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Le Bettex, St Gervais

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Great site by the way, thanks to those of you with the initiative and know how to get this thing going.

Anyone have any knowledge of Le Bettex near St Gervais. Considering a few days there 2nd week of March. Having never skied in this area I'm not what to expect in terms of snow conditions. Alos any infor on bars/nightlife etc greatly appreciated.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I have been skiing there for 15 or so years. A great little village with tremendous access to 400+km of pistes on the Evasion ski pass from your door step. I reccomenf the Presteau restaurant anf the hotel Belle etoile. A great place to go, and friendly. But v. little night life. You will need transport to St Gervais if you need that. Smile
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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?
TimDog, Welcome to SnowHeads snowHead
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
TimDog, it looks like a great place form the ski map, although perhaps not especially challenging? Why have I barely heard of it?
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Welcome to snowHeads TimDog.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
Thanks for the welcome. Le Bettex is a small village whose slopes make up a part of the vast St Gervais-Mont Blanc and Megeve ski area. If you take the telecabine from St Gervais to the top of the mountain you have to change to a second one just over half way up. This is at the village of Le Bettex. It is not often you can ski back down to St Gervais (below 1000m) but le Bettex (at 1400m) has snow alsmost the whole season long. Along with Megeve (about 1100m) it is part of the Mont Blanc miro climate and snow falls at lower altitudes than one would expect given the more regional conditions.

It is getting more well known now and the few hotels/apprtment complexs are fully booked for most of the season. Also, the car park fills up early in the day with skiers avoiding the queues at the St Gervais base station. It is literally doorstep skiing for most of the residences. I stay at the belle etoile (English run) or Chalet Gabriel if the Belle is full. I wait at breakfast to hear the begginers tow lift start, put boots on, ski down to the tow and then at the top ski across to the cable car to go to the top of the mountain. The hotel Belle Etoile has been used for almost 20 years by PGL for school trips (thats how I found it, escourting a school party) and it is a very safe place to ski. You really have to work hard and go incredibally far off piste to find somewhere to fall far enough to hurt yourself!

However, more and more locals know of the village as do many dutch and Germans (judging by the plates on the cars). But most of these are day visitors.

The views from the village are stunning - Mont Blanc a big view almost due east and with beautiful colours on it at sunset. The nightlife is non-existent. There is a cellar bar at le Presteau (my favourite restaurant and good value at lunch) but they have not bothered to open it the last couple of seasons. If you have a car, drive to St Gervais or Megeve. Taxis aren't too expensive for one or two nights out if there are 4 of you.

The runs suit begginers through to v good intermediates. There aren't so many tough black runs. Which suits me coz I plataued out as a reasonable intermediate 20 years ago. I like to enjoy long easy runs!

Many of the pistes are through woods - beautiful!!!! But with 113 lifts on the Evasion pass and 450km (yes, thats fourhundred and fifty) of pistes it is not often you have to queue for a lift. If you do, it is around 10:30am for an hour and 2:30 onward in the afternoon on the lifts that are near to the runs back to the main resorts of Megeve, le Bettex and St Gervais. A lot of the Megeve crowd are there to be seen and don't get out of bed before noon. On one of my school partys, one of my kids knocked down Roger Moore - he was staying in Megeve. He was very good about the whole incident!

Well that's enough from me. I will be there from Dec 28th for 5 days and really looking forward to it. Hope to see you on the slopes. I am tne one wearing the very non fashionable lemon yellow jacket (12 years old but still warm and wind proof! Very Happy
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Why wasn't my second post like that wink
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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!
I forgot to say, Access is easy - train to Le fayet, near St Gervais and bus or taxi up. Or, flying in to Geneva a taxi works out at around £40 for a round trip. They can get 4 of you in a people mover with roof box and trailer so transfer per person is a pittance.
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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.
I have no real worries that there will be a vast influx of people as the village is just about fully booked for the season. Phone Rolland at the Belle Etoile if you want to stay, he will phone around other residences for you. And no, I am not on commision form the Belle! Little Angel

If you do want to try skiing for a day from le Bettex, make sure you get there early (before 9am) as the car parks (one small, and the other almost as small!) fill up quick. There is a shuttle bus from the car park to the telecabine where you can purchase lift passes. However, you can use the beginners button without a pass if you tell the controller you are going up to buy a ticket. From the top of the button ski across past the ski school to the steps up to the telecabine. Start off the day as you mean to go on!

