 Poster: A snowHead
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It all began when Zit 2 announced that she was going to take PE as a GCSE option. Help!!! How do we find 4 sports that she can do well 
She was going to have to include skiing as one of the 4. I quickly suggested and I would offer to take her so she can be videoed a couple of times. Tough call but there are some jobs that parents just can’t escape from.
The plan was that we’d go at half term as the family trip is at Easter.
But February half term is sooo expensive for a short break Being cunning I booked up non Saturday flights as this would be much cheaper. Being stupid, I booked up the wrong week and it was not the time when she was actually off school 
By the time I had realised this it was too late to change, oh well, another week off school won’t hurt. So I invited along Zit 1 and Zit 3 who were actually off that week. In the end it was just me and Zits 2 and 3 that went. An ideal combination as they fight like... well they fight like sisters I guess . Not all the time though, sometimes they sleep
Next question is how do we find accommodation for part of one of the busiest weeks of the season. Answer – go somewhere where no-one in their right mind would choose 
Not Les 2 Alpes, I hasten to add, bearing in mind the grotty season snow-wise, I had been sitting quite smugly thinking that I had that one pre-booked. That was the good decision that I made...
“How about camping” I suggested. That could be fun. Well, not quite a tent, that would have been a bit extreme but the next thing to it was a wooden hut in a field a long way from the resort.
There we headed. To stay in a wooden hut in the middle of a field in Venosc for 4 nights.
Venosc is handily placed for access to L2A, linked by a 8 min gondola and residents get a 20% discount on the day price of the lift pass – see, I’m not totally stupid. But that is probably where its advantages end
I had been advised that Venosc (pronounced Venosc) was dead, but they were wrong, it wasn’t as lively as that.
The first night we went off to find a restaurant. The first place had other guests but no food (well nothing that would suit my vegetarian offspring who won’t eat vegetables, fish, eggs, healthy food etc etc ), so on we travelled.
The only other restaurant that we found, felt like we were walking into someone else’s living room, there were only 3 other people eating there (plus a dog that went round grabbing food off the tables – mmm lovely, glad I didn’t have any of that bread  ) I think the lady was rather surprised to have visitors still, the food was warm and filling and it didn’t smell like the dog had tried it first.
A drawback with the gondola back from L2A to Venosc was that it finished at 7pm. Unwilling to risk the liveliness of a second night out in Venosc, we adopted the “eat and be smelly” approach the next night and ate early in L2A. Steaming ski clothes on the backs of our chairs seemed to have a strange effect on other would-be-punters and the restaurant remained surprisingly empty during our meal there I must write back and apologise for the low takings that night
This night revealed another problem with living in a wooden hut in a field in the middle of nowhere. There isn’t much hot water, and when Zit 3 managed to get shampoo in her eye, and in her attempt to wash it out, she managed to empty the hot water tank of its contents. Before I had showered 
With not much success on the eating out front, we then thought we’d try a bit of home cooking. Fresh pasta and a tomato sauce in a jar – I can turn my hand to anything. Pronounced as the best meal of the stay it was decided to repeat the event the following night.
This revealed yet another problem with living in a wooden hut in a field in the middle of nowhere. They haven’t sorted out the power supply. It may have been co-incidental, but having the heaters, lights and then the oven on caused the whole field to fuse and us and the other 3 chalets were plunged into pitch black.
An 8 min gondola ride to L2A becomes a 40 minute car ride but anything was preferable to sitting in a dark, cold wooden hut in the middle of a field so off we set, but by the time we got there our stomachs were noisier than the engine. Fortunately by the time we got home again, the power was restored, which was good as I had been remembering the thread about sleeping in the car overnight and had visions of us doing the same
What of the skiing? Well clear blue skies, lovely piste conditions (especially up high) and once we’d got up the mountain, there was very little queuing. The timing of the flights meant that we got 5 hours skiing on our first part-day, and then 3 full days, so plenty of time for us all.
Lessons with easiski had been prebooked and she was totally professional in taking Zit 2 through the requirements (as we had understood them) of edexcel GCSE PE. Just hope it works now but thanks again Charlotte.
Day 1 saw us having to split up to come down the mountain. Zit 2 wouldn’t ski the green, Zit 3 wouldn’t ski the black and apart from the lifts back down, they are the only options. I took Zit 3 down the green, took a wrong turn and found ourselves on the black  she didn’t like me for that.
Oh, if anyone finds a walkie-talkie then it could be the one that Zit 3 dropped. She had only had possession of it for 2 hours how she could be so clumsy is beyond me. (Of course it could also be the one that I dropped, but of course, that wasn’t down to any fault of my own). Hmmm, losing 2 out of 3 walkie talkies is not a good track-record and had we stayed longer and carried on at that rate the whole mountain would have been wired for sound.
So, was it a cheapie? Well, not as cheap as going in January, but for half term it was. For the 3 of us, the wooden hut in the middle of a field worked out at about £75 each for the part-week (including intermittent electricity and bedding), the flights were also about £75 each. Carhire and petrol worked out at about about £45 each. Pasta and tomato sauce €2 each (result  )
I am sure my economics GSE was cheaper for my parents, but definitely not as interesting an experience. Roll on April when we have to do it all again 
Executive summary for Frosty the Snowman:
We skied and it was good. Wooden huts in the middle of a field in the middle of nowhere are best left to cattle
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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One day you'll be able to look back and smile (of course you may have been sectioned by then)
Great story though.
