 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi
Just got back from St Anton and wanted to start looking for a family holiday for next year
I can fly with sleazy from a local airport to Geneva so it makes sense to look there.
I need somewhere with other snow based activities as my 7&8 yr olds don't just want to ski.
Any advice appreciated.
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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Ha the other half is more likely to go soon, shes not that keen.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@terrygasson, I read exactly the same thing.
Chamonix has an all year luge. Animal parc Merlet http://www.parcdemerlet.com/faq.htm. Swimming pool. etc.
Avoriaz Aquapark
Anywhere will have sledging. Many places ice rinks.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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A work colleague has remarked that Chamonix is his favourite place so I could pump him for more info.
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Also snow shoeing.
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Had you considered not staying up the mountain but in the valley, near to a thermal resort like Les Bains de Saillon and somewhere with a bit of history like Martigny? Then driving to try out different resorts. The Bains de Saillon is very family-oriented, as opposed to some of the more couple-oriented spas. See
https://www.bainsdesaillon.ch/
The Valais resorts do a Valais Skipass. My recollection is that you can ski for 2 consecutive days in any of the places included in the scheme (4 thermal resorts and 47 ski areas). See
https://www.valais.ch/en/information/landingpage/valais-skicard
This would make it more of a 'wellness' / spa / hotel break with some skiing, as opposed to the usual in-resort skiing-with-other-stuff type of holiday. There's a train from Martigny to Chamonix, or you could train from Brig to Zermatt, although I suspect that these are a bit too far for younger children. From the Martigny-Sion area, you'd probably just drive to places like Verbier, Crans-Montana, Ovronnaz, Leukerbad etc.
If your OH isn't that keen on the skiing, and is more of a culture person, then Martignly is a very interesting Roman town, with the World-famous modern art centre, the Fondation Giannada> It has a great collection of modern sculptures, see http://gianadda.ch/ and there's a Roman Amphitheatre etc.
I'd also echo the snowshoeing - we stared taking it up as an alternative to skiing on those days when ski conditions are poor, and found that we enjoyed it more than expected. You also save money on a skipass if you buy daily. We now usually ski for 2-3 days and then snowshoe as a break, or if the weather is bad. When we've holidayed with my brother-in-law, one of us would snowshoe with his wife while the others skiied, as she doesn't ski at all, and it worked well. Even if the resort is quite crowded on-piste, the snowshoe trails are usually very quiet and you quickly get away form the crowds.
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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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Avoriaz and Flaine **- both ski-in ski out would be excellenty for children
Apartments in both reseorts with pool and spa and "snow gardens" for children
Megeve - good for the children and excellent for non-skiers - some hotels close to slopes/lifts
Morzine - good for the children - with some more or less ski-in ski-out accommodation on Pleney slopes (+Morzine is linked to Avoriaz) - Morzine os OK for non skiers, but not quite so good as Megeve
All of these, I'd say are much more suited to 7 & 8 year olds than Chamonix - as it would almost certainly mean using transport in he resort to get to/from slopes and any non-ski activities
** Purpose-built resorts make it very easy with children. The focus is on skiing but there are always some non-skiing actvities
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La Clusaz is a short transfer from Geneva. Good skiing in a couple of the areas for kids. Swimming pool, ice rink and cinema in the village.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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If OH not skiing at all and children skiing less than half the time, Megeve is by far the best.
If focus is on ease and conveninece, especially for the children and they'd be sking most days, Avoriaz or Flaine would be a better choice
Morzine would a good comprmise
La Cusaz, pretty as it is, doesn't really have any advnatge over any them, apart from, possibly, being a bit less expensive and marginally closer to Geneva - it's also a lot smaller.
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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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@simplysnow, "there are always ... non-skiing activities"
That's rather too vague for my liking if I was booking something! 
"Look kids, just pee off and play in the snow, allright? Yes, you can play "how high a balcony can I jump off before I die?" if you like"
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La Clusaz has more going on for kids than what I can recall from our time in Avoriaz. Avoriaz has a decent pool, also a cinema. La Clusaz the same, also do night skiing over in Manigod and they have an evening of sledging from the Patinoire cable car. Much nicer village area, shop area than what has been thrown up in Avoriaz.
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You know it makes sense.
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@under a new name, perhaps - but a quick look at the resort web site will show exactly what's on offer as an alternative to base jumping  [b]@under a
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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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@simplysnow, not necessarily... I find resort websites, for all information, generally no better than useless...
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Poster: A snowHead
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@alangibson73, OK - fair enough it's not always a quick look - it can be a long (annoying) look, as some are style over substance but is is usually there, somwhere, if it exists, even if short on detail 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@under a new name, OK - fair enough it's not always a quick look - it can be a long (annoying) look, as some are style over substance but is is usually there, somwhere, if it exists, even if short on detail
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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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@simplysnow, nope.
