 Poster: A snowHead
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We are due to land at 9pm on 16 march at geneva airport and don't fancy driving our hire car on unknown windy roads at night so have decided to stay near geneva for one night. We will probably be going to les saisies although haven't finalised anything yet. Can anyone recommend somewhere within about a 10-20mile radius of the airport we could stay for one night?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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polo99, How cheap do you want ? There are several of the French chain hotels in Annemasse.
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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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polo99, Quite a few places to stay just over the border into France at Ferney Voltaire
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Ibis Budget Geneva is a 5-minute (free) bus ride from the airport, or a longish walk. It's OK for a night.
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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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We will be hiring a car from geneva airport and heading in the direction of les saisies. I don't want to pay more than £50 if I can as it will literally just be to get our heads down so that we can head to resort in day light. What are these formulae hotels like?
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Kyriad Genève St-Genis-Pouilly Is available at £40. Would that be ok?
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polo99, I have stayed several times in the Premiere Classe in Annemasse-Gaillard. It was fine, just far enough away from the autoroute that it wasn't noisy.
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polo99, only a very small part of your journey is on " windy " roads (Les Saisies) There is, naturally, the possibility of snow, but that aside and assuming you'll have a Swiss, thus winterised, car, I'd just push through myself. Be there in time for last orders (if there's a bar open till midnight?).
Otherwise, we have used IBIS at Entrembieres which is just off the A40 at Annemasse. Also one at Archamps. Both just off motorway and in the direction you'll be going.
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polo99, the journey to LS isn't very windy, as under a new name says. But I drove up there in a snowstorm in the dark on my way back from Arabba and was very glad that I knew the road so well. Landing at 9 pm is quite late, and picking up a car is never the work of a moment.
The Stars Hotel in Ferney Voltaire is very close to the airport and very cheap. Basic (used to be a F1) but for a night, who cares?
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I stayed at Hotel 33 near the airport just before Christmas. 10 minute walk from airport. Was cheap and perfectly OK.
I guess if you stay at the airport you can save a days car hire but if it were me I'd just jump in the car and go.
I think it is Motor Show that weekend so hotels might be at a premium.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I think it is Motor Show that weekend so hotels might be at a premium.
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very good point. If you do decide to drive through make sure you know how to get access to your accommodation - might involve finding an agency in town and getting a code for a key box, or something like that.
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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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Depending on what time the hire car opens I would be inclined to stay in one of the airport hotels, pick the car up in the morning and make a very early start. I got a really good deal in Dec at the Ibis by joining club accor and getting a promotional offer, however motor show weekend may keep all the prices high in the immediate vicinity of Geneva.
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Movenpick can be fairly cheap for a 4* booked in advance and the breakfast is to die for.
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You know it makes sense.
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Where is this car show? We don't mind moving away from geneva I was just trying to minimise driving in the dark. There does seem to be some offers for £40-£50 for a room but we don't want to get caught up in a load of traffic heading to the car show.
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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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When we drove down from la tania at 4am it took us ages to get to the bottom as we were really cautious and I don't fancy getting to resort at 2am and be totally frazzled and divorced  . So I think the best option is to book accommodation from sun to Thursday and just leave our stuff in the car in the car park then check in after a days skiing if that makes sense
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Poster: A snowHead
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I am not sure exactly where the car show is but we have been in Geneva a number of times when it has been on and have not noticed any exceptionally bad traffic, but maybe we were just lucky with the time of day.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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polo99, The Salon Internationale de l'Automobile?? The Geneva Car show (which is somewhat famous  ) is in Palexpo, next door to the airport... Airport hotels are likely to be rammed. The IBISs that I mentioned probably fine being on the other side of town.
Do you not drive in the dark?
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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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So I think the best option is to book accommodation from sun to Thursday and just leave our stuff in the car in the car park then check in after a days skiing if that makes sense
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you lost me there, polo99. If you land at 9 pm on Sunday in Geneva and stay somewhere en route on Sunday night your ski accommodation would start on Monday.
Yes, it would make sense to check in Monday night. But most self-catering accommodation will be be Sat/Sat. That is a very popular week because it's the first non-school holiday week. I wouldn't wait too long before deciding where you want to go, and booking somewhere. I am going to be in my place, and so are my friends whose place is sometimes available for less than a full week, so I can't suggest anything.
If you come up with anything in Les Saisies check the location with me - some of the descriptions can be a bit misleading about exactly how far the places are from the lifts etc.
You could have a look for a place in Praz sur Arly - which would cut 35 minutes off the drive and probably be cheaper. You could search on "ski tout compris praz sur arly" and might find some good offers. Not as easy skiing as Les Saisies, though. You could also look in Crest Voland - lots of nice easy skiing, very scenic, now linked by chairlift to Les Saisies rather than the previous rather dodgy drag lift.
