 Poster: A snowHead
|
Hi, we are in the early stages of planning our first family ski trip - all of us complete beginners (2 adults 2 kids 14 & 11).
I'm a bit of DIY holiday planner but realise skiing is much more complicated to organise than our usual hols !
I have booked flights to Geneva on 23 Dec and am looking at the following apartments in Les gets - K2 or Residence le Grizzli.
Does anyone have any experience of staying in either of these or which one you would pick for a first timer ? They both say ski in/out but one is at the entrance of Les gets and the other is on the chavannes slope overlooking the village ? Looking at the pictures of the chavannes slopes it looks quite steep to ski down as beginners !
I know xmas week is probably not the best time to go after reading about the snow conditions for the past couple of years but to be honest we are looking forward to getting away from the uk and spending time together in a completely new to us environment 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Personally I would choose somewhere more centrally located in the village closer to the Chavannes bubble. Most ski schools seem to meet close to the bubble and start by using the beginners zone at the top of the bubble.
The Grizzli apartments have a great location if you can ski but if you are complete beginners then it is quite a long walk,bus,car back down to the village.
I don't know whether any ski schools start lessons at Perrieres, but I doubt it. In which case it is similar to Grizzli in that it is a long walk,bus,car up to the centre. I'm sure someone will be along soon to confirm.
Check out the Les Gets website for more options, http://en.lesgets.com/snow-ski/ . They have their own booking service plus have links to local estate agents who also have rentals.
Also watch out for early booking discounts on lift passes and their "tribe" family offer
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
K2 is def not ski in/out. The Perrieres lift is a short walk away but you have to cross a busy road and the car park first. Skiing wise, the final section of the Perrieres red is one of the steepest sections in the whole area. As for skiing in from the Mont Chery side (behind K2), you'd want to be very competent at off piste and cutting across peoples gardens / roads.
Grizzly apts are ski in/out at just 100m above the centre of the village on the Chavanne, perfect for the apres ski bars (QG, Bellevue). But it is a fairly steep drop down to the lifts each morning, and it's also in the danger zone of not having enough snow at that time of year (apts are at 1300m I'd say). Not easy to get up or down to apts when not skiing. It's not on a bus route, so would need to drive around Route de Gibanez to get down to village for shops, food etc. (or a 15min walk).
Lessons will most likely be at the Chavannes mid station. So either rent very centrally and get up early to beat the lift queues (up to Chavannes), or if you have a car, rent somewhere on Route des Chavannes so you have a short drive (5mins) to the midstation each morning. No queues, no steep descents.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
We stayed at Le Grizzli when our kids had 3 and 2 weeks of skiing under their belts respectively. We are experienced skiers so had no problem guiding them down the Chavannes slope to ski school meeting place, but as beginners yourselves you may not feel comfortable taking complete beginners down there an I am not sure I would have wanted to take my kids as less experienced skiers than they were. For beginners, ski schools usually take them up and down on the bubble, bypassing the Chavannes lower slopes entirely. I echo what ?Langball said about the fact that the apartments are a good walk from the village - and it's very steep uphill as well. When we stayed there we had a car, which made getting to the village very manageable.
As @Langball also says you should look to rent your skis and boots from a hire shop which has the facility for you to leave your equipment there overnight and that's very close to the ski school meeting place. We always go to Sport 2000 which is just across the road, as are several other hire shops. This means you don't have to worry about lugging equipment either on the bus or by foot from your apartment, just leave it in the shop and walk home in your snowboots. That may help open up your accommodation options.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
I learnt to ski in Les gets in 2004 and have been there annually ever since. I found that les gets snow sports excellent they meet at the top aof the red egg les chavannes area, there is a ski here shop up there called Vermont ski - they also have a main shop in the village, what we do is go to the main shop the day we arrive sort things out and then ask to collect at the top - chavannes area. Both companies are very helpful and speak English
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Thank you so much for your helpful replies. I had not even considered the ski equipment issues of carrying them if we had opted for accommodation away from the centre. We will have a car with us as it's just me & the kids flying to Geneva (hubby is driving down just to complicate the holiday further !) and we will arrange a hotel close to the airport for our first night and then arrive in the resort on xmas eve morning.
I will look at accommodation more central and take your advice regarding le grizzli - the apartment looked really lovely but it did look scary that slope just outside !
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Even if you have a car, get advice about the likelihood of finding parking near the top of Les Chavannes - we did that one year, but it was mid January and very quiet. Maybe the parking has expanded since then - but you might have to aim to get up there very early to be sure of a space. Somewhere in the village close to the bottom of the lift would be ideal. Ask here for local advice about ski schools too - some are better than others (and sometimes much more expensive.....) and you'll need to book well in advance to be sure of having lessons for all of you which start and finish at the same time/place!
You'll have a wonderful time - fantastic to be starting all together and Les Gets is a good choice of resort. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
There are ski lockers at the base of the Chavannes lift that will take 4 pairs of skis and boots - we used them last year when we stayed further than we wanted to walk in boots with skis
The ski hire place interski I think over the road from the lift has locker too but I don't remember the lockers at the lift being cripplingly expensive - there's quite a big undercover car park there too
K2 would not be far from the Perrieres roundabout which would make it pretty close to the bus stop which would drop right at the bottom of Chavannes, so from a skiing perspective I wouldn't rule it out - IIRC it is a bit of an uphill trek into town though in the evening.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
We have done les gets three twice with kids similar ages to yours.
