Poster: A snowHead
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Have read a number of threads with useful pros and cons of the gondola and apres ski scene up top vs in Brides but my 12 year old and I are OK with all that...
For folk who have stayed there a few questions:
How easy is it to park for free on the street in town?
Has anyone rented skis in Brides and then used the heated lockers at la Chaudanne (located right under the Saulire lift station) rather than lugging up and down the mountain every day? *
Any family orientated places to eat in Brides?
Is the Spa worth a visit? Went to a spa in Austria with an indoor / outdoor pool many years ago and it was great fun
Any boulangerie reccos / places for a good coffee in the morning?
Many thanks
* Rental up top is significantly more than at Intersport in Brides
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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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Thanks,
Was just curious how well boots would dry in said lockers. Although lugging up and down daily a pain at least I know boots if we took back to apartment.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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When I was there we lugged our skis up the hill ..the hardship was walking in the boots once we got off ..There is a nice run down to Raffort to catch the bubble if you don't leave them up top (never got down to les Allues) ... As I remember there were a few nice restaurants in Brides and the prices were not too bad and one tip ..there is a shuttle that goes up to the lift station ..it saves a drag up the little hill carrying skis..
I enjoyed my stay 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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Pretty sure the lockers under the Saulire lift are heated; experience suggests you need to book them. Also they close quite early if you are doing any apres up the hill, but probably not relevant since so does the bubble.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Boggins Dad, if you have a car, you could consider driving up to Meribel each day from Brides, it isn't far. But I don't know about parking options there.
Assuming that you are going school holidays times when it might be busy - which was the same as when I went, the gondola did have queues of a morning and closed earlyish at the end of the day to be a bit of a hassle that would be worth avoiding if possible.
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Been a few years since I went, and it may have improved, but choices for eating were limited. They should all be child friendly though.
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@Boggins Dad, this is the first year the spa will open in winter.
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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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We did this a couple of years ago, took our own skis (so didn't hire), but rented a boot locker / ski storage for the week at the bottom of the gondola station in brides - I think they charged us €15 each for the week.
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Thanks, all. Much appreciated.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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jellemr wrote: |
We did this a couple of years ago, took our own skis (so didn't hire), but rented a boot locker / ski storage for the week at the bottom of the gondola station in brides - I think they charged us €15 each for the week. |
That's what we did. Left all the gear at the shop each day and Apres'd underneath he Gondola. I like Brides. My only concern is that if you are trying to get to ski school and relying on the Olympic Gondola, it is tight to get to a 9am class.
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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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We also used the gondola bottom station lockers; they were a reasonable alternative to lugging everything back and forth. I don't think they had boot dryers so those we brought back to the room. We had a spot in an underground as part of our self catered apartment but there did not seem to be a lot of parking available above ground. We did use the car twice for skiing during the week; once to be in Val Thorens at 8 30 am and the second to do a day at Paradiski (you had that option back then on a 6 day pass). The car will also come in handy for a quick trip down the hill to the Super U; cheaper than the little corner stores in Brides and a much larger selection also. Enjoy the trip, we loved the area!
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For a good simple meal you could try la petite auberge (across the main street from Skiset). They have Warsteiner on tap, a warm cozy atmosphere and some local flair (tartiflette for instance).
Not sure if it really qualifies as family friendly, but when we were there my daughter was 16 and there were no complaints.
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