 Poster: A snowHead
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We are going Skiing for New Year this year with a mixed group of beginners myself, two children 10 and 7 another beginner two intermediates and a boarder. We have decided on the Grand massif area but unsure whether to go for Flaine which is our first choice or Les Carroz any advice would be appriciated. It's been 13 years since my last ski trip. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Les Carroz, every time.
The village is way prettier.
The (new) beginner area is better in Carroz, with a travelator and a very gentle green above Les Timalets (a red, but the Lou Darbles gives you a blue down to the gondola).
The slopes on the Carroz side are generally slightly easier (though they aren't tough in Flaine either).
If you're only going for a week, given that you're a mixed group of intermediates and beginners, you could also probably get away with just the Massif pass (Les Carroz, Morillons, Samoens), and give Flaine (Grand Massif pass) a miss - thus saving (guessing) 15% on the lift passes.
Two good on-piste hotels in Carroz too - the Milk (at the bottom of Timalets) and Les Airelles (100 yards from the gondola via a very short drag).
Les Airelles will do you half board (very good food) for about 80 euro a night pp.
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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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Les Carroz, for the first timers it is so much more how you imagine skiing should be.
Flaine is like an Eastern Bloc development.
If you want apartments then Les Chalets Jouvence could not be better placed and very nice to boot.
Even cheaper than just the Massif pass is whats called the debutant. This gets you access to just the Les Carroz slopes to find your feet, but still a good few runs of a varying and good standard.
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Having done a total of 3 weeks in Les Carroz over the last 4 years I would agree with all the above. Your intermediates in the group will enjoy the option to get over to Flaine. Your beginners however will be well covered on Les Carroz's slopes and will be particular greatful of the tree runs if the weather is a bit iffy. There's plenty of accomodation options with some good apartments in the
Pre de Bois area of the village, which is well served by the bus every 10-15mins and only takes 10mins to the telecabin. As 3 intermediate adults we have really enjoyed our trips to the Grand Massif and like the more traditional village feel over a resort. A good choice in my opinion.
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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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Linnylou26, Just come back from there last week. Les Carroz has everything you will need with your mixed ability group. I didn't ski the whole Flaine bowl but did just about every run in Les Carroz Morillon and Samoens and highly recommend it.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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This talk of LC has made me miss the old place.
Been three years now i think since i last went, after going every year for seven years.
Both my kids learnt there, we have had some great trips.
I will just say that until the cost of living improves and dare i say the "facilities" on the mountain we will stick with Austria.
Whenever my girls needed the loo we had to ski all the way down to town. Extreme but my wife agreed.
Now Austrian toilets are something to behold, makes it a pleasure to go. But that is a subject for another thread.
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| Quote: |
Whenever my girls needed the loo we had to ski all the way down to town.
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Golly. Were the loos on the mountain that bad?
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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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Thank you everyone now looking at accomadation.
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pam w, i am afraid so. top of les carroz (les timolets i think) and the top lift station. my wife and daughters came out nearly vomiting. i said surely they are not that bad. i was told in no uncertain terms that we needed to head home.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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snowymum, would welcome being proven wrong.
Dont get me wrong i love love love LesCarroz.
I hope i get the chance to check out L Anfionne.
Ultimately we all know who makes the decision. 
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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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+1 for Les Carroz, and a couple of thoughts on accommodation.
Milk Hotel is at the bottom of the red Timalets run. It's easy to ski out to the gondola in the morning down a little run put there for the purpose. Not so easy for a beginner to ski back in the evening via Timalets, which is quite steep and can get icy. So you'd become reliant on the bus, which you may or may not like.
If you're looking for self-catering, talk to Sue Lewis at Skifusion, who have some nice accommodation in Les Carroz. The accom we stayed in was to a high standard and Sue is very helpful.
The buses in Les Carroz are really good, but before you book check at http://winter.grand-massif.com/ski-bus-shuttles that you are on a route that runs really regularly. Not all ski bus routes are equal!
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| ianbradders wrote: |
| pam w, i am afraid so. top of les carroz (les timolets i think) and the top lift station. my wife and daughters came out nearly vomiting. i said surely they are not that bad. i was told in no uncertain terms that we needed to head home. |
There are two restaurants at the top of Plein Soleil where it runs into Les Timalets. We always have our last drink(s) of the day in the second one, and - slightly boringly - I can report that they have just refurbished the bogs in very minimalist, modern style.
(Mostly, I end up having a waz in the orange snow behind the Blanchot or at the top of the Diamant Noir/Aup de Veran over in Flaine, but I can see how this might not be ideal for your wife and daughters.)
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You know it makes sense.
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Yeah NSB, pretty sure that is not an option for the ladies.
Saying that, the wife loves camping so might go for it 
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FAQ
In fact I'd say the Grand Massif is far better than average for mountain loos. 
Quite a lot are at ground level rather than the basement types you get in other resorts.
