Portes Du Soleil - Swiss Side (Not just for Beginners)

A snowHead

Can anyone give me a rundown on the beginners' slopes (esp. nursery) at Les Croset, Champoussin and Champéry?
I realise the latter ones are at the top of the main cable car.

A snowHead

Have not noticed them but would consider Les Crosets more suitable for beginners. The runs seem to be a little more forgiving than Champousin. Have you looked at Morgins, next village around from Champoussin and a real Swiss town atmosphere. Very picturesque, and you can join the circuit very easily if there is anyone that wants to do the ring!

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

I really liked the slopes on that sector and it seemed pretty easy - didn't notice any particular nursery slopes though? aj xx

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Thanks for the responses.

I haven't really considered Morgins as it *appears* to be the one furthest down and out of the way. I might have a look - I guess it depends what the lift up is like.

All the places say they have beginners/nursery slopes and have ski schools. It's just that I know that there are nursery slopes, and there are nursery slopes and if they're not that good they can put people off. Especially if they're some distance from the resort.

Good to hear good reports of those slopes though.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

skanky - I'm not sure I'd recommend any part of the Swiss side of the Portes du Soleil for beginners.

Morgins is lovely, but I've not yet been there and seen the snow in good condition - even when there's been generally good snowfall in the area. I could, of course, have been unlucky. But I would have had to have been very, very unlucky. From what I can make out, it looks like they've got some very nice beginner's slopes, but I've yet to see any of them with much snow on.

The slopes around Champoussin are generally beginner friendly. But again, it does suffer if the sun comes out. Probably even worse, the lift system hasn't been invested in in the same way as the rest of the Portes du Soleil - so there are lots of drag lifts and the chair lifts are reasonably old. You can see the problem if you look at this - http://ski.intermaps.ch/massif5/flash/index.swf?lang=en

Les Crosets has the best snow and good lifts - but the beginner terrain is limited. The slopes around the village can also get quite crowded with people doing "a quick trip into Switzerland" from Avoriaz - which can be quite intimidating.

Personally, I'd either go over the French side of the Portes du Soleil - or find another Swiss resort.

Sorry to be negative, but it's hard to be positive.

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Okay, thanks. The beginners are unlikely to get off the nursery slopes (they haven't yet in two trips and generally ski three days out of six) so that's my main concern - the nursery slopes.
But just in case, how easy is it to get Avoriaz etc. by train? I suppose it's get to Geneva and sort out a transfer from there?

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The place to head for skanky is Cluses - which is about half an hour away from Morzine and 45 minutes away from Avoriaz. Most of the transfer companies will pick up from Cluses.

Maybe consider Les Gets if you've got low mileage beginners - there's a good range of beginners' terrain.

If you're training it then it might be sensible to consider the Grand Massif (Flaine) - which is at the top of the hill outside of Cluses.

After all it is free

Okay, thanks.

brian

skanky, trains from Geneva into France are a bit of a pig because you have to get to the Eaux Vives station and there's no connection fom the airport to there.

There's a direct coach service from the airport, takes about an hour and a half to Morzine.

www.altibus.com

... or if there are enough of you a private transfer might be economical.

http://www.natives.co.uk/travel/transfers.htm

is a good summary of the options.

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brian, thanks that pretty much confirms what I was thinking.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Just an additional, anyone here actually stayed on the Swiss side? I know Saikee visited but I think he stayed in the valley and drove up each day.

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Stayed in a friends chalet in champoussin but socialising confined to the gaff! The taxi transfer is the best option. Price is the same as the bus.

I would agree with others on the site that the French side of PDS is better for lifts, slopes etc. However if I was taking a group over to the Swiss side I would opt for Morgins.

Either Les Gets, Morzine or Avoriaz (better skiing but less pleasing to the eye) would also be worthy of consideration. Last year I heard a rumour that they will hopefully get some sort of link between Lets Gets and the Grand Massif resorts. Interesting thought, but I would not have the time to do all the area going at my easy going pace.

Roy Hockley, thanks. What would you say were the plus points of Champoussin (and quiet isn't necessarily bad)?

You know it makes sense.

skanky, if

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

pam w, I think it's more that need to spend more than about 3 hours a week skiing. wink

They're happy to potter about on the nursery slopes for a lesson then spend the rest of the day and the next day around the resort (which is why we stayed in Bourg last trip). They're there for a holiday in the mountains with some skiing, rather than a skiing holiday.

A snowHead

Skied the PDS, based at Chatel a while back. What struck me as we skied across from Morzine into Switzerland was how quiet the slopes suddenly became. It was as if the French regarded Switzerland as a no-go zone. Made for very pleasant skiing. Don't know if that's the case nowadays, though.

A snowHead

achilles, sadly not...

