 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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professorpool - Les Gets usually has snow at Christmas - and Santa certainly lives there. Although there are no guarantees with weather. Things certainly seem to be running a week or two late this year - although, with Les Gets, things can change rapidly because the lower slopes are pasture.
If you want "snow sure", however, then you'd be better considering somewhere at / around 1800m - Avoriaz, Les Arcs, Val Thorens, etc. It's ok, Santa lives there too!
I suspect your biggest problem will be finding accommodation at this point if you're travelling independently and haven't yet booked.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Went to Val Thorens for Christmas two years ago. Snow was fine but the temprature was a problem. My boy was 4 at the time and the chair lifts were incredibly cold and became unpleasant for him even with his balaclava on. Thus he could only ski a few hours or so. Would go somewhere just a little bit lower with young kids at this time.
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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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La Rosiere
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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eng_ch,
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Is La Rosiere the new Mornington Crescent?
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To be honest it is a pretty good suggestion for a French resort with a good chance of snow for family skiing at xmas. Don't know how easy it is to get accommodation though.
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Welcome to Snowheads, professorpool.  Yes, I agree with La Rosiere, actually, though it can be very windy on the links over to Italy. The accommodation situation could be about to become a lot easier if people start cancelling because of lack of snow (as suggested on another thread). Without a lot more snow there won't be many places to ski this Christmas, and the few there are could be horribly crowded. It's a gamble, obviously, and if you only have a ferry booked I guess you could postpone your trip? Even in a more average year for snow Christmas is dodgy, and right now this is a much worse than average year. But it could be changing this week - if the temperatures drop and the snow falls. Your problem will be that if you leave it until there is snow you will have very little chance of finding accommodation. But right now, unless you are dead set on DIY, there could be some last minute TO bargains. Good luck. Difficult decision. 
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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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professorpool, This year it all seems a bit late, so I'd say you have two choices: Come somewhere like here in LDA where we have glacier and very high skiing, but cold can be a problem for little ones, or go to Austria where they seem to have loads already 
I think you'll find that Santa fellow very busy as he visits every resort I've ever been to at christmas. Here (assuming snow in the village) he goes around in a pony and trap and gives out sweeties to the kids - there's a sort of grotto thing in the main square as well!
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| easiski wrote: |
| Here (assuming snow in the village) he goes around in a pony and trap and gives out sweeties to the kids - there's a sort of grotto thing in the main square as well! |
Strange, he does that in Morzine and Les Gets as well.
The scheduling must be hell...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| easiski wrote: |
| ... or go to Austria where they seem to have loads already |
I think they did get lots of early snow, but high temps mean that snow depths have disappeared in many of the Austrian resorts. Going on the Snow Overview thread that Whitegold posted Austria is not that much better than France or Switzerland at the moment.
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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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Many many thanks for all the help. Surprised to hear about accomodation issues, I almost never book accomodation, I just turn up at the tourist office and sort it there and then - except in Feb of course, though havent skiied the holidays in a few years..
Thinking about it, one option could be to book les gets and if its ok, its ok and if not, drive to Avoriaz daily to ski. Only skiied Avoriaz once (on a day trip from Les Gets on the Porte du Soleil pass) and have to say it is the ugliest ski resort I have ever seen in my life!
Would rather stay here than stay there! lol!
Going to have a good root through the http://www.larosiere.net/ site and see how that feels.
My eldest doesnt believe in Santa like my two youngest and of course my wife and I do, but it won't be long before they start doubting so we are determined to go, snow or no snow even, while that Christmas, snowy, santary, magic is in the air!
Many thanks peeps, this is a nice board, and I will look to return some help someway sometime. 
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professorpool, if you are thinking of La Rosiere, you may like to try these http://www.tracksvacations.com/
The owner used to post regularly here and a number of snowHeads have had a positive experience with them. If he can't help you directly, he may be able to offer some recommendations. Do tell him that he was recommended by us...
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You know it makes sense.
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| professorpool wrote: |
I almost never book accomodation, I just turn up at the tourist office and sort it there and then - except in Feb of course, though havent skiied the holidays in a few years..
Thinking about it, one option could be to book les gets and if its ok, its ok and if not, drive to Avoriaz daily to ski. Only skiied Avoriaz once (on a day trip from Les Gets on the Porte du Soleil pass) and have to say it is the ugliest ski resort I have ever seen in my life! |
professorpool - if you're happy to drive to ski then driving to Avoriaz is a good option. The best lift to head for is the Ardent lift, which has a large, free car park and seldom has queues.
In terms of accommodation, Christmas and New Year are as bad as February.
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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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You will love Gets at crimbo, lots for the kids to do and santa will be here, infact he was in the bar last night or did i have to much beer.
As PhillipStanton said Ardent Bubble.
