 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi looking to ski for 3/4 days including the weekend in early feb - 2 uni friends. Want an apres scene, we are decent skiers- any recommendations for chamonix or other resorts near Geneva (2hrs max train)?? What’s the bus situation like how do we get to and from places (read about some issues in previous posts!) thanks so much 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Yellowbean37, welcome to SH's.
Probably want to make it the first weekend of Feb to avoid French school holidays.
Need to book flights and then sort the rest - may you already have?
When you say apres - do you mean directly on the slopes (Folie style), directly off the slopes (Austrian style) or pubs/clubs in the evening?
When talking busses you mean for transfers - or the busses to get the different ski areas of Chamonix?
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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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Hi yes thanks so don’t really mind re apres whatever there is all of the above! Bus for getting to ski areas
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And where to stay closish to slopes to minimise walking?
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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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@Yellowbean37, near to " Brèvent" lift station in main Chamonix centre is a very good base for short stay.
This gives easy walk access to that lift which has interconnection with next ski area along the valley, all on South-ish facing side for good sun throughout the day. Excellent views from there too, with places to eat up at altitude etc and varied skiing.
Busses to each discreet ski area (other than Brèvent & Flegere) you would ordinarily plan to use for a district day at those locations,, rather than expecting to move from one to another throughout the day. Used like this, then its no issue as many views may project. Perfectly workable in my view, also certainly not a reason to avoid Chamonix and the combination it offers for ski and socially focused holiday.
Central location in Chamonix makes availability of significant number of evening venue without the need to arrange transport specifically. Ideal for the duration you're planning.
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@Yellowbean37, Not Chamonix, buses are a pain in the back bottom. Chatel might be a better base, less than 2 hours by train.
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@Yellowbean37, "Hotel Richemond" is worthwhile looking at, pulling up a map for that will also ping you other nearby accommodation obviously, will also show proximity to lift Brèvent with is about 3 min walk from Richemond.
It'll give you a bit of a sighting in getting your bearings for comparison at least.
Also just a walk ftom train station too @ approx 5 minutes. No particular transfer etc is needed.
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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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Verbier is further than Chamonix but probably within your time limit, reachable by train (via La Chable ) with a well known Apres ski scene and decent advanced skiing but no need for buses to get around.
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@RedandWhiteFlachau, the only feedback I got last season was that the buses worked really well.
The Richemond is perhaps a bit dated (?) ... and is certainly not a 3 minute walk from the Brevent (gmaps suggests 13 mins).
Chamonix works. Easy transfers. Verbier also works, easy train transfers. But then so do Morzine, (Chatel?) or Flaine, etc.
If Chamonix, Folie Douce Hotel could be interesting, almost ski in and out if snow low enough (it's directly on the Savoy baby slopes but an easy access to Brevent).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Yellowbean37, By “decent skiers” do you mean decent piste skiers, or decent off piste skiers?
IMO, Cham is quite poor for decent piste skiers because you’ll rapidly run out of stuff to do without taking the bus. Verbier would be much better. If you enjoy off piste, Cham is amazing. Both have good apres.
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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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@snowdave, 3 day trip? Although, some people do like run-variety 
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Get on the train underneath G airport and get off in Aigle. Small train up to les Diablerets.
You then have choice of les d/Villars
or Col du Pillon for Glacier 3000.
You would not be disappointed!
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You know it makes sense.
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@under a new name, yep, run variety was my thinking. A decent skier will have done all of brevent/flegere by the end of one day. Then either ski the same stuff for two more days, or have to take the bus.
It wouldn’t be a bad weekend by any means, and if the OP is into off piste then it’ll be a great one. But for good fast piste skiers with a choice of where to go, I wouldn’t pick Cham.
This clearly is all part of my plan to minimise lift queues next season 
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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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Thanks so much all! I like off piste but wouldn’t want to do it without a friend that knows their way around or an instructor…
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Yellowbean37, with a 3/4 day stay it depends on what you are prioritising.
As others say, if you want to do a lot of mileage on piste Chamonix is not ideal. Better Portes du Soleil or St Gervais, both reachable within 2 hours. If you want off piste Chamonix is perfect. (I don't know Verbier but have enjoyed other Swiss resorts).
Of course if "apres" means drinking and dancing at a venue on the slopes from 2 pm then different again. But it's usually possible somewhere. And everywhere has congenial bars once you are off the slopes. (Not so much oompah in France or Switzerland though).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@snowdave, where would you pick then?
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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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@j b, haha definitely not from 2pm more like a day skiing and in the late afternoon/eve
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| Yellowbean37 wrote: |
| Thanks so much all! I like off piste but wouldn’t want to do it without a friend that knows their way around or an instructor… |
Verbier has several ski routes which are marked runs and readily followed.
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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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@snowdave, I quite fancy the courmayeur area, would this be doable or too far for a day?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| j b wrote: |
@Yellowbean37, with a 3/4 day stay it depends on what you are prioritising.
