 Poster: A snowHead
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Country: France
Domain: Les Contamines
Author: Jang (ster)
Date: 6th January - 8th January 2017
Our holiday: Last minute DIY family holiday, consisting of myself, OH, 10 yr son and 6 yr old daughter. Could only do a weekend and unable to ski until Easter so wanted to get a bit done now, somewhere close to Geneva as could get reasonably priced flights there. Also somewhere with a bit of snow with the dearth of it in many places at the time but this resort had a decent amount of pistes open and snow was forecast earlier in the week
Website: www.lescontamines.com; www.lescontamines.net
Travel: Easyjet from Gatwick to Geneva, braving the Southern rail strike days but trains were running to Gatwick. Booked Alamo car hire book directly but it was fulfilled by Enterprise, why can they never give you the car advertised? So rather than an A class Merc ended up with an Insignia estate which was actually better as it was easier to transport skis in it. Straightforward and short drive to the resort once got the Sat Nav sorted (had a particular way of needing to enter Contamines, without the Les, also didn’t like Geneva airport address on the way back but luckily had saved its recent locations), drive listed as 1 ¼ hours. Mostly easy except that the Sat Nav took us over a hill with narrow nearly single track roads after turning off the A40, not a fun thing at midnight when you don’t know the roads, but winter tyres saw us through.
Didn’t even notice crossing the border to France but was much busier on the way back on Sunday night with people seeming to be self declaring as didn’t see a single customs official. Took much longer due to this, the generally busier roads and filling up the rental before returning.
Bag drop off and security at Gatwick was a breeze but at Geneva what was going to be a leisurely drive and drop off turned into a rush to get to everything with the busier drive and queues at bag drop off and security. I hate flying!
Lift system: Efficient and mostly speedy, no queues but was outside school holidays. Bubbles from valley to first and second stage. After that mainly four chairs, a few drags. Drags not for beginners, except of course for the beginners drag at top of first bubble. A couple of kids drags in the valley but these weren’t open. Looked free but not sure.
The snow: Luckily it snowed the day before we got there so had a soft top and the night we were there as well. But before that it hadn’t really snowed for a fair few weeks prior to us getting there and the snow had been marshalled well to keep the pistes open and in good condition, about half the pistes and lifts were open for the time we were there.
The terrain: Open, wide pistes. Mix of blues, red, odd black (closed when there) - suit intermediates and beginners but blue down from second to first bubble stage was steeper in parts than most reds and OH didn’t like it so took bubble down. Valley run was closed.
Hadn’t skied in France for years but noticed that at the brow of every ridge on piste there were banners about danger and going slow. But oddly there was a precipitous drop running alongside the beginner drag which didn’t merit anything where I thought a screen of netting at least would be called for.
Really enjoyed doing Plans red run, did it three times on the trot, first because there was a break in the weather on that side, then another 2 as it was fun until everyone else headed over that side too. Nante Rouge was good too, easy wide red.
Other bits: Youngest had a 2 hour private lesson with Philippe (interesting and good bloke) at ESI, proved to be long for her, she was pretty tired by the end and not used to being pushed along. But she really improved as we could see the next day, being able to go down the length of the little beginners blue, although still preferring to straight line it rather than bothering to turn, but more importantly able to take the drag lift on her own. (The one with the big drop off on one side that scared me).
As only a weekend couldn’t be arsed to lug skis and not worth the expense but took boots. Rented skis at Mermoud Sport which recommended by landlord and was near the apartment. Didn’t have an English website but Google translate of their page was fine. Everything was ready when we got there, went for the Black package and ended up with Scott Reverse (probably wasted on me), OH got intermediate skis, another Scott pair but cant remember the model, 10 yr old got Volkl Racetigers so he was pleased with those and youngest got something suitable colourful.
The resort: Didn’t see much of the place nor its facilities as not there long. But what we did see impressed us, it is a very traditional French village with a beautiful church. People were all amazingly friendly. Decent amount of shops and restaurants – 2 mini-supermarkets and assorted others. There is an ice rink in Les C and a swimming pool in St Gervais about 8kms away.
Food:
On Piste:
Only ate at L’etape as this was where the beginners lift was located and where daughter got dropped off after her lesson. Food fine with decent choice, blueberry tart and tiramisu were a hit, service was quick and very friendly. Apparently English people take back their trays and the clearing staff then have a job to clear the tables, so we were told (in a very friendly way) when we did the same.
Off Piste:
Only there one night and after not succeeding in ordering at the pizza place in the old piste basher as recommended by jedster as he was too busy, ended up in Le Totum. They have a big menu with it in English but not spoken, a bit cheaper as not on the main drag. However very friendly service and we got by with my O-level French, we were the only souls in the restaurant part. They do decent pizzas and I had tartiflette which I enjoyed but as first time do not have a benchmark.
Accommodation : Lucky to find somewhere as there didn’t seem to be much choice, possibly due to only looking for a weekend. Found a fantastic SC apartment on Homeaway/Owners Direct - https://www.ownersdirect.co.uk/accommodation/p1491434a. (For anyone looking for the place above where we stayed the link sometimes says the page is no longer available but just search for the property on the main site page via its number 1491434a) Great place as its two small apartments joined together so has 2 bunk rooms, a kitchenette, dining area and a lounge with a double sofa bed and two bathrooms which is a huge bonus when trying to get out the door in the morning. Well-equipped with very accommodating owners, especially with our late arrival time on Friday night along with a late check out on Sunday so we could shower before heading off. It was 2 mins drive from the telecabine and it was walkable too. Rental shop was across the road with a valley kids left next door.