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PhillipStanton, Is there indeed? Doesn't sound like the most optimal idea to me. But there is considerable pressure on the Les Gets system to expand somehow - I have a suspicion that this is why Mont Cheri remains open long after the rumours of its closure (which would be a great shame)...plus the development up the cote d'arbroz on the other side.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

PhillipStanton, Apparentlt that link has been 'discussed' for nearly as long as the mountains ... given the water extraction issues in the Les Gets area ( and the postponed 'real' plans around Mont Chery Nord) then I guess it's just another 'Distant' project but all my observations are just Urban Myth ..

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David Murdoch - I agree that it doesn't sound optimal. The one experience I've had of skiing from Samoens wasn't great and whilst getting up to 1600m was quick, the next bit of the link felt clunky. To be fair, though, it wasn't helped by it blowing a hoolie; the poor visibility and not knowing where I was going.

I suspect that any push, will come Samoens. A second link would transform the town from a bit of a (nice, but) poor relation. Samoens also has a lot of land that could be developed and no shortage of water.

As you say eEvans, all these things are vapourware until something happens.

I don't know if you've been to area recently, but they appear to be putting a new water main in between Morzine and Les Gets...

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

PhillipStanton, is that why the Les Gets Morzine road is closed?

After all it is free

PhillipStanton, Yes .. I have but all it will (allegedly) do is cope with the current demand (someone tried to explain to me the water rights/responsibilities - it was TOTALLY over my head) ... (allegedly) there is still a possibility of a drought order this winter ... and not the first there by any means.

Have you seen the length of Ranfolly - Samoens link and worked out the cost of that ?? I think they should link Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn as well ... wink

Being serious somewhere and Brian may be thinking of the same place has an (old) artist's mock up of the les Gets-Samoens link in Les Gets. Makes me think it started as a PdS- based idea ..

( No facts ,738 asssumptions and 23 rumours in this post)

David Murdoch - I didn't realise the road was closed, but it may well be the case. I'm out next weekend so I'd better check...

I know there's work going on on the D904 at the moment.

eEvans - makes me glad that our place is in Morzine!

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My experience of the PdS is that Les Gets / Morzine / Avoriaz is probably best bet for nursery slopes or for mixed groups.
LesCrosets sector seemed to me to be a big busy set of crossroads.
Morgins is sort of pretty, but is either really sunny and like skiing in porridge, or permanently in shade, depending on where you are.
Champossin sector seemed to be really long slow ancient drag/chair lifts.
Chatel is fairly extensive, so maybe group that with LesGets/Morzine/Avoriaz.

Regarding PdS-GrandMassif link, that would be interesting, but I think they have more important things to sort first. PdS week ticket holders can exchange 1 day of that for a day pass in Grand Massiff (and presumably other way round too). We did it 2-3 yrs back, but just meant a day of inserting bendy pass on a string into every machine like the olden days. Anyone know if there is a bus link between Les Gets and Morillon or other handy access point?

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skanky, Champoussin is very quiet and that did for us very well. Of course you are on the PDS circuit which is the most important thing. There aren't too many people staying there and therefore the local pistes are empty. Time and space for you to practice those carves, but the slopes on the whole would be steeper than you would find elsewhere on the circuit. So this may not be the best for your non skiing buddies.

The resort is really a collection of chalets. You will need a car as if you want to go anywhere other than on snow and skis you could be stuck. If your party are not thinking of skiing all day, I would look at other areas of the PDS for the whole group.

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Haven't skied there in a while but I'd rate the Les Gets slope particularly good for lower ability skiers. I'd have thought that the Mont Cherry lifts were safe given the world leading mountain biking courses there.

Thanks again all.

Roy Hockley, Are the buses infrequent to the railway line? Also, I think one or two were eyeing up the Royal Alpage Club.

You know it makes sense.

I did not see any bus in the resort. It is a place where the Swiss would drive to. That being said we were on the mountain most of the time. If you want tranquility you will find it in abundance there.

For the non skiers amongst you, a better option would be to hire a car and visit the places along the lake shore. Montreux, Vevey and Lausane in CH, and Evian and Yvoire in FR. I would recommend a trip on one of the pleasure boats but at that time of year Lake LeMan can be cold and v.v windy (Wind chill)

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

Roy Hockley, yeah, my parents have a place in Evian. I've found the bus timetable (pdf) so they do exist, if not exactly frequent. Just checking in case n o one wants to hire a car.

thanks for all the responses.

A snowHead

PhillipStanton, As we headed to CHX two weekends ago there were big LED signs at the side of the A40 advertising the fact - I didn't note the dates as they won't affect us. So you might be advised to go up via Thonon.

fatbob, Why wouldn't the Mont Chery lifts be safe Puzzled

A snowHead

Thanks David Murdoch.

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Portes Du Soleil - Swiss Side (Not just for Beginners)

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