 Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks everyone so much for answering my earlier thread which saw me looking at the I'll dated Chamonix early season which would not have worked at all.
I'm about to take the plunge and book a v reasonable offer with Club med La Plagne and just wondered if anyone has answers to the following:
1) How snowsure is this resort for my dates?
2) Does anyone know what ski school will ne like early season and do you know the structure am / pm or both?
3) How do I gauge my level. I thoroughly enjoy blues struggle on the moguls and have the odd fall still. Husband good parallel skiing and wants to push for reds. We are both 50 and skied LDA in April 1st time in over 20 years and both are hooked!
4) Should we hire skis and boots via CM and if so at what level does it make any difference if you pay more?
5) It will be day 2 of the season opening when we arrive are there likely to be any festivities on?
6) Anything else we should be aware of about anything CM or La Plagne?
Thanks so much everyone!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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As I'am sure you have seen from the La Plagne website only the 'Altitude' villages will be open. The lower villages Montalbert Montchavin Champagny La Roche will all be closed and their lift systems and pistes wont be open - including the Vanoise Express. The shuttle buses also run on a limited timetable. There are two Club Meds in La Plagne both are near or on the pistes. Club Meds have their own arrangements for Ski School with ESF. When the full resort is open there are many miles of cruising blues. The limited first week opening does restrict the number of pistes available.
How snow sure ? Who knows - but most years at least the higher peaks and the Glacier area is open. There is extensive snowmaking to keep routes into the resort areas open.
Festivities - I doubt it, also a few of the restaurants and shops wont be open until until all the villages are open - the same for the piste side restaurants.
There is a reason that week is so cheap! The lift pass is also slightly reduced in price that week.
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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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@boredsurfin, thanks for the realism.Its a double 50th and was really looking to everything about our 4 night away sans kids!! We are going with the kids in February half term to Valmorel. I dont expect 425km to be open but was hoping enough to hone my skills on the blues. I wasnt expecting all whizzes and bangs but I am content I can go away and not worry about anything. Life is stressful enough. Plus CM appealing given the weak pound.
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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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@boredsurfin, Also not sure what constitutes altitude villages but will now investigate this further about what parts of the resort is likely to be open. We will stay in aime 2000.
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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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Think I have discovered ESF lessons in La Plagne is
Monday to Friday : 9:15am-12:00pm
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Club Med might well have their own arrangements with ESF, for a different time, depending on what sort of groups they have - and when instructors are free. Just about any resort will have a rather empty feeling on those dates - as you are discovering, they're only barely open, and only in parts. You won't know exactly what's open till you get there. But on the plus side, the pistes will be quiet.
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Thanks @pam w, ah ok good shout If I can practice my technique so I'm more confident for going down the mogul and icy blues I'll be chuffed. Pushed myself hard in LDA going down some blues losing a technique as I would panic and go back to snowplough when it became narrow or drop offs. So concentrating on parralells and understanding how to turn on moguls will be great. Does anyone else talk to themselves going down the slope. I'm constantly talking to myself! Also I'll have a look at piste map. Not quite sure what I. missing out on if buses arent running and lower altitude slopes not having any snow? Im still investigating.
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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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| Quote: |
Not quite sure what I. missing out on if buses arent running and lower altitude slopes not having any snow?
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You'll be missing out on the lower slopes with no snow regardless of busses - but frankly, at that time of year, vast numbers of slopes all over the Alps will be closed. And in many resorts they'll all be closed, regardless of how many metres of snow there are! One big advantage of the Club Med package is that THEY will sort it out, so you can relax! For your few days, you really only need a handful of pistes that you enjoy, and you'll discover, in your Club Med lessons, where they are. I suspect that that early in the season, with few folk about, the ski lesson groups might span quite a range of ability.
