 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi looking for advice, my wife has decided not to ski anymore but she's willing to accompany me. Looking at Austria or a resort close to Geneva (up to 1.5 hours), or even Canada with a short transfer, but want somewhere where we can meet on the mountain for lunch. Is there anywhere better than Obergurgl? and she would prefer an apartment rather than hotel.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Verbier is a pleasant enough place to hang out for the non skier although circa 2h30 by train from Geneva. Regarding excellent mountain restaurants, Chez Dany is a 20 min walk up a hiking trail from town, Carrefour accessible by bus and Dahu a 20 min ride on the ski lifts (requiring a passenger lift pass).
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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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You haven't said what skiing you would like
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@martindcrowe@hotmail.co.u You might want to change you user Id to remove your email address.
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| skitrack wrote: |
| @martindcrowe@hotmail.co.u You might want to change you user Id to remove your email address. |
I'd change the wife first
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thought about changing the wife but too old for a new one  , I'm now at an age that I like cruising blues and reds and tacking the odd black,
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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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@martindcrowe@hotmail.co.u, the best domain I've ever been to for a non-skiing spouse is, hands down, the Jungfrau region (my personal favourite is Wengen, which is central). Trains to explore the entire domain and more lovely mountain restaurants than you can shake a stick at. Not sure whether it meets your transfer criterion, though. My non-skiing husband also enjoyed Chamonix (very convenient for Geneva) but only with a car, and the eateries in the valley were much better than the mountain ones, though I didn't mind coming down for lunch and then being dropped at another lift after lunch.
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As the apprentice 4 Vallées zealot I'd obviously endorse the place as a good base for the non-skier. Quite a lot of the area is accessible on foot and we've done a couple of pedestrian days on longer stays and really enjoyed it (it's quite liberating not to be clomping around in ski boots and carrying a set of skis and poles). You can get all the way up to the area summit at Mt.Fort 3,300m on foot, as well as the main stations at the Col des Gentianes, Ruinettes, Attelas and Savoleyres. Your wife might also enjoy trying out some «racquettes» (snow shoes) as well - we do more of this now that we're older and it's often more pleasant to be walking in the woods when the nutters are out on in force on a Saturday, or if the weather is mediocre. Public transport is excellent to/from Verbier (via Le Chable in the valley) and day trips locally are viable that way. The cable-car up from Le Chable is now part of the Swiss public transport system and is open from 05:15 to 23:50 most days: this makes it feasible to do outings without having to worry about getting back in the evening. The Fondation Giannada in Martigny is a good culture vulture destination. And days out in Lausanne or Montreux would be viable on foot as is the iconic Château Chillon on Lake Geneva The leisure centre in Verbier is also attractive if she enjoys swimming.
In previous years, I've also responded to similar enquiries that you reverse the situation and locate in a valley spa and the skier does days out. The obvious Valais candidate is the Bains de Saillon, between Martigny and Sion. But this had a major fire and is only re-opening in December, and not fully until early 2023. But it might be worth taking a look.
Although the total transfer time from airport to the centre of Verbier by public transport is indeed around 2½ hours the upside is that it's really very relaxed and straightforward, and even if the car rental time is less, I prefer the train to the car. See timetables at the SBB Timetable page (from Genève-Aéroport to Verbier (télécabine). There's a new transfer station at Le Chable with an integrated platform, télécabine station to Verbier and bus stops.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Mon 3-10-22 0:41; edited 1 time in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hi @Hurtle,
I'll keep your suggestion for the Jungfrau region in mind for another seaon. (I've never been there)
My dear wife has given up on skiing now after a broken leg in St Gervais 3 years ago. 
She quite liked tromping around the hills and Lake in Zell am See.
She liked the look of just walking downhill in St Gervais before she broke that leg. (plenty of Apartments there)
My daughter has chosen Crans-Montana for us this year .. I just hope it works out.
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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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@DrLawn, I spent many of my childhood summers in Crans-Montana. I'd love to go back and look forward to hearing what you think of it. (Obviously it has grown a LOT since those days.)
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Thank you @Hurtle, .. I'm looking forward to it more now .. I've not been there before.
I imagine the summers will be great there with the south facing outlook.
