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Difficult drag lifts in Flaine?
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead

I am thinking of going with early intermediates to Flaine but there are a few drag lifts marked for experts only eg Stade, Bois and Grand Grenier in Flaine itself and Plan Moulin and Kedeuze in Les Carroz which have both blue and reds leading from them (in the main). I can only ever remember the Aujon lift being a bit awkward with a devilish jolt which unseated many after about 6 yards. What exactly are these other lifts like and are they really not suitable for timid intermediates?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person

I remember Bois as being the worst - I'm generally happy on drags but found that hilarious and scary 0, it really was something else! Very steep for big lengths, through trees so no easy recovery if you did come off, and sometimes big chunks taken out of the track! Grand Grenier was a little better but still fairly steep. Not for timid skiers, no. Stade is fine, though often for race training only.

You can very easily avoid any drags though and still have a great time in Flaine, lots of fast chairs and bubbles covering the majority of the area. I'm a big fan.
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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?

Only way to get used to difficult drags is to keep doing them Smile . Drag lifts were always my nemesis; forever falling off them much to the delight of my ski buddies. After many years of persistence they no longer present a problem (unlike T-bars). Just be careful of those that take off with a bit of a start and launch you off the ground whilst pushing your nads back where they were pre-puberty Laughing Laughing .
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You need to Login to know who's really who.

@Scottc, Plan moulin is by the side of timalets (i walked up some of the lift line yesterday)and it can make you take off in the air at the start, but most people just go down to the telecabin when they get to the end of timalets and don't use it. It does get used for the night skiing and racers use it as timalets is the main race course.

Kedeuze again does not get used much, unless you want to do circuits of felire (which I don't think timid intermediates would do) again you can take off at the start of it, but it is often shut and tends to be used by racers as the red next to it and the right hand side of a bit of plein soleil are used for race training and so are sometimes closed runs. Both the drags usually close for lunch!
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

As @fixx says both Bois and Grand Grenier can be tricky, but the upside is that they lead to lovely wide blues that are great for early intermediates. And because some people try to avoid the drags that part of Flaine is often very quiet.

If my memory is good, Bois is one of those where you think it's going to take off, it doesn't, you look up to see that everything is OK, then you get pulled just at the moment when you thought you wouldn't. After the start, it's a case of being aware upfront that you will be going down as well as up on the drag, and that some sections are steep. No nasty bumpy surprises after the first bit.

Grand Grenier takes off fine, then a few metres later you get pulled off the ground 'unexpectedly'. Even if you come off, you're just by the lift.

Best bet is to see how both work, by just standing at the lifts for a few minutes as other people get on. The lifties on both lifts are well aware that some people are nervous, and we've always found them helpful.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.

Thanks to all for extremely comprehensive info! I think we can avoid most of the tricky bits as what I remember of Flaine it was really OK. Looking forward to January!
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Rule5
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!

It is a few years since I skied at Flaine but I do remember drag lifts in the area of the Stade giving a real yank at the start. I think this may be caused by broken or worn out springs inside the pomas, so there is little or nothing to graduate the impact from standing to full speed. I find it helps to crouch slightly and tense up the core a bit to absorb with the shock.
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