 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi everyone
Struggling to nail down a resort so looking for recommendations. Nothing is booked as yet but can get cheap flights from Bristol to Geneva. Happy to hire a car and drive a max of 3 hours.
1. 3 couples in our early 30's so want bars/restaurants nearby.
2. Relatively large ski area and we are all intermediate to expert.
3. Budget wise for accommodation would be a max of £1k per head for a catered chalet but understand asking a lot for our dates.
I have been looking at Flaine and Avoriaz but struggling with accommodation.
Thanks all
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
I have been looking at Flaine and Avoriaz but struggling with accommodation.
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Because it's French school hols. Go to another country!
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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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Have you got the dates right? That looks to be Thurs to Thurs. Catered chalets generally work on Sat to Sat or Sun to Sun weeks.
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Don't know how easy catered chalets are to find anywhere these days. But if you're prepared to self cater with restaurants near by or go to hotels you could try going through the Mont Blanc tunnel to somewhere in the Aosta valley. La Thuile and the Monte Rosa ski area are both reasonable size and should be a bit quieter than France at that time of year with reasonable priced accommodation. Switzerland should have stuff well within your budget but finding it catered may be a bit pricier and eating out is more expensive. But the satellites of the Verbier ski area are not extortionate.
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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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I hadn't looked at the dates - but yes, Thursday to Thursday will complicate accommodation most everywhere. But no wonder the flights are cheap!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I think you're going to struggle with those Thurs-Thurs dates if you want to be in a catered chalet at the heart of a bustling resort and walking distance to lifts. The 11th to 18th is half-term in many parts of UK, which ramps up the prices for flights and packages leaving the UK that weekend.
Nevertheless, I put your dates into Booking.com, searched Haute-Savoie & Valle d'Aosta and quite a few nice affordable options came up. If you don't mind a drive each morning, there are hotels, some including breakfast and some half board in Les Houches in France and Entreves in Italy (just the other side of the Mont-Blanc tunnel) well within budget and leaving plenty for restaurants in the evening if the hotel only does brekkie.
There's a nice looking chalet in Megeve (Le Chalet d'Antoine) on there that does B&B, they want £1385 per couple for a double room B&B for your dates, they have 4 left. Megeve ain't cheap, but I reckon a couple could eat out for £615 for the week (£44 per head per meal), as long as you don't order fillet steak & hammer the wine cellar every night!! 
But as others have said, France will be rammed as it's school hols from 4th Feb to 4th Mar 2023, though Paris weeks are the last two this time.
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Thanks all.
Yes Chosen Thursday to Thursday due to the flight cost saving! and saw that most chalets were check out on a Sunday so appreciate that.
I will take a look at the suggestions tonight.
I dont mind driving to the slopes each morning either, or the couple airbnb's ive found for Saint Jean have a shuttle at the end of the road.
thanks again
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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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@Tjhodgson_145, Thurs-Thurs will restrict your accommodation and probably negates any saving you will have on cheaper flights.
I'm on a trip soon Thurs-Sunday (10 days) what I save on flights gets me a hotel near Venice. But in resort it is Sat-Sat. The one day on a Friday is unavailable in resort.
Also consider the cost of the week there. EG how much is food a day in one country (eg France or CH compared to Austria or Italy).
EG as Luigi says in that recommendation £44/meal. When I'm on the BB in Italy I'm spending nothing for breakfast, 6 euros for a pit stop at 11am, £15 max for lunch and nothing for the included evening meal.
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I’ve just got a quote for courmayuer at £945 per head for a double room and half board.
The runs look ideal being mainly red and blacks. Anyone got anything against the resort? I think the price is pretty good to include breakfast and dinners
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Tjhodgson_145, Courmayuer is a seductive town, a very pleasant place to stay. Assuming you are in Courmayeur proper which is unlikely at that price. The skiing is very limited (41km of piste), which is the opposite of what you said you were looking for. There is some epic off-piste including day trips to Chamonix, you will need a guide for most of it though. And the better stuff is genuine expert terrain.
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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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I have stayed in Courmayeur many times, it is a nice town. Where is the quote for?
If you have a car then it isn't too far to drive to Pila or La Thuile for a day.
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| rjs wrote: |
I have stayed in Courmayeur many times, it is a nice town. Where is the quote for?
If you have a car then it isn't too far to drive to Pila or La Thuile for a day. |
so the first one for £945 was Hotel Pilier d’Angle and he's just emailed with £635 for Hotel Berthod which is inclusive of breakfast
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You know it makes sense.
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| zikomo wrote: |
| @Tjhodgson_145, Courmayuer is a seductive town, a very pleasant place to stay. Assuming you are in Courmayeur proper which is unlikely at that price. The skiing is very limited (41km of piste), which is the opposite of what you said you were looking for. There is some epic off-piste including day trips to Chamonix, you will need a guide for most of it though. And the better stuff is genuine expert terrain. |
ah yes. id read 100km ski area but as you say, only 41km is pisted.
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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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thank you will definitely take a look
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Poster: A snowHead
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| rjs wrote: |
I have stayed in Courmayeur many times, it is a nice town. Where is the quote for?
If you have a car then it isn't too far to drive to Pila or La Thuile for a day. |
Pretty good and quick bus service to La Thuile as well not sure about Pila.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Tjhodgson_145 wrote: |
| rjs wrote: |
I have stayed in Courmayeur many times, it is a nice town. Where is the quote for?
