 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm sking France and Austria (Courchevel and Lech) with my kids this January and was wondering if anyone has any advice on skis and boot hire?
As we are flying into Paris and driving, I thought it may be wise to hire in Dijon or Beaune, to avoid the crowds.
Does anyone have an experience of this and can anyone recomend a good hire shop or another possible way to go?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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steepndeep, Welcome to 
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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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steepndeep, welcome to snowHeads!
I've got fairly limited experience but I would have thought there was limited ski gear to hire in Dijon or Beaune and the only real crowds I've experienced when picking up ski gear have been on Saturday afternoon (change over) day in Val Thorens. In Val Cenis, Obergurgl, Saas Fee and Westendorf crowds have been pretty limited. Courchevel and Lech are both fairly up market resorts and I'd expect them to be better than average for crowds - but I've never been there.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Don't know about ski hire en route, but ...
Strolz ski hire in Lech were very good when we were there three years ago - they've got a big hire shop near the bottom of the main lift where you can store your skis and boots whgich saves lugging them around the resort.
Can also recommend Freeride in Courcheval (haven't hired from there, but they made me some excellent footbeds). If you order what you want in advance they will bring it round to your hotel/chalet, which would save a lot of hassle, I'd have thought.
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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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steepndeep, one of the benefits of hiring is that if you don't like your kit you can change it for nothing. If you hire en route and your boots are agony on day 2, you're going to have to pay again. Not a fortune, but annoying (if you're a mean git like me, anyway).
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| richmond wrote: |
| steepndeep, one of the benefits of hiring is that if you don't like your kit you can change it for nothing. If you hire en route and your boots are agony on day 2, you're going to have to pay again. Not a fortune, but annoying (if you're a mean git like me, anyway). |
I second this viewpoint.
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On a group holiday a few years ago we had the usual mix of own gear & renters, some wanting skis, some wanting boots & skis. Due to the late arrival time the renters all set off bright and early on the sunday morning to get their stuff, us owners had a longer breakfast and set off to find them still in the shops patiently waiting in line. I think we'd done 3 circuits of the run back from the mid station before they were finally all ready to go.
The next year some of them hired at home, it cost more than in resort but they tried the dear out first on the dry slope to make sure they were happy and skiied right from the off on the first morning.
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If there is a queue, I'd go somewhere else. Its not like there wil not be a choice.
Sat and Sun morning may be the times to avoid. I'm normally out 1st thing if I am hiring that morning. With family in tow, this might be more an ordeal.
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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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Another approach is to hire on the Friday late afternoon (if you get into the resort in time) for use from Saturday onwards. This avoids the Saturday morning nightmare, and some shops will not charge any extra (they like to get the kit out the door before the rush as well). Same applies to lift passes also. I stopped hiring a few years ago, but when I did, this tactic worked.
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Courchevel and Lech both have multiple rental shops so the queues shouldn't be that long. A friend recently used edge2edge to rent and was very happy with them.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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steepndeep,
I would agree with the other posters and point out another practical problem that if you are delayed in your drive back you may arrive to find the hire shop shut and be unable to return your equipment.
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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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thanks all, good advice.
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