 Poster: A snowHead
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Doubtless has been asked before, sorry.
I've been given a few instructor names in the Cham area as suggestions for help when returning after injury. (Yes, other instructors and areas are doubtless available, maybe better.)
Long time since I've been, usually book TO ski packages, but know that flights to GVA and transfers are pretty easy and plentiful.
But where do I look, and by when, for some basic cheap b&b or s/c accommodation for 2 people. TV, bed and bath (shower if must) is all that's needed, + walk or bus to lifts.
What's normal end of season, what's silly busy season and is there a normal changeover day as such?
Cheers.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Spent 4 days in Cham this Jan. We had the first proper dump of the season and it was bloody cold.
Flew into Geneva and took an Easybus direct to resort (1hr transfer, £30 rtn). Stayed at Fleur des Neiges which is a basic B&B on the outskirts of town. Booked it through Booking.com and it was fine. The only criticism was that it wasn't in the centre, although there is a bus stop right outside and a great micro brewery bar down the road. Worth a look.
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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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Try snostation.com
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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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Or the Vagabond.
Or the Vert.
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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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@Grizzler, what's end of season?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Hotel excelsior... used to be very reasonable
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@yorkshirelad, renovated, now a spa - I believe prices increased and it's in the middle of nowhere.
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There's the UCPA in Argentiere. Also the Belvedere used to be pretty reasonable and maybe the Couronne.
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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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Couronne or Dahu in Argentiere, walking distance to GM or bus/train to Le Tour/Vallorcine. Le Tour bunny area probably best place to spend first hour getting confidence back.
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@Dave of the Marmottes, now that's an inteesting thing. La Tour bunny area is flat and suitable for 4 year olds. Imo.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks. I was looking really for suggestions as to online booking sites specifically - although I presume that the specific accommodation suggestions above can be Googled and booked direct?
Sorry to be a muppet, but last time I booked my own accommodation none of these comparison/booking sites existed (!) and I don't know what's best to use. Did look on the net and there's so many both international and local sites that I don't know which is usually the best for prices, reliability, trustability etc. Don't fancy AirBnB, heard/read some warnings about some sites over the years, but there's lots advertised on TV, also some local tourist board ones for Chamonix specifically, etc. Which ones do you guys generally use?
The whole potential idea came up as a very quick suggestion/offer yesterday in the middle of something else, and I realised more than anything that I just didn't know where or how to book accommodation...
And as for end of season - I meant when is it still ski-able but not going to be super busy. I know that some areas are high altitude so tecnically may go on quite late. Don't know what areas I'll be looking at, either - it was purely a suggestion of instructors in the area who would be able then to take me to some quiet and suitable (I presume easy to intermediate and then hopefully onwards) ski areas (I really can't remember them by name now). Climbed/winer mountaineered there a bit in the past, but never skied there at all so don't know it from that perspective.
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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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AirBnB actually very good, typically.
booking.com (We don't advertise there, but may end up having to).
homeaway.com
Post Easter is quieter - so this year after week of Sat, April 7, e.g. our 2 bed apartments go down to €600 for the week - and we get more flexible about minimum stays.
La Tour probs best skiing for what you want (not the bunny slopes at the base) - but rubbish in terms of accomodation and facilities, so think of staying in either Argentiere or Cham itself and hire a car.
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| Quote: |
AirBnB actually very good, typically.
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+1 - used AirBnB with great success in Cham several times over last couple of years.
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You know it makes sense.
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To be honest for Cham the tourist office website used to be pretty good for availability and booking enquiries. It's a few years since I used it and I know tourist offices are notoriously unreliable - hotels fall out with them over the fees, non tech savvy or lazy owners don't bother updating availability with them etc etc - so may no longer be useful.
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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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@Dave of the Marmottes, they're not great for private properties... IME as landlord
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Poster: A snowHead
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| under a new name wrote: |
| @Dave of the Marmottes, they're not great for private properties... IME as landlord |
Was thinking more for the 2 star hotels and B&Bs/pensions than appartments - some of the owners there are quite old school and not necessarily maxing all channels. It's certainly my experience in Austria where it seems to be a dark art to actually find reliable availability information and even darker art to find property owners who answer their email daily.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I've used AirBNB almost exclusively for Cham rentals for the past two winters, and that's quite a few weekends, and longer breaks. I'll be doing the same this winter. I like the direct communication with the owners, and find it more personal. Last winter I was already returning to a couple of places I'd previously stayed in, this winter I expect it to be mostly that. No bad experiences to report (one minor glitch with a door code that both the owner and AirBNB went out of their way to resolve).
I occasionally look on booking.com too, and I once booked direct into Gustavia, but that is rarely available when I'm looking.
I always stay in the centre, as that's where most of my friends live (and where most of the bars are, which we make extensive use of...) - but if you are looking later in the winter, you may want to base yourself in Argentiere, as you may be skiing Grands Montets mostly.
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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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| Grizzler wrote: |
What's normal end of season, what's silly busy season and is there a normal changeover day as such?
Cheers. |
Just noticed these:
Silly busy season - I hate New Year and Half term, they always seem the worst to me.
End of season - at GM, usually seems to be early May. Generally still good skiing mid April, at least in GM.
Normal changeover - there are a lot of Saturday to Saturday holiday makers, but being a town, there is a lot more available for different dates. Also Saturdays aren't as quiet as other resorts, as quite a few people head up for the day on Saturdays from Geneva. I've seen the GM car park completely overflowing on a Saturday when it was a late season powder day - it seemed like everyone from Geneva had decided that was the place to go!
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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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Busy = new year, 5 weeks of vacances scolaires.
End of season as @fixx, says. First weekend of May typically. Quality of skiing in last weeks variable.
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