 Poster: A snowHead
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Any tips based on current season and conditions on where to pick as a base in the Grand Massif?
Never skiied the area before, but seems to fit the bill for a four-night trip within easy reach of Geneva. We are flying March 9th.
We're two very rusty skiers looking for easy access to a gentle mix of blues and reds and the most reliable piste we can find on what's not a great year for snow.
Flaine/Carroz/Samoens/Morillon... Any suggestions on which might be the most reliable option and hit the balance between being a nice place to stay and a good place to ski?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Stayed in Les Carroz recently but couldn't comment much on the others. It's a very nice town with a square which is surrounded by cafe / bar / restaurants. Not much partying although the carpe diem did a band one night but late on, not like Austria!
Worth getting lockers at the gondola though then it's a short uphill walk in the morning. There's a green and a decent blue at the top of the gondola to warm up on. Runs back to village were getting pretty thin and slushy when we were there.
Flaine would be ski in and out but a bit of a concrete village from what I saw. Probably the more reliable snow though due to height.
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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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Flaine definitely, just for ease of use and absolutely ideal for a 4 day trip. The least disturbance to getting out on the snow, very broad slope availability to crunch the rusty bits out of your ski memory, plenty of everything you'd need.
I've stayed in and used all of the location around GM with all being good but quite different, particularly ease of access. Morillon 1100 Les Esserts would be my second pick, much smaller location but with easy links into wider area if you can already ski, super easy to step straight onto the snow there wuth also some great eating places to boot.
What type of accommodation are you considering @twoleftfeet, ?
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We stayed in Morillon 1100 last year. Right on the slopes with a gorgeous blue run home (Sairon). Small place but has what you need shops wise. Easy to get to Les Carroz and thought they had the nicest mix of blues and reds.
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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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Having been to Samoens and Les Carroz in the past, we know we like Grand Massif, so we are going to Morillon Village in a couple of weeks - but ironically, my favourite area in GM to ski is Flaine and I hadn't realised quite how far it is from Morillon, especially given we have 2 beginners and myself stuggling with confidence, so I really wish, especially given this years weather, that we'd booked Flaine!
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Thanks for the tips, this is helping hone the decisions! I thought perhaps Flaine best for snow, but my heart calls out for a little bit of Alpine charm.
Got flights, now need to grapple with a budget friendly place to stay.@ski3, anything really, just got to be budget friendly as we're two friends guiltily escaping family commitments to re-live life pre-children (with a bit more creaking) on the snow! Seen a few apartments, one or two small hotels...
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Probably Morillion has more of the balance for your spec, particularly in regard to cost. Morillon 1100 is literally grouped around the chairlift within tight radius, quite alpine architecture and great to ski from.
Morillon village is down on valley floor with direct gondola lift straight to 1100, no real problem, I just favour the convenience of 1100.
Flaine, I'm not a critic of the architecture, but that does seem to hold considerable weighting for so many review, unjustly in my opinion and especially balanced against, let's be realistic, ultra convenience in skiing use. Absolutely zero travel or phaff to enjoy the day. Also just as convenient in Morillon.
Flaine choice of accommodation, if you can find somewhere in "Terraces D Eos" development (many are offered via different outlet, so worth rummaging around) great apartment of various sizes, ski in and out via a little connecting lift to facilitate as it sits just above main Flaine village (it's only a couple of hundred mtrs walk for socialising though) has a more traditional architecture to it.
Exemplary though is an outside pool with fantastic views, especially nice at night under velvet sky, steam room and other facilities with that. Good option if you can get decent cost.
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| skimummk wrote: |
| Having been to Samoens and Les Carroz in the past, we know we like Grand Massif, so we are going to Morillon Village in a couple of weeks - but ironically, my favourite area in GM to ski is Flaine and I hadn't realised quite how far it is from Morillon, especially given we have 2 beginners and myself stuggling with confidence, so I really wish, especially given this years weather, that we'd booked Flaine! |
Hope you get a good trip here, as noted I've a particular soft spot for the village there, quite a lot of formative family skiing too as the kids grew up, all very enjoyable.
I know that Flaine is very good in respect of slope etc, but there's certainly much to offer in Morillon with many a nook and cranny to offer some nice peaceful skiing. I just like the atmosphere in that sector of GM, feels quite personal and a comfortable experience. I'd have more optimism of the skiing available there.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@ski3, Thanks again, much appreciated. I’ll do some searching.
@skimummk, have a fab trip. Sounds like you may be a week ahead of us.
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Les Carroz from 01 April. Probably the gondola from the village each morning and back, but ticked all our other boxes.
While Front de neige looks muddy slush now at 1200m, Les Moillets looks like it’s had fresh snow at 1500m, and Tete des Saix at 2100m looks amazing still.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@ski3, Have you been to Morillon this year? The snow down to 1100 hasn't been great at any time and sometimes terrible. The OP wants a four day trip with the best available conditions. Flaine is the only sensible answer here. I am a big fan of Morillon and half live in Samoens but Flaine is what he needs and can always go t the other place if he fancies 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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I’ll be honest, if I had the choice right now I’d bail from GM and go higher - even if I had to spend a bit longer on the xfrs - and I wouldn’t book any accommodation free until a few days before unless I could cancel for free
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| ian999 wrote: |
| @ski3, Have you been to Morillon this year? The snow down to 1100 hasn't been great at any time and sometimes terrible. The OP wants a four day trip with the best available conditions. Flaine is the only sensible answer here. I am a big fan of Morillon and half live in Samoens but Flaine is what he needs and can always go t the other place if he fancies it. |
No, not visited this year. Answer though based on OP request, price /budget being prominent from their answer.
I've also suggested a location in Flaine, based on their desire for more of an Alpine look....with some great attributes and description of just how far it is to walk into the main village for convenience, along with positive description of in accommodation facilities. Proviso of IF they can get it in their budget though is relevant.
These are reasonable in discussion I feel,, for what has been asked. Ultimately the person spending the money has to stump up a choice to suit themselves, nothing wrong with that.
Often you'd have to commit and take the balance you can get/fit within your travel plans and budget. Is everything likely to prevent perfect ? No, I doubt it. Would it fulfil their demand to keep cost down, get their ski legs back, have an easy relaxed transfer etc, etc ? Yes highly likely.
I've no negative views of all the places to stay in GM but recognise budget and attributes are varied throughout and may suit for them, it is discussion though and should further their knowledge and choice by comparison given.
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You know it makes sense.
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| ian999 wrote: |
| @ski3, Have you been to Morillon this year? The snow down to 1100 hasn't been great at any time and sometimes terrible. The OP wants a four day trip with the best available conditions. Flaine is the only sensible answer here. I am a big fan of Morillon and half live in Samoens but Flaine is what he needs and can always go t the other place if he fancies it. |
Yes - in GM it will need to be Flaine this season.
As well as being the highest part of the GM - Flaine tends to have a deeper snowpack than you'd expect based on altitude alone (https://www.weathertoski.co.uk/our-blog/why-does-flaine-have-such-a-good-snow-record/).
Yes - it tops out at 2480m but conditions up there are often better than at other resorts around 2700m.
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