 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi. I'm with a group of friends heading to Chamonix on 12th March for a long weekend's skiing. We are staying in an apartment quite close to the bottom of the Savoy beginners area.
Assuming flights run to time, we will arrive in Chamonix around midday and the plan is to have a quick turnaround, hire skis and be up on Brevent for the afternoon. I have a few questions:
1. Can anyone recommend ski hire in that immediate vicinity (to make things quick)? Specifically, it looks like some of the ski hire places close for lunch, which could time badly with our arrival. Anyone know any that are open all day?
2. People seem to suggest that the short walk up to the Brevent cable car is really steep. In theory we can get to the Savoy area and use the drag lifts to take us up. Is the Savoy area open at the moment (given lack of low level snow)? Where is the best place to get lift passes quickly?
As you can see, just trying to have a clear plan on a couple of things to hopefully maximise skiing time. I've been to Chamonix for a weekend before, but had to spend all our time in Les Houches due to inclement weather.
Thanks in advance. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Friends coming over to visit me have been hiring from inter sports in town center which isn’t far from savoy. Prebook it and given it is not weekend it shouldn’t take too long to sort out your stuff.
The Brevent uphill bit is doable but fairly steep, I’d avoid but some people do on trainers and swap for the boots at the gondola.
Savoy should be fine snow wise since decent snow fall last days. You can buy tickets at the Brevent ticket office or tourist office in town.
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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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@Pippo9, Buy lift passes online. You still have time for them to arrive.
Use the drag lifts, they'll probably be fine unless it rains all next week in town.
Your geographically ideal rentals are at Bozon Sports literally at the bottom of the Brevent bubble but no idea if they are closed for lunch.
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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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Proski at Le Folie Douce (base of Savoy lift) are open all day and you can book ahead. https://www.skiset.co.uk/ski-resort/chamonix/shops/proshop-chx
The question is not whether the Savoy is open now, it's whether it will be open when you arrive. The answer is probably, as the temps are dropping for the plentiful new snow falling over the next week.
Not to worry though, there are two or three bus services (14 and 17 and maybe one other) running up to the Brevent. They all go around Joseph Vallot/Rue Mummery, which could well be convenient to where you are staying (you don't say). Download the pdf and cross reference with google maps.
https://www.chamonix.net/english/transport/bus
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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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@22 dropout, but ... SkiSet !!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Desailloud sports are handy for that location and stock decent kit. Go sports is also nearby but thats run by Italians so will definitely be closed for a 3 hr lunch!
You can get the drag lift up savoy to save walking to Brevent yeah, although it's not that bad.
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I think the most reliable way to be quick will be to drop bags, change into ski gear, take backpacks for your street shoes, go to the big Intersport which is big enough they can kit out a group in parallel, and then just march directly up the hill to Brevent. Buy passes online for collection from the machines at Brevent to eliminate any risk of queuing there.
The Savoy button is nice to avoid the hill, but you can wait a long time if it’s busy because ski school kids have priority and there are a lot of them.
The buses are fine but there might be big gaps between them in the middle of the day, and you can’t tell if you’ve just missed one.
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Another note on the Savoy drag - you need a pass for the long one that goes up the hill, so you can't use it to get to Brevent and then buy your pass up there.
There is a booth at Savoy selling passes too 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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Buy the passes online then you have one less thing to worry about...
Must say I can't think of any ski shops that close at lunchtime. That doesn't mean there aren't any.
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Thanks for all the tips guys. We are staying on Impasse de l'Androsace.
The rental at Folie Douce is probably most convenient for us, assuming we can get the Savoy drag lift up. Hopefully it's open and hopefully no queues! Will price up the rental there vs Intersport. The issue may be what to do with trainers etc. Do most rental places let you leave them there while you ski?
We have thursday afternoon skiing (brevent), Friday (le tour), Saturday (likely to be very hungover so destination TBC). Mostly intermediates, a couple of us more advanced.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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You might be able to leave your trainers there, although I always walk to the lift in trainers then shove 'em in my rucksack when I put my boots on.
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