 Poster: A snowHead
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Off to peisey for half term, and we're taking a firnd's daughter who's never skied before. We've booked her into ESF for 6 mornings, and that includes a local area pass (just peisey/vallandry). We've got full paradiski passes, so assuming she gets on reasonably well, is she likely to want/be able to go further afield - and if so, can you upgarde the pass by the day?
I can't seem to find any details of where each pass covers.
Thanks for the help!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I'm confident that there used to be a piste map showing the extent of the various lift passes in Paradiski but it seem to have disappeared. The Paradiski website used to be overly fussy with animations and videos etc but now it seems to be lacking in essential information, as you've no doubt discovered.
Anyway - if she gets on well you might want to extend her pass for the last 2 days or so to the rest of Les Arcs - I'm pretty sure you can do this at the lift pass office but you'll have to enquire when you get there unless another snowHead has direct experience of this. No point in taking her across the Vanoise Express to the La Plagne side imo.
Also, assuming you will have to meet her for lunch and look after her in the afternoon, your use of the full Paradiski pass is going to be quite limited, I suppose adults can take turns with that.
On the plus side - the slopes above and leading back to Peisey and Vallandry are some of the best in the whole domain.
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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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The Peisey Vallandry pass covers the lifts as far as Derby, and you can ski most of the way to 1800 before you have to turn back.
You can also get a Peisey Vallandry beginner pass that allows you to catch a chair lift to the beginner area (just a drag) twice in one day for 17.50.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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On the plus side - the slopes above and leading back to Peisey and Vallandry are some of the best in the whole domain.
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Seconded
There is a lot of fun skiing for all levels served by the peisey, Vallandry and Derby lifts which will probably be sufficient for a complete beginner. However if they do take to it, I would be tempted to see if you can upgrade to cover les arcs area later in week. Not so much to get over to Arc2000 bowl, but the runs above 1800 and 1600 are great areas to ski as well.
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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 all - I'd finally found that map. I do wonder if what ESF give you with the "beginners' pack" is just the chair up to the beginners' area, as it's only c€110 extra over the same number of lessons. Can't seem to find out which pass it is - but either way it means she can do a couple of days beginners stuff, then maybe get a P-V area for a day or two then move up to a Les Arcs pass for the last day or two, assuming it all goes well!
Don't suppose anyone's ever used the Vallandry ESF beginner pack and knows what lift pass you get? All it says is "all the lifts you'll need in your first week of skiing", which I naively assumed would be the P-V area, but maybe not? The separate cost of six days' lessons and a six day P-V pass is €357, and they're charging €285 inclusive - makes me think that the pass isn't a proper P-V one and maybe just gives you the chair up to the beginner area - which as there's some decent longish, easy runs down would be ok for a day or two I guess.
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Wow - just got the following from ESF:
Hello,
The beginner pack included the ski lessons and the ski pass Les Arcs / Peisey-Vallandy for 6 days.
Kind regards
Bargain - that means the lessons are only about €50... seems too good to be true...
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hanks all - I'd finally found that map. I do wonder if what ESF give you with the "beginners' pack" is just the chair up to the beginners' area, as it's only c€110 extra over the same number of lessons. Can't seem to find out which pass it is - but either way it means she can do a couple of days beginners stuff, then maybe get a P-V area for a day or two then move up to a Les Arcs pass for the last day or two, assuming it all goes well!
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The reason that these are cheap is because the lift pass prices are subsidised by the resort to encourage beginners to take lessons - safety initiative thingy. You should have three days of a restricted beginners area (as marked on the map you found) and then 3 days of the Les Arcs side. It's impossible to buy the passes except through a ski school inc in a lesson package which is why there isn't lots of info on the internet but if you ask ESF on the first day they can show you the exact restrictions.
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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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Cheers Snow and Sunshine, The ESF lady just said it includes the 6 day Les Arcs/P-V pass, but I guess it's no worries if the area's restricted for the first couple of days anyway.
Should work well - she's never been before whereas my two are on their 3/4th week - they're with New Gen for 4 hours each morning, the beginner will do 2.15 hours and then we can all ski together in the afternoon.
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andy from embsay, Result - won't need any more than that
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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andy from embsay, looks like a good deal for your beginner friend. If you get a nice sunny day towards the end of the week take her up to the Aiguille Rouge in the cable car (and down the same way - you don't want to terrify her!) for the view.
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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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Thanks all - love it when a plan comes together. Makes up for having been royally shafted by our friends at FlyBE when we cancelled our flights as we've had to change to a Leeds departure - entirely understand we give up the fare part of it as that's non-refundable, but when I rang to see how much of the £60 taxes and charges per head we'd get back - a tenner. £25 per person per flight "admin charge". Grrrr....
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Jumping on this topic if that's ok?
We've booked a chalet in Le Villarets in a couple of weeks time. I understand you can officially ski back to the village, but is there "a way", we can generally muster "the will". Hate coming home early and being tied to a downhill lift. Not the most thrilling end to the day is it? 
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You know it makes sense.
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Sorry that was supposed to be "can't ski back"
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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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gallabar, it depends on the snow conditions - it would have been possible this time last year though not fun. The route is obvious but you need to be a good skier - there are trees and rocks to dodge. I think few bother unless very desperate or just after a good snowfall. There's a bar at the bottom of the lobster pots so you can take them down at 5 a clock and then do your apres there.
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Poster: A snowHead
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You can just about ski down, but there are lots of rocks around the trees towards the bottom that were visible up until about a week ago, so they're probably not far below the surface. The top two thirds of the 'run' looks decent enough, and only grass underneath, so you can get most of the way down without much trouble.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We're just back and skied down to Le Villaret a couple of times. Not the most exciting home run, as the top "open" bit was cruddy due to freeze-thaw, and the bottom bit's a track - but doable and satisfying to ski home at the end of the day,
Overall impressions are:
Liked Vallandry/Peisey area - the trees were helpful on the snowy days, and the Foret run was a godsend for our beginner, who did three days of ESF then got sick of the guy spending 90% of the day teaching the pretty French lady in French and ignoring her and the Dutch lady.
Didn't get the most out of the Les Arcs bit on account of a couple of snowy days and the fact we had our beginner with us, meaning we had to back at Vallandry for 11:45 (which was nearer 11:30 most days as ESF bloke knocked off early), but could see the potential for some off-piste fun.
Our kids unfortunately hated their New Generation ski class, so much so they refused to go back after the first day, and as it's their holiday as much as mine I didn't force them - disappointed as New Gen have a fabulous reputation, but I think they got the "perfect storm" of 6 kids that all knew each other plus my two (who are both quite quiet, so can get a bit overwhelmed), combined with a bit of a personality clash with one of the larger group who "said some stuff" (still haven't found out what, so could well have been six and two threes), added to an instructor who maybe didn't spot the potential issues and deal with them, all topped off with the instructor (presumably jokingly) going on about skiing lots of black runs (they're on week 3/4) and scaring my younger one to death.
Had a great day skiing mostly easy stuff in La Plagne on the sunniest day of the week.
Will never, ever use Chambery airport again (I know, I know, we were warned...) - flights delayed/diverted this morning and despite having an afternoon flight unaffected by the weather, we were delayed three hours, and to put the tin lid on it those nice people at Jet2 sent the early baggage handling shift home and left two blokes to unload two packed out flights, meaning a wait of about an hour for our bags at Leeds. Very, very poor.
Overall, prefer Portes du Soleil - Geneva flights, reliably short transfers and perhaps a bit more variety of terrain.
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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 very much for the replies. See how the snow goes over the next couple of weeks. 
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