 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all, I’m new to Snowheads, just after some advice.
2 or 3 of us are driving, all intermediate to good skiers. 45-54 yrs old, not into too lively apres (most of the time)!
Currently looking at Samoens in GM or Moraine, 4th Feb....missing all school holidays
I know it very subjective but any pros and cons, Amy good tips?
Cheers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Welcome to snowHeads 
I’ve not skied enough in GM for a long time but am a PdS/Morzine regular. Many of the pluses and minuses of Morzine are the same for Flaine - easy driving access (Samoens arguably even less issues with access if it’s super snowy). Neither offer ski in/out, but you can ski back to Morzine/Prodains most of the season. Both have decent snow records, and at that time you shouldn’t struggle anywhere in PdS (with the exception of skiing down in Morgins from the Chatel side!).
Reason we chose Morzine (we’ve bought there now after about 10 years visiting):
Variety of skiing - even without going over the Switzerland there’s stacks to go at, from Mont Chery right over to Chatel. There’s a good choice of runs for all levels of skier, and if you know where to go a lot of fun lift-accessed off-piste. There’s also some easy decent touring options for punters like us as well.
Variety of terrain - PdS is spread over a number of valleys so you can get different aspects, terrain and types of skiing, all in one day
Decent lift infra - generally there are few real pinch points as most busy lifts have an alternative, so even at busy periods the queues are generally avoidable
Easy access - as mentioned above, in 12 years of visiting a few times a year we’ve never had a significant issue getting to or from.
Proper town - same for Samoens, there’s a proper “town” feel about Morzine, with decent shops, sports centre and ice hockey team.
A range of decent bars and restaurants for the more “mature” clientele (meaning we can usually get a seat…) - but my kids also tell me it’s fun for the younger age groups…
BTW — you’re missing UK school hols on 4/2 but I think that’s Lyon/Grenoble etc hols in France.
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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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@Andy- thanks for the great information.
I thought I’d checked about Half term, but it was mainly by nationality. Oh well, it is what it is.
Thanks
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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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| andy from embsay wrote: |
Both have decent snow records, and at that time you shouldn’t struggle anywhere in PdS (with the exception of skiing down in Morgins from the Chatel side!).
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At that time of the season the Corbeau chair is pretty much guaranteed to be running, and for the last four years at least the snow has been good to ski all the way to the main road. A month later, I grant you, the piste is more likely to be closed but taking the lift down is usually good until the end of March or thereabouts, until such time as there's not enough snow to ski down from Chalet Neuf for the connecting drag 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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@Chaletbeauroc, we did the circuit clockwise (ie down Corbeau) on 25 Jan, 12 Feb and 19 March this year - the blue down Corbeau was shut every time so downloaded on the lift. I think we managed to ski across Morgins twice from the bottom of the lift, got the bus in March. But it does seem to be increasingly rare that the piste is open these days.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@andy from embsay, Yes, you're right; this year in particular the piste was closed but perfectly skiable quite a lot of the time. Of course you'll only know it's skiable if you've been able to see it from the bottom first... As it happens the lift was open from around Christmas and the piste for much of January, whereas sometimes there's not enough snow to ski down until much later.
It's high time they invested in snow-making for that sector. With the new Follieuse replacement coming nest year it's by far the weakest link in the whole circuit.
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@Chaletbeauroc, we obviously just have to go by whether there’s a big orange “piste ferme” sign at the top! We’ve done quite a lot of cow poo skiing down there over the years even when it was open. The death-draglift up to Corbeau was pretty sketchy in March too!
We did spot boards and skis outside the wee restaurant below the lift a couple of times and assumed people must have come from the top.
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The gondola at Samoens is on the outskirts and you need to drive/bus there each morning. And there will be a queue, though this can be avoided by going further to Vercland lift instead.
If this puts you off maybe look at nearby Morillon?
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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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I did 3 seasons in morzine back in the day (88-91) and skied PdS fairly extensively since. A chum bought in Samoens around 2006 ish and we probs skied 10-15 days a year in the GM since then.
I’d go PdS personally - I think the skiing is fractionally better (more trees where I like them, better bumps (Renard) etc) but that’s very personal. Also familiarity.
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Just because "that's how things worked out" I've done Morzine many times/(to my shame) never done GM - but my understanding is they are comparable.
Time wise you're basically 'peak season without the families' and I'd say either would fit the bill. Paper/rock/scissors for this season and do the other next year.
The skiing in the PdS is good for beginners and, well I can now ski anything pisted/have moved into off piste and haven't 'run out' of skiing. Apres wise Morzine can offer everything from "We don't like other people and aren't leaving out apartment" through to "This is almost (but not quite) as good as Austria" - and has everything from "This is almost like a British pub" (but in a nice, French twist rather than theme pub way), through "I'm middle aged and holidaying without family", and "Geez I'm too old for this place" and "It opens at WHAT time? We'll have been in bed for 2hrs by then!".
As I said I've not (but really should) done GM but everything I've read suggest a similar vibe.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Morzine. GM is very Miss & Hit depending on which village you choose. Most are a miss for your requirements 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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PS where is Moraine? I thought moraines were post glacial features?
Anyhoo, if important, I reckon the restaurants on the mountain in the PdS are generally better.
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4th Feb is Zone A half term, but not as bad as the Paris week and not coupled with the U.K., that said, I will NOT go back to Morzine/Les Gets again during any half term. We encountered 1 hour queues every day after ESF lessons to get back up the mountain*, and it wasn’t so much skiing as just avoiding people.
*this can be avoided by going with a different ski school who meet at a different place, or by not doing lessons.
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