What is the impact of French school holidays??

A snowHead

Hi. I have skied in Morzine for the last few years and have always been able to avoid the French school holidays. Next season I have a choice of 2 dates mid Jan or early Feb in my usual mates rates accommodation. The early Feb dates clash with Zone B of the French holidays. Zone B : Aix-Marseille, Amiens, Caen, Lille, Nancy-Metz, Nantes, Nice, Orléans-Tours, Reims, Rennes, Rouen, Strasbourg.

I am trying to organise a family group so some will be in my usual accommodation and some will need to book their own accommodation. I know what to expect in Jan but am half tempted to go in Feb when there would be more snow- this season excepted!!

Anybody on the ground knowledge of how much impact Zone B would have on a resort like Morzine re lift queues and general busy-ness??
Thanks

A snowHead

@charliesimpson, Think of the mid-Jan numbers of people and then times by 5

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

and double the cost of most accommodation. No brainer if you have the choice!

You need to Login to know who's really who.

I’ve skied Morzine/Les Gets once during half term. Cant remember which zone.

My wife bust her knee, my FIL was flattened by an idiot not watching where they were skiing, as was my son. The rest of the week was spent avoiding collisions rather than enjoyable skiing.

I would avoid it at all costs.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@charliesimpson, though I've never skied Morzine at half term and aknowledging that it is only one zone on holiday that week I would still avoid the Febuary week and go in January. It is not certain that two or 3 weeks later is going to have significantly better snow.

You'll need to Register first of course.

Thanks folks. January now booked!!

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Empty schools? Very Happy

After all it is free

I see you’ve booked Jan already. Good choice though that Feb week (only 1/3 of France on holiday, not Paris, no Brits) would not have been a disaster.

The following week however (2/3 France including Paris, U.K., some cloggies) Skullie

@charliesimpson, More French people . . . . . .and their offspring Very Happy

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Generally, the best time (IMO) to ski M/LG is the first week of Feb. Tends to be the quietest week. Very few queues and you can often find yourself with a piste to yourself.

In fact, one time I actually got a little scared on Cyclamen, as I realised that if I fell, no one would find me. It was utterly deserted. Bliss.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

The worst weeks are when zone C crosses with another, like next week for example. Not to say that it wouldn't be far busier than what you're used to, but far from the worst time to be skiing.
The biggest noticeable hiccup would be non mates rates accommodation during French half term. It can be way above reasonable pricing.

snow reports

You know it makes sense.

An 'above-reasonable' price for a peak week is actually more of a reflection of the actual cost, as discounted prices apply for the lower season ones. Not sure there was any suggestion of state-controlled pricing though. We have enough state control of our (French) properties as it is- tourist tax, taxe Fonciere, taxe d'habitations increased, reduced tax allowances for tourist properties, upgrades to energy-efficiency or we can't rent it out etc etc etc. Ski resort properties have a lot of time where they have no occupancy at all- but bills for stuff still have to be paid all year round.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

When you compare it to "mates rates" it is far above what the OP is probably willing to pay, or what they may accept as a reasonable price, even during the peak weeks.
It's not the proletariat uprising against the market.

A snowHead

@moody_git, mates rates are rarely a good decision for anyone renting out an apartment/chalet and wanting to cover their costs. And peak season rates should be the same for everyone.

A snowHead

I'm not disagreeing, @Hells Bells
I'm quite surprised that anybody would be letting to a friend on the cheap over those weeks which would help cover the costs more than any others.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

When we had an apartment it was never rented out for money - but as we weren't there in the school holiday weeks (as we didn't do lift queues) we sometimes did "swaps" with friends in the same development who borrowed ours for visiting friends and family, in return for our borrowing theirs in one of the quiet weeks. And French friends just along the corridor used to borrow ours, maybe just one overspill bedroom, when we weren't there. No money changed hands and we could all trust each other to look after things properly and sort out any problems which arose. For much of the year there is no likelihood of renting out an apartment for enough to make it
worthwhile - people who think doing that will cover their full costs are generally disappointed! The majority of apartments in most French resorts are probably empty more often than they're full. That was certainly the case in our development. Even though the summers are great, and increasingly popular, there's a big surplus of accommodation and prices are very reasonable.

Help!!

What is the impact of French school holidays??

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