 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi All,
We're off to Les Arc over new years but now also planning to go for 2 to 4 weeks before/over Easter with our 7 and 9 yr old boys who are pretty decent skiers for their age and we've got a season pass accordingly.
We currently rent each time we go ( apart from I got boots recently), which I know is not cost effective really long term, but much easier travel wise not faffing with an oversized bag with kids and I wouldn't even know where to start buying our own skis, at least for me and my partner.
Main question, we're looking at staying in champagny en vanoise for probably 3 weeks. Will hire shops give us deals on longer term rental? Or am I being daft not looking to buy skis, at least for us adults..? Perhaps wise to get boots for my partner at least.
We're basically looking at lower towns with access to Paradise ski area, so Champagny ( with access to courchevel etc) or Bourg S Maurice, or Vallandry, or?? Any suggestions?
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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I think you first need to decide where you will stay.
For access to Courchevel (which is not part of Paradiski) I'd forget staying in any of the places you mention, especially with kids in tow. Though Champagny is fairly close you'd still need to do a fair drive or catch several buses each day both ways.
Champagny will give you access to the La Plagne end of Paradiski.
Vallandry, Peisey, will give easy access to both Les Arcs and La Plagne sides of Paradiski.
Bourg St Maurice gives you access to Les Arcs but you'd be advised to get a place close to the funicular, or on the La Ronde bus route or be prepared to drive to the funicular each day.
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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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I've found that some hire shops (esp. those by main valley access roads) offer a seasonal rate which is equivalent to a few weeks' hire. Probably to appeal to weekend warriors travelling from Geneva / Grenoble etc.
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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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Les Arcs 1600.
Don't stay in a snowless valley (like BSM). It is a buzzkill. Go for the snow.
For skis, do the math.
Directional numbers.
* Rent... every 3 weeks...
4 x €250 = €1,000
Total = €1,000
Average = €333 per week on snow
* Buy... last 30 weeks / 10 trips...
4 x €300 = €1,200
4 x airplane fees x 20 x €50 = €4,000
4 x edging / base repairs x 10 x €20 = €800
Total = €6,000
Average = €200 per week on snow
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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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| Quote: |
but much easier travel wise not faffing with an oversized bag with kids
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Depends how you are travelling. I've taken a snowboard bag with no wheels across London on the tube before with multiple changes. For sure a bit of a faff, and not something I'd consider trying with kids in tow.
However, if you are getting a taxi to the airport, and have a ski bag with wheels, it's really not much different than a regular big suitcase. You can also stuff all the skis in one bag so even if it's a tiny bit nore faff walking an extra 100m to the oversize bag the other person can stay with kids.
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I wouldn't even know where to start buying our own skis
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That's probably a bigger issue! Some hire shops will let you buy your rental skis. Maybe worth contacting some shops and enquiring about this option. Try a few rental pairs out over the first week and then buy what works for you.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| noodlehat wrote: |
| Will hire shops give us deals on longer term rental? |
Probably not.
| noodlehat wrote: |
| Or am I being daft not looking to buy skis, at least for us adults..? Perhaps wise to get boots for my partner at least. |
For adults, if you are regular skiers it makes absolute sense to get some boots fitted by a good boot fitter. They will bring comfort and precision and last many weeks. Because children are growing that doesn't generally make sense. For ours we bought a mixtures of new and second hand - and selling on after use. Our son was 18 this year and got custom fitted for the first time.
Ski wise. Bit tricky buying if you have no idea what you are doing but economically yes it would make sense to buy.
There is a fluid market in childrens second hand ski gear especially.
| noodlehat wrote: |
| We're basically looking at lower towns with access to Paradise ski area, so Champagny ( with access to courchevel etc) or Bourg S Maurice, or Vallandry, or?? Any suggestions? |
Les Coches
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Thanks all. Yeah Id be tempted by buying skis, but we travel pretty light normally just with 2 hold bags between 4 of us! We normally fly, obviously driving a different matter and easier to take more equipment.
Interesting re where to stay and snowless valleys not quite in the spirit of thing. Main thought was to have a few more activities around if there for 3+ weeks. Obviously also more affordable/ bigger place for same $$ but perhaps 3 weeks not that long really and dubious of the agro getting upto the resort and not as picturesque!
Somewhere like champagny with direct lift access vs driving top lifts appeals. Also looking at the lower resort villages such as les coches, vallandry. Looking on the normal sites, I cant believe theres still some places that charge extra/you have to bring own bedding!
Compromise equip and $$ wise maybe getting boots all round, as mentioned def 2nd hand for kids!
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| Quote: |
but we travel pretty light normally just with 2 hold bags between 4 of us!
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Just swap one hold bag for a ski bag. If you said you fly with only cabin bags you could argue the ski bag is more hassle. But if you are checking hold bags anyway, I don't understand why you think it's particularly more hassle. You just drag it behind you on its wheels as you would presumably do for the hold bags? Even then the distance you have to walk it is likely tiny.
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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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Seasonal rental is common in Switzerland, but not normally in resorts. Most big cities will have one or two shops that offer this, and a very good deal it can be. Here's one example used by a lot of people I know in Basel, in German but I'm sure it's clear enough. I've also found this from the Migros Sport chain, so you could certainly get them in Geneva. The latter shows quite clearly that the season price is the same as a 20 day rental, so you get an idea of the relative costs.
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@denfinella, yeah, Geneva shops, for instance, do a lot of seasonal rentals. I'm going to imagine that Verbier would for kids too.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@bobski62,
Is this THE bobski of the bobski YouTube videos?
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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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@noodlehat, Champagny is a beautiful village, but do not expect much to be going on. It's a real village that happens to have a lift upto the resort rather than a ski resort . At Easter you will in all likelehood need to get the telecabine up in the morning and back down again in the afternoon. It is at the extreme end of the Paradiski area but the sking at the top of the telecabine tends to be quiet as few people make it over that far. We head over sometimes from Arc 1600 for some fast carving on some beautiful empty pistes and on one occaision when the run to the village was open a quick trip down for lunch. I hope to get down there sometime again this season. Oh, I often call in in the summer on the way to do some via ferrata or walk up to the national park.
If you have a car a trip up the valley to Paragon en Vanoise might be interesting but that resort closes for skiing on the 10th April.
As to renting skis - come Easter time many hire shops are selling off their ex hire stock. It may be better to buy some of them as they may be less than a 3 week hire. I will not suggest what to do with them when you come to go home.
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thanks, interesting in buying ex rental, just enquire with random shops i suppose.
We should have a car and were thinking being there for longer means can take it easy/ don't need ski from door.
Fair on the bags front! probably just laziness more from me, in reality im sure its fine, especially as our boys get older and more helpful ( never ending optimism...)
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You know it makes sense.
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I bought a pair of ex-rental skis at Easter last year from Intersport in Arc 1600 for my wife, and we bought a couple of pairs of skis for the kids via FB that we're unused. We drive over so we bought the kids skis with us in the car. As far as where to stay, we love it on BSM. If the kids don't want to ski or the the weather is rubbish, we can get them to the pool or cinema etc, just makes life a bit easier having all the convenience of a town.
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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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My son's powder skis came from Christina Sports in Arc 1600. They were in excellent condition and only cost 150€, less than renting for even a few days in Japan.
@noodlehat, I do suggest you visit a few rental shops and ask about discounts or the price of their exrentals to buy.
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