De minimus, all I want is opening and closing dates, f'rinstnce (my perennial bugbear) - you would think...
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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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Example, home resort Chamonix (which is a great place everyone, the best. Great snow, the best lifts and the tallest walls.) [Sorry, I seem to have just channelled my inner trump]
Main Menu: Weather, Webcams, Snow, Lifts, Roads, 360 Views (ugh), Accom, Restos, Events (Mayoral coronations, etc.), Search, Maps (like, y'know, we do it better than, uh, Google)
OK - so where are - opening dates? alternative activities? anyone? anyone? Bueller?
Rubbish.
So then we get into "Sports and Leisure Activities"
Mountain Biking
Golf
White Water Sports
Climbing (I mean, Chamonix? Climbing? Duh?)
Theme Parks ??? (WTF)
With Animals (I am not sure what with animals but it doesn't sound legal to me)
Adventure Park (in Winter?)
Swimming Pool (At last some sense)
Tennis (see above Winter? ((in fairness, there are indoor courts)))
Fitness, bodybuiding (...??.. cos I can't do that where I live????))
Ice rink (uh, half points)
Paintball, lasergame, petanque - WTF, really??? (P.S. they are lying)
Ice climbing - yep, perfect for the under-5s
Guides (with the animals?)
Sled - I am not sure if this is sledging e.g. for kids, mountain rescue or what.
So plenty for bored 1 and 4 years olds to do.
Not.
Sorry, thread drift, apologies, silly season and all that.
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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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@under a new name, ah ..yes...after all who in the Tourist Office could possibly imagine that a vistor might be interested in such a trifling, pedantic detail.
So the trick is, if the dates are not visible aftre 1 click on where an educated guesser might think they'd be lurking - is to go to the ski pass prices page.
Maybe strike lucky at first glance on that page - if not look at the seasonal prices and, assuming they don't sell lift passes when the resort isn't actually open (probably OK to assume) that the opening date is the date when low seaon prices start and apply the same principle for closing date at the other end of the season.
It's not failsafe and special White/Crystal/Wedel (whatever) week prices with lots of * references to notes/dates can cause confusion ...but it can usually be worked out.
Alternatively - and quicker, as I discovered this morning (after that technique failed) - is to call
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@simplysnow, that doesn't work for Cham either, espesh as they have secret deals for various groups, e.g, residents, of which I am happy to exploit. It's just terribly badly advised marketing. And practically universal.
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"Is to call"
That's rather 1973 is it not?
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Morzine is a good shout. Could always snow train it and make it easier than the airport trip
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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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@under a new name, very but I still remember how it's done ...and it's surprsing the reaction you get as virtually nobody does these days** - so either they are extraordordinarly surprised although initially a bit fearful/suspicious..or extraordinarily helpful, friendly and informative. Either way it usually gets a result, as they have at all their fingertips and eager to pass it on
** they don't call because some "expert" has decided to hide the number along with the opening dates ...probably with the intention of getting rid of staff - but has forgotten that's a Non, Non, Non (in France ) and the staff are (mostly) related to everyone else in town anyway, so that's another reason why you can't automate the Tourist Office.
same expert has said ..."let's have a booking opportunity on every page .who reads all that stuff anyway"...we'll make loads of money, get rid of even more staff, and the TO Director can go to an awards ceremeony with the Mayor
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@simplysnow, I am loving your comments. Now, please don't take this the wrong way, but are you Swedish perchance?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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@simplysnow, haha well, it's just that your written text sort of sounds like it has a Swedish accent! 
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Can't really beat Avoriaz for children: easy access to the nursery slopes, no cars allowed in the village, lots of room to play/toboggan/build snowmen etc. As mentioned there's a water park and a bowling alley too.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Chilly Powder in Prodains (Between morzine and Avoriaz) is a fantastic place for a family holiday. Read there trip advisor reviews and is a short transfer from Geneva so is a winner.
Avoriaz has, Fun pool (Aquariaz), Snow mountain biking (On Fat Bikes), Swimming pool in Morzine, Ice Rink in Morzine, Ski do's up in Avoriaz plus bowling as previously mentioned and loads of 'animations' arranged by the Tourist offices.
(Disclaimer...... I did used to work for Chilly powder and think they are great guys).
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Poster: A snowHead
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+1 for Morzine
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FAQ
never really thought about before - but being Swedish sounds good and although I'm not, I do have Swedish relatives, I do like "Scandanavian Noir" and I do shop in Ikea ..so maybe I could be 
- as they say in Sweden ...or at least that's what google says..because I haven't made any real effort to understand my relatives when they talk amongst themselves, and they speak fluent English to me (as you can imagine) ..albeit with that Swedish lilt. Maybe I have unconciously picked it up in my typing 
