 Poster: A snowHead
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Besides a week away with my family, I am looking at one or two long weekends away in the coming season. Being chained to my job, I want to miss as little time as possible at work. Ideally a Thursday afternoon or night flight returning to the UK on the Sunday night.
I guess then my criteria are something like
a) Flight availablity/price from Stansted or Luton - I can work that one out
b) Transfer at the other end in terms of time
c) The ability to bowl up to a resort and get a hotel then, and for a few nights rather than a week. Or at worse call a few days before.
d) Snow sureness
e) Crowds
I am sure many of you have been on the slopes and skiing far longer than I have been able to spell it (I.T.) and have got the cheeky weekend down pat.
So how and where do YOU do it?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Peter, for something really different, normally with great skiing, try the Monterosa (3 valleys) ski area, about 90 mins from Turin airport. Gressoney (particularly Gressoney Trinite) and Champoluc are the best resorts to head for. Lots of high-altitude skiing and off-piste.
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Tue 17-08-04 10:14; edited 1 time in total
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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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| Peter Leuzzi wrote: |
a) Flight availablity/price from Stansted or Luton - I can work that one out
b) Transfer at the other end in terms of time
c) The ability to bowl up to a resort and get a hotel then, and for a few nights rather than a week. Or at worse call a few days before.
d) Snow sureness
e) Crowds
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Did 2 long weekends to Val Despair last year. Flights from LHR to Geneva. It's about 2 1/2 hours drive though so you could probably consider Avoraiz, Chamonix, Flaine or Courmayeur instead from Geneva. Think Verbier is quite close as well. I'm sure others will be able to advise on resorts close to other airports.
It's dead easy to get rooms for 2 or 3 nights, usually pretty cheaply as well. Had a party of 2 and then 3 and we got accomodation for about 250 - 280 (that's total, not per person) euros for 3 nights. These were big rooms, right in the centre that they'd normally try and shoehorn 4 and 5 people into. We booked those rooms less than a week before we left. I'd imagine it'll be the same everywhere, after all if you don't fill the rooms then they'll go empty so you normally get good deals.
Geneva is a good choice if you want to be reasonably sure of good conditions. The resorts close by are snowsure, but if conditions aren't looking so good (storm bound say) by driving an extra hour or 2 you can get to places like Espace Killy, 3V, Cervinia, Zermatt. There ought to be decent conditions somewhere among that little lot.
If you can get a couple of people interested then costs for accomodation and car hire are peanuts. Can't guarantee that about the bar bill. We tended to try and fit a weeks worth of drinking into a couple of days. 
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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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Just realised I forgot to mention how to get accomodation. Most resort websites have a link to an accomodation office. You can generally send them an email and get a list of suitable accomodation and prices. Generally easier to phone them up once you choose as they'll need a credit card # to secure the booking.
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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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If you want other people to organise it, there are companies like Ski Weekends who will (at a price) sort everything. I looked at it, and it comes to almost the price of a week. I'm sure they're very nice to you though...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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From personal experience, I never found weekend skiing as easy as it was in Austria when I lived in Germany. Austrian stations are perdominiantly hotels or pensions for accomodation and I never had trouble getting a room for a weekend or even just a single night. I personally find getting a reasonable rate for a room in France a nightmare.
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if you are after a cheap flight - Ryan air are now doing their really cheap ones to Turin next year....(or were last week). We've already booked ours for a weekend. - £30 each(return) incl. taxes... ski carriage £15 each way though!
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| Quote: |
| Besides a week away with my family, I am looking at one or two long weekends away in the coming season. Being chained to my job, I want to miss as little time as possible at work. Ideally a Thursday afternoon or night flight returning to the UK on the Sunday night. |
My top tips would be:
1. Consider traveling back on the Monday. There are good early flights from Geneva to Luton and Stansted that will get you back to work on Monday morning taking advantage of the time change (flying on Thursday and taking Friday off is a good idea as Thursday flights are cheaper than Fridays).
2. If you opt for 1. above then stay the Sunday night at the cheap Formule 1 motel 5 minutes drive from Geneva airport.
3. On your outward trip don't necessarily try to drive all the way to the resort so that you arrive in the early hours. Instead, stop en route and stay in a cheap motel such as the Formule 1 at Albertville (plenty of similar cheap places all over France).
4. Get a list of estate agents from the resort's web site and call or email them. Many french resorts have stacks of cheap studio apartments and while they may not take a weekend booking too far in advance it is usually easy nearer the time.
For a really cheeky weekend trip with no time off work check out my driving trip to La Bresse.
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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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La Bresse really hasn't been getting good snow recently, when did you go ? I think you were extremely lucky there. From the ipod reference it can't have too long ago. I didn't pay much attention to conditions last season so I'm guessing that's when you went. The several years before that I lived just over the border in Germany and I don't think a single time I looked at the conditions it was worth the the under 2hr drive. When it's good it ought to be excellent but much the same can be said of the other Voseges stations or the many around the Jura as well.