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For cheap and clean you could do worse than the Geneva Youth Hostel. Easy to get to on the bus from the airport if you want to pick the hire car up in the city the following morning.
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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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Thanks for the replies. Pam I must have been having a brain fart. We land on Saturday 15th. We will probably opt for les saisies as at least we know it suits our requirements. I did have a quick look on the tout compris search when you suggested it on another thread but don't speak any French and couldn't see a translate button on my iPad. Will probably book this week. Our other alternative was valmorel.
under a new name, yes of course we drive in the dark but in a foreign country Ina car we are unfamiliar with, driving on the opposite side of the road is very daunting in the dark so if we can avoid it, we will.
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polo99, no worries 
the car show really does make a bit of an ear of things, a friend has colleagues whose hotels goes from 200 Swissies a night to 1,500 during it being an outrageous example.
Pam's idea in Ferney is probably the quickest/easiest. It's not at all far. I would be inclined to head slightly further. I'll ping you a map.
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polo99, Sallanches is a very easy journey along the motorway - about 50 minutes at most - and would make your journey on Sunday morning very short. There's an IBIS but it's probably more than £50 - may be other places too.
The big supermarket next door will be closed on Sunday but up the road there's a big one as you come out of Megeve towards Praz sur Arly which is open on Sundays and would be a good place to stock up with food and drink.
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| rjs wrote: |
| polo99, I have stayed several times in the Premiere Classe in Annemasse-Gaillard. It was fine, just far enough away from the autoroute that it wasn't noisy. |
We stayed in the premier classe in Annemasse a couple of weeks ago. Hateful place, the hotel corridors smelled of cigarettes and drains. The bathroom, which is a plastic pod in the room smelled even worse. The breakfast at €9!!! Dry bread and jam or cereal with warm UHT milk, no plates so you have to eat off your tray. The town itself is a dump full of Eastern Europeans and dodgy looking homeless types. In the 30 minute drive through Geneva it takes to get there you could have done 30 miles on the motorway. Also if you aren't confident driving over there the journey through the city centre can be a little daunting. My advice would be to keep driving or stay a little further from the airport.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Thanks for all the help everyone, I am still looking at various places. Looking at availability in Les Saisies and there isnt much (well not much that is reasonably priced). We may have to look at different areas. Pam you suggested Crest Voland, are there places to eat out? We dont want anything fancy really, burger and chips, pizza places will suffice. Will you let me know what the on piste snow cover is like when you arrive this week please? Would Notre Dame be an option if we cant get booked in Les Saisies? I will take a look at Sallanches too. I am just looking at the time it took us to hire a car in January at Lyon. from landing and driving off in the hire car was 1 hour 15 mins. That would mean if we took this long, its going to be 2215 before we even leave the airport. Oh decisions decisions
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| 897sma wrote: |
| rjs wrote: |
| polo99, I have stayed several times in the Premiere Classe in Annemasse-Gaillard. It was fine, just far enough away from the autoroute that it wasn't noisy. |
We stayed in the premier classe in Annemasse a couple of weeks ago. Hateful place, the hotel corridors smelled of cigarettes and drains. The bathroom, which is a plastic pod in the room smelled even worse. The breakfast at €9!!! Dry bread and jam or cereal with warm UHT milk, no plates so you have to eat off your tray. The town itself is a dump full of Eastern Europeans and dodgy looking homeless types. In the 30 minute drive through Geneva it takes to get there you could have done 30 miles on the motorway. Also if you aren't confident driving over there the journey through the city centre can be a little daunting. My advice would be to keep driving or stay a little further from the airport. |
I don't know why anyone would drive through the centre of Geneva to get to Gaillard, it is next to the Autoroute that will end up at Sallanches. There are two Premiere Classe hotels in Annemasse.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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polo99, There are two bits to Crest Voland, the main village and Le Cernix, there are a few restaurants in both.
I don't know what you would do if you arrived really late on the Saturday, the Tourist Office shuts at 6pm, I have had keys left for me at the bar opposite whenever I have been later than this but I don't know when they close.
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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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I think its going to be a problem too rjs. I think the sensible thing to do is to stay overnight after we land and head up to resort next day. It would pressure us more to think someone is sitting waiting for us in resort and we are at a snails pace.
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I don't know why anyone would drive through the centre of Geneva to get to Gaillard
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I was wondering that, too. polo99, there wouldn't be any problem getting meals in Crest Voland. Yes, Notre Dame would be a possibility - at the moment the snow is fine down there, though I'm not arriving till 14th to give you a first hand report. This site gives piste opening information http://www.espacediamant.com/fr/ouverture-des-pistes-102.html. 100% open at the moment. In Notre Dame it would be better to stay at 1350 (Mont Rond) rather than right down in the village at 1150 as access to the rest of the domaine is better from there.
