 Poster: A snowHead
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JT, can't make any promises about LG just yet although I'm quite (very) tempted - I'll undoubtedly be in those parts once or twice through the winter. I'd say that it's best to hit that region with a car. There is plenty to do at LG but it's also nice to see some of the other areas. Some of the big runs off Alpe d'Huez for example. Also, the lift at LG does close sometimes so you're a bit stuffed if that happens and you don't have a car.
As far as where to stay is concerned, there are some reasonable places in LG (eg Edelweiss). Other places with good access to everything would be Le Freney (assuming anywhere is open - it always looks a bit dead at winter) or Bourg d'Oisans. Last time I went, I actually stayed the other side of LG in a hotel on the way up to the Col du Lauteret. A pretty unexciting looking place, but it's cheap, the rooms are big and recently refurbed and it has a sauna and jaccuzi! All these are pretty sleepy places - the most action would be in LG I would say, but it's not exactly kicking!
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brian
brian
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JT, Arno, I'd definitely be up for LG and since I'd most likely have to come through GVA I'd be hiring a car anyway. I expect lampbus would be in the same boat, isn't he from Geordieland ?
Round about last weekend of Feb or middle one in March would be ideal for me. I'm itching to get flights booked before Mrs b has any 2nd thoughts 
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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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JT, no flights to Turin from Newcastle or anywhere north of luton, unless you count the weekend ski charters. Car Hire is usually quite expensive in Italy too.
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brian
brian
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JT, sleepy with a few beers is perfect by me.
A mondeo size estate with ski rack is showing at about £40 a day for GVA at the moment, Turin and Chambéry are both more like £50.
Passes wise, Oisans is better from France, Turin involves coming over Montgenevre and the Col du Lauteret, both theoretically open year round but ...
From here, Geneva and Chambéry are really my only options for Oisans anyway.
7-8 nights may be pushing it, I reckon 4-5 is probably more realistic for my holiday situation. Avoiding Saturday travel, flights are in the £50 to £80 range or thereabouts at the moment.
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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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brian, there shouldn't be any problem with Montgenevre, but the Lauteret was closed for 5 days last March. We crossed it OK about 5 out of 6 times though (there and back), only closed on our short trip out in March, and we;d had prior warning so went via Frejus tunnel and Montgenevre.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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http://www.hotel-lesagneaux.com/ is the place I mentioned. Villar d'Arene is a very authentic village, complete with resident goats and a general niff of their poo 
the only risk with going to Turin is that you have to cross the Col du Lautaret to get to LG, LDA and ADH. This does close from time to time and driving the long way round is a long way! It could be worse though - you end up stuck in Serre Che. Grenoble or Lyon would be my favoured choices with Turin and (believe it or not) Marseille coming next. The drive from Marseille is 3 hours or so but very painless
I'd be up for a weekend or long weekend in mid-late March. Might be able to do early March/end of Feb but I'm also thinking about doing a tour around then
edit: Brian and Helen beat me to it on the Lautaret info...
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The Lautaret has been closed twice this week, too. 
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chris, BL**DY CYCLISTS!!!
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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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JT, Arno, I've got a holidays in first week of March already sorted. Not sure now about meeting up - I'm about fixed up for this year - I'll have to think about it.
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brian
brian
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How about out on Tues 13th March, back on Sunday 18th ?
There are easy flights from Stansted and Newcastle to GVA that tie up nicely, with a nice late flight back meaning almost a full day's skiing on the Sunday. Price is £68 from NCL, £80 from STN.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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brian, pretty sure I could do something where I fly out on Thursday evening and come back at the same time as you
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brian
brian
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Arno, Thursday might be a bit more realistic for me as well actually.  5 days out there does sound rather nice though.
easy flights from Newcastle, Stansted, Gatwick and Luton (STN cheapest of London 3) can all tie in at Geneva.
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JT, I know we were completely crap about organising an LG adventure last year, but as we will be easily within reach this coming season can we come too?
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You know it makes sense.
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DM,
Looks like late feb/early mar... I'm waiting on word from GrahamN
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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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JT, Just let us know...
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Poster: A snowHead
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JT, Hopeless waiting for Graham to decide ... 13th March should give you all the best off piste snow. LG is better in March than any other month + remember how much it snowed last March? We often get major dumps around then. In addition to Arno's hotel, there's a hotel right at the barrage at the bottom of the LDA road - hand for LG and not useless for ADH either. Do you want me to get info? 
This thread has been hijacked - suggest a moderator moves the LG trip stuff?????
Skiing goals next year: ski all the off piste bits here that I haven't yet.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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March suits me
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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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wow - I started a thread without even realising it
sounds like we might be getting close to a quorum
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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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Arno,
Don't you have plans to be there a lot this season...?
I'm pouring over a map of the area already and might be thinking of a week long stay using a village as a jump point. I don't know how feasible it is to think about skiing LG all the time what with the weather and guiding costs or whether it is a place where once you get your bearings you can sort yourself out on that hill..
But if we camp down there and peeps come out for a few days then I can see we could get quite a few  popping in...!!!
