 Poster: A snowHead
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Ok my planning is under way for our family ski trip Christmas week 2014 (20-27 Dec) and I am considering going back to GM where we had our last trip at Feb Half Term this year. We loved the ski area but realise the resorts are all low. I am struggling to find accurate information on historical snow records for the corresponding week. I wouldn't expect to find snow in the villages but realistically what level would we expect to get skiable conditions at, barring extremes one way or another?
We have no problem using the shuttle buses or even jumping in the car to make short drives to the main gondola lifts at say Morrillon or Samoens and no issue in downloading each day.
We went to Les Saisies last Christmas and had a great time and am definitely considering rebooking the same apartment at Bisanne 1500 but really tempted by GM as my logic is that there will be more extensive and better conditions to a lower level in GM. I will stand corrected though.
So I call on all you SH's with experience of the area to help me out with my decision making please. If it all goes wrong I can then blame you! Ha 
ps. other resorts currently on my radar are Paradiski and Espace Diamant both of which we have skied before.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Last year we went at New Year to Samoens and were lucky that it snowed/dumped the Christmas week as conditions had not been as good as usual. Those we met as they were leaving had had a good week because of it though. In previous years we have been at both Christmas and the week before, generally arriving the day the lifts open and have had good conditions. Often Flaine opens limited lifts several days before the general opening. IIRC it has often not snowed heavily until late November (or later) yet we have always managed to have good skiing somewhere. Flaine is obviously the best option and if you can drive up you'll be able to ski. I would not hesitate to book from opening day. Depending on where you are staying will depend on bus links so ask here first for details, otherwise drive. The drive from Samoens to Flaine in good conditions will probably take 45 mins or so.
I'll get me string.
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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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jirac18, what Basil, said, more or less. Christmas is always a risk for good (any?) snow. Anywhere*. Unless you like skiing on glaciers.
* I think it was Kitzbuhel village council who voted against advertising it as a winter sports resort at Xmas time in 1933 as they didn't feel the snow was reliable enough.
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jirac18, There has been plenty of snow in Les Arcs (we stay at 1800 but ski at 1800 - 3000m) for the last 11 years at Christmas. Maybe not quite all the lifts open, but plenty of snow. Some of the lower resorts will struggle, but it's not the resort height that's important, just catch a lift higher...what's the skiing area height at GM?
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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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snowyowl, The initial gondola from Samoens lands at 1600m and from Morillon at 1100 from which there are then chair lifts. I think the highest point is around 2400 if I recall correctly without looking it up. Ideally I want to be able to ski down to Les Carroz and in and around the tree lined runs in case it's windy up top or poor viz.
I'm not expecting to be able to ski from resort as I said but I'm interested to know how the conditions generally fare around the domain once up the initial gondolas. I am certain Les Arcs would be absolutely fine ski wise and it's a bit of a banker if GM doesn't figure out.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Go to advanced search above... and search for Grand Massif, If you scroll through previous posts on here over the years you will be able to get a feel for how it is there at different times.
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Why not stay in Les Carroz which has snowmaking on the pistes into the village so you should be able to ski from the resort. It has a lovely villagey feel. We rented there for a couple of seasons and really liked it. To the best of my recollection the lifts opened as planned the week before Christmas over the 2 years we did it (though we arrived on Boxing Day) and the links to Morillon, Samoens and Flaine were all open, though forget skiing below Morillon Les Esserts or below the top of the Gondola from Samoens. If you have a car then the other plus is that it's an easy 20 min drive up to Flaine from Les Carroz or as far as one of the car parks by chairlifts en route.
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We've stayed in Samoens several times at Christmas and always had a great week with plenty of snow, the only run that tends not to be open is the cascades from the top of Flaine. Only had it on a couple of occasions where the link to Flaine has been shut due to bad weather. The only reason I won't be back there this year is a group of us are off to La Rosiere for new year. Book it and have fun.
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We'd vote for staying in Les Carroz, too. Only short drive up to Flaine if snow cover is bad or the links are closed because of wind, plus a nice villagey feel as Perty, says.
Having previously stayed in Samoens, we spent the week before Christmas in Flaine and Christmas week in Les Carroz last year. The lifts in Les Carroz opened for Christmas week and there was enough snow, but only just, so a couple of days we drove up to Flaine. That would have been a much longer trip from Samoens......
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Thanks one and all so far. Last Feb we stayed in Morillon and spent some time at Samoens when not skiing and it looked lovely so I was drawn to it when planning on going back to the GM. We loved the slopes around Les Carroz and in among the trees it was fantastic with reasonably good snow (spring conditions mainly) but sadly we never got to look around the village which I now regret. Looking at the Carroz website it looks charming enough so I think I will take a good look at some self catered accommodation there. I agree it does seem the best location from which to access other links whereas Samoens is further out.
Can't believe it's only May and getting excited about ski trip planning already! 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Carroz is a lovely place.