There's also the Massif Central/Puys of course near Clermont Ferrand which isn't too far a drive either.
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I've done weekend trips only for the last three winters. Easyjet on Friday morning from Luton to Geneva - gets into Geneva at ~9. Get a hirecar and drive to Flaine, approx 1 and a quarter hour drive. Change in carpark, hire skis, get liftpass on the slopes for 11:30. Stay in cheap and nasty apartment (through astrid immobilier who do short stays of three nights and upwards). Check out Monday morning and ski all day, drive back and get the last flight from Geneva. 3.5 days skiing on usually excellent snow for two days off work. I'd thoroughly recommend it and I expect I'll be doing it again next winter.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
| La Bresse really hasn't been getting good snow recently, when did you go ? |
End of February this year.
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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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How about 2days skiing for a half day off work?
It depends a little on your distance from London Waterloo - if u work in London u might not need to miss any work!
Now most of u already know what I'm going to say 
There are overnight services by train to the French Alpes. An overnight Euro* (seated service only) direct to Moutiers/ Bourg St Maurice leaves at about 8PM on Friday. Checkin time is only 30mins prior so u could quite possibly avoid missing any of Friday off work.
An alternative is to take a slightly earlier Euro* (about 16:30/17:00) to get a sleeper service from Paris. They both get in at roughly similar times.
The direct Euro* service back leaves on Sat night so that would only give u the one day.
But, if u take a French Sleeper train on Sunday night to Paris, u could be in London by 10AM Monday morning. If u work in town, that's within the realms of 'Meeting out of the office first thing' and u could be at your desk by 10:30/11:00. If not you're prolly looking at a half-day.
Using a train both ways, it's truly possible to make first lift on Sat at La Tania, Courchevel, Meribel, La Plagne, Les Arcs (or possibly La Rossiere too) and ski till they close on the Sunday. U don't even have to miss a night's sleep if u knock off early on Friday.
A huge plus that u may not have considered is that on the Saturday, the slopes are really empty since all the 'tourists' are travelling then.
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| u brain wrote: |
| A huge plus that u may not have considered is that on the Saturday, the slopes are really empty since all the 'tourists' are travelling then. |
It's not just that, most of Europe don't do Sunday opening for shops so a lot of locals tend to go out on Sunday only. It's not a bad way to spend Sunday afterall. Personally, if Mrs Ise are only going one day (together) over the weekend we prefer to go on a Saturday for the same reason. Obviously, I go Sunday as well 
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You know it makes sense.
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A tip of completely unknown veracity from a paper at the weekend - if you are booking via the eurostar website then you can get markedly cheaper fares by claiming to be an American.
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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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Thanks to all of you for the info. Keep it coming!
We all seem obsessed by a sport/lifestyle that realistically most people can indulge in for probably only 2 weeks of a year, so any clever ideas/tips etc to stretch ones season are much appreciated.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Peter Leuzzi wrote: |
Thanks to all of you for the info. Keep it coming!
We all seem obsessed by a sport/lifestyle that realistically most people can indulge in for probably only 2 weeks of a year, so any clever ideas/tips etc to stretch ones season are much appreciated. |
move to another country ?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I have done a number of weekends. If you are doing it DIY, I would advise against going during French School hols as accommodation may be much harder to find.
If you do a google search using ski weekends or flexible breaks, you will find a number of specialist organisers.
I preferred DIY, but I don't think that the savings were great. I have been to Chamonix, Ischgl and Flims. Ryanair are cheaper than the majority of others, but if you book early enough you can get good deals on BA or Crossair.
I have also used www.skiweekends.com who do an overnight coach trip to the 3V's, which gives maximum time on slopes for minimum time out and is good value for money (but you need the ability to be able to sleep anywhere). I shall do this option again this coming season - (as long as their prices stay roughly the same).
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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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Peter Leuzzi,
Obertauern - Austria.
Fly from Stansted to Salzburg with Ryanair (early Friday or Saturday morning). Taxi to Obertauern (approx 1 hour €130 return for up to 7 people). Loads of pensions and hotels available with weekend rates available. Ski Saturday, Sunday and possibly Monday, returning from Salzburg airport Monday evening. The village is above 1700m and has loads and loads and loads of snow (even when nearby Flachau, Radstadt and St. Johan im Pongau are green) and no problem with crowding. It is also possible to get accommodation virtually ski to the door.
See http://www.obertauern.com
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I tried (really hard) last year to do a DIY weekend on a budget and in the end decided to fly to Geneva (easyjet)very early on Thurs am, rented a car with 4 mates, drove to St Anton and skied from 1pm until Sunday then flew back but whilst the skiing was really good I think that you would be better off (still) booking ,at a discount, a last minute full week with a tour operator that has unsold holidays. Our accomodation, whilst first class was £75per person - spa included but was still expensive (we tried to book in France and Italy as well). Hywel's option does seem good but I hav'nt been there. Large numbers and room/transfer sharing kept the cost down for us as well.
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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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Geneva to St Anton ???????????????????????????????
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FAQ
