 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello,
A group of mates and I are planning a ski weekend in Jan, flying to GVA.
We are considering La Clusaz as our resort of choice. We have already skiied the PDS and Chamonix so keen to try a resort we haven't skiied close to Geneva for a 3 day weekend trip.
Does anyone have any insight into La Cluasz:
Accommodation availability / choice?
Variety of slopes / quality of skiing?
Is there much nightlife or an apres scene?
We are all good skiers and will cover good distance, just trying to determine if this resort will do the job for 3days of skiiing and beer.
Thanks!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I don't know it well - and never skied there. Driven through a few times. It's very French and quite sophisticated. Yes, an "apres scene" if you are not looking for loud and cheesy.
Lots of places which will be happy to sell you a glass of beer (though the wine will be better value). Some good food.
Ideally placed to drive from Gva for three days.
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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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La Clusaz is definitely ok for a weekend of skiing.
The area is big enough for you not to be bored over 3 days and has a good spread of difficulty on the pistes. You can get the bus to Le Grand Bornand for additional pistes, but you probably wouldn't need to do that on your first visit.
Apres? There are enough bars to get a beer on the mountain and also in the town and I think there are a couple of clubs, but it's France and I've never found anywhere in France that does apres in the true sense, but if you want a few beers and a bit of music its ok.
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Ive skied there a few times.
It's a nice place, with a good variety of slopes. There's probably 5-6 different areas to explore so should be plenty to keep you busy for a 3 day trip.
In line with what Pam W says, it's a fairly quiet and relaxed place that's popular with families. It's not the place to head to for pumping apres but there's 5 or 6 bars and pubs and more in the hotels that will be happy to sell you a few beers.
There's something like 150 threads here that have 'La Clusaz' in the title. Plenty of reading to give a you a proper feel for the place.
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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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@dh900, you driving from GVA? I don’t think it’s as well connected by transfers as PdS, Cham, GMass …
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| Duklaringy wrote: |
| ... I've never found anywhere in France that does apres in the true sense |
Probably the subject of another thread, but what is "true" apres?
We're very boring and are happy with a beer (or vin chaud/gluhwein) before heading home for a shower, with the hope of finding interesting places to eat/drink later if we feel like it. However one time (in France) we stopped for a beer at the bottom of the last slope in what seemed like a quiet bar - though we hadn't initially noticed the guy setting up his disco gear in the corner. About 20 minutes later a hundred Dutch arrived, and pop music started blaring out. One highlight was a song to the tune of Verdi's "Va pensero" which is clearly a Dutch pop anthem and got everyone present apart from us up on the tables in their ski boots. I think it was followed up by the Dutch verson of the "Chicken song", including actions obviously.
Is that what you mean? I am not sure we could cope with it every night!
(And apologies for thread drift, have only been through La Clusaz in the summer so can't say whether such entertainment is available).
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| Quote: |
can't say whether such entertainment is available
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seems improbable 
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you driving from GVA?
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Ah, I'd assumed that would be the case. Only sensible way for a few blokes to go to La Clusaz for a few days. A transfer costs the same for 3 days as for 3 weeks.
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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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@pam w, I'd expect the only "transfers" to be in Gaston's Merc taxi at inflated prices and at times to suit his dining habits.
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An easy enough drive, even if Gaston has imbibed a bit too freely.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| j b wrote: |
| Duklaringy wrote: |
| ... I've never found anywhere in France that does apres in the true sense |
Probably the subject of another thread, but what is "true" apres?
We're very boring and are happy with a beer (or vin chaud/gluhwein) before heading home for a shower, with the hope of finding interesting places to eat/drink later if we feel like it. However one time (in France) we stopped for a beer at the bottom of the last slope in what seemed like a quiet bar - though we hadn't initially noticed the guy setting up his disco gear in the corner. About 20 minutes later a hundred Dutch arrived, and pop music started blaring out. One highlight was a song to the tune of Verdi's "Va pensero" which is clearly a Dutch pop anthem and got everyone present apart from us up on the tables in their ski boots. I think it was followed up by the Dutch verson of the "Chicken song", including actions obviously.