Accom-wise, have you considered hotels?
I would recommend Les Airelles, which is ski-in ski-out right next to the main gondola and does nice rooms with very good half board for about 80 euro.
Alternatively the Milk Hotel at the bottom of the Timalets, which is a bit more expensive but has a bar and lounge area which Les Airelles lacks.
LC is quite lowish but as long as you can get over to Flaine you should be fine.
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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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northernsoulboy, can't say I had considered hotels to be honest but I will take a look at those you have mentioned. We are driving down again so SC is no problem for us and I quite like the flexibility around meals etc with the whole family that SC gives.
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We are booked up for morillon the same week so am hoping for snow like you. Spent alot of time looking at affordable places to go and i think it was your report from your earlier GM visit that helped me make the decision. See you on the tunnel 
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You know it makes sense.
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Colinski, excellent. I think the area stacks up really well on price if you are willing to trawl t'internet for good deals. I'm uber excited to get back to the GM as we enjoyed it so much and we loved the experience of Christmas away in the mountains so much.
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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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First time away at Xmas for us and nobody is more excited than me to be spending it on a mountain, not on a sofa with granny grandad etc after too many sprouts
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Poster: A snowHead
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jirac18, Combe and Timalets are both cannoned all the way down, and they seem to be starting on finishing the new big snow making lake already, judging by the amount of banging going on in the fog we could hear on one of our walks this week.
(Saw some Ibex on L'Arbaron yesterday, which was a bit special, even if a bit closer than we really wanted ) 
Christmas can be a bit thin sometimes (as it was this year, they were 2 days away from closing the les carroz ski area, but then it snowed) however often there can be loads of it as the year before when they opened a week early. The only really really bad year was 2006/2007....we went walking...but it was bad everywhere, and one in the early mid 90's.
If driving to Flaine you may need chains etc, its is usually more dodgy i.e. ice on the way down to , stopping is the issue!! Take a credit card for the car park machine
Les Arielles is very trad French (part of logis chain) the rooms are accessed by an outside stairs, and are quirky (some rels stayed in it when we had not got enough room in our place) there are also some apartments at the front. Its about 90 euros and up for a decent room, and then demi pension is about 40 euros each on top.
If you want SC then CGH place chalet de jouvance next to Les arielles is ski in and out with pool etc, there is also P+V in town (fermes du soleil) with pool etc as well. There are some v good private apartments in pres du bois area at the back of the village (les trappeurs buildings) i have a link somewhere to the one some friends stayed as as we had no room again. Its easy on the bus from there as never anyone on it at that point. Pm me and if i can find the link i will send it.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Good chance we might be heading that way too. After half a dozen years in St Gervais we are looking for pastures new (or in the case of GM, pastures revisited) after the owners sold the apartment we lived in for a while in and have returned to each year in St G.. Along with Deux Alpes under the tutelage of Easiski, "The flying bogee" did much of his early learning out of Morillon a decade ago and a nostalgia trip holds some appeal. More so in fact as I was there for a couple of days in early in Jan this year with some girlfriends and was hugely impressed with snow conditions compared with St Gervais the same week.
Colinski, In the last eight years we have had one 'on the sofa with granny and too many sprouts'. Won't be doing it again anytime soon, well not unless that sofa is in the alps!
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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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Last Christmas was not a good one for snow - just about just about OK. Probably the worst we'd had (Espace Diamant) since 2002. Some places in the southern Alps did even worse.
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pam w, ain't that the truth! T'was truly grim in St Gervais too.
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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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carroz, thanks very much. How good are the ski and boot lockers at the Kedeuze station? Info on the GM website says they are heated with dryers for boots. This would be a bonus if they are worth using as I can consider different accommodation using the bus or walking so I don't have to carry both mine and kids skis!!
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Annie, it wasn't "grim" in Les Saisies - the local runs were open and fine, but down in the lower reaches of the Espace Diamant was a different story. For the friends and family staying with me, or renting other nearby apartments (or in one case sleeping in a converted AA van  ) conditions were OK. And at least it wasn't too cold for the last group. Snow depths were a lot better than in some other places I think.
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| Quote: |
on the sofa with granny
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my lot are curiously keen to spend Christmas with me - must be my slopeside apartment with built-in child care and airport transfers which provides the attraction. 
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pam w, stand corrected. T'was truly grim in St Gervais full stop (or at least until xmas day when things improved a little) - and I am a fan!
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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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jirac18, Never used them as we are ski in and out, but they seem to be popular, so must be ok (they are also new, well 2 seasons old) and they seem to cost a reasonable amount as far as i remember 40 euros for 6/7 days rings a bell. (sign is on the wall where i have to wait for my daughter while she is taking ages in the loo!)
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Lockers at base of Kedeuze Gondola in Les Carroz - 6 to 8 Euros per day depending on no. of days. They are heated, hold 4 sets of skis,poles & Boots (4 pairs of heated rods). It is possible to fit 5 sets in and even cram 6 sets if 2 pairs of boots are small!. Entry to room and locker is by swiping lift pass (up to 4 passes can be activated for each locker).
