 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello all,
We used to love staying in chalets in France, however after the pandemic many disappeared and the remaining ones became eyewateringly expensive. Looking for 2026 the prices seem much more reasonable. Am I missing something?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Energy prices. As they were all inc. it gets expensive to heat 24/7
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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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@turboblackbeard, just wondering where you’ve found much more reasonable prices for chalets in 2026. Any examples please?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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First opening weeks in November should be always super affordable, ie about 1500 for 5 rooms chalet. I just checked prices and it seems prices quite similar to pre-covid times, but yes its gamble with snow conditions. Then normal season are normally x2 that first weeks and prime weeks are 4x.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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To me 2026 prices seem even higher than 2025 - which were eye watering! It would appear to me that Igluski simply doesn't have the range/number of properties available that it used to. looking for reasonably priced catered chalet for last week in Jan so 24/25th departure they seem to have loads for les Arcs/La Plagne, but not much else apart from La Rosiere which is pretty limited if the links to La Tuile aren't open. Anything reasonably priced is usually miles from the slopes & I don't like spending half my day on a ski bus!
Punting round some of the smaller operators seems to offer much better deals, I wonder if Iglu's commissions put the smaller operators off, a shame as unless you have specific operators names general searches tend to thro up all the major operators who all seem to be expensive now
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@turboblackbeard, I don't book chalet holidays these days but I suspect that following big event effects of Brexit, the pandemic, the Ukraine war, etc. things have just settled down a bit.
Out of interest what sort of cost are we looking pp at for non-peak these days i.e., what is seem as "reasonable"?
I thought reading on here people were still able to secure good last minute deals anyway - which is what we always used to do.
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| Quote: |
First opening weeks in November should be always super affordable
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But check that they actually ARE "open weeks". In France it's only a handful of the big, high, stations which will be open in November. Smaller resorts will often not be open before Christmas week, however deep and crisp and even the snow cover.
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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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| Layne wrote: |
@turboblackbeard, I don't book chalet holidays these days but I suspect that following big event effects of Brexit, the pandemic, the Ukraine war, etc. things have just settled down a bit.
Out of interest what sort of cost are we looking pp at for non-peak these days i.e., what is seem as "reasonable"?
I thought reading on here people were still able to secure good last minute deals anyway - which is what we always used to do. |
Last week of Jan catered is coming up typically around £13 - 1500 inc flights transfers & 6 days of catered evenings with free wine etc, 1 day meal out - I've found a couple of better deals with smaller operators. Our requirements are complicated as we like as close to ski in/out as can get with a BIG ski area like 3 valleys, Portes du Soleil Espace Killy etc. & my wife won't book anywhere that doesn't have a bath as opposed to shower! Plus we've done La Plagne/Les Arcs where a lot of the catered accommodation is twice in last 4 years & don't like just repeating - hence booking last minute would be somewhat tricky to fulfil those criteria!
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I'm working with a narrow set of requirements for Val D'Isere in March (outside French holidays) and prices for '26 seem higher than '25...and given its mid-July there does seem to be quite a few suitable places already booked... 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@JP Wolf, I was looking for something in another resort yesterday, and all winter dates were unavailable, I suspect not released yet, but major tour ops should be I would have though, so probably are already booked.
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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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Blimey £1300 pp seems like a lot of cash - although I'm a driving self catering skinflint. Does that include a lift pass?
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@JP Wolf, I was looking for something in another resort yesterday, and all winter dates were unavailable, I suspect not released yet, but major tour ops should be I would have though, so probably are already booked
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@Hells Bells I'm seeing quite a few booking on open properties in VDI and when I've contacted ones that are still "unreleased" they've been able to get price + availability for me... I think our situation is being made worse for us by the narrow requirements (stuck on dates, number of bedroom / config / budget etc.). Might have to look in Serre Chevalier instead 
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You know it makes sense.
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| Layne wrote: |
| Blimey £1300 pp seems like a lot of cash - although I'm a driving self catering skinflint. Does that include a lift pass? |
Nope, plus £300 or so for a full area pass. We used to drive when we had the kids, cheaper than paying for 5 flights & got 8 days skiing instead of 6. But now it's just me & the Mrs. far cheaper to fly, plus we like a bit more luxury nowadays! The tolls come to about £300plus nowadays don't they, add 1400 miles of fuel is around £250, & add ferry/tunnel costs, so that's quite a chunk b4 you start, like I say splitting between 4 or 5 is a whole different ball game. & self catering isn't cheap in any mountain resort & the bigger the ski area the dearer it is.
Our son & his wife went self catering to Tignes 3 years ago & the people they were going with insisted on self catering - actually came out dearer than a catered chalet when they added it all up, to say nothing of the aggro of queuing in supermarkets 2 or 3 times in the week & having to cook/clean up for yourselves!
If we're fully catered with afternoon tea we just take snacks with us for morning coffee & afternoon vin chaud, ski straight through the lunchtime when the pistes are quiet & back to the chalet for afternoon tea. You get more skiing on quieter pistes & don't pay fortunes for a plate of cold chips on the mountain -horses for courses, but I think you might be surprised if you add everything up for a self drive/self catered holiday!