As others say, if you want to do a lot of mileage on piste Chamonix is not ideal. Better Portes du Soleil or St Gervais, both reachable within 2 hours. If you want off piste Chamonix is perfect. (I don't know Verbier but have enjoyed other Swiss resorts).
Of course if "apres" means drinking and dancing at a venue on the slopes from 2 pm then different again. But it's usually possible somewhere. And everywhere has congenial bars once you are off the slopes. (Not so much oompah in France or Switzerland though). |
Would you do just St Gervais then and stay there? Could one also go to Chamonix for one day?
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@Yellowbean37, for a weekend trip I like to maximise skiing time, which means staying near where I ski. All you suggestions about a day in Cham from St G, or a day in Courmayeur (45mins -2 hrs depending on tunnel traffic from Cham) are very doable, but for me would eat too much ski/fun time. If you don’t mind a bit of commuting to and from the slopes, then there plenty of nearer stuff in the Cham valley - les bouches, Argentiere etc.
I personally would pick Cham, but I love off piste and touring  . If I wanted a good variety of piste skiing and no buses, the other suggestions like Morzine, Verbier etc are all good.
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Agree@snowdave, can explore the rest another year! Do you know if can buy ski pass for all cham routes online or better there?
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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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Oh fab any idea when will be released? Thx! And what if we want to book shortly before or is it only online
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Yellowbean37 wrote: |
| Would you do just St Gervais then and stay there? Could one also go to Chamonix for one day? |
I'm not trying to push you to St G but I'll answer the question.
From the main gondola in St Gervais town there is around 260 km lift-connected skiing. That will keep you quite busy for 3 days, but on the same pass you also have Combloux (needs the free ski bus across Megeve) about 80 km and Les Contamines (needs the public bus, fare €3.50) another 100 km.
Chamonix itself is close but not easy for transfer unless you have a car (there is a direct bus, but times don't give you a full day skiing, train also possible but again hard to make work). However Les Houches, one of the smaller Chamonix valley ski areas can be accessed directly by rack-and-pinion railway - not a fast transfer but a fun adventure on a fine day - giving you mostly blue/red skiing but also the black Kandahar run used for World Cup races. It does need a different day ski pass.
Whether the apres is what you want I don't know. St Gervais is a real town with a year-round population, more attractive than most purpose built resorts, and its restaurants and bars have a good local feel. It is low though (about 850m, while there is a home run it is dependent on weather and snowmaking, but having said that they try to keep it open throughout February) so there mostly isn't snow in the town. And if you go for Folie Douce apres, there is one of those at the top of the ridge.
In terms of transfer you can do it by train, you need to take the train from the airport and change at Geneva centre ("Cornavin") which takes a bit under 2 hours; there is a new gondola from the railway station up to the main town. However it is quicker and easier to take a shared minibus transfer, Alpybus do those.
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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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@Yellowbean37, discounted tickets I think only online. No idea when live, early November maybe?
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| j b wrote: |
| It is low though (about 850m, while there is a home run it is dependent on weather and snowmaking, but having said that they try to keep it open throughout February) so there mostly isn't snow in the town. |
Do you know if they have they managed to open that run in the last two seasons?
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You know it makes sense.
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@davidof, it certainly did open both seasons, and in 2023 they kept it going well into March. I don't think either year they opened it in January though, their priority then was building up mounds of artificial snow ready for February and half term.
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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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Go to Avoriaz. You have access to the wider Portes du Soleil if you want to keep you more than busy for 3/4 days. Wont need to worry about buses as most accommodation is ski in/ski out and the whole village/town is pedestrianised or you can use the horse drawn sleds. They have a Folie on the slopes and plenty of other apres and restaurants/bars.
Too much day to day non ski travelling at Chamonix for a short trip (I've done a weekend there) but that's just my personal opinion.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| davidof wrote: |
| j b wrote: |
| It is low though (about 850m, while there is a home run it is dependent on weather and snowmaking, but having said that they try to keep it open throughout February) so there mostly isn't snow in the town. |
Do you know if they have they managed to open that run in the last two seasons? |
I was there last year (March) and it was "open" with lots of ski's off walking involved and a sliver of a piste to negotiate. Wouldn't recommend unless it was an absolute dump of snow to town level!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Roscoe, I don't think the piste has very much to recommend it at any time! I think it is important for the resort to say there is a run back to town, and of course it allows some blocks to describe themselves as ski-in ski-out (just not very often). But it has saved one or two who have lost sight of the time when having a post-ski drink at Bettex!
(And I suppose you could use it to ski right back home from the Folie).
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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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| j b wrote: |
@Roscoe, I don't think the piste has very much to recommend it at any time! I think it is important for the resort to say there is a run back to town, and of course it allows some blocks to describe themselves as ski-in ski-out (just not very often). But it has saved one or two who have lost sight of the time when having a post-ski drink at Bettex!
