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length of ski holiday

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Thinking of booking a mid january ski trip for myself and my 21 year old daughter but thinking maybe a day or two longer than the traditional 7 days (6 skiing), maybe 7 or 8 skiing, possibly cervinia or chamonix, anybody any similar experience, ease of booking transfers acomodation etc

thanks

mark
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
drive, you then get 8 days skiing, simple. Ski on morning you arrive, time it well you get first lifts on a Saturday when it's empty. Ski the day you leave till last lift, drive part way, again an empty Saturday. Chunnel Sunday job done. Just needs 2 cheap hotels, one on the way there, one on the way back.
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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?
Mid-Jan Hotels will be much more flexible for sure.

Another option is to drive and ski both Saturdays with apartment just booked Sat-Sat. You can either drive overnight or stay in a Hotel close by.
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@mark8500, depending where you fly from, Easyjet into Geneva every day, transfers daily, plentiful and frequent. Have sent you a Chamonix related PM.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I've done a few 8 day ski trips.

OVernight eurostar, direct from St Pancras to the Alps, plenty of choice of resorts. Leaves London Friday early evening, arrives early Sat morning. Depends what you are like sleeping on a train though.

Also some tour operators offer a coach from the UK rather than flying. Overnight, again arriving first thing in the morning. Coaches I've been on were v nice though, think of them as business class if you were flying, so wide almost fully reclining seats.
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Many years ago we used to use what was called the Snow Train. We left Waterloo on Friday afternoon and appeared in resort (almost as fresh as a daisy) early on Saturday morning before the previous punters were out of bed. We dumped our bags and went skiing. Then the next Saturday we waved goodbye to all those flying and then went skiing until mid/late afternoon when we came back, had a shower and then got on the transfer for the overnight train home. Total of 8 day's skiing for just a few quid extra.

Sadly the Snow Train is no more but you can still DIY to a limited number of resorts:
https://www.seat61.com/lunea.htm
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
altis wrote:

Sadly the Snow Train is no more but you can still DIY to a limited number of resorts:
https://www.seat61.com/lunea.htm


Still running. https://www.snowcarbon.co.uk/live-train-price-checker/London-to-Moutiers-Aime-and-Bourg-St-Maurice-by-overnight-Eurostar-Ski-train-Fri
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Snow Coach used to do overnight coach Friday/Sat and overnight Sat/Sun on the way back - worked brilliantly. But I think I saw some reference here recently to their being in trouble?

Otherwise, what I'd do is fly on Friday night, rent a car, stay overnight Friday (e.g. in the Ibis Budget in Sallanches) then on the slopes first thing Saturday - Chamonix, Grand Massif, Les Contamines, Combloux/Megeve - all within very easy reach. Ski till close of play on the final Saturday, then back to the hotel, fly out Sunday.

Or yes, drive yourself all the way. You'll struggle to get those extra nights in resort hotels in France, even in low season, except possibly at the very last minute.

Skiing on those changeover Saturdays is great. snowHead
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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.
Have done overnight train to Briançon from Paris -- then free shuttle to Serre Che. felt like we were getting away with something with 2 extra days. bonus as Saturdays are empty. Are you determined to do this within a 9-day period, i.e. Saturday - Sunday? Or, can you arrive on a wednesday evening and ski till the next Friday? In mid-January you might be able to find a place to stay during the week. If you are driving you might also consider Cluses as a place to stay on the front and back end.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
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We have done 8 - 10 days a number of times. Generally driving but flights are often cheaper on days other than Saturday and its possible to get to most resorts by public transport (train/bus) though a taxi often makes the last little bit more civilised.

If you want 10 days ish its is also worth asking accommodation only suppliers about tacking a week on either side of your main week. And although you may pay for days you are not using an apartment in low season that tacked on week can be very cheap. Some small chalet companies (not the tour operators) will also do extra nights during low season.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
we paid for an extra night in our appt in Val D in Jan as I noticed no one had booked it the week before. Despite 2 horrid traffic jams, one on M25, one just past L'Isle D'Abeau needing a diversion off the autoroute, and a big shop on the way down we still got to Val before midnight and on first lift the next morning. Sharing the driving obviously essential. I would rather drive than fly now, even though I'm 4 hours ish from the Chunnel.
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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.
As under a new name says, Chamonix is definitely used to non standard dates for accommodation. Outside the Feb weeks I think most accommodation providers will do non standard dates.

9 days is perfectly possible if you live near London. There's late flights from most airports on a Friday night, similarly back on the Sunday night. i typically do the late flight out of city or Heathrow on Friday nights and back on the 9pm into city on the sunday at the end. Both ways I'm in bed for 11-12pm for a good nights sleep and fully functional for skiing or work the next day.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
edde wrote:
altis wrote:

Sadly the Snow Train is no more but you can still DIY to a limited number of resorts:
https://www.seat61.com/lunea.htm


Still running. https://www.snowcarbon.co.uk/live-train-price-checker/London-to-Moutiers-Aime-and-Bourg-St-Maurice-by-overnight-Eurostar-Ski-train-Fri


In all seriousness with that level of pricing I will just fly and transfer thanks - half term for a family of 5 = just over £2,000. Book early enough and even with transfers its around £1200 - yes you don't get the extra day skiing
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@mark8500, with our own apartment in Les Menuires I'm often booking non-standard daytime trips using railways. Often going out on a Friday leaving 0831 Eurostar to Paris gets in before midday. That leaves you at least 45 minutes, plenty of time to get the RER to Gare de Lyon for the 1245 TGV to Moutiers, Aime and Bourg (might involve a change and a little wait at Chambery). Book the latter using SNCF or Trainline. Book the return for Sunday or Monday and voila two Saturdays to enjoy quiet skiing.