Conclusion: We would happily go back given how impressed we were with the place and people who were the epitome of hospitable. Close to Geneva so an easy DIY job. Its an attractive village and ski area, not too big and not too small. For a first DIY trip more than happy.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Sat 21-01-17 19:40; edited 2 times in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Good review! It's a nice picturesque resort with great views over Mont Blanc and some easy access off piste...When there is snow, it's a delight! St Gervais is a pleasant day trip too and a great little town with an international comedy festival and one point during the winter.
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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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Thanks for the write up, i came close to booking LC this year, maybe next season!
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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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Great review, thanks for sharing, I've always found the French very welcoming in the resorts I've visited, except for Serre Chevalier, particularly in the mountain huts, not sure why, put me off ever going back there.
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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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| EarthWindandWater wrote: |
| Thanks for the write up, i came close to booking LC this year, maybe next season! |
Do, I don't think you'll regret it.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@ster, Glad you had fun and good review - generally agree although your experience was obviously influenced by the unusual snow conditions
Just a couple of follow ups:
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drive listed as 1 ¼ hours. Mostly easy except that the Sat Nav took us over a hill with narrow nearly single track roads after turning off the A40, not a fun thing at midnight when you don’t know the roads, but winter tyres saw us through.
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Oh bad luck. Some satnavs have a bias to sending you an unusual scenic route which is dark, narrow and always a bad thing (except possibly at February HT peak times). Been there, done that! The best route takes you via Le Fayet and then up the main road to St G and on to Les C from there and is very easy. 1 1/4 hours is about right normally.
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A couple of kids drags in the valley but these weren’t open. Looked free but not sure.
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Yes, they are free. Les Loyers is normally open for quite a chunk of the season as it is pretty shady. It is also open for night skiing most Thursdays. It's opposite our flat as it happens so we use it for avalanche transceiver Easter egg hunts 
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Only ate at L’etape as this was where the beginners lift was located
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Etape is fine and you had few options what with the snow cover, lessons etc but there are a few really good options elsewhere under normal conditions. If anyone wants details a search will find my earlier post.
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We would happily go back given how impressed we were with the place and people who were the epitome of hospitable
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I do think Les Contamines is unusually friendly - think the people there know its not an obvious choice, isn't high profile and isn't glitzy so they need to work a bit to keep hold of the custom they do get.
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| jedster wrote: |
| Quote: |
Only ate at L’etape as this was where the beginners lift was located
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Etape is fine and you had few options what with the snow cover, lessons etc but there are a few really good options elsewhere under normal conditions. If anyone wants details a search will find my earlier post.
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I'll just pop the threadf reference is here for anyone wanting it
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=129149&highlight=
Thanks for your help jedster, we hope to get back there sometime. Can't ski at Feb half term and I fear that the lateness of Easter this year might make LesC, and a fair few other of the usual European resorts a bit risky (I am thinking Scandinavia) so may need to be next year unless we do another sneaky weekender.
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We're planning to be out there for 10 days over Easter. Obviously it's an easy decision to us but I've not known Les C shut early since I've been going (6 years). The (sunnier) Hauteluce side can turn green but Les C is sufficiently shady and the surface sufficiently meadowy that is easy for them to retain enough snow to keep the pistes skiable.
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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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But in your shoes, I'd leave booking late and see where has the best conditions
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For anyone looking for the place above where we stayed the link sometimes says the page is no longer available but just search for the property via its number 1491434a
Edited and now added into review above
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Sat 21-01-17 19:41; edited 1 time in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Don't go there! It's horrible, honest!
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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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| Minion1980 wrote: |
| Great review, thanks for sharing, I've always found the French very welcoming in the resorts I've visited, except for Serre Chevalier, particularly in the mountain huts, not sure why, put me off ever going back there. |
That's odd, as with one notable exception this winter, all are usually very friendly in Serre Che.
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The top skiing on the LC side holds it snow extremely well late season.
It's worth reiterating that following a sat nav blindly in the mountains is a Bad Idea. Always look online at Google Maps or similar and write yourself some notes beforehand. Personally I'd not drive in a strange area without a paper map/atlas. But then I have always loved maps and like to set myself in a wider context.
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You know it makes sense.
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I was told that its also meadow under the pistes so doesn't need much depth to be skiable.
Normally would agree about having a paper map and not to always do what the black box says but the trip was organised in haste. And driving at night trying to navigate with paper can be a bit tricky especially when the instructions I can get from the No 2 seat are not always the most intelligible. A quick look at google maps seemed to show that the main roads were the quickest way so didn't think it would bother choosing another route. By time it did we were very close and very late. But lesson learnt luckily not the hard way.
Would be good if there was options of good weather routes and routes better for winter/poorer conditions.
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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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Funnily enough I overheard a French conversation about sat nav mistakes in the street in Les Saisies today. One guy said that the sat nav had told him to turn right and the other said he should have gone straight on. I wouldn't be trying to navigate with a paper map - and my husband was a hopeless navigator so giving it to him didn't help! I'd write down a series of notes (in big writing) on key signs to look out for and hope not to have to stop and consult the map. French signposting is good once you realise it's place names, not road numbers, you need on your list.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| jedster wrote: |
| We're planning to be out there for 10 days over Easter. Obviously it's an easy decision to us but I've not known Les C shut early since I've been going (6 years). The (sunnier) Hauteluce side can turn green but Les C is sufficiently shady and the surface sufficiently meadowy that is easy for them to retain enough snow to keep the pistes skiable. |
| pam w wrote: |
| The top skiing on the LC side holds it snow extremely well late season. |
Thanks for the tips. We'll keep our eye on it over this Easter (maybe with next year in mind) but when there is four of us it sometimes is hard to leave it to the last minute to see how conditions pan out and then to get the ideal accommodation and decent flights.
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FAQ
