 Poster: A snowHead
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Plan to return to Bourg St Maurice in early Feb for the first time since we spent the school year there in 2007-08. We have our ski boots, but need to hire skis, buy lift tix and arrange lodging. I'm a part time instructor at Vail, but don't think my employee pass is valid at 3 Vallees like some Epic passes are.
Tentative plan will be a rental car and depart Grenoble the morning of 3 Feb and rent skis near Moutier (probably Bride Les Bains). Ski:
3 Feb 3 Valleys
4 Feb La Rosiere/La Thuile
5 Feb Les Arc
6 Feb ?
Return skis and car (Geneva airport) before settling into Geneva until 18 Feb.
Any ski pass, lunch, rental or other suggestions?
Thx!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If you depart Grenoble on the morning of 3 Feb then drive to Brides you need way more than the remainder of that day to 'do' 3V. You could easily spend all your 4 days there and still not really touch it. Staying in Brides is cheaper (have done that many times out of our 40 trips to 3V). Where to stay depends on whether you want a hotel or self catering. I can suggest both. I would suggest doing at least a couple of nights there, one day skiing towards Couchevel and the other in the Val T valley. Don't bother with La Rosiere/La Thuile on such a short trip, not worth it - have done it several times from both France and Italy. You could easily spend the whole time based in Brides and then do 2 days on La Plagne/Les Arcs, which link to make a large area. You could access from La Plagne the first day and from Bourg via the funicular to Les Arcs the next day. The other area I would suggest is to drive up to Tignes and you can either access from the bottom in Brevieres or take the car up. Again in 1 day you will hardly touch the Tignes/Val area. I have spent many trips in this area both skiing in winter (and some summer skiing in the 90s but not worth it now) and walking trips using the mountain refuges in the summer. I can't give any advice on lunch places as we ski all day and just eat packed lunches, on uplift on good days! Also no idea about ski rental as always had my own. For ski passes you just need to buy that area pass for however many days you are skiing. There was a reciprocal day in other areas if you had a 6 days pass for one of these areas but not used it recently. I qualify for senior rates (over 65) and hubby now gets free in all the mentioned areas as he is 75! This is where we have done the majority of our 120 ski trips over the last 30 years so have fun! You can PM me if you want more info.
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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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If you’re staying in Bourg is it not best to hire your kit from somewhere there? Then if you have any problems with it or want to change it’s not a big problem. BSM to Moutiers is about half an hour drive, brides Les bains another 5-10 minutes.
Not sure if they do it any more, but if you shop at the Super U in BSM, the receipt would often have a discount voucher on the back for a day at St Foy.
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@MEfree30, 6 Feb, consider Ste Foy for a day, very individual, great skiing, good food, well worth it 
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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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Thanks...we still have a few friends in BSM, so pretty set on staying there and skiing 1 or 2 days at Les Arc as I know the mountain well and my daughter has only been on the beginner slopes when she was 4. She likes Italian which is why La Thuile is on the list...I never skied there for the reasons mentioned.
I realize 3V is huge, and I've never skied there, but want to get a taste. I think it makes sense to ski and rent there 1st day as it is closer on the way in from Grenoble.
I like Espace Killy and have heard lots of good things about St Foy...nice to have so many good choices!!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Sounds like fun. Be aware that 6 February is the first day of the French school holidays and there will be heavy traffic heading into the Tarentaise. Changeover day - always a good day to be on the slopes, rather than the roads.
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Coming straight from Grenoble in the morning and renting skis - you're probably not going to be on the slopes in time to make it worth trying to do the vast 3V.
Here's what I'd do...
Feb 3 - drive straight to BSM - rent skis - ski Les Arcs / La Plagne
Feb 4 - up super early - drive round - park at La Tania - ski 3V
Feb 5 - up early - drive up ski Espace Killy (hopefully on the slopes before uphill traffic builds - and coming down after the downhill traffic has subsided).
Feb 6 - keep it local La Rosiere/La Thuile
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| pam w wrote: |
| Sounds like fun. Be aware that 6 February is the first day of the French school holidays and there will be heavy traffic heading into the Tarentaise. Changeover day - always a good day to be on the slopes, rather than the roads. |
Do you mean 5 Feb? I always remember Saturday being crowded in town, Sundsy crowded on sloprs?
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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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Ah yes, @MEfree30, of course - sorry. Saturday is the 5th. Sunday will indeed be crowded on the slopes - and in the restaurants at midday.
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Don’t go to Ste Foy it’s crap
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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It used to be that the largest 6 ski areas in the US combined were smaller than the 3 Valleys. You really won't get any feel of what it offers in one, short day. You won't be on the slopes until lunchtime your first day.
Personally, if your party are decent skiers, I'd forget La Plagne. It is fairly flat and the connectivity of the lift system is poor compared to the 3Vs or Tignes/Val.
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| Rob Mackley wrote: |
| Don’t go to Ste Foy it’s crap |
Exactly. Useless, up the road is better 
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You know it makes sense.
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| JDL65 wrote: |
It used to be that the largest 6 ski areas in the US combined were smaller than the 3 Valleys. You really won't get any feel of what it offers in one, short day. You won't be on the slopes until lunchtime your first day.
Personally, if your party are decent skiers, I'd forget La Plagne. It is fairly flat and the connectivity of the lift system is poor compared to the 3Vs or Tignes/Val. |
Yes - absolutely right about the La Plagne lifts. Lots of bottlenecks.
And yes - it's best for crusing blues. There are some more challenging bits - but the lift system means that it's quite a lot of hassle getting to them if you were dipping into La Plagne from Les Arcs.
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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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We have our US Vaccination cards which we have used at local restaurants in France without issue (but have always been with family who has a Pass Sanitaire). We also have our pre France US test results.
Do we need an official Pass Sanitaire or anything else for the ski resorts?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Normally you would just use the EU one from your local country, but since not european, I would Guess that you need to import your certificate into the Pass Sanitare app locally. My British mate did it with little hassle.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thanks...so I just found out my Epic Employee pass is good for a free 7 day 3 V pass...one more reason to try to add time there.
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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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| MEfree30 wrote: |
| Thanks...so I just found out my Epic Employee pass is good for a free 7 day 3 V pass...one more reason to try to add time there. |
Just stay in the 3Vs and do a day in Les Arcs and a day in Tignes/Val d'Isere.
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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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| Quote: |
We have our US Vaccination cards which we have used at local restaurants in France without issue (but have always been with family who has a Pass Sanitaire). We also have our pre France US test results.
Do we need an official Pass Sanitaire or anything else for the ski resorts?
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You can get a QR code that works in France by taking the USA vaccination card to a participating pharmacist - for around 30 euros they check the document and then print off a QR code for you. It was pretty straightforward and took about 10 minutes. The French government has a website with participating pharmacies on a map - there are loads.
We have been asked for our QR code in most restaurants we have visited and once so far when wanting to use a lift.
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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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Over the last week we were asked for our QR code 4 times on lifts and in every restaurant
So do try to get one if you can.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| JDL65 wrote: |
| MEfree30 wrote: |
| Thanks...so I just found out my Epic Employee pass is good for a free 7 day 3 V pass...one more reason to try to add time there. |
Just stay in the 3Vs and do a day in Les Arcs and a day in Tignes/Val d'Isere. |
I am waiting on confirmation on a place in Brides-les-Bains.
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