 Poster: A snowHead
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OH and I are planning a 11 wk stay in the PDS region next winter and I need a few tips if possible about various things
1 Most holiday insurances are for 30 days only what do people do for an extended time, never bought insurance with a lift pass is that a decent way of at least getting cover while skiing and can you get it on a season pass?
2 Whats the best way of paying for things, it can get expensive using cards abroad, am thinking of using a preloaded euro card to use like a debit card rather than take a heap of cash, which are the best ones or any other suggestions ?
3 I know with a week long PDS pass you get a day in grand massif do you get any with a season pass or anyway of getting a reduced cost to other areas ?
4 Any other tips or hints would be gratefully received
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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For 1. we couldn't find a better way than 3 month insurance. Last year we used MPI and this year Skicover.
For 2. Revolut does the job very well but allows only £200 "free" cash withdrawal per month; Starling fulfills the cash needs.
Both cards are app and internet based.
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Tue 12-02-19 10:33; edited 1 time in total
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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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1. Go to a specialist broker-we’ve also used MPI which offers longer term insurance.Yes you can buy Carre Neige for the season, but don’t treat it like full blown insurance-it’s more of an on mountain insurance so you don’t pay up front for rescue. .https://carreneige.com/en/. I think the season cover cost us the princely sum of €35 last year. Reimburses you a proportion of your lift pass cost if you can’t ski as a result of injury too. Take your EHIC card (if it still works post BREXIT).
2. Get a Revolut card and account for money and avoid using cash where you can. I won’t bore you with the details, but it’s much the best value in terms of exchange and is a very nifty all round App. You can do things like exchange money into Euros when the rate looks “good” via the app and and hold it in the account.
3. Check out discounts for early purchase of season passes.
4. Best value and often nicer accommodation is not ski in ski out. Take a car and be prepared to stay a short distance from the lifts. When you’re there for a longer time, it’s quite nice to be in a quieter part of town and stroll in of an evening.
5. Ideally make sure your accommodation has a washing machine.
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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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Another plus for Revolut is that you can transfer money to others in Euros (or whatever currency you've changed your £s to) with no fees - very useful for paying deposits upfront..
Totally agree with Perty"'s point 5. 
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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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2) Halifax Clarity Credit Card, plus (if they still do it) Santander Zero Credit Card. Both have zero foreign charges - most other cards have a 2.75% charge/loading and some also have a 'per use' charge. I use one for normal purchases (supermarket, lift passes, ski hire etc) and the other to withdraw cash from a cash machine. When you take cash out, log on and pay it off the same day. So say you take 100Euros cash out in the morning, log on in the evening and transfer (approx.) £90 from your bank account onto the credit card. Doesn't need to be exact, and doesn't matter if you overpay by a bit. That way you'll pay pennies in interest.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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2. Post Office and Halifax Clarity are 2 credit cards which use the Mastercard exchange rates (close to mid-market rates) with no additional charges.
3. Details of this seasons pre-season offer from Ski-Morzine.com
Adult Season Pass: €774 / CHF904 if purchased before 7 October 2018 and €871 / CHF 1017 from 8 October to 22 November 2018 Portes du Soleil
Senior Season Pass: €689 / CHF 813 until 7 October 2018 and €776 / CHF 916 from 8 October to 22 November 2018
NB: for every PDS season pass purchased, holders receive 5 vouchers to ski for 1 day in les 4 Vallées (Verbier, Bruson, La Tzoumaz, Nendaz, Veysonnaz et Thyon) and 5 vouchers to ski for one day in the Aletsch Arena area.
4. An oven in the accommodation, it can get very tiresome only being able to cook using a microwave and a 2 ring hob. Slow cooker is also a good idea.
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Thanks for the replies so far, we always drive ourselves these days as we like to drive away from the main areas as snow is better and pistes quieter and can often find some lovely little runs, driving also means we can take the slow cooker and food with us so keeps the cost down,so tea is ready when we finish for the day so I dont end up eating any bagette and chocolate lying around before tea is cooked.
good to know about the vouchers on the lift pass and we have some passes from the last time we went to Chatel we can reload online
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The clarity has had changes you cant stop the cash advance interest clock ticking now which in the past you could by paying off cash advances straight away .....unless..... you now cancel the direct debit and pay it off as you go online while away over the 3 months .
Which has a risk .
Look at the Platinuim travel card from barclays its good until august 2023 so effectively more simple to use over months away with excellent customer service that will come to the table in your favour on many occasions.
When you ask for card advice many wont be using them for two or three months away from the uk ....thats the big difference and cash advance cost factor longer term .
None of the internet or prepay cards will sort you out in your favour like barclayard will with a phone call .
So alot of it is personal choice where the devil is in the detail on long stays .
You need two cards ideally it pays to have a back up card and cash
Last edited by After all it is free  on Tue 12-02-19 16:33; edited 9 times in total
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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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2) Another recommendation for a specialist credit card. They give you a better rate than anywhere else, including bureaux de change in the UK.
Money Saving Expert has four recommended cards:
https://travelmoney.moneysavingexpert.com/
Just because they are technically credit cards, don't be tempted to use them to borrow money. Set up a direct debit from your current account to pay off the full balance every month.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I bank with HSBC and have both UK and French accounts that are linked. I can transfer money between the two using their website. The French account comes with a debit card.
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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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@Tirol 164, another vote for the Barclaycard Platinum Travel Card from me - no fees for foreign use, including no fees on Cash Advances overseas. It's almost the only card I use out here.
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@robs1, How are you travelling there?
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You know it makes sense.
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@kenzie we drive down in my hilux so have plenty of room to take stuff, few years since we have flown, we have gone with a firm called peak retreats who provide a flexi pass for the chunnel and really good value places, so it makes driving good value and easier, we often stop off on the way down in one of the French towns and have a look around
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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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@robs1, You'd be advised to find out what the parking options are.
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FAQ
