 Poster: A snowHead
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Would like to get away with the hubby for a ski weekend. Requirements:
Fri/mon off work - so flight to be commensurate with that
Has to be accessible from north east airports.
Not a long transfer
Somewhere with a bit of apres
somewhere other than morzine/pds or via lattea
Any ideas?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I have done exactly this last winter to Chamonix.
2 days off work (Friday and Monday) + weekend getting 3.5 skiing days out of 4.
Plenty flights London to Geneva Friday first hours, get in Chamonix by 11-12:00 and ski the afternoon, full-day Saturday, Sunday and Monday, returning in late flight on Monday.
I stayed in Ski Station (very onbudget hostel, not for everyone) which is literally next to Brevent gondola and used shared transfer door-to-door. Also, I had rented skis with delivery included.
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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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don't know about NE airports but Easyjet has 2 per day from Edinburgh to Geneva, as I do this 4 times over the winter.
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@v1cky24, Used to do a Jet2 from LBA to GVA a few years ago, could get 3.5 days skiing for 2 days off work, but last time I looked the times didn't work. they used to do a 06.40 ish flight out and a 21.30 back.
Just checked now and the LBA departure is 08.00 and arrives 11.00 into GVA which means you'd be lucky to get much skiing day 1. Flight back is after 8pm so you'd get a full day skiing on final day, but i'd prefer an evening flight out and OK another nights b&b but a full day 1 skiing possible in that way.
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Mon 21-10-19 12:37; 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've done afterwork flights from both Birm and Manchester quite frequently on Thursdays (and sometimes Friday) - for weekends in Chamonix.
Other ski resorts are available 
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@v1cky24, first step is to identify where you can fly to for the best times and prices. Depending on where you land and the time in the season, the answers could be very different.
For a start point, there are resorts close to Geneva, Salzburg, Zurich, Munich, Milan, Innsbruck, Venice, Nice, Grenoble, Turin, Ljubljana etc but the flight price and timings are not always suitable (or even available) for a cheap weekend...
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@Gustavobs, London is not in the North East of England. Nor is Birmingham or Manchester @fixx,
@v1cky24, May I suggest somewhere a bit left field - Zakopane in Poland. One's wife and one went there a couple of years ago for a 3 day weekend. We got a late flight to Krakow on a Wednesday night with Ryanair from Birmingham and returned very late on the Sunday having had a day sight seeing in Krakow. The hotel in Zakopane arranged all the transfers. It was good quality and inexpensive. The skiing was OK rather than brilliant, but it was different and almost deserted. There are hot springs and a lovely swimming complex for the evenings. There are also clubs with live music.
No doubt further research would find other resorts in the high Tatra available from Bratislava
We used ryanair from Birmingham but I suspect the usual suspects jet2, easyjet, ryanair do the route from Newcastle (I cannot be bothered to check - sorry)
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Mon 21-10-19 13:55; edited 1 time in total
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I've done a couple of weekends.
1) Megeve - expensive from an eating and drinking perspective, but decent accommodation is available. Good size ski area, protected and tree line skiing. An hour fifteen from Geneva
2) Zell Am See - lively town an hour and a half from Salzburg. Good range of accommodation. Ski area twinned with Kaprun is big enough for a weekend.
Am doing Cervinia this year so will let you know how it goes.
Gordon
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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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@v1cky24, Chamonix (1hr transfer) or Verbier (2hr transfer) good weekend options from Geneva, assuming you can get flights there.
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| Quote: |
@v1cky24, Chamonix (1hr transfer) or Verbier (2hr transfer) good weekend options from Geneva, assuming you can get flights there.
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Those plus Megeve make sense from GVA.
Don't know if you can get to Zurich from Newcastle but Engelberg would be a good option if you can.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I should also add, a couple of other places we looked at when comparing:
La Cluzac - Megeve was that bit closer so that's what edged it, but am keen to head here and it could be an option;
Wagrain - accommodation was a bit of an issue here and we weren't sure about the Apres;
Kitzbuhel - were were a group of 8 and cheap accommodation was a requirements, so finding accommodation when we wanted to book was hard, but it ticks the Apres and skiing elements; and
Meribel - with a fair run (ie not school holidays or a Sunday/Sat evening) you can get to and from Geneva in an hour and a half/hour 45. Again accomodation for 8 was the issue.