Praz sur Arly is also worth looking at. Some cheap studios, e.g. http://locations.prazsurarly.com/fr/location/praz-sur-arly/location-praz-sur-arly.php?id=10226
That says it's 1 km from pistes. But you'll have a car and there's a big free car park at the foot of the Cret du Midi 6 man fast chair - the key to skiing Praz and getting over to Notre Dame and the rest of the Espace Diamant. BUT in general the skiing is a bit more challenging - if you want the easiest skiing you'll need to be in Les Saisies or Crest Voland.
Les Saisies is always the most expensive part of the domaine, I'm afraid. Because it's the best. 
This place is only €290 for the week but it's teeny weeny. http://www.lessaisies.com/index.php?action_resa=recherche&page=8&modele=reserver_meuble&idnomenclature=2592&charte=HEBERGEMENT&langue=FR&theme=HIVER
Most places, still small, but saying they sleep 4 - 5, are more like €500 - 600 for that week.
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You know it makes sense.
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Thanks for that Pam, I have had a look and places are limited (or too expensive) round the espace diament, but I will keep looking. We never got as far as Praz the last time as there was no snow there. We only got as far as Notre Dame and Crest Voland. Really enjoyed the skiing in Crest Voland and Les Saisies. A bit worried when you say "more challenging". My knee still isnt on full speed since my glorious fall in La Tania lol so really looking at places that offer gentle cruising. Options from Geneva are Les Saisies (top choice), Valmorel (been to before and loved although very expensive), Belle Plagne (never been to) or somewhere totally different that isnt far from Geneva but offers the same as Les Saisies/Valmorel in terms of variety of cruisy runs. We did enjoy Courchevel but wouldnt want to go back so soon after having just been there but would definitley go again. REally thought we could pick up cheap accomodation given the season time that we are going. Dont really want to drive to and from the slopes every day, would prefer ski in/out or near enough.
Somewhere I really fancied going which I think would suit our ability and requirements was Flims/Laax but from what I have read, they dont keep all of the lifts open all of the time, only opening the full resort at weekends and holidays so that kind of put me off
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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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polo99, I had checked on availability in Crest Voland for that week earlier today, how many beds are you looking for ?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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rjs, just 2 for me and hubby
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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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how about st gervais Megeve ,Combloux sure you will find accom there easy journey on night of arrival(1hr nearly all dual carrigeway)
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Hey polo99, I just sent you a PM before seeing your post about wanting to be ski in/ski out, as late arrivals are no problem, plus we don't require full week bookings (and we also have a snowHead booking for the same week who will be skiing in Crest Voland). But if you want to be ski in/out then we are not the place for you. I may still be of some use to you, however, as I am planning to ski in the Espace Diamant next week (NDdB and/or Praz sur Arly rather than Crest Voland) so can drop you a message with an update on conditions if you are still considering that area by then.
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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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Megeve is likely to be more expensive than the Espace Diamant - I've never stayed there but eating/drinking on the mountain is certainly more expensive. There isn't any cheaper rabbit hutch than the one I linked to above - which is in Les Saisies and very close to the pistes. And there are plenty of less cramped places around €500 for the week, again pretty well ski in/out. polo99, that's not a particularly cheap week because it's the first after the French school holidays, so very popular for French people without kids! And snow is v good at the moment, which will also bring people out. You should probably try to book something soon.
Here's another possibility - decent size (1 bedroom) and right on top of the chairlift in Bisanne 1500. http://www.homelidays.com/bisanne-1500/appartement177276fr1.htm
There are a couple of restaurants, a supermarket and a ski hire place nearby - for everything else it's a 5 mile drive into Les Saisies. V good location for skiing. Only €300 a week - quite a bargain, I'd say. It's all in French - the proprietor probably speaks enough English but if not am happy to help.
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altis, good call. praz de Lys is very sweet and only ever busy in Vacs scols.
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pam w, That one in bisanne looks ideal! is that at the bottom of the Le Planay run? Ive spent most of the afternoon looking. Even been looking at La Tousierre and Le Corbier as there was reasonable priced availability round there but haven't got a clue what the pistes are like. Sometimes its better the devil you know. (made that mistake going to Ellmau!) As long as the roads are not too bad I am sure I can persuade hubby to drive into Les Saisies for a pizza or burger or maybe the ones in Bisanne will be perfect for what we want.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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polo99, yes, that's in my development. Les Fermes du Beaufortain. Very good location, right on the piste back from the top of Mont Bisanne. This picture shows the location. There is one (very good, friendly) restaurant up there, but nowt else.
The one I linked to previously is very close to that, just at the bottom of the lift.
There is a ski bus (but not v frequent and not in the evenings) and that apartment might have covered parking - some do, some don't.
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polo99, there are good pizzas and burgers in Bisanne 1500 - no need to go to Les Saisies for them! Yes, that's the Planay piste, lovely long blue run home. And there's a black (Bouquetin) if you are feeling adventurous.
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