Is that what you mean? I am not sure we could cope with it every night!
(And apologies for thread drift, have only been through La Clusaz in the summer so can't say whether such entertainment is available). |
Sorry, reading my post back that now sounds a bit pretentious ('apres in the true sense') What I meant is whenever I am in France there seems to be bars and resorts that style themselves as 'apres' but I always have a feeling that I have visited at the wrong time, that it must be busier earlier or later in the season or later in the evening etc. I've enjoyed places in France with friends (beer, good company, skiing! (whats not to like)) but it has a different 'feel' to it than when i've skiied Austria, where it feels more of a communal thing (a communion?) that everyone is enjoying, even on your own there is a feeling of everyone is enjoying themselves because they are on HOLIDAY  !! Not that it needs to be cheesy music and raucus, in France it sometimes feels that the certain places that have an apres vibe - folie douce and other loud places on home runs it feels forced and 'you must enjoy this, this is apres!!'. Austria in my opinion is more relaxed about it.
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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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@Duklaringy, correct. In France at Folie Douce, Pano Bar, Cocorico etc. it feels like each table sits alone within the perimeter.
While in Austria it's a happy community standing up to dance together and smile to each other from lunch to dinner
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
there seems to be bars and resorts that style themselves as 'apres'
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Perhaps this is how some places style themselves to attract a certain kind of clientele, or maybe how some places are styled in discussions like this on Anglophone social media. Is "apray" a thing in French France? When we had an apartment in France some of the most enjoyable social occasions were an "apéro" hour with various neighbours. This was early evening, not straight after skiing. People had had a shower and changed out of ski stuff, but still dressed very casually and comfortably. There was a popular restaurant/bar just over the road, always busy at lunch and dinner times, but there'd only be a few folk having a sociable beer immediately after the lifts closed. There was never, thankfully, any music. 
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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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@BobinCH, what does Candide even know about skiing?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Definitely enough terrain there to keep you occupied for 3 days, and yes there are enough civilised bars to keep you happy in the evening.
There is a transfer/bus service from the airport with 2 or 3 buses in each direction every day. I can't remember the name of it but I used it in 2019. If you are on a late flight out of Geneva, there is a bus departing La Clusaz at like 5pm.
La Clusaz also has the bonus of being pretty much the closest decent sized resort to Geneva. You can do the journey in just under an hour on a good day by car.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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@mikeycharlton, caning it somewhat to do the airport in an hour? Google reckons 1hr 20 fastest.
Chamonix probably the fastest decent resort to get to (defo 1hr from airport).
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@under a new name, Yes will be hiring a car from GVA french side most likely.
Thanks for all other insight, I had looked at the piste map but this never tells the true story of terrain etc.
I don't suppose anyone has any accommodation recommendations in La Clusaz??
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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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@dh900, I've stayed twice in La Clusaz. First time was in an apartment with friends for a weeks ski holiday in March 2019. We stayed in an apartment block residence called Parnasse (self catering obviously). I booked it through https://en.reservation.laclusaz.com/hiver?origine=switchLangue but I believe you can also find apartments in the residence through sites like booking.com.
The second time was in Summer just for a few days staying in the Hotel Beaulieu.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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One of first boys trips was a long weekend in La Clusaz (I think the company was Gravité). We had a great weekend, if memory serves me well. Plenty of skiing for 3/4 days as others have said.
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| under a new name wrote: |
@mikeycharlton, caning it somewhat to do the airport in an hour? Google reckons 1hr 20 fastest.
Chamonix probably the fastest decent resort to get to (defo 1hr from airport). |
Maybe you typed it into Google maps whilst there were traffic delays on the road.
Have a look now. It's 59 minutes without driving like a loon.