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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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If you take at Alpybus, that'll give you an idea of where they go to with shared transfers, appreciate there is also more transfer companies as well.
Obvious places from Geneva would be:
Portes du Soleil (although say you'd rather elsewhere)
Chamonix/les houches
Flaine/Morillon/Samoëns
Megeve/ St Gervais/ Les Contamines
La Clusaz/ Le Grand Bornand
Courmayeur (depending on transfers)
As others have mentioned, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Turin could all offer alternatives, depending on what flights are available to you. And in addition, you could look at Venice as a gateway to the Dolomites.
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@v1cky24, exactly which airports? Newcastle? Edinburgh?
Without checking almost certainly Geneva optimal.
Fly out straight from work Thursday and back Monday night / Tuesday super early morning (+ you gain an hour).
4 full ski days for two leave days.
Very efficient.
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You know it makes sense.
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@v1cky24, Pals of mine have just got 4 days skiing in Megeve for £80 flight (inc hold baggage) and £150 for an apartment. 2nd weekend in Jan, flying from Liverpool to Geneva Thursday evening returning Monday evening. So it can be done and I'm sure there'll be something similar from the NE.
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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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Thanks all.
Ideally it would be ncl or lba. I cant see Manchester being viable for a weekend stint.
I can probably get to Geneva relatively simply I’d think. I wasn’t sure on where to go an hour or so the other side - totally forgot about grand massif (I generally avoid as we usually head out early season and I have memories of stories from friends who told me tales of much grass and little snow there) but this weekend would be late jan/Feb.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I went to La Clusaz / Le Grand-Bornand for a short trip on my own last year and really liked it. Would definitely recommend it for a weekend away for a couple, especially if your flight times match up with Aravis Shuttle's timetable from Geneva Airport
Really good service and if you stay close enough to the "gare routiere" in either town, it's almost a door-to-door service.
Neither are massive resorts and I did 2 days in LC and 1 day in GB last year, and am planning to do same length trip but with days reversed this January. Fingers crossed!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Scotland.
Ski 4 whole days.
In 4 resorts.
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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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| jebroni3_16 wrote: |
I went to La Clusaz / Le Grand-Bornand for a short trip on my own last year and really liked it. Would definitely recommend it for a weekend away for a couple, especially if your flight times match up with Aravis Shuttle's timetable from Geneva Airport
Really good service and if you stay close enough to the "gare routiere" in either town, it's almost a door-to-door service.
Neither are massive resorts and I did 2 days in LC and 1 day in GB last year, and am planning to do same length trip but with days reversed this January. Fingers crossed! |
Did pretty much this last year myself. Worked very well.
2 of us had a hire car which made the transfer even quicker (literally 1 hour). 3rd mate stayed for an extra day and got the Aravis shuttle back to the airport.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@v1cky24, too much choice... Aravis (e.g. Clusaz), GM, if it was me and I had to book my accom, I'd probably go Chamonix due heights (or Argentiere). Grand massif has probably got best snow making but that's no good if too mild...
Assuming directs only, flights a bit limiting though, LBA pretty much useless.
NCL-GVA .. Fri ...... 31.01 ... 06h55-10h00 - arguably in resort for 13h00? afternoon pass
GVA-NCL .. Mon ...03.02 ... 10h40-11h50
So 2.5 days skiing even with optimal transfers.
Not terrible, not optimal, not the EOTW.
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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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v1cky24,
You could ski on arrival day at Lelex, in the Jura mountains, 20 minutes from Geneva airport (by hire car).
Its a great little ski area, with cheap lift tickets and lovely views of Geneva, the Lake and the Airport. And it's linked to the resort of Crozet, "over the back."
After that, you could then drive elsewhere to ski for a couple of days.
Remember to let us know what you decide.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I do two four day trips every year and it’s all about flight times as suggested above. See where you can get an early flight to and a late one back as you can maximise skiing time. I’d also suggest that a slightly longer transfer of up to two hours opens up the possibility of more options.