My advice is similar to those above. Rather rent accomodation in the centre of the resort near the Chavannes bubble.
We booked with ski school 360 and rented gear from ski fun shop. They are next door each other but most importantly directly across the road from the meeting points for the ski school. I can store your skis overnight at the ski shop. This is a massive convenience and means all you have to do is walk to the shop every morning , put on boots , collect your skis and cross the road . It will take all the angst out of the trip. Best to find accomodation that has a designated parking bay , as u are unlikely to use your car once u are there , and parking near the bubble can be tricky(although there is a pay per day parking lot underground next to the lift , but fills up failed quickly and will cost a fair bit).
Ski360 is a good ski school and cater well for English speaking groups .
Enjoy
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Agree that Ski Fun Shop and 360 are a good combination. And then you can nip into the Taniere restaurant for sustenance which is right there. My kids and grandchildren like it there. One little grand daughter had a pizza there a couple of weeks ago and her eyes nearly popped out when it came to the table in the shape of a rabbit. There is quite a bit of parking at the Chavannes as there is now a car park along past the VIP chalet.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
We have stayed near the Perrieres roundabout for several years and yes it is a trek into town, especially with small children and tired lets (not just theirs!  ) So we just drive into town whenever we have to go. The secret in the morning to getting a parking space, especially at that time of year when it's frankly crazy in the village, is to arrive in town at least 30mins before ski school starts, ideally 40 mins. By the time you've walked from the car to the ski shop and gone through all the faff of getting boots on everyone and then walked to the meeting point, there isn't a lot of that 40 minutes left. The evening is a little more pot luck on parking, but its better than the 20 mins or so trek.
K2 looks a lovely apartment from the website. If you are down that end of town, I recommend the little Sherpa supermarket up the road behind the Chinfrey hotel, just up from the cheese shop. It's much less busy than Carrefour in town and less likely to run out of fresh milk!
And I am putting a vote out for LGS ski school, who are great for English speaking groups and guarantee small class sizes. That said, all of my kids learned with ESF (based on price x 3!!) and seem to have come out of the experience absolutely fine. ESF usually do a lift pass and beginner class as a combined package, which is cheaper than the two bought separately and worth thinking about if you are on a budget
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Another thing I would consider if I ended up at the Perrieres end of the village would be driving down to the free car park at Perrieres and then get the ski bus up to Chavannes
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The bus doesn't go all the way to the Chavannes in the winter although it does of course go to the bottom of the gondola. if you want to use LGS it is best to get that booked asap.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Thankyou so much everyone for all your help. I have been looking at finding accommodation more centrally but I'm struggling with finding something reasonably priced where we all have a bed ! K2 does look lovely and at approx £1500 for 2 beds, I just can't seem to find anything as nice in the centre.
If we did end up in K2 is there a bus that runs into the village on an evening ? Or does the bus only run during the day to get you to the bottom of the chavanne slope (where I think most of the ski schools meet).
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
There is an evening ski navette that runs from about 6.30 or 7 which is bookable by phone, on the evening from 6.30. The last bus comes round about 7 I think but don't hold me to that. I must say looking at K2, or one that I could find to see, they do look very nice apartments. But there is that issue of the road to cross.
The Labrador hotel has apartments in their residence which are a bit closer.
And the Saubaudia apartments are pretty close to the lifts.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| Annie wrote: |
| There are ski lockers at the base of the Chavannes lift that will take 4 pairs of skis and boots - we used them last year when we stayed further than we wanted to walk in boots with skis |
We also used these - it allows you to choose accommodation slightly further away than you would want to walk in ski boots without needing to take the bus (and therefore is cheaper). We stayed in Escapade apartments which were perfect for the 4 of us.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
@Taybegin, my apologies, we went past K2 yesterday and it's on the lower road and not up on the really busy road I had first thought, but still a bit of a hike to the Perrieres lift. And that is not going to be a suitable means of return at the end of the day for beginners. It would also be difficult for you to get to the Chavannes in time for lessons by skiing and again not really practical for beginners, but possible by using the ski bus.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
@Pamski, thanks letting me know, I think I've found an apartment on rue du vieux village which looks pretty central, its set back off the road opposite Alpine Tavern and O Kariboo. Hoping all will be ok as it's booking direct with the French owner and not through a company which makes me a little nervous ! Do you know if this is walking distance to the meeting point at Chavannes for ski school as website just states close to the slopes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Not sure where Alpine Tavern or O Kariboo is but if your apartment is at the ice rink end of the Rue du Vieux then its a very easy trip to the ski school meeting point at the base of the slopes and close to the Chavannes telecabine. If its at the other end towards the main road and the petrol station, its a longer walk but still doable I think.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
@Taybegin, the Alpine Tavern is close to the ice rink so a good spot.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
