 Poster: A snowHead
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Afternoon all!
Just wondering if anyone knows much about the hotel situation in Flaine? flaine.com only lists three hotels, all of which look quite expensive. Are there any cheap options? I'm only going for a weekend, so apartments are out. I would stay in Les Carroz, but I'm going in early April and don't want to chance there being no snow in the village. Even with snow cannons a snowless ski resort just depresses me!
And what do you think of Flaine? I know it's ugly, but I think it looks strangely attractive... the skiing doesn't look bad either.
Thanks! Liam
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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lrx28, Skiing is fab in the whole area....Flaine is ugly and lacking any kind of charm and the 3 hotels are your lot!! Look at Les Carroz, Samoens or Morillon....all have links into the same great skiing but lots more charm and cheaper hotels.
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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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lrx28, Apartments are not out for the weekend if you go out of season. I'm going for a long weekend in just under two weeks time using astrid immobilier (call +33 4 50 90 86 41, Sandrine speaks good English). An apartment for four for four nights is costing us 254 Euros. Also you could try expedia as they rent out the Maeva apartments or try www.maeva.com. All of these do short stays.
My views on Flaine are that it is great. The architecture actually gets a worse press than it deserves. If blends into the mountain very well so that it's difficult to see when up the hill, it's just that it is unusual. Its real problem is that it is a bit frayed round the edges. Mind you the skiing is fantastic, has a brilliant snow record and the drive is just over an hour from Geneva airport. I'm off there for the fifth consecutive winter trip which must say something.
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Chris Reed, actually you reach Les Carroz before you reach Flaine so it's a better bet for the drive from Geneva. I have to disagree with you on the architecture....60's prison block meets NCP car park! Yes it's a better view from the slopes but you do have to go back there sometime!! Having stayed in the Hotel Totem you just have to imagine someone throwing up walls in your local car park and painting the inside white and you'll get a picture of how lovely and cosy it is inside!! I absolutely loved the skiing....it's fab but you have to be prepared for the place...we weren't and were in shock when we arrived!
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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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The road between Flaine and Les Carroz can be horrific actually, it's better to stay at Les Carroz I think. There was a first hand report here recently from someone who'd used a hotel at Les Carroz.
Great weekend destination, I'll be there this weekend as usual.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Great ski-ing, resort ugly as sin (although possibly not as ugly as Arc 1800!), night life virtually zero! It does though actually look quite pretty seen from up the hill as the light fades and the resort lights start to come on. As for hotels, I've only stayed in the "family" Hotel Aujon: very basic (think 60s uni halls of residence) and full of v noisy French and Dutch families. And under no circumstances eat in their restaurant - quite vile (comparing to halls of residence food would be an insult to the halls)! I'd happily go back there again for the ski-ing though.
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Skiing great, Resort OK, Architecture ugly. Stay in Samoen or Les Carroz and miss the nothing!
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We stayed in Samoen last year. They've got a new fast gondola to take you up into onto the hills. To get to the Grande Massif above Flaine couple of lifts are needed but this is no big problem. Lovely town with preservation orders slapped all over it and traditional square with market, but not a big party town if that's you're bag.
Good accomodation links here http://www.grand-massif.com/ , Neige et Roc is very nice.
The buildings in Flaine I was told were designed so that they blend in to the surroundings and almost can't be seen when viewed from up the mountain, hence the blocky greyness.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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The Maeva hotel in Flaine is good for a weekend, quite basic but good for all your needs and there are a few restauarants / bars nearby.
The night life however, is rather on the timid side.
I love the resort of Flaine and the skiing is great, even the red runs are nice! We went in April last year and it snowed every day, which apparently was unusual for that time of year.
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lrx28, I would echo Chris Reeds advice to look at an apartment, the agents are very happy for you to drop the key off early and sometimes to pick it up early if you are going to an empty apartment, but you wouldn't know this til the week before. You could try Snowbeds because I think the have access to property by the day in Flaine, Carroz and other villages
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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We stayed as a group of 16 adults two years ago at a great hotel in Les Carroz... ski in/out.. Hotel Bois de la Char right at the bottom of the amateur competition red run... you could sit in the bar and watch the floodlit skiing. About 65Euro per night half board... food was pretty good.
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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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lrx28, Apartments not out of the question - we rent ours for weekends/mid weeks especially further out of season. Ours is in Samoens, so I am biased and agree with most of above. Great ski record - slopes in Samoens open until about 23rd April - Flaine has 1 week extra.
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