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Mrs Zorro may be, though the girls may be a tad put out at being labelled as Zits 
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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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Ray Zorro, excellently told
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Ray Zorro, well. you won't forget that holiday in a hurry
I liked Venosc on an afternoon's visit - maybe that's the best way to visit it
FWIW, I think Les 2 Alpes is surprisingly good value for money. A 6-day lift pass for me in January worked out at €141 including Carte Neige cover.
The Lutins (a tad more comfortable than your pit) was €35/day for single occupancy. Perfect location, ace bar, lovely en-suite room, but very basic breakfast.
Transfer to/from Grenoble was €21 return - excellent buses but they did involve a lot of waiting around at the airport and the Grenoble bus station.
Overall, with top-notch instruction from easiski in a small group at snowheads prices, astonishingly good value for money. I am surprised it is not more popular, and hope to be out there again next season, with a small group.
Just to add icing to the cake, parking at the Slip-End carprk was under £22 - and access was not a hassle at the times I was travelling to and from Luton on Sundays.
Despite not a lot of fresh snow, I had a great time. I think my skis did, too. I'll find out tomorrow when spyderjon sees them 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Ray Zorro, next time you want a cheapo week, I suggest rent a car and stay in Bourg d'Oisans - 20/30 mins to resort (which ever one you choose), at least seven restaurants, most of them doing some kind of non-meat, couple of bars, one of them sporting a bit of teenage totty for your daughters to ogle. You can buy us a beer while you're there.
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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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Lizzard, ah, Bourg d'Oisans. I know it from camping near there one summer... Funny you should say that as I did think about staying there originally, but in fact Venosc was very convenient. I also considered driving there on the night of the powercut but wondered whether there would be the options - sounds like there would have been.
I didn't realise you were there, I had in mind you were Grenoble for some reason
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Ray Zorro, I believe we will be at L2A at the same time at Easter, all round yours for a sumptuous banquet perhaps?
achilles, but we did spend significantly more each evening on meal/drinks than on the overnight at Les Lutins. My Lift Pass was dearer than that, why?
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You know it makes sense.
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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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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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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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| Ray Zorro wrote: |
| ........ I agree about the lift pass price though, it was much more than achilles obtained ......... |
Here are Les 2 Alpes lift-pass prices. Cost for a 6 day pass for thsoe of (ahem) senior age is 126,40€, but as I said, I took out Carte Neige as well. Douce la la sécurité.
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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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achilles, a little too late for me to need now, but do you know what area the "symple" pass covers?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Ray Zorro, Oh, we have never used the clips, we tie ours to our pocket zips and then tuck them inside the pocket.
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IncogSkiSno, 10-4 Rubber Duck, but why radios .. do you not find it easier to ski?
Unless you go off -piste or have myriads of incogbrats ( or similar) then surely you're 'together' most of the time. What am I missing??
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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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IncogSkiSno, Aaarggh , OK now I understand.
The Good Lady and I move so slowly on the slopes that we are being entered in the Val d'Isere 'Cours d'Escargots' next year so hardly that need . French mobiles obviously help as well.
Given your propensity to lose kids would you mind taking my daughter skiing next time  ( Private joke folks , so my apologies)
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Ray Zorro, Excellent story! Hope the vid is OK - I didn't check I'm afraid.
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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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| Colin B wrote: |
| ...achilles, I was being very naughty because I knew full well why your pass was cheaper |
To be honest, I had forgotten the discount. I can see why Ray Z was puzzled - didn't mean to mislead.
Still think LDA is a great value place.
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achilles, I know you didn't  and I agree it is very reasonable. With easiski's help I've just organised a superbly priced Easter trip too.
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You know it makes sense.
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[quote="achilles"]
FWIW, I think Les 2 Alpes is surprisingly good value for money. A 6-day lift pass for me in January worked out at €141 including Carte Neige cover.
The Lutins (a tad more comfortable than your pit) was €35/day for single occupancy. Perfect location, ace bar, lovely en-suite room, but very basic breakfast.
Transfer to/from Grenoble was €21 return - excellent buses but they did involve a lot of waiting around at the airport and the Grenoble bus station.
Overall, with top-notch instruction from easiski in a small group at snowheads prices, astonishingly good value for money. I am surprised it is not more popular, and hope to be out there again next season, with a small group.
I agree totally with you here
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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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Ray Zorro, I've stayed in Bourg d'Oisans for a few days, it's a nice little place indeed. I might actually be in L2A in mid march - a boarder mate of mine wants another week away... yay!!! All depends on where we can find a cheap deal for 2 people.
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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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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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SnowHot, It's not quite that bad - chalets on a campsite with running water, heating, cooking and loos AFAIK. Many of my families stay there, he's just being funny! 
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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SnowHot, I never go into the Apres ski - sorry!
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easiski, wus!
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easiski, Will defo pop in and say hello if we end up going there. I haven't skied there before and fancy trying a high resort I haven't been to before.
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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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FAQ
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