It can't have grown that much in the past 20 years 
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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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@DrLawn, if your wife does fancy St Gervais (it presumably having painful memories), for much of the season the snow doesn't extend right to the valley and there is a lovely walk along the bottom back from Les Contamines (accessed by scheduled bus, or start at the La Gruvaz stop, the furthest point of the free navette). There are also walks - one easy, one quite steep in places - down to the Parc des Thermes and Le Fayet; you can do them as a loop or take the navette back. And we have met non-skiing spouses who say there are snowshoe walks from Bettex (top of the first gondola) allowing a meet-up in a restaurant.
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Poster: A snowHead
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+1 for Jungfrau. Can also get down to Interlaken or a long day trip to Thun or Bern
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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 Geneva somewhere like Morzine might work.
It's a reasonable sized town with public swimming pool and a number of shops/cafes/patisseries/cheese/honey (oddly)/etc to wander around (though don't expect Oxford Street, just better than a lot of resorts), and a number of hotels with spas that are open to non-residents to give some day-filling options.
You also have restaurants in town you can ski back to (from the Morzine/Les Gets side)/restaurants at the top of the Pleney (Morzine/Les Gets side) and Super-Morzine (other side) pedestrians can access/skiers can ski to/restaurants in Avoriaz (free bus + Porodains gondola access for pedestrians)/restaurants in the Ardent bowl and goat village (free bus + Ardent gondola). Pedestrians can also bus around from Morzine to Les Gets for a change of scene/another skier meet-up point.
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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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@martindcrowe@hotmail.co.u, Lech/Oberlech would be worth looking at. Lovely walk through the woods if you are up in Oberlech. You can also use the tunnels to get the different hotels/restaurants for lunch.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| martindcrowe@hotmail.co.u wrote: |
| Hi looking for advice, my wife has decided not to ski anymore but she's willing to accompany me. Looking at Austria or a resort close to Geneva (up to 1.5 hours), or even Canada with a short transfer, but want somewhere where we can meet on the mountain for lunch. Is there anywhere better than Obergurgl? and she would prefer an apartment rather than hotel. |
I'd say almost everywhere is better than Obergurgl - there's not really much for your wife to do there!
Kitzbühel or Bad Gastein would/could be good choices in Austria.
Kitz has a a large ski area (huge ski area if you include the SkiWelt side too) but is also a decently sized village/town with lots of shops, restaurants, bars, cafes, etc - bigger and more authentic than Morzine (mentioned above) and with a lot more flair and charm (if erring a bit to the fancy/luxury side of the spectrum). Your wife could take the Hahnenkamm lift up to meet you for lunch or drinks on the mountain. Kitz has a solid snow record and you can expect to comfortably ski to the valley from December-late March, but at the same time the climate is not so harsh/freeeeezing cold as the really high resorts so you have a decent chance of it being much more pleasant for her to stroll around the village or relax in the sun in a mountain hut rather than being teeth-shatteringly frigid the whole time. Also easy day trips by train to Innsbruck and Salzburg.
I don't know Bad Gastein, other than it's reputation as a 'spa and ski' town with the thermal baths. It has a decently-sized local ski area plus is part of the massive Ski Amade area so you'd be sorted as the skier, while your wife could luxuriate in the thermal springs. The village is more 'Belle Époque' (according to wiki) than the traditional chocolate box Austrian farmhouse style, but with the huge waterfall plunging straight through the middle of it it has a certain drama...
I guess the fall is mostly frozen in winter, but you get the idea:
Chamonix would also work well for the non-skier, though I get the impression there are more convenient ski areas for the normal piste-causing type of ski holiday..?
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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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So much depends on the individual. In that position I'd want my own privacy and space to lounge around half-clothed with a book, fix a drink, sometimes even cook something nice for hubby when he comes home from skiing. So yes, an apartment but one with a beautiful view. I would want to be able to go out for walks, or a trip up the mountain by bus or train to meet for lunch at a restaurant. I would not care in the least if there were only a couple of shops - nice boulangerie, little supermarket, couple of cafés. No spas required!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| martindcrowe@hotmail.co.u wrote: |
| I'm now at an age that I like cruising blues and reds and tacking the odd black, |
How about Megève, that's doable in about an hour and a half from GVA and is a big ski area. The town is flat.
I agree that Chamonix is the obvious choice that side of the border.
Otherwise 1.5 hours doesn't give you a lot of scope on the Swiss side.
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Megève also has good supermarkets if you are self-catering in an apartment.
