 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello!
Myself and 2-3 friends want to go on a quick weekend trip skiing and are looking for advice.
We're based in Manchester so flying from here would be ideal, however a lot of the ski weekend packages online are from London.
We're looking to minimise time off work (isn't everyone) and also we've all been away for a week already... so 2 days is preferred, would consider 3 days for the right reasons, and 4 days only as a last resort.
Most of the packages are for 4 nights, and very few for 3 nights (and again, the better/cheaper ones are from London).
We did think about just booking flights ourselves (Friday evening - Sunday evening), the trouble with this is then accommodation. I can't find too many places online which will take people for just 2 nights as most are geared towards weekly lets.
I vaguely considered just staying somewhere like Geneva and hiring a car and driving to ski resort in the mornings, but then we wouldn't get the atmosphere or be able to do Apres ski etc ...
I've thought about Morzine or La Clusaz mainly (close to Geneva and I've just been to Morzine so am familiar with it).
Basically looking for other people who have done this short a trip before to share experience and knowledge? Any help appreciated!
Thankyou.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Sadly most of the really useful flights are from London or Luton airport. We have done a few weekends and planning a couple this year. These are the trips we have done before
1/ Luton to Milan Friday evening, hire car and drive to Gressoney and stay in hotel there. Fly back on 21:30 flight on Sunday evening. Champoluc is another option.
2/ Luton to Geneva Friday evening, hire car and drive to Crolle and stay in hotel there (20 minutes from La 7 Laux). Fly back on 21:30 flight on Sunday evening
3/ Luton to Geneva Friday evening, hire car and drive to Aime and stay in hotel there. Fly back on 21:30 flight on Sunday evening.
4/ We have done the the same as 3/ but stayed in Les Arcs.
As you say accommodation is the key, but there is plenty in Cluses and the Grenoble area, once again only a short drive from Flaine
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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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Have a look at this, run by a snowhead (miranda):
http://www.chalet-la-giettaz.com/
I've been there a few times now and I think it's great. There are various glowing reviews on here from others who have stayed there if you do a search.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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You can get short stay apartments - try calling Erna Low and seeing what they can find. We did this in Les Carroz (Flaine) a few years ago and used to regularly go to Austrian ski amade resorts which are not so tied into the weekly schedule (Salzburg flights). I've always done DIY for short breaks, more flexible, you just have to get the transfer numbers good, so stay near airports in terms of resorts!
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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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I had a similar dilemma last year trying to fit a short trip in before my main week away.
I ended up booking my accommodation through Airbnb and it was fab. I got the whole lower floor of a chalet on the edge of Morzine for me and my brother. And Morzine is obviously only a short transfer from GVA which is a real bonus.
Finding short term accommodation is very difficult. I've organised a few weekend trips for work too and you do have to make sacrifices.
Other places I've used are Hotel Rhodedendrons in Plagne 1800 and Hucksters in Les Arcs. Both very reasonable and offer shorter packages at not unreasonable prices.
I have previously considered renting a car and commuting in each morning from Geneva but Geneva is pretty expensive and the drive just sucks the fun out of an already short trip 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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We are flying Manchester to Milan. Car hire driving to sauze D'oulx. Lots of b&b options for weekend breaks. We're doing four nights but could easy do three.
Flights, car hire and four nights b&b £212!! Flying Ryanair.
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We are flying Manchester to Milan. Car hire driving to sauze D'oulx. Lots of b&b options for weekend breaks. We're doing four nights but could easy do three.
Flights, car hire and four nights b&b £212!! Flying Ryanair.
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We are flying Manchester to Milan. Car hire driving to sauze D'oulx. Lots of b&b options for weekend breaks. We're doing four nights but could easy do three.
Flights, car hire and four nights b&b £212!! Flying Ryanair.
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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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Manchester to Munich, then somewhere like Garmisch or Niederau?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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shazchip, I've done a lot of weekend trips and not had too much trouble finding accommodation. Even at peak periods.
A lot of resort websites will have online bookable accommodation information. I booked a long weekend in Cervinia that way.
Over Christmas just gone I booked 3 nights through www.booking.com in les arcs and that worked well. Just search on a resort name with your given dates.
Memory fades how I booked all the others 
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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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shazchip, easy jet to gva , out early Friday am , ski 1/2 day , then sat and Sunday all day , back on the 20:50 , sorted , practical to ski anywhere within a 2.5.hr transfers
Mountain sun in tignes do great all in packages , also morzine , les gets , chamonix etc ..........
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Thankyou Snowheads. I'm glad I found this website! 
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You know it makes sense.
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shazchip, on Jan 10-12 I did a short trip to Germany.
I took an evening flight to Munich (from LHR), stayed in a hostel there near the main station, and took the train on Sat and Sun to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The hostel was 18 euros a nght, and the train and lift pass was a combined ticket for 44 euros a day. It went very well., and I am going again Feb 28 - Mar 2, doing the same.
I have had a quick look at the flights from Manchester. There is an Easyjet flight on Fri 07/02 at 13:00 to MUC, returning Sun 21:40. You could then go on to Garmisch and stay there, or stay in Munich. There are several other ski areas close to Munich reachable by train in less than 90 minutes, including Brauneck and Sudelfeld. The train and lift pass cost is the same to these two, also 44 euros.
Garmisch train and ski ticket
Alpen Plus (German only), other resorts near Munich
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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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Flights from Manchester to either Salzburg or Munich. Doing exactly that in March. Early morning Saturday flight to Salzburg, ski half day Saturday, all day Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, late flight back from Munich on Tuesday night, staying in Ellmau in the Skiwelt. There is a group of six of us and hiring a car for the duration.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Don't be tempted to take an early morning flight instead of the late evening flight on account of price. IMHO it is much better to arrive late in resort, pay for the extra night's acommodation and wake up fresh the next morning than get up at 3.00am and worry about getting to the slopes that morning when you'll still be half asleep anyway.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
I have previously considered renting a car and commuting in each morning from Geneva but Geneva is pretty expensive
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there are places to stay much closer to the slopes and much cheaper than Geneva - Sallanches, for example. Easy reach of Chamonix, Flaine, Combloux/Megeve etc.
If you can get sensible flights to Innsbruck that would work - plenty of buses to resorts and a lively town more geared up to short stays than many.
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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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Hi shazchip,
If you'd consider a last minute option we can do you a deal on Thur 6 - Sun 9th Feb in either chalet Genepi or Bon Vie.
Flights aren't included but it sounds like that might be best for you anyway as that gives you the choice of where to fly from. Details via the link below if you want to get in touch . . .
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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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pam w,
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If you can get sensible flights to Innsbruck
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That's the problem. You need a bigger airport like Geneva, Munich or Zurich that has lots of scheduled flights to be able to get evening departures for both legs of the journey.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I actually really want to go back to Morzine
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You'll fine Morzine (and the whole area) extremely busy through the French holiday time mid February to mid March.
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so looking for next hol to be end of Feb
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Sorry we're fully booked for end Feb but hope you find something which suits - have a great holiday.
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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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| Tiger2 wrote: |
| Don't be tempted to take an early morning flight instead of the late evening flight on account of price. IMHO it is much better to arrive late in resort, pay for the extra night's acommodation and wake up fresh the next morning than get up at 3.00am and worry about getting to the slopes that morning when you'll still be half asleep anyway. |
What time would you get to resort if flying late evening ??? Probably midnight if lucky , then can't sleep due to excitement etc , so think you'd still be half asleep and £££'s worse off ,,
Plus flight delays later in the day are much more difficult to catch up on
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