If you want to eat on the mountain, get to a restaurant just before 12 noon. They fill up EXTREMELY quickly and on a fine day the outside tables are also full so service slows considerably. 12 til 2 is a good time to ski as people are eating and those few lifts that have queues suddenly don't! Very Happy
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
TimDog wrote:
I am tne one wearing the very non fashionable lemon yellow jacket (12 years old but still warm and wind proof! Very Happy

Shocked Shocked Shocked

I was quite warming to you until that point TimDog...

(Just kidding Very Happy)
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
PhillipStanton wrote:
TimDog wrote:
I am tne one wearing the very non fashionable lemon yellow jacket (12 years old but still warm and wind proof! Very Happy

Shocked Shocked Shocked

I was quite warming to you until that point TimDog...

(Just kidding Very Happy)


I look at it this way - people have a better chance of seeing me coming and getting out of my way! Laughing

Actually, I am really a responsible skiier, but not as good as I was - arthritis is a bummer! Sad

Back to fashion - I prefer warm and comfortable and minimal cost over fashion!
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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.
I agree with you TimDog - I'd get out the way of anyone in a lemon yellow jacket Wink
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
TimDog, thanks. You won't see me on the slopes on 5th December, worst luck. What's the area like right at the end of the season, second half of April?
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
richmond wrote:
TimDog, thanks. You won't see me on the slopes on 5th December, worst luck. What's the area like right at the end of the season, second half of April?


Resort closes 20th April next year, I think. I skiied last year, 1st week of April and it was fantastic. A great base even if there was no further snow. I believe last year they kept the main lifts open, weekends only until early May so there is a fair chance of excellent conditions at the end of the season.............and the bonus of empty slopes! Enjoy. And I may see you there if I can afford it. Just watch for that yellow jacket Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
My first SnowHeads post this season!

The St Gervais / Megeve ski area is (IMHO) fairly underrated and well worth a look. I have skied there many times while staying in Chamonix and always enjoyed it and have had reasonably good snow in March (although you could not ski right down to St G).

The town of St Gervais is very pleasant and as stated by an earlier poster, access on the TGV to Le Fayet is excellent. It is a particularly good place to stay if you have a car as Flaine, Chamonix, Les Houches and Argentiere are all within quite easy reach.

There is a black run down through the trees (La Princesse or something like that) which is one of my all time favourites, and there is an absolutely cracking restaurant at the bottom ideal for lunch. (EDIT after looking at piste map it is the restaurant half way up the Princesse bubble below Mont d'Arbois.)
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Le Bettex is also a great summer place to be. Loads on offer besides the usual walking etc. I hired a montain bike, and took the telecabine up to the top and cycled down to Megeve, telecabine up again and cycled back to Bettex. Certainly puts the pistes in a different light. Scenery was stunning! Vast majority of piste bars shut though - some are lttle farmhouses, others just shut up for the summer. Little Angel
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@TimDog,
Hi, do you know what's happened to the Hotel Belle Etoile in Le Bettex. I can't find any trace of it - thanks
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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?
I'm staying in the belle etoile at February HT with the school group I take. Great location, ski in, ski out. Locals eat lunch here as there is little else in Bettex apart from a small cafe hut on the slope and maybe a sandwich place by the button lift

Owned by a couple call Lisa (English) and Thierry (French!). We stayed there last feb too and had a great time. They used to have a website, although I struggled to find it when looking. Contact details are online. Very Happy

Snow in February was great, although bettex is only at 1400 so needs to stay cold otherwise could be patchy. Should have a good snow base by the weekend! Very Happy
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