(And I suppose you could use it to ski right back home from the Folie). |
Wouldn't fancy that full run from the Folie (after a few shandys!) with that as the last leg!!
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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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| j b wrote: |
| @davidof, it certainly did open both seasons, and in 2023 they kept it going well into March. I don't think either year they opened it in January though, their priority then was building up mounds of artificial snow ready for February and half term. |
impressive stuff
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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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My experience of Chamonix this January was that using the buses to get between the different ski areas was a total bloody nightmare. Not enough of them at the busier times of day, and so busy it was normal to have to fight your way both on and off the bus. Sometimes they were so rammed it wasn't even possible to get on. And this was one of the quieter weeks of the season! Plus they were slow; up to 2 hours per day standing in a packed ski bus isn't my idea of a fun holiday.
Added to this, I thought the lift pass was very poor value for what you get: several quite small and unconnected ski areas.
Although the town is quite nice, for a piste skiing holiday I'd look to go elsewhere.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Yellowbean37, lots of interesting different views.
In many ways it depends on what you find irksome in a non mega interlinked ski in/ski out resort.
I am biased. 9 full winter seasons in the last 10 years in Chamonix. Even if you stick exclusively to pistes there is plenty to keep you occupied in 3 or 4 days with the full area pass unless you are very unfortunate with the weather.
The bus service is fine but creaks under the pressure of school holidays. The resort is gradually moving to deter car use and to that end has invested in increasing bus capacity. The new schedule and slight changes to routes caused all sorts of problems early last season but once bedded in, worked a treat. I only drive if venturing to Courmayeur, Saint Gervais and further afield.
For traveling time from Chamonix centre;
Les Praz (Flégère) 10 minutes
Grands Montets 20 minutes
Le Tour 30 minutes
I am unqualified on nightlife as I am getting on. Something of everything?
There is lots of the off piste which is very pleasant and not the oft reported death on a stick. You do however need to go with someone who knows their onions.
If you post on here nearer to the date of your visit you may find one or more locals who would enjoy showing you the off piste delights of Le Tour and the like or the change of scene in Courmayeur. And even some of nighttime dens of iniquity...
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@CathS, I must confess that I rather disagree with "several quite small and unconnected* ski areas".
* OK, this is true.
They're not actually "small", they just have fewer but longer lifts (and pistes) than most areas. Admittedly, if you're a beginner, it's probably not optimal, probably not if you're early intermediate, but otherwise?
I mean, case in point, did you try skiing Lachenal without stopping?
Also, in fairness, the whisky in the coffee is the off piste.
Which (as @HammondR, points out) need not be any more difficult than off piste anywhere else. That said, you dial it up to 11, etc. and beyond, as you like.
I'm also biased.
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| under a new name wrote: |
@CathS, I must confess that I rather disagree with "several quite small and unconnected* ski areas".
* OK, this is true.
They're not actually "small", they just have fewer but longer lifts (and pistes) than most areas. Admittedly, if you're a beginner, it's probably not optimal, probably not if you're early intermediate, but otherwise?
I mean, case in point, did you try skiing Lachenal without stopping?
Also, in fairness, the whisky in the coffee is the off piste.
Which (as @HammondR, points out) need not be any more difficult than off piste anywhere else. That said, you dial it up to 11, etc. and beyond, as you like.
I'm also biased. |
It's a good point - the runs are LONG. That struck me when I've been back for visits for the first couple of times in 20 years (!!) recently. I remembered that about Grands Montets but it's also true of Brevent and Flegere. The scale is hard to grasp until you are on it.
(I also think that if you are a decent skier you don't mind repeating runs because you don't have to ski the same run the same way but that's my predjudice)
The OP sounds like a pretty good skier. I'd say Chamonix is ideal for a long weekend given her criteria. Personally I might hire a car and leave my apres ski until I'd got back to the hotel but not necessary.
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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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@under a new name,
Yes, I think those long red/blacks at Brevent-Flegere were among the better piste runs I did. But the lift pass was a similar price to the 3Vs or Tignes, with which there is no comparison in terms of number, length and variety of runs, plus ease of access.
It wasn't helped by most of the valley runs being closed or in poor condition, and then many of the upper runs at Flegere being closed due to avalanche risk in the heat.
Just my (unbiased) opinion anyway, as I've only been to Chamonix once, and it was mainly to ski off-piste. I was a bit disappointed with the piste skiing available on the days I went exploring on my own. However, the bus situation was enough to put me off going again.
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I don't know Chamonix well having only skied there once for a week. Apart from a second shot on the Vallee Blanche on a Courmayeur off piste week.
Time I went was a very warm week in March and though we skied with a guide for a few days when I was piste skiing I thought there was plenty of variety up at Argentiere in le Tour and Grands Montets sector to keep most decent skiers happy. Only briefly went to Brevent Flegere where the snow was too soft for real enjoyment.
Personally I wouldn't be at all worried for lack of variety in the pistes for three days and would love to go back sometime.
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