We've done a fair number of direct Eurostar trips, both daytime and overnight but they seem very expensive these days and the overnight sleep quality isn't great. Granted it is sometimes possible to find cheap flights, but if you are in or near London, the daytime travel is pretty much stress-free and not a great deal longer than all the hanging about that airports and then transfers involve. No baggage charges either!
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
FrediKanoute wrote:
yes you don't get the extra day skiing

Err, but that is what the thread is about.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Layne wrote:
FrediKanoute wrote:
yes you don't get the extra day skiing

Err, but that is what the thread is about.


and related to that has to be the relative cost of the ski holiday......you would be far better off not taking the ski train and booking a late flight into Geneva on the Friday night and a late flight out on the Saturday night and getting your extra day(s) that way
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
FrediKanoute wrote:
Layne wrote:
FrediKanoute wrote:
yes you don't get the extra day skiing

Err, but that is what the thread is about.


and related to that has to be the relative cost of the ski holiday......you would be far better off not taking the ski train and booking a late flight into Geneva on the Friday night and a late flight out on the Saturday night and getting your extra day(s) that way

Well, agreed but it was you that said you wouldn't get the extra day skiing implying that was a downside of flying Madeye-Smiley

TBH I like the idea of the direct overnight sleeper. I did it many moons ago (from Calais) and have fond memories. But agree it's a bit pricey. Still a nice way to travel IMO - perhaps as a one off if feeling flush!
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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?
The overnight Eurostar is not actually a sleeper though is it? (If it is then that's a recent change.) You have to take an uncomfortable night's sleep in your seat. The old overnight rattler, with sleeping compartments, from Paris Austerlitz got discontinued a year or two back - and was the subject of a thread or two on here.

Don't know what happened to the Snow Train, which just involved a change of platforms at Gare du Nord. Is that still going? That was basically just full of young folk drinking, dancing and puking, so probably not great for a night's sleep anyway.
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Ingemar_Skidmark wrote:
The overnight Eurostar is not actually a sleeper though is it? (If it is then that's a recent change.) You have to take an uncomfortable night's sleep in your seat.

Having just checked you are right. Not sleeper or couchette. Bummer.

Ingemar_Skidmark wrote:
The old overnight rattler, with sleeping compartments, from Paris Austerlitz got discontinued a year or two back - and was the subject of a thread or two on here.

Yes, I believe so.

Ingemar_Skidmark wrote:
Don't know what happened to the Snow Train, which just involved a change of platforms at Gare du Nord. Is that still going? That was basically just full of young folk drinking, dancing and puking, so probably not great for a night's sleep anyway.

I believe so. I did Calais direct in 91 iirc and 93 via Paris I think. I actually got a fair amount of sleep. On the first one it was me and my mate and a family of 4! Second time just mates but sensible ones!

Alcohol is banned on the ones that run now afaik.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
If you don't like driving and live in the South East it's quite easy to do 8-day (7 to 8 days skiing) trips flying via Geneva. Plenty of both early and late flights between London and Geneva, loads of reasonably priced and quick transfers, and not too expensive for airport hotels in Geneva.

Personally I've given up trying to ski the first Saturday and settled for 7 days skiing - to make the most of it you need to be on stupidly early flight, at which point I'm paying for a taxi as I'm traveling before the trains start-up. I'd much rather relax and de-stress on the first Sat. and spend the taxi money on a Geneva airport hotel so I can ski the whole of the final Sat., before flying back on the Sun. And it's the second Sat. that's the really smug one. If the snow comes on the first Sat. you get to enjoy it for the rest of the week like everyone else. If it comes on the second Sat. you get to wave good-bye to people dragging cases through the snow to their buses...as you pop your skis on. Smile
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Mjit wrote:
And it's the second Sat. that's the really smug one. If the snow comes on the first Sat. you get to enjoy it for the rest of the week like everyone else. If it comes on the second Sat. you get to wave good-bye to people dragging cases through the snow to their buses...as you pop your skis on. Smile


Does snow only fall on Saturdays in France?? Puzzled Laughing
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Apparently, some of the sleeper trains are still running - see my link above.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
The Briançon train is still running. the SNCF apparently has said it's an essential transport link to Gap and points northeast. But, not really practical unless you already live in Paris or nearby. 11 hours or so.
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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.
altis wrote:
Apparently, some of the sleeper trains are still running - see my link above.


From said link

Quote:
UPDATE 2017-2018...

Sadly, the French government withdrew funding for all intercités de nuit in October 2016. There are now just a few routes left:

Paris-Toulouse-Latour de Carol (with local train connection to Barcelona)
Paris-Rodez
Paris-Briancon
Paris-Perpignan-Narbonne-Portbou (daily in summer, Fri & Sun in winter)

These will continue to be funded as socially necessary for the regions they serve.

The Paris-Cannes-Nice intercité de nuit (all that's left of the famous Train Bleu) will continue running until it is discontinued on 9 December 2017.
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