Best Book as i know a lot of places are full.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Meribel might be a sound choice. If it is cold, you can stay down low in the trees of Meribel or Courchevel. If snow is short, you can head up high to Val Thorens. Beware, though, that the Trois Vallees, like most of the Alps, have little or no snow right now.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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One of the threads linked to above was started by me and I eventually decided on Les Gets.
Hopefully there will be snow but if not I'm hoping it won't be too hard to get over to Avioraz using the lifts - anyone know if this is a hassle? I guess if it is I could hire a car in the resort, presuming they're available, but I'd rather not.
Here's hoping for snow though, I'm an eternal optimist, and best of luck professorpool wherever you decide to go
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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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I have decided to go to Les Gets. Found a 48m2 two piece apartment for 500 euros so that's all sorted now too.
Didnt realise it would be that busy!
Just got to book the lessons for the kids now.
Oh yeah!
Here's another gripe..
Ever see that episode of Only Fools and Horses where Trigger tells the story of the broom he has had for years and years but with 5 different handles and 6 heads?
Anyway, I feel like with my Thule box! On my third car since I bought it and had to shell out ANOTHER £80 for fittings yersterday. I'm sure I've now paid for the blooming stuff TWICE!
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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roga, travelling round the PDS is not as straightforward as in some ski areas - if there's snow you can get to Avoriaz by lift, though I think there's a bus from one side of Morzine to the other and it's not the work of a moment. One of the problems with the PDS is that a lot of the links are quite low, so are vulnerable when there is not much snow (i.e. you can't travel on grass). If there's snow in Avoriaz and not elsewhere it does get very crowded. I drove from Les Gets to a place where the lift access into Avoriaz was better but maybe there'll be buses. Someone better informed will be along in a moment. Lots of snowdancing needed. However, there are 20 days till your holiday; plenty of time for the weather to change. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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La Tania is a nice family friendly resort made up mainly of Chalets in the trees, if there is snow it's a magical resort. Have a look at latania.co.uk
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| PhillipStanton wrote: |
- www.skisurf360.com/english/360.swf - French ski school whose instructors speak good English and have a good reputation - it's worth looking at the web site, just because... |
LOL
Had it on the tv with the sound up..
Bwam!
Kids came flying downstairs to see whatI was up to. lol
Slight loveruse of flash then...
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| pam w wrote: |
| I drove from Les Gets to a place where the lift access into Avoriaz was better but maybe there'll be buses. |
The two places you can sensibly drive to are either the cable car at Prodains, which takes you up into Avoriaz village - or the gondola lift at Ardent, which takes you up to Linderats.
Both have free parking - although I reckon that Ardent is by far the best lift as the car park is bigger; there's seldom a queue to get on the lift (only if a couple of coaches have arrived at once) and you by-pass Avoriaz - so can often get ahead of the crowds.
You can get buses to both Prodains and Ardent from the centre of Morzine.
The other option from Les Gets is to ski down to Morzine and then walk across town (or take the "toy train") to the Super Morzine lift.
We typcially drive to Ardent.
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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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professorpool, €500 for the apartment that week is cheap. We should be prepared to pay double that for xmas week. After the half term holidays and New Year it is the high season. You are very lucky I can only assume your tongue was firmly in your cheek!
Take PhillipStanton, advice and go to the Ardent lift. At that time of the year you should have plenty of snowcover. Can your gang ski over to Morzine from Les Gets and then get the ski bus to the Ardent lift. This will not minimise your time in transit but at least you could get some miles under your belt before you get up to Avoriaz/Swiss border.
Have fun.
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professorpool, we bought skis box recently, it will fit on any car, no stupid fittings or anything. We find it's the roof bars that cause the problem when we change the car. Great news though, we sold them all on ebay.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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OH, and I agree, an wxcwllwnt price for the apartment. We rented one last year, very small, cold and miserable. it was 670 euros. We weren't even in it for the whole time,as our own apartment was finished by Christmas Eve.
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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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| Helen Beaumont wrote: |
| professorpool, we bought skis box recently, it will fit on any car, no stupid fittings or anything. We find it's the roof bars that cause the problem when we change the car. Great news though, we sold them all on ebay. |
LOL.
Ebay - love it..
Yeah, I know its the bars and not the box..
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professorpool, from the web cams it looks as if the cover at Les Gets is now pretty good (down to the village) which is great to see.
Hopefully there won't be any big thaw before Xmas, fingers crossed!
Have a great time - we're there for that week too
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You know it makes sense.
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Hey cool!
Excellent news!
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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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I've been going to PDS - Avoriaz for the last 3 Xmas seasons ...... snow has never been an issue.
Profesorpool ,,,,, no drama, just chill .. it'll all come good that week.
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FAQ
lol