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1) How snowsure is this resort for my dates? See above. Probably as good as anywhere
2) Does anyone know what ski school will be like early season and do you know the structure am / pm or both? ClubMed organise it - so you should be OK, But do check as it normally runs Monday to Friday. It's normally morning and afternoon
3) How do I gauge my level. I thoroughly enjoy blues struggle on the moguls and have the odd fall still. Husband good parallel skiing and wants to push for reds. We are both 50 and skied LDA in April 1st time in over 20 years and both are hooked! If ClubMed are sorting, then you'll be asked for a rough idea and then assessed and put in a group. You might want to think about whether you and your husband want to be in the same group (at your level) or in separate groups
4) Should we hire skis and boots via CM and if so at what level does it make any difference if you pay more? It's convenient as they will pre-sort out your skis. I always get the intermediate skis (have my own boots)
5) It will be day 2 of the season opening when we arrive are there likely to be any festivities on? Don't know 
6) Anything else we should be aware of about anything CM or La Plagne? It's very French! You can DM me if you have further questions on CM. I have been to that one a few years ago
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks @skitrack, that's helping to paint the picture. Hmm my husband and I were thinking of splitting up as he is better than me. We will have to see whether we like the ski school and were thinking of bunking off on the last day depending on how it pans out.Keen to improve though!
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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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Ski school won't be all day. They will be economising on instructors and might have some groups in the mornings, some in the afternoons - you probably won't know that till you get there and they sort everybody out, but I don't imagine you and hubby will want to be in different groups if one group has morning lessons, another group afternoon lessons. Also, my point about group sizes was that fine differentiation between different levels of skiing (early intermediate, intermediate intermediate, etc) is only likely to be possible if there are lots of people - they won't pay instructors to take two or three skiers each. You are going to have to accept that some things will just have to be sorted out when you get there!
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@pam w, Thanks if that is the case it may work better that we will be together. That all sounds good to me. If it is just am then we would like that as we can go off in the pm ourselves. I can cope with not knowing that detail now and it is interesting regarding the mixed group. I just hope I can keep up! My 14 year old didnt get a great group in April. 1st time skiing and was put with a group of adults who had skied before. Fortunately he got some 1:1 which hugely boosted his confidence and then rejoined the group.
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You know it makes sense.
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@pam w, Thanks if that is the case it may work better that we will be together. That all sounds good to me. If it is just am then we would like that as we can go off in the pm ourselves. I can cope with not knowing that detail now and it is interesting regarding the mixed group. I just hope I can keep up! My 14 year old didnt get a great group in April. 1st time skiing and was put with a group of adults who had skied before. Fortunately he got some 1:1 which hugely boosted his confidence and then rejoined the group.
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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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@pam w, can I ask you how to edit the thread please. I'm now also considering CM Les Arcs Extreme against Aimes la Plagne. Thanks
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Fens
I'm not sure why you're thinking of changing (aside from being in Les Arcs rather than La Plagne). I'd suggest ClubMed Peissey-Vallandry in Les Arcs. It perfectly positioned, Has and uplift right outside - which also does down lift if the conditions aren't too great at resort level.
NB: Been to CM at La Plagne and Peissey-Vallandry and PV is much better!
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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: |
| Ski school won't be all day. |
Are you sure? When we went to Club Med in mid December, (Val d'Isere, though, so more snow-sure), lessons were all day, with a break for lunch back at the Club. Surely they would say if they weren't, as it's one of the things you're paying for and if you were a relative beginner you wouldn't want to be told when you arrived. Would be a bit of a shock when it markets itself as inclusive of lessons.
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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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@maggi, Thanks I'll check with CM
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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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I have found an alternative to la Plagne aime CM also CM LES ARC EXTREME anybody have any recommendation for that and is the snow likely to be better or much the same. ItS a 3 star and no kids apparently so food may not be as good as the 4 star in la plagne. Any thoughts anyone before I press go? Had the hol on hold this week and just came across the other site.
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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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@Fens, ... or you could follow the suggestions that people have been making from the start and look at Tignes or Val Thorens, there is not much difference in travel time from Geneva.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@rjs, yes but as I've said above we are only there 4 nights and the CM all in with transfers going that week is v appealing.
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