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@maddness, I didn't spend a lot of time on it, but here aren't many <direct> flight options out of NCL (GVA only) and none from LBA...
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| under a new name wrote: |
@v1cky24, too much choice... Aravis (e.g. Clusaz), GM, if it was me and I had to book my accom, I'd probably go Chamonix due heights (or Argentiere). Grand massif has probably got best snow making but that's no good if too mild...
Assuming directs only, flights a bit limiting though, LBA pretty much useless.
NCL-GVA .. Fri ...... 31.01 ... 06h55-10h00 - arguably in resort for 13h00? afternoon pass
GVA-NCL .. Mon ...03.02 ... 10h40-11h50
So 2.5 days skiing even with optimal transfers.
Not terrible, not optimal, not the EOTW. |
Can't disagree with Cham being probably the easiest option with abundance of transfer companies and accommodation of various ranges via various sources.
Only downside is the disjointed nature of their various ski areas, but that should only be 1 ski bus at the start and end of each day (possibly walking distance on arrival afternoon) and you definitely wouldn't struggle to find places to eat either.
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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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@v1cky24, do you need a transfer or would you hire a car?
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Transfer I’d say @underanewname
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Couldn't fault Alpybus on my two short trips to Chamonix from Geneva last season.
Cheapest option other than Ouibus, but unlike them, they actually have a manned desk and have lots of transfers going there every day so you should be fine if your flight out gets delayed.
Door-to-door service to anywhere in Chamonix which isn't within pedestrian area and picked me up bang on when they said they would for return to Geneva.
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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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@jebroni3_16, Easybus usually cheaper but not doorstep pickup.
We tend to use Mountain Dropoffs.
@v1cky24, it is true that Cham’s a bit spread out, nature of the topography and history... lots of fine bars and restaurants... jeepers, I think we’ll be up to three sushi bars for this winter!
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Right.. I’ve found flights to Munich.
What resorts (in Austria) can I get to easily from Munich? I’m told of a train or something 
Or is someone fibbing to me?
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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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@v1cky24, Train to Kitzbuhel? Flights from where? Carrier? I’d suggest drive to MAN we’ve never managed to find well timed flights from NEast.
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Poster: A snowHead
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v1cky24 Munich to Mayrhofen is easy enough by train - station is in the airport. Needs one (sometimes two) changes but all very straightforward.
Car hire would make things easier still.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| v1cky24 wrote: |
Right.. I’ve found flights to Munich.
What resorts (in Austria) can I get to easily from Munich? I’m told of a train or something
Or is someone fibbing to me? |
Train is easy but you need to go via main station in Munich. By car, plenty of resorts within 2 hours drive.
http://www.ifyouski.com/ski-resorts/useful-info/transfers/munich.aspx
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thanks all!
Haven’t been to Austria yet  Would really like to!
So best resorts from Munich :
Mayrhofen & ski welt?
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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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@v1cky24, flight from where and which carrier?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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From Munich we have done weekend trips to Kitzbuhel, St Johann in Tirol and Garmisch. We hired a car each time.
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@Markymark29, Lufthansa - have swung another day off work on the Thursday so thought just by chance I’d try Manchester - flight times are reasonable and only £70!
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@v1cky24, That Lufthansa is the one we use, great service. Wish they did that from Leeds though!
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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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I’m watching this as a lady in the office suggested a few of us try a long weekend. I’ll take on board all the above, but two questions not yet discussed:
Equipment rental, including boots. Best way not to lose time getting it fitted? Are shops open in the evening or early morning?
Accommodation. I’m not used to chalets, am used to Booking.com! I think France is chalets, not sure about Switzerland, but Austria is tourist offices?
Sorry to hijack
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| Orange200 wrote: |
I’m watching this as a lady in the office suggested a few of us try a long weekend. I’ll take on board all the above, but two questions not yet discussed:
Equipment rental, including boots. Best way not to lose time getting it fitted? Are shops open in the evening or early morning?
Accommodation. I’m not used to chalets, am used to Booking.com! I think France is chalets, not sure about Switzerland, but Austria is tourist offices?
Sorry to hijack |
I've generally found ski shops open from c.8am so before the lifts open. Get up early on the first morning, get fitted and off you go, ready for first lift.
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