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@mikeycharlton, yep, fair enough, +/- 1 hr. Chamonix, ex Bardonnex, still an easier drive, I'd suggest. We did door to door (not airport, but central Geneva) in 45 mins one early Monday morning. Bardonnex really screws you up - but that applies to anywhere beyond it.
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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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Plenty of skiing.
Resort is very low at 1000m and often snowless in the valley.
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Stayed there in Jan for 5 nights and 4 days of skiing.
More than enough for a weekend with the amount of areas to ski didn't get boring and very nice resort. I would go back there. It is low we were lucky in Jan that there had been 50cm drop 2 days before we got there.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I've been to la Clusaz many times and can only echo what others have said. Plenty of pistes to keep you happy for a short trip and a good range of venues for apres ski, however you define it. The best skiing is down from la Balme. I was fortunate enough to be there one day when Candide Thovex (see the video above) and his mates were flying above our heads as we made our way down. I'd also add a shout-out for Le Grand Bornand. Worth a day trip and easy to get to on the local ski bus.
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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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Did a long weekend there back in 2018. Really liked the place, thought the scenery was stunning.
Plenty of skiing for a weekend, I didn't ski all areas, due to illness, which in hindsight was probably concussion.
We were skiing back to the village every day and that was mid March. Town isn't overly busy, but enough going on for a long weekend.
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Just noticed La Clusaz are offering dynamic prices on lift passes if anyone is buying passes there, just select a 1 day pass and you see the discounted prices - https://forfait.laclusaz.com/en/
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You know it makes sense.
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@dh900, I was there in January this year for the Ski Industry GB ski test in La Clusaz at the far end of the valley, based around the Balme Le Fernuy sector, and will be back again for the test next month.
For three days there's more than enough terrain, and was a shame we only were able to ski the Balme sector as that was where the test was based.
Plenty of bars and restaurants and for end of January was busy.
What was an eye opener was how different it was to Serre Chevalier and we were very thankful that Serre Che has not adopted some of the La Clusaz policies, such as charging for overnight parking anywhere close to the centre.
The whole town centre was far more commercial/busy and that's what you'd expect being so close to major conurbations, in fact it's the norm compared to us down Sarf where things move at a slower pace.
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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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@dh900, thanks for the tip on the dynamic pricing!!
We're off for a 3day trip in Jan. Was going to buy a 3-day pass which was €146, but doing it day by day is €91 !
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Poster: A snowHead
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@wibble44, I also got the same for 3 days worth of passes, just need to remember to use the correct pass each day, but worth it for the savings.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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yep. I ordered them without a physical card, and just assigned them to an existing skidata card, so should work just fine.
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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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| Quote: |
we were very thankful that Serre Che has not adopted some of the La Clusaz policies, such as charging for overnight parking anywhere close to the centre
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It all depends...... there was an outcry some years ago when Les Saisies started charging for car-parking in the main drag near the "front de neige", shops and restaurants. The change meant that taking kids to the ski school meeting place was easy - could park VERY close and get them into their boots, take them to the loo etc. If the station had NOT started charging it would have been impossible ever to get a space anywhere near, as they'd all have been occupied from 0800 by the people who worked in the shops and restaurants etc. Where something valued is in short supply, it has to be rationed somehow, and by price is the most common way. The charges in Les Saisies were modest, but because French people hate paying even a few euros to park, they drove the short distance to the huge FREE car park and walked in. Leaving convenient spaces for people willing to pay a euro or two to drop off kids, do some shopping, or pop in for a coffee and cake. Makes sense to me.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I'm planning on doing a day or two trip to La Clusaz from Les C this year now that we are not tied to school holidays. Helped by the free day passes that come with the Les C season pass.
I always find these kind of comments rather odd (not picking on anyone and realise the OP asked the question)
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The area is big enough for you not to be bored over 3 days
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I reckon if you get bored skiing anywhere in 3 days you don't like skiing very much.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I have several friends who lived and skied there, so must offer more than three days skiing. I have always enjoyed my visits, though is slightly low
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