 Poster: A snowHead
|
Hi
A friend and I are planning a skiing trip for February next year, and my friend is very keen on Megeve. Any time we've gone in the past, we've always gone to high altitude places which are reasonably snow-sure, but I have concerns about Megeve (mostly because of the Telegraph I think). In early February, is lack of snow likely to be a problem at the lower altitudes? I think this might be something I'm over-thinking. I'd just hate to spend a week sitting around looking up at water-logged runs. Any thoughts?
Thanks
AR
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Welcome to Snowheads, @arousedrake 
Going to Megeve in February I'd be more worried about the inevitable crowds of the French school holidays, which start on the 4th and go on for four weeks.
As you know there are no guarantees, but in February there should be plenty of skiing in Megeve, and it's a lovely area. There might, or might not, be a lot of snow hanging round down in the village itself.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Take your platinum card.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Thanks for the quick reply @pam w! The forum seems great!
Is Megeve particularly hard hit by the French holidays? Or is skiing in France in February a fight for space across the board? I've only ever been in late January and March.
And @Norrin Radd, it seems to me every time I go skiing I could do with a platinum card... Not exactly the cheapest of past times. Fun though 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| Quote: |
Is Megeve particularly hard hit by the French holidays?
|
Yes, because so many of its clientele are French.
Why is your friend so keen on Megeve?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
We've always gone to higher places, and Megeve is supposedly a beautiful town with tree-lined runs. The accommodation seems plentiful (looking on Airbnb), and it's close to Geneva which makes transfers easier too. Part of it is just to go somewhere different I suppose really.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@arousedrake, it is more expensive than most resorts. Nice though.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
Megeve is supposedly a beautiful town
|
The central part of Megeve is nice (traffic free) and there are some areas of extraordinarily plush chalets. The outskirts (which I drive through frequently) are of no particular merit.
There are loads of resorts with tree-lined runs.
And yes, it is certainly expensive - the centre has lots of those shops with no prices because if you have to ask you can't afford it.
And it sprawls. Not all the accommodation on AirBnB is going to be convenient for lifts.
Don't want to put you off - out of French holiday time it can be most pleasant! And it has one of the bigger collection of Michelin starred restaurants outside Paris. And lots of fur coats and little dogs. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Make sure you visit Les Contamines if you are in Megeve.
Usually has better snow and is less crowded. Less expensive to eat on the mountain too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The AirBnB we're looking at seems to be a few minutes walk from the Chamois lift, which seems fine I think to access a good chunk of the slopes. We tend to eat in a lot, which should hopefully cut down on costs assuming we can find a cheapish supermarket. Certainly cheaper than the Michelin restaurants anyway...
@TQA - Is it easy to get to Les Contamines without a car?
Thanks for the input everyone, it really is very much appreciated!
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
+1 for les Contamines
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Would you recommend going a week earlier to avoid the school holidays? How big a difference will it make? (sorry for all the noobish questions...)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I would certainly try and avoid the school holidays. We go home for those four weeks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
| Quote: |
Would you recommend going a week earlier to avoid the school holidays?
|
Yes - be gone by 4 February.
I don't think it's easy to get from Megeve to Les C without a car. But if you want an easier outing, go in the other direction to Praz sur Arly. Just a few miles - if there's no bus, a taxi would be pretty cheap. Once you're in Praz sur Arly you have 185 kms of linked pistes in the Espace Diamant.
Like @Pamski, I go home for the French holidays, leaving my season lift pass in my empty apartment...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
@arousedrake, you could also go after the 4 week holiday period finishes. Early March is a great time to go skiing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
@arousedrake, if you can go the first week of February (i.e. leaving on the 4th/5th) or arrive on the 4th/5th March it would be quieter for sure but actually the first and last weeks of the holiday are not that bad at all (so arrival on w/e commencing 4th or 25th February).
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Some French weeks are worse than others, for sure, but there's no good reason to go in holiday time if you can avoid it. The holidays are geographically organised so the "busiest weeks" are not the same in all resorts, but generally the Paris weeks are reckoned to be the worst in the northern alps.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
AFAIK There is no easy access bus between Megeve and Les Contamines.
WE always drove down as there was a bunch of us with a campervan and one of the bunch had access to an apartment in Megeve. Hence we would drive to the car park in Les Contamines and use the free navette that ran around inside the town and out to Montjoie to get to the lifts.
It is about 20 k so a taxi should not be out of the question shared 4 ways.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
I may be wrong but I don't see it being an issue to get from Megeve and Les Contamines without a car. Would you not just lift it to top of Megeve, ski down to Bettix on other side then lift it down to StG, from there you can get shuttle bus to Les C.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
@arousedrake,
+1 for @pam w, suggestions that avoiding French holidays and that early to mid March is usually a great time to ski, if that's an option for you. March often has best conditions of the season in my experience. I've taken the risk and booked ahead there for March 2017.
Megeve centre is an attractive old town but can be expensive. A small number of TOs offer decent value for chalet board, making overall costs more predictable. Depends what type of accommodation you prefer
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
@Jonny996, I wonder if that would take rather a long time - given the need for a return journey. Would it leave much time for skiing in Les Contamines?
There's plenty of skiing in Megeve/St Gervais/Combloux
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I've skied the area quite a lot, mainly from Bettex.
I wouldn't worry about snow in February. December or late March? More of a risk - I'd go somewhere else if I had to book now.
It's not easy to get from Megeve to Les Contamines for a day without a car. @Jonny996's idea sounds nice in theory but in practice I wouldn't call the bus from St G to Les Contamines a shuttle - it's rather infrequent. As @pam w says, it wouldnt leave much time for skiing in Les C. Best option would be to fill a cab.
I'd consider the option of staying in St Gervais - not as chic as Megeve but a very nice town and much cheaper. You could mainly ski Bettex / Megeve but easily get up to Les Contamines. Top tip from Megeve is to eat lunch over on the Bettex/St G side of the mountain - MUCH cheaper.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
StG side has the Folie Douce as well
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| arousedrake wrote: |
Hi
A friend and I are planning a skiing trip for February next year, and my friend is very keen on Megeve. Any time we've gone in the past, we've always gone to high altitude places which are reasonably snow-sure, but I have concerns about Megeve (mostly because of the Telegraph I think). In early February, is lack of snow likely to be a problem at the lower altitudes? I think this might be something I'm over-thinking. I'd just hate to spend a week sitting around looking up at water-logged runs. Any thoughts?
Thanks
AR |
Just on the snow conditions front if a resort isn't snowsure in early February then it's not a ski resort. I would go anywhere in early Feb if I could. You are right to go somewhere with trees though.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
StG side has the Folie Douce as wel
|
you can ski down either side from Folie Douce - it's on the ridge
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
