 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi folks.
We're off to chantemerle in february. Looking forward to it, looks a great resort but we've not been before.
After some advice on the following...
Favourite runs/areas? We're reasonable intermediates who enjoy nice reds and like to get around. Is it possible to do one side of the resort to the other based in chantemerle?
Any nice bars in chante?
A couple of the party (me and father in law) like a more challenging run, but he is sixty with a back injury and i've only done 6 or 7 weeks skiing, so nothing too lethal. Is there anything we should avoid? To give a vague idea, we did Face de Bellevarde in Val last year a few times in very good conditions, and got down fine. Not so hot on massive moguls though.
Ok, go go go!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Felonius_Monk, good choice of resort. I first skied there after about 6 weeks skiing. There's some challenging runs, and some good cruising to be had. Something for everyone in fact. You can get over to Monetier and back quite easily, but there's the option of the ski bus back if you want to hang around in Monetier for the afternoon and enjoy the snow there. Some nice reds in Aguillette area below Prorel, but the lift is a bit slow coming back up, however, that keeps it quiet and unspoiled.
Some of the blacks are unpisted and mogulled (brute de neige on piste map) , but there are some great reds too. Nothing really to avoid if you can ski the Face. although Isolée can be a bit tricky, but is often closed if conditions aren't ideal.
I haven't been out in Chantemerle for a while, but there is an Irish pub in the shopping centre,and some bars around the base of the lifts.
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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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Sounds good, thanks for the reply.
Another quick question: we're going w/c 8th feb. Have we inadvertently hit french school holidays? Will that be very busy?
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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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@Felonius_Monk, it is the first week of the four weeks of the French holidays. The middle two weeks are usually the busiest. It is not a Paris week either, so you will probably be OK.
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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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only problem we had was when there was low snow in other resorts and they bused loads in from there ...it was so busy that it was not worth skiing
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Felonius_Monk, the area above Chantemerle is Serre Ratier where there are 3-4 restaurant options for lunchtime mountain meeting. I always liked Le Cafe Soleil for the sun terrace.
The Luc Alphand piste back to Chantemerle can get extremely chopped up and mogully at the end of the day. It is classified black mainly because of "The Wall" - the last 150/200m are very steep and straight. Otherwise it is more red than black. There is a green run (Briance?), but its a twisty and turny track that can get busy and unpleasant late in the day. Personally, I'd take the Luc Alphand or download (unless skiing down elsewhere and taking the bus back).
Runs that are fun: Les Vallons, from the very top (a blue that starts well above the tree line and then meanders down through the forest to Serre Ratier)
La Daille: fast and wide red
Echaillon: roller coaster red
Cucumelle: has to be in there - an awesome red
Rochamout: blue over in Monetier that runs past the Peyra Juana restaurant/bar which is a must stop place
Myrtilles: a blue from the top of Prorel where you can really let the skis go
Casse du Beouf: black down into Villeneuve - fast and fun with some interesting sections that will test technique
To be honest, there are so many good runs in SC
The apres bar at the bottom of the Luc Alphand is a great place to end the day. Sit back, cold beer, watch the end of the day skiers careening down "The Wall", some very well, others not so!
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If you find yourself across in Monetier, our favourite, favourite run is the Chaume, at the far skiers right as you come down from Bachas. To reach it you either need to take the Etoile drag lift (one of the only ones I now need to use), or cross the Aya piste right at the top by dicking under the rope and across the said drag. Watch out for racers on the Stade though, as you will need to cross that too. It is usually very empty.
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+1 for Chaume - did many a run there under instruction back in the day (in old git mode).
Cibouit and Yret are also great reds over in the Monetier sector 
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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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@Cacciatore, Chaume is one of Gavin Crosby's favourites for teaching. I'm getting homesick just writing all of this down. I can't wait for January.
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Good advice guys, thanks.
Sure we'll find pur way over to monetier, we ski from first lift until 4 most days and like to cover the miles. We'll probably take a day elsewhere too. I understand the lift pass is good for other resorts too? Is montgenevre the best day out option? Can we do alpe dhuez or les deux alpes? Will the TO run a day out, do you think (we're with crystal, sadly)?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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@Felonius_Monk, I'd suggest Montgenevre for the day away (it is included on your pass), if you like cruisey pistes. Plus it is closer than the other options at 12km.
If mileage is your thing, you've chosen a great place IMV - real sense of travel and exploration, a great mix of pistes and routes, some high, some through the trees.
I suspect the TO may well organise a trip out. I've never had a bad experience with Crystal (are you staying at the Plein Sud by any chance?), though its always a personal thing.
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You know it makes sense.
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Cacciatore - we're staying at a catered chalet in chantlemerle, a couple of minutes from the lifts. Can't recall the name off the top of my head but i can check. I think it's a new property for them, so probably luck of the draw as to how good the hosts are. It's a 15-person. We normally like chalet-hotels but got ehat seemed a good deal here so went with it.
3 months seems a loooong time to wait go ski again, excited already!
Will probably give montgenevre a go. We skied the milky way about 5 years ago (sauze, didnt make it to montgenevre) so will be nice to go back to that area.
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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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Sorry for reviving an old(ish) thread but I just wanted to say thanks for the tips. I'm heading out to Serre for the first time in 4 weeks and yes I am staying at the Plein Sud. I'm a boarder but I like to cover miles and explore so will be trying to find all the pistes listed above. I can't seem to find La Daille (mentioned above) on the piste map though. Anyway thanks for the tips and if anyone has any more to share, such as where to find good side of piste play areas? Thanks
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Poster: A snowHead
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We loved the Brut du neige areas. I particularly like cibouit over in the Monetier area. The powder off the side of the Mea drag lift was good enough fun for the boarders in our group to set off back of the lift (several times) without complaining.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thanks for the tips sugarmoma666, I had to look up what the Brut du niege areas were, sounds fantastic 
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