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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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skier52, cheers that sounds pretty good. Are they secure no problems with kit getting stolen?
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jirac18, for a half way house between SC and a hotel take a look at http://www.labergerie-lescarroz.com/index_en.php Lovely B & B, where you can make a cup of tea when you want, store bits in the fridge, etc. Claude is a great host, we spent last Christmas there and really enjoyed the atmosphere.
For SC we have been using http://www.skifusion.co.uk/drupal/ who are also great, and have some very well-equipped high quality apartments in Les Carroz.
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You know it makes sense.
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jirac18, Used locker for 14 days mid Feb. this year with no problems and not heard of any security issues. The locker room is closed/locked between about 6pm and 8.30am next morning.
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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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jirac18 - I haven't yet been to Les Carroz at Christmas but would definitely recommend it as a base for skiing the Grand Massif. We went there last year and are going back next year. We really enjoyed staying in Les Chalets de Jouvence as the accommodation is high end with a lovely pool and it is well located for skiing at the foot of the piste - but also close to the shops. The bootroom was heated and lockers were a generous size and you can literally walk out of the bootroom door, put your skis on and take the button lift up and ski down to the gondola.
Supermarket provision is poor in the village so I'd definitely recommend stocking up at Carrefour in Cluses. The ski hire next to the Chalets de Jouvence (Sport 2000 I think) had good quality equipment for our children. I purchased some skis from Twinner and the service there was very friendly. We liked L'Agora restaurant for an evening meal. We were spoiled for choice with the mountain restaurants at lunchtime..you would know this from skiing in Morillon this year.
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Poster: A snowHead
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There will be a new huge super u at Balme (roundabout at the bottom of the hill) by next winter. The Petit Casino in the village is fine, as is the Spa down at Le Lay. (the Spa is reasonably large) they are also open all year round, so are rather important for the village. (the other Spa next to the Ice Rink is only open in season). 3 supermarkets in a smallish village does not make poor in my book? But I suppose its not a 24 hour, 7 days a week Tesco. (yuk)
Carroz Sports is the ski hire nearest to CdeG, but Ski Set also do a deal for CdeG and will also deliver everything, and collect it at the end of the week. All our friends who have stayed in CdeG have always had virtually brand new stuff from them.
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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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snowymum, you can easily walk to the Spa in Le Lay, (especially in April) there is a path off the road that is cleared and lit down to it and there is a bus down to there as well. The Spa (which is not that good) in the village and the petit casino tend to alternate the closing day at the end of the season. That is the hours of the post office normally, except when it was closed all this week! at least there is one.............
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Has anyone stayed at Les Fermes du Soleil? Is it worth the extra bucks compared to a private owners apartment without a pool and spa etc. Some of the private apartments seem to range from £650 to £1150 and I've found a deal on a 2 bedroom basic apt at Les Fermes du Soleil for £1150 which is about £250 cheaper than P&V standard tariff.
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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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jirac18, FdeS is a little bit tired at the moment as its waiting refurbishment. The leases are all out of sync , so they are waiting for the last leases to expire to refurb it. FdeS is easy for the main part of the village.
The basic 2 bedroom (if a six person one) will be in block a, b or c which are the oldest. Blocks D and E you have to walk across to the pool etc. and have the "superior" bigger apartments
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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If you're shopping in the valley, it's worth noting that there are two Carrefours. The big one is in Cluses, and a smaller (but still decent-sized) Carrefour Market is in Scorzonier, just off the autoroute. If we're only going for food, we find the smaller one much faster to shop in, without all the distractions of everything in the huge one. Prices seem to be pretty much the same in both, but in early April the Market had a wine event and its prices were significantly lower than the big one.
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carroz, thanks. I have now dismissed FduS. We had a lovely apt at Les Saisies last Christmas with pool and used it every day but I'm not convinced it's essential and FDUS is expensive. I'd be annoyed to turn up paying premium price for less than premium accommodation. The town spa and pool looks quite good so we could use that a couple of times and save some money.
Also I've noticed that the prices in Samoens for equivalent accommodation seems quite a bit cheaper than Les Carroz. I'm guessing that LC is considered to be a better location for access to slopes and that's why.
snowymum, Chalet de Jouvances looks lovely have a good trip
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jirac18, for historical snow records for the Grand Massif you can have a look there http://www.peakretreats.co.uk/ski/snow-resort.htm (dot in url now removed) We need to update it with last season's data though.
Last edited by After all it is free  on Mon 2-06-14 19:09; edited 2 times in total
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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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No, it's a typo. This takes you to the right place: http://www.peakretreats.co.uk/ski/snow-resort.htm The original link had a full stop at the end, and because the page didn't exist I guess it defaulted to their special offers.
Would be very interested to see how last season's figures compared with the average.
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