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Megeve is quite an entertaining place to walk around, roaring with laughter at the prices in the shops (the ones that are vulgar enough to actually price the items in their windows). Nice white snow, as opposed to piles of black filth by the roadside, is by no means guaranteed at resort level but yes, the supermarkets are good. We used to drive through Megeve a lot and always played "spot the mink coat". There are some stunningly beautiful chalets - some of them "liberated" from poor East European countries happy to sell their architectural heritage but they're beyond the financial reach of most of us, even to rent for a week. Combloux, just down the road, is a smaller and more reasonably priced alternative.
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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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s you would guess, I’ll throw StG into the mix, it’s got the views, the cafes, the pool & world class spa, train up to the top for non skier & train into Chamonix if you want a day trip
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| martindcrowe@hotmail.co.u wrote: |
| Hi looking for advice, my wife has decided not to ski anymore but she's willing to accompany me. Looking at Austria or a resort close to Geneva (up to 1.5 hours), or even Canada with a short transfer, but want somewhere where we can meet on the mountain for lunch. Is there anywhere better than Obergurgl? and she would prefer an apartment rather than hotel. |
What does your wife like doing? Is she into shopping, spas, walking, chilling etc. You can then base your resort choice on her activities.
Mrs KK doesn't ski, but enjoys having a break and walking. She doesn't really shop and hates spas, so when I plan our trips, or did when the children were coming with us, I ensured that she could find activities that she wanted, whilst the rest of us skied. Depending on resort we would ski to the resort to meet for lunch or she would meet us up the hill. We would often meet for picnics if the weather was good.
Resorts she liked: Les Carroz, La Clusaz, Chatel, Alpe D'Huez, Vaujany, Kirchberg, Ischgl, Serfaus - all offered walks, some had swimming pools, some had museums that were interesting.
Didn't like: Arc 1800
Don't forget it's a holiday for both of you 
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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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She doesn't really shop and hates spas
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Me too! Why do so many people assume that all women want to shop and be "pampered"? The mention of museums is useful. I skied in Les Gets several times and didn't have time to visit the "museum of mechanical music" or something of the sort, which sounded intriguing. Many towns and villages, even quite small ones, have good museums - for example the "Ecomusée de Hauteluce" which celebrates the "patrimoine culturel". Skiers generally don't have time for these side trips, but they can be interesting and worthwhile.
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Another vote for Ski Amade. Very short 50 min transfer from Salzburg plus if you really want Brownie Points add a night/day stopover in Salzburg either end of your trip. Bad Gastein is good as @clarky999, has said, or consider one of the other villages, Flachau and Altenmarkt have plenty of other things going on as well as the Skiing. Easy Gondola access on the former for lunches, winter walking/snowshoeing trails and (if you must) Sleigh Rides. Altenmarkt has the Therme Amade for Spa/Sauna stuff. You didn't say when you wnat to travel but Flachau also has a "Ladies Week" in March when partners get free lift passes depending on how you book. Check out the Flachau Tourist Office site.
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You know it makes sense.
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thanks all for feedback much to take in and review, all ideas appreciated.
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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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| knackered knees wrote: |
What does your wife like doing? Is she into shopping, spas, walking, chilling etc. |
last time we went to Val d'Isere the missus spent 4 days in Eric Bompard chatting to the staff and buying various expensive nick nacks. Amazing how time flies when you are trying everything on in the shop. When she's not shopping she likes Kindling on the front neige with a glass of wine - more expensive than Bompard shopping at VdI.
The time before she mixed shopping with a bit of ski de fond but she finds the trails at VdI too steep for her (descending) now.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| pam w wrote: |
| I'd want my own privacy and space to lounge around half-clothed |
Pam and her girlfriends liked nothing more than catching a few rays on the terrace of their traditional ski lodge in les Saisies, back in the day
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| pam w wrote: |
| Quote: |
She doesn't really shop and hates spas
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Me too! Why do so many people assume that all women want to shop and be "pampered"? |
I'd guess it generally comes down to the spectrum of activities available in a ski resort where one has immediately ruled out the main activity and often the raison etre for the resort's very existence. In the wider world there is of course the entire spectrum of other activities that are not skiing. In a ski resort those are immediately somewhat limited by geography, population, season etc. So stuff like spas, swimming, shopping, snowshoeing, sun lounging, sipping booze tend to be quite a high proportion of those that are left if we apply some heuristic shortcuts to infer that stuff like risky sex with strangers, base jumping from the highest appt block, ice diving, becoming a global rock/pop sensation etc are not going to be preferred [ no judgement - my teenage self would have said tht that itinerary would be an acceptable substitute for a day's skiing]
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FAQ
I do agree however. 
