 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi
I'm going to grab some cheap flights to Geneva & take my mate on his first ski trip to the snow. Dates are totally flexible but we were thinking about the weekend of 2-5 March. I reckon January may be a bit harsh weather-wise & Feb too expensive & crowded due to school holidays.
My mate will be looking for green runs & I'll be happy on anything for a couple of days (main ski holiday will be in April so it will be a nice wee taster for me!)
Best chance of decent snow, low crowds & easy reach of Geneva would be the main criteria. Oh, a couple of pubs would be nice too of course:)
Any ideas?
Cheers
Scott
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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For a long weekend, closeness to GVA and a easy runs for your friend. I would say PDS, if snow is a problem stick high (Avoriaz) problem is I dont know if you can do long weekends unless you go for a hotel. They can be a bit saucy up there, you might try Morzine and if necessary comute higher up. Have fun.
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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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Brightside, i would go for Morzine should be high enough in march and loads of cruising runs towards le gets 
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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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Hi Brightside - I'd also recommend the Portes du Soleil (I would do, as I have an apartment there!). Snow won't be a problem that weekend - if it is then we'll be having the mother of all bad seasons!
I'd suggest, perhaps, looking at Les Gets as a first port of call as it's got the nicest beginner terrain. It's also got terrain that you'll enjoy more quite close to hand. For example, in the main bowl, there's a very long green; a couple of blacks; some off-piste; a couple of good reds and three or four blues. What we've done is put the beginners on the green and lapped the blacks waiting for them.
For lessons I'd recommend either Joe Beer at www.alpinelearningcurves.co.uk - who I use - or the Les Gets British Ski School - www.britishskischool.com Do book lessons before you go as the British ski instructors get pretty booked up.
A downside of taking a beginner skiing for a weekend is that your mate will have to have private lessons as group lessons either start on Sunday or Monday. It's a problem we've had before.
www.skiblueridge.co.uk have a chalet specifically for long weekends and are nice people to boot. They can also do you a transfer from Geneva - although you may well be better off renting a car. The only thing I'd warn you about is that they're a 10 minute walk from the lifts - but they will ferry you there and bring you back.
Morzine is a good second choice if you can't get accommodation in Les Gets and also has a British Ski School - though do make sure you book the right one. The Jolly Good hotel is basic, but very nice and has a damned good pub attached - http://www.jollygood.com
A final option would be to consider Megeve - I can recommend a good instructor there, but not accommodation I'm afraid.
Hope that helps.
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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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Also look at Flaine, good snow record and close to the airport.
La Clusaz (sp?) is even closer, but snow not as reliable.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks Guys, loads of great info there. Most of the above places are where I had in mind before posting. I've booked the flights now (9-12 March) & also took the option of cheap flights available Monday 2nd April for a week so will probably be heading to the same area then.
I intend to wait until about a week before departure to try for accomodation (for both hols) - wise move or should I pack a tent just in case??!!
If it's an average season - do you think PDS will be OK for Early April? We've been pretty high up (Mammoth & Obergurgl) the past couple of years at that time so haven't had any problems - 7ft dump over 2 days finished just as we pulled into Mammoth last season so we've been spoiled a bit!
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Brightside, you made a good decision booking that later weekend, as the French hols don't end till 10th March. There will be heavy traffic out of resorts on the 10th, but you'll be there by then (accomm in resort for the night of the 9th might be difficult; a tent could be chilly but a hire car would give you a lot of flexibility). You might think about your mate doing some lessons on a dry slope, or Milton Keynes, so he can take full advantage of the time on the snow.
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That's good to hear about the holiday dates - I now have visions of empty mountains on the Sunday - it'll definitely be a first lift up day for me!
Yep, sounds like the Friday night may be a struggle for accomm. Hmm.
My mate is about to embark on a course of lessons at the local dry slope & we also have an Exscape nearby in Glasgow plus he is very determined to be doing some 'meaningful' skiing by the time we go. We may manage a trip or two up to Glencoe before March as well so things should work out OK.
Can't wait - winter is on the horizon!
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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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Brightside - we've not been in early April, but skied in Avoriaz on 30 April this year and 1 May the year before. So early April will be fine under any normal circumstances.
I'd recommend booking the accommodation in advance in both cases.
The 2 April week, in particular, runs into the Easter weekend - so will be very busy with people doing a long Easter weekend. Monday to Monday can also be a pain to book - although the www.skiblueridge.co.uk option might work
If you hire a car and don't mind driving to the slopes then it doesn't matter where you stay as you can drive to whereever the snow is is in resort, or up to the [url=http://www.snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=18632]Ardent lift[/uirl].
If you want to economise, then look for accommodation in Essert Romand or St Jean d'Aulps. Both of these require you to drive to the slopes, but will offer you a significant saving for doing so.
Alternatively, if you'd prefere to be "slopeside" then book something in Avoriaz for the April week.
Hope that helps.
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I suggest looking at Flaine or, possibly better, one of its satellite resorts, such as Les Carroz. Close to Geneva, handy nursery slopes and if all goes well access to a good size area with plenty of easy runs.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I agree richmond, les Carroz might be a good alternative
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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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brian
brian
Guest
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Brightside, for your week in April I wouldn't recommend the PdS. I did a long weekend last year, 31/3 - 2/4, to Morzine. There was plenty of skiing even down to low-ish altitudes but with a freezing level hovering above 2000m, by far the best of it was up around Avoriaz and there was bucketloads of rain down in the village. Fine for a weekend but for a whole week I'd aim for somewhere where the area is generally above 2000m and plenty is north or east facing.
Les Arcs, Verbier, Val d'Isere, Courchevel and Zermatt spring to mind as Geneva options. Les Deux Alpes also, but that's a good 3 hours from GVA.
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You know it makes sense.
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Brightside, You should also consider Val d'Anniviers for the weekend. brian, is getting a brand new apartment there, you might be able to rent it. Not far from GVA and not fashionable, so should be v.quiet. 
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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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another option dependign on where you live is fly to grenoble (some low cost airlines do- easyjet from bristol and i think luton and maybe elsewhere)that then opens up Les Deux Alpes and Alp d' Huez with a short transfer time both of which have glaciers. I remember being in Morzine third week in March with snow melting off the mountain and torrential rain as we left on the Saturday.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I've been sorting out my week end trips over the last few weeks.
january Boys trip to PDS (Montriond and uplift throught ardent) with lechaletholiday.com
march Couples trip to megeve with standfordskiing.co.uk
all flying london city/geneva.
Other websites I looked at and considered and seemed OK but haven't travelled with.
clubchatel.com
gravite.co.uk
leboomerang.com
skiweekender.com - used them last year, pretty good value. Food was only OK and I like a very good meal when skiing but would still use them again.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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easiski - where's Val d'Anniviers?
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brian
brian
Guest
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PhillipStanton, it's the last Francophonic valley on the left bank of the Rhone travelling east, kind of opposite Crans/Montana. Link in my sig has more details.
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