Poster: A snowHead
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hellooo!
I'm heading to avoriaz for half term week (only choice really this year) with my two daughters aged 13 and 10. few questions, have stayed in morzine plenty, so know the slopes but not the resort.
Are there any free lifts in avoriaz? (thinking the drag by the park??) hopefully getting into resort mid/late morning and would be nice to have a bit of a slide late afternoon if possible.
We're staying in le douchka, falaise area, any recommendations for ski hire, bars, restaurants etc?
girls have ski lessons for two hours each morning, any recommendations for a 2 hour loop that might suit me?
Anybody need a ski (board) buddy for a couple of hours any mornings that week?
Any answers or any tips greatly appreciated,
Cheers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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There used to be free lifts. Not any more. You have to get a beginner pass (other options available).
There are at least two ski hire places in Falaise.
Even when I stay in Falaise, I still hike down to Bar Le Fantastic: http://www.cafelefantastic.com/
As for restaurants, you should visit Les Fontaines Blanches. It's very popular, and a bit of a 'Marmite' kind of thing. Folk either hate it because it's so brusque and efficient, or they love it because it is difficult to fault in any other respect.
A 2 hour loop? I'd always pop down to La Grenouille du Marais at the bottom of SuperMorzine & back for a nice warm-up.
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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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In the Falaise area itself, I'd recommend La Falaise, especially for their pizzas.
However, last year we found that on certain nights the pizza chef has the night off, so if you fancy a pizza, double-check they're firing up their pizza oven.
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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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Having not stayed in Avoriaz for 12 years, we were back there last week (we have stayed in Morzine and Ardent so have kept up with the piste developments). Much was the same, but it all seemed better organised, and more professional than I remember.
No free lifts
Skiland is in the Douchka building (it's a Ski.set shop) efficient and patient with our various needs last week.
Bars: Chapka near the supermarket in Falaise; Tavaillon in the main street (happy hour standard lager €5/pt (La Chouffe at 8% was 8€)) , the Why Not? bar at the bottom end of the resort and the bar underneath the Why Not? which was a bit rough and ready, but had live music, friendly staff and as they didn't serve snacks, were quite happy for us to get some crisps from the Sherpa next door to eat.
2 hours is enough to get from ski school to Lac Intrets and do several top-to bottoms. Or over to Switzerland via Mossettes and back via Chavanettes; but it depends on your speed, and the traffic.
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Wed 30-01-19 13:49; edited 1 time in total
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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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I hope you don't mind if I hijack this thread with some questions of my own...
I skied 3 days round Avoriaz this year, but stayed in Morzine. I'm going back in a few weeks, but this time staying in Avoriaz itself.
My big question is, how easy is it to get around the village without skis? I know there are sledges, which will be great when I show up with my suitcase. But do you need to get a sledge to go to the supermarket? Are there places where pedestrians can go out for a wander without having to worry about skiers on the pistes? I'm currently failing to grasp how this works.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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It's mainly pedestrians and horse drawn carts, but with a ski through part in the middle.
Bridges and tunnels keep the 2 apart. So it's fine just walking around.
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WindOfChange wrote: |
It's mainly pedestrians and horse drawn carts, but with a ski through part in the middle.
Bridges and tunnels keep the 2 apart. So it's fine just walking around. |
Ahh, I guess as I was on piste I didn't see the pedestrian routes.
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There are 2 pistes through town, neither is used by pedestrians. One under the Plateau chair, one by the Dromonts drags. The rest is pedestrian dominated. This map shows the flow.
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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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Rcav wrote: |
My big question is, how easy is it to get around the village without skis? I know there are sledges, which will be great when I show up with my suitcase. But do you need to get a sledge to go to the supermarket? Are there places where pedestrians can go out for a wander without having to worry about skiers on the pistes? I'm currently failing to grasp how this works. |
The ease depends upon snow depth, so bring suitable footwear.
Pedestrians keep to one side of the road - to permit horse drawn sleighs to pass, and sometimes motorised caterpillar driven luggage sleds, refuse sleds, etc.
Skiers are encouraged to bypass the village centres, but will share them considerately and safely with pedestrians and sleighs (for access to/from residences/bars/etc.).
In the town centre there are boarded sidewalks (sometimes covered in snow). There can be the odd treacherous section that is often best detoured around.
There are public lifts in various buildings throughout Avoriaz (you need a map) which allow you to get from top to bottom (& vice versa) without too much hiking through the snow, but some prefer the latter.
There are hand-drawn luggage sleds but these tend to be collected up on Saturday evening, and re-deposited on Friday evening. You may need a Euro coin to release one from its tether (sometimes on the back of a trailer). You are forbidden from bringing these into a building (let alone retaining one for the duration to use when you fancy).
There is a supermarket in Falaise, one in the centre (Festival) and one a tad lower down. Unless you have your own kiddie-sled, I think it's a matter of carrying bags (best bring your own).
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