 Poster: A snowHead
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We have a chance to go away for 3 days - without kids - right at the end of March and would love some resort suggestions if anyone has any good ideas!
- Needs to be easy access to a "main" airport (Geneva, Zurich or similar) pref with LHR flights, but we are open to any country
- Ski in/out hotels or very close to the lifts - no buses or ski train
- I am a very early intermediate skier, I learned late in life and am nervous - and really like easy/ wide blue slopes. Not very keen on edges/ drop offs!
- Mr S is a very good boarder - would like some decent reds for a bit of challenge, doesn't need a snowboard park though. We don't need to ski together all the time
- Don't need much apres though a nice restaurant or two would be good!
Budget is less of a consideration than being able to maximise time in the 3 days.
Thanks so much!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Where can you get the best-timed flights to? That would be a good way of narrowing down the options.
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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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My suggestion would be Les Contamines for late March. I'm a nervous intermediate skier and I enjoy it there. However I always download on the gondola at the end of the day as the run down is a bit narrow for my taste.
I have never stayed there myself but the Chalet Hotel La Chemenaz looks to be very close to the gondola station.
Geneva airport isn't very far away.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Will you be hiring a car, to minimise travel time to resort?
If so, I'd suggest flying to Geneva or Lyon and skiing at one of:
- Tignes.
- The 3 Vallees - take your pick from Val Thorens, Les Menuires, St Martin de Belleville, Meribel/Mottaret, Courchevel or Brides Les Bains.
- Les Arcs.
- La Plagne.
All of the above have snow-sure slopes for late March, together with easy access to the slopes without use of a 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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@mountainaddict, while those resorts should be pretty safe for snow at that time, they all have an awful lot of travel time from Geneva that will eat into a 3-day break.
I guess Avoriaz is the obvious place relatively near Geneva, but @Richaba's suggestion of Les Contamines could also be interesting. Though not quite as high it has a good snow record due to its proximity to Mont Blanc (I assume cold air drifts down the Tres la Tete glacier to it). However I can't personally vouch for late March conditions, our March 2020 trip was cancelled for obvious reasons. With luck a local expert like @jedster will be along to give advice.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Les Contamines is an interesting suggestion - it does keep its snow well, though the Veleray sector, which has the most challenging piste skiing tends to give up before the rest. Using the gondola down is good advice - all the best skiing, really, is above Jonction. Jedster will be along soon, I'm sure. There are some restaurants - including my favourite Roselette (though I'm horribly out of date, it might have gone downhill). Thinking of Roselette reminds me that there are a fair few drag lifts. Roselette is easy enough, but some aren't. But Les C is a nice size for a short trip.
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| Quote: |
| while those resorts should be pretty safe for snow at that time, they all have an awful lot of travel time from Geneva that will eat into a 3-day break. |
The transfer issue is why I referenced the car. Both are entirely feasible in my book for a short stay. I've driven to both from Geneva for a few very short stays.
It may just be me, but I wouldn't call a 2.5hr drive to Val T or Tignes an awful lot of travel time in the context of an Alps transfer. And 2.5hrs is only 50 mins more than your suggestion of Avoriaz.
If an ultra-short transfer is what anyone is after, they need Oberperfuss in Austria. In January, we were parking at the gondola 15 minutes after pulling away from Innsbruck Airport  The pistes overlook the runway.
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La Clusaz
1hr drive from Geneva
Loads of flights to pick from
Nice village
Enough blues and reds to keep you and your husband busy for 3 days.
Or somewhere in the Grand Massif, which will offer more pistes. Slightly longer transfer (10 to 30 mins) depending on which village you stay in.
You'd lose any kind of alpine charm by staying in Flaine though , even if it would have the best snow.
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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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@mikeycharlton, I had wondered about suggesting both those as well, but don't know how the snow holds up towards the end of March. Is it reliable?
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I love this site - thanks all of you so much for the suggestions. I think we’ll either hire a car or get a private transfer so will be as quick as we can. I think we’ll be able to travel one afternoon, have 2 clear days and then travel back as late as possible on the third, so I need to do some calculations. Sadly I think that probably lets the Austrian resorts out and we will focus on France out of GVA. I hadn’t looked at Les contamines ao off to Google now! 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| j b wrote: |
| @mikeycharlton, I had wondered about suggesting both those as well, but don't know how the snow holds up towards the end of March. Is it reliable? |
Flaine would be absolutely fine, big north-facing bowl that barely sees any sun for months.
Balme sector of La Clusaz, again absolutely fine, but it's fairly small. Other lower areas of La Clusaz may or may not be an issue - all depends on conditions at the time which nobody can predict. It's an infinitely nicer place to stay compared to Flaine though IMO.
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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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@mikeycharlton, Thank you - going to look at those options too. As everything seems to be pointing towards Geneva I might book those flights and then just wait to book accommodation at the last minute.
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Left of field option is fly to Milan Malpensa and go to Cervinia. Just over 2 hours drive, snow will definitely be good. Cheaper to stay in Valtourneche (and 10 mins less driving!).
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You know it makes sense.
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Cervinia in Italy is a good choice. We’ve been a couple of times and it’s certain our favourite for early or late seasons. It’s one of the most snow sure resort in Italy due to the high altitude. Big mountain backed by glacier. Their reason opens from November to May so there is plenty quality snow in March.
One and half an hour drive from Turin, or two hours by coach.
Most pistes are motorway like wide, perfect for beginners and intermediates.
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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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Cervinia in Italy is a good choice. We’ve been a couple of times and it’s certain our favourite for early or late seasons. It’s one of the most snow sure resort in Italy due to the high altitude. Big mountain backed by glacier. Their reason opens from November to May so there is plenty quality snow in March.
One and half an hour drive from Turin, or two hours by coach. When we went last time, we hired taxi, €140 each way.
Most pistes are motorway like wide, perfect for beginners and intermediates. There are quite a few easy blue pistes higher up in the mountain, including the glacier. It was an absolute bonus for us when we realised that we could take our 7 year old child up to the glacier and ski down.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Soozm, if you aren't constrained on timing, arguably you could get an extra 1/2 day if you get a super early flight?
A factor will be transfer infrastructure - so PdS or Grand Massif likely best options from GVA. Tarentaise, IMO, just extra 90mins travel. I'd probs go Morzine or Flaine myself.
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