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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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easiski,
Your suggestion of the hotel down the road might be a good in-between spot... I might get back to you and take you up on the details offer
once we have a bit more 'commitment' to a date.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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JT, i was thinking about renting a place for the whole season but it's looking unlikely now. i would like to get as much skiing as possible in through the season though so I'll undoubtedly be finding my way to the Oisans region at some point(s)
as far as LG is concerned, there is quite a lot you can do without a guide, if you have a reasonable amount of experience of skiing glaciated terrain. the classic vallons de la meije is (I would say) objectively a lot safer than the Vallee Blanche. It's a much more challenging run in terms of steepness though. The Chancel side is a bit more crevassed. However, once you get into the season, a beaten track develops and it's pretty safe. Having said all of that, you don't want to spend a week at La Grave and just ski the two classic itineraries. You would never find some of the really exciting stuff without a guide, or at least someone with good local knowledge. Some of the routes require abseils so it's handy having a professional to set all that up - not essential of course if you know a bit about ropework.
if it was me, i'd do your plan of finding somewhere convenient to stay and visiting different resorts on different days - depending on conditions etc
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I'm currently thinking on the lines of Engelberg in late Jan/early Feb, LG in early Mar and BSM V late Mar/April
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Ooh very tempted by this - will only really manage a long weekend though. Is the current proposal incl 16-18 March?
(also a bit worried about being to hack the pace with the pro obsessives )
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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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Currrently looking at the 24 feb to 4 mar. Don't know whether to pick up guides as per ski conditions on the day or book ahead. I favour the latter. Fly into Grenoble from London airports and hire a car to get to hotel. Arno and Brian have posted very nice looking hotels but you'll need to be mobile to be able to get to ADH, LDA, CS and LG.
I'd be a bit concerned about keepinp up so no rock stars required
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brian
brian
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Anybody else up for the 1st weekend coming from the North ?
Fly out EDI to Chambéry, Fri 23rd at 2pm
Back Tues 27th at 5.50pm, so 3.5 days skiing.
Flight is £70, looking for someone to share a car with (he said somewhat hopefully).
fatbob, the pro-obsessives have me slightly worried too
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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brian,
If you can ski Scotland in all its glory this should be doddle to you. I'm hoping it will a doddle anyway..within reason.
Graham is ok with the dates as above, I'm not too worried about guiding. If we are only a 2 ball for the week then I don't want to commit to guiding costs daily at 265 eu a day per guide, I rather bomb round and pick the days for weather etc.
As for the skill level, no idea how you measure it but as long as you are safe on difficult snow and not floundering too much every day, I would think that would set the tone.
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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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so... do we have an agreed date? i can probably do a long weekend around 24/25 Feb, 3/4 Mar (so would tie in with JT) or 17/18 Mar. All subject to when I decide to go touring.
who are these pro-obsessives? David Murdoch and JT I reckon
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brian
brian
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JT, order up some windslab and I'll be fine
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Arno,
Looking into Air fares from the south on the Sat 24th... where will you be flying from?
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brian
brian
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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brian,
Looks very much like it.. it was in much better condition than that tho'
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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 checked out going out on the Friday 23rd and back on the sun 4th..about £50 from Gatwick..!!!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I'm liking the idea of going out in the evening of Friday 23rd and coming back in the evening of Monday 26th or first thing Tuesday 27th.
JT, are you looking at Easyjet? I'll fly from a London airport. From experience, BA to Lyon has the best times for me
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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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Arno,
South of the M25 suits us best, my fave is GTW to Grenoble on the friday Easyjet. Haven't looked at BA yet. I'm quite happy to go with this outline and it suits G to tie up the dates, I believe.
I would epect DM and Sophie to be in the frame on one of the weekends....
Both Hotels look ok to me.. I like the idea of a sauna.
The cheapo Corsa deals look ok but wasn't going for ski racks... just an A to B car
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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JT, i'll have a look at flight times and costs - always keen to use as little annual leave for as much skiing as poss! if that means i have to get my own car, that's life
i'm up for committing to this so i'll keep you posted
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brian
brian
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| JT wrote: |
I would epect DM and Sophie to be in the frame on one of the weekends....
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I guess they'd be passing Chambéry. First weekend looks good to me DM
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Both Hotels look ok to me.. I like the idea of a sauna.
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Hotel (well B&B) I saw was www.rochemeane.com , btw.
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Ok, I'll wait for Graham to check in and then decide on the flight.... suspect Easyjet Gatwick/Grenoble...hire a car and we can put this to bed in a few days..
Arno, Doesn't Gatwick suit you because if it does you could at least ride out wih us and get a bus back to Grenoble?
Nice and comfortable hotel with good breakfasts beats out the suana..so I don't mind which
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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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JT, I've had a look at flights and BA to Lyon is looking best for me - better times and, given that I'll be bringing my own skis, about the same price. That Roche Meane place looks v nice and is more convenient than Les Agneaux, although there don't seem to be many single beds available 
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Arno,
I don't mind about convenience, we'll have cars... whatever you think is best though... I've only driven through.
Just need to firm up the flights for now, I reckon
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FAQ
