Though everyone will tell you that French school holidays are a nightmare - I always go during them (I have to) so I know no different but I've never been too annoyed by the queues.
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Italy: I have done a few weekend trips to Italy (Courmayeur, Livigno and Cortina d'Ampezzo). Cortina was Easter 2008 and very nice: we fly into Venice (Ryanair, cost about £70 each at the time), hire car and drive out to the mountain (about 2 hours), then back and spent an evening and day in Venice again.
Austria: I have also been to Lech and Hintertux each for a long weekend found it fairly easy to get accommodation (though Hintertux was September 2008 - last week of summer ski season, so very much off-season). Was no problem to get long weekend space in Kitzbuhel also, and am going to Mayrhofen in March (flying into Munich, looks like about 2 or 2.5 hour drive but we want to ski on the Thursday already so needed VERY early morning flights from LHR).
France: Mountainsun is cheap - particularly pre-season; they now have a few chalets, but I have only been to the Tignes chalet/hotel - it is VERY basic and a bit dated but it is warm, the food is generally quite good, it has very comfy sofas in the bar area, and the staff really friendly. I have been 4 times in the past 5 years (late Nov-mid Dec), and will likely go back early Dec this year.
Hotel Richmond in Chamonix is reasonably priced and it was easy to find space for long weekend in March 2013. It's a bit dated too, but not too bad, and is well located for town centre, bars/restaurants and not too far from lifts either. For France I prefer flying into Geneva, as it has best flights (either EJ from LGW or flights from LCY which is IMVone of the UK's best airports) and weather. For Switzerland I prefer Zurich, as connections to Zermatt on the train seem best from there (and work has an office in Zurich so I can catch up with colleagues on the way).
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You know it makes sense.
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Finny, Look at flights out of Liverpool, some very early morning flights out to Geneva 07:05 and late return flights back 20:50 will make a big difference to the amount of skiing you will get in.
Hire car from the airport is the quickest way to resort and you shouldn't have too many problems finding an English owned apartment with availability. A lot of the French owned apartments and hotels will only offer their places for a full week in that, the main French Winter holiday period.
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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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Did the coach thing with last year to Brides. Was fine although the gondola ride at the beginning of each day got a bit wearing.
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Poster: A snowHead
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A coach ride from the North West of England for a weekend skiing doesn't seem wothwhile to me, at least 16 hours each way 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Could you fly Thus to Sun instead of Fri to Mon? This can make flights cheaper. Also many chalets and apartments changeover on Saturday or Sunday so it might open up your accommodation opportunities.
I have used chalets direct twice. When you decide on a flight just post your requirements. You get lots of replies. Anyone with availability will be happy to fill beds for half a week. Some even throw in transfers.
http://www.chaletsdirect.com/forum/category-view.asp
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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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Thanks everybody. Lot's of good stuff to work on.
You lot don't hang about do you? I suppose when you find people who are mad about something (I hesitate to use the word "passionate" because that's been bagged by TV cooking shows) they're always happy to help other people with the same interest.
I could get used to this forum lark. Who knows, if I keep at it I might even reach the dizzy heights of using emoticons.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Finny, Possibility in the B&B. Prefer 19th onwards, but Nina could do a deal.
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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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Finny, I would look at flying to Geneva, transfer to Les Carroz (c. one hour), and staying at Les Airelles.
Les Airelles is right at the foot of the piste at the top of town, a few yards from the gondola and with a good ski hire shop next door, and they do half board for the amazing prix of 80 euro a night.
Just been taken over after the old lady sold up a year back, and I haven't been under the new regime (going in Feb  ) but the food used to be spectacular too.
Easy access to Samoens, Flaine and, if the snow is good, even Si xt, though in the latter case you have to pole half the way and get a bus back so it's only worth doing to tick it off (if you ask me).
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Finny, I went last yera with a friend to Le Grand Bornand/La Clusaz with www.skiweekender.com Great chalet hotel with good food, price includes everything except flights and ski/boot hire and they have their own kit to hire on site so good quality and not ridiculously priced about £550/head for 4nights with 3.5 days of skiing. Staff are great, really helpful and fun. Definitely worth taking a look at.
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Finny, I often do long weekends, 2 days off work = 4 days skiing.
Easyjet from Liverpool to Geneva leaves around 17:25. I can be in Morzine or Chamonix/Argentiere later that evening
Coming back last flight leaves Geneva 20:50 - late enough for a full day's skiing
plenty of god value transfer options to each resort (cham express / morzine express etc). Book your own hotel and you will be sorted
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I've just booked four days in Sauze D'oulx. Me and three friends fly out from Manchester to Milan (no direct flights to Turin). We fly at 6.30am and arrive Milan 0950!!
Flying with Ryanair (I know)  total cost for flights, car hire and four nights b&b is £212!!!
Very happy!!
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