If you have a car then it isn't too far to drive to Pila or La Thuile for a day. |
so the first one for £945 was Hotel Pilier d’Angle and he's just emailed with £635 for Hotel Berthod which is inclusive of breakfast |
I’ve stopped in Hotel Berthod before and it’s nice, smart rooms (especially in the new wing), close to bars and restaurants and walkable to the main lift up to the ski area. I really like Courmayeur and could happily keep myself busy there for a 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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@Tjhodgson_145, The Pilier d'Angle is in Entreves, it is near one of the cablecars up but full board makes sense. The Hotel Berthod is right in the centre of Courmayeur, so easy to pick a different restaurant each night.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Tjhodgson_145 wrote: |
I’ve just got a quote for courmayuer at £945 per head for a double room and half board.
The runs look ideal being mainly red and blacks. Anyone got anything against the resort? I think the price is pretty good to include breakfast and dinners |
Courmayeur is a nice place, beautiful ancient village, very popular with wealthy Milanese who will appear at the weekends.
The ski area is very scenic with the Mont Blanc massif and its glaciers as the backdrop, but has a limited amount of piste skiing. There are the off-piste itineraries, but you'll prob need a guide.
As others have said, it's not far to La Thuile (25mins by car) for a lot more skiing as the Espace Bernardo ski area crosses the border to La Rosiere in France. You might want to do 2 or 3 days there.
Pila is a bit further, 40 min on the Autostrada if you don't mind paying the toll, a bit longer on the SS26 main road, but definitely worth a day in its scenic bowl with a nice variety of slopes above the old Roman town of Aosta.
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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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| T Bar wrote: |
| Don't know how easy catered chalets are to find anywhere these days. But if you're prepared to self cater with restaurants near by or go to hotels you could try going through the Mont Blanc tunnel to somewhere in the Aosta valley. La Thuile and the Monte Rosa ski area are both reasonable size and should be a bit quieter than France at that time of year with reasonable priced accommodation. Switzerland should have stuff well within your budget but finding it catered may be a bit pricier and eating out is more expensive. But the satellites of the Verbier ski area are not extortionate. |
I like the look of La Thuile but the 4 hour drive is off putting!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Tjhodgson_145 wrote: |
| I like the look of La Thuile but the 4 hour drive is off putting! |
Where do you get 4 hours from?
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It's only a couple of hours but through the Mont Blanc tunnel, so quite expensive.
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| rjs wrote: |
| Tjhodgson_145 wrote: |
| I like the look of La Thuile but the 4 hour drive is off putting! |
Where do you get 4 hours from? |
oh I see - for some reason google maps, without avoiding tolls, says 3 hours 45?
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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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@Tjhodgson_145, I meant, where were you measuring 4 hours from to La Thuile?
It is 25 minutes further from Geneva than Courmayeur.
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| rjs wrote: |
@Tjhodgson_145, I meant, where were you measuring 4 hours from to La Thuile?
It is 25 minutes further from Geneva than Courmayeur. |
Yes correct, put in Geneva to La Thuile. Cant link you it but thats what it showed for me.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Is that NOT using the Mont Blanc tunnel? Perhaps the tunnel was closed when you googled it. Through the tunnel it's under 2 hours. If the tunnel were not available (and it is going to be closed at some point - there was a recent Snowheads thread about it) it would not be worth the journey.
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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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Stay at home that week and book a ski trip instead in January or March when it's much cheaper and so much quieter.
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You know it makes sense.
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@sugarmoma666, Don't think Google knows about the closure, it shows less than 2 hours drive for me.
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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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from my limited French that looks like its going to be closed on the 9th feb. bug ! back to the drawing board
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Markscotski advised
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Stay at home that week and book a ski trip instead in January or March when it's much cheaper and so much quieter.
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Good advice. But for maximum choice of venue, travel Sat/Sat, though there are also some Sun/Sun options.
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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: |
@Markscotski advised
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Stay at home that week and book a ski trip instead in January or March when it's much cheaper and so much quieter.
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Good advice. But for maximum choice of venue, travel Sat/Sat, though there are also some Sun/Sun options. |
its not helpful advice when the mrs is a teacher so half term it is
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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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| Tjhodgson_145 wrote: |
from my limited French that looks like its going to be closed on the 9th feb. bug ! back to the drawing board |
It looks to be closed 22:00 to 06:00, what time does your flight land?
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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: |
its not helpful advice when the mrs is a teacher
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Well, that's key information you didn't disclose. This is not supposed to be a guessing game.
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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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| rjs wrote: |
It looks to be closed 22:00 to 06:00, what time does your flight land? |
I'm guessing it's an evening flight...
| Tjhodgson_145 wrote: |
the mrs is a teacher so half term it is |
...as I can't imagine a teacher getting Thursday and Friday off before HT...
| pam w wrote: |
| This is not supposed to be a guessing game. |
Elementary, my dear Pamela! 
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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 wrote: |
| Tjhodgson_145 wrote: |
from my limited French that looks like its going to be closed on the 9th feb. bug ! back to the drawing board |
It looks to be closed 22:00 to 06:00, what time does your flight land? |
8.30pm 
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Why not get a cheap hotel somewhere like Cluses the night you land, be up early and through the tunnel and you’ll still be skiing no later than you would had you been in the Courmayeur hotel? It’ll likely be cheaper and a shorter drive from the flight.
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@Tjhodgson_145, is gatwick no good? you could fly in to Munich and access plenty of Austrian resorts which would fit your bill
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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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@Tjhodgson_145, if you can get to Bournemouth, Ryanair flights to Venice are still* decent price Sunday to Sunday for Feb half this 2023....
* or were when I looked a week or so ago....
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| Quote: |
| Well, that's key information you didn't disclose. This is not supposed to be a guessing game. |
Surely no guessing needed when he'd given us the travel dates 
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