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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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| Quote: |
self catering isn't cheap in any mountain resort
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It depends.....if you plan wisely and take some stuff with you, it doesn't have to cost much more than eating at home. And it's the booze which makes the difference - a fridge with cold beers, good wine at supermarket prices (cheaper than home, even in a resort), mixers and soft drinks for kids, can save a fortune. I agree that shopping and lugging stuff around can be a chore, especially if it's snowy underfoot. Self-catering in a group can be problematical, too, if you're not all on the same hymn-sheet.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Russbost, tolls are about 180€ return, so nowhere near £300! No idea where you got that figure from, I'm looking at my Fulli invoice for a return trip in March.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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And one of the costs of flying - namely transfers - are often overlooked. People sometimes get upset when they find the cost of transfers equals or exceeds the air fares.
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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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| Origen wrote: |
| And one of the costs of flying - namely transfers - are often overlooked. People sometimes get upset when they find the cost of transfers equals or exceeds the air fares. |
Transfers included on everything I've looked at. Ok so I was about £120 high on the tolls cost, from current pricing Tarentaise would cost just shy of 200 Euros
Interestingly, trawling the web for hours I've come up with a couple of deals in almost ski in/out major resorts in that area one for £1050 & one at £1170 all in, fully catered chalets, that actually looks like pretty good value
OH! & just to add if you don't mind the faff of arranging Ben's bus then Sunweb have some very good deals as they always include lift passes, they don't include transfers & try to make some money back there, last year was quoted £200 return to La Plagne - £57 with Ben's Bus!
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Fri 25-07-25 15:20; edited 1 time in total
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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We're on all-up £5380 for 4 adults 2 kids - during School hols, Les Carroz, driving (6 in a massive car), self-catered, 4 hiring gear 2 not, lift passes & food priced in. It has got more expensive but it's still doable with a bit of planning effort. I'm a fan of being close enough to lifts to get the ski bus / drive in, but not so close I'm paying 2x for half the accommodation! Everyone has their preferences of course. If it were just me and the wife we'd be ski in/ski out all inclusive up the mountain 
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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: |
fukky catered chalets
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well, if you're hard up......
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Looked up costs for our last self catering trip March/April this year to 3V.
The 2 of us drive from scotland and that trip cost £2492 for 20 nights away ie 3 weeks. We go to 3V several weeks each season so buy a over 75's season pass. We skied 16 days that trip, the first time we have ever skied so many consecutive days! Its 2 days travel each way. We take basic foods with us so only need to buy perishables and ate out twice with the family.
We did travel out on the Hull ferry as we couldn't leave early on day 1 but usually do Dover/Calais and have an overnight hotel stop if not on the Hull ferry.
Ferry 309
Accomodation 1354
Food 100
Fuel 290
Tolls 129
Ski passes (proportional cost of season pass) 310
I recon that if paying for a chalet package we would only get 1 week for that price. We do bring wine back but that cost is not included.
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On a related thread-jack: I am looking for self catering accom for 2 x families (9 in total) and am pleasantly surprised with the costs i'm finding - that said we are going 2nd week of Jan so almost cheapest week of the year. We've found good prices in Samoens, Morzine and Les Carroz - but pretty much everything requires a bus to the ski lift. Is there anywhere that has ski in ski out (or short walk) self catering chalets that aren't crazy expensive and are reasonably snow sure at start of season - bonus points for a shortish transfer from Geneva...
Our alternative option is to go to Avoriaz but that will necessitate 2 x separate small apartments for more than it would cost to get one of the fancy chalets at Samoens or Les Carroz...
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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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@AliAfro, do you mean ski in ski out in those places or just anywhere?
Have you considered that the reason they good prices is because they are not ski in ski out?
Where/how are you searching?
Bigger size self catering accommodation is generally harder to find or more expensive in my experience...
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| Layne wrote: |
@AliAfro, do you mean ski in ski out in those places or just anywhere?
Have you considered that the reason they good prices is because they are not ski in ski out?
Where/how are you searching?
Bigger size self catering accommodation is generally harder to find or more expensive in my experience... |
Ideally we are hoping to find a self catering chalet (or big apartment) that can fit 9 people - either ski-in ski out - or (more realistically) walkable to lift, snow sure and close-ish to Geneva.
Yes, of course, the more boxes you tick the higher the price goes but I'm just struggling to find anything that fits the bill - Plenty of resorts don't really seem to have many s/c chalets near to ski lifts. Hence why I threw it out to the hive mind...
Samoens, Morzine, and Les Carroz, Chatel etc are the places I have found so far that have plenty of S/C chalets - but very slim pickings for anything near to a lift. I've been looking on Vrbo, Booking, ChaletFinder etc but the filter options aren't the greatest...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I have never been to those 4 places but been to 3V, Paradiski, AdH multiple times plus La Norma, Les Contamines, Tignes and always had ski in ski out accommodation. I think the only place I can recall I didn't was Serre Chevalier. It's kind of what France is known for.
I usually book through the local tourist information website. Usually the apartment description would say how ski in ski out it is, although I often know anyhow as I go to the same areas a lot. Also there is usually a "Plan" or map of the town that you can check.
A lot of people also use Sunweb and Snowtrex to book s/c accommodation.
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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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@Layne Thanks - I'll see what I can find on Sunweb/Snowtrex...
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| AliAfro wrote: |
| @Layne Thanks - I'll see what I can find on Sunweb/Snowtrex... |
We’re staying in Morzine now (summer holiday) and used Alptitude- they have lots of chalets in the area some of which are close to lifts or ski in/ ski out. Might be worth a look.
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