Serre Chevalier Musts . . .

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Mark Hunter, the Mexican is now La Tryptique.

A snowHead

Can't recommend any restaurants as I only spent one day skiing in Serre Chevalier las year & we loved the skiing so much we didn't stop for food or anything else the whole day - we just went for it hell for leather with the skiing. It was one of the best days skiing I've ever had. We had a brilliant day - enjoy!

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

We went to SC twice last year and stayed at le livre blanc. Nice pub, excellent food, friendly staff. The only problem was the building was built on top of the drains and got a bit smelly and the rooms were very basic. we were told that Inghams were selling the place. however, noted that the hotel was still being promoted by them.

We have phoned them but most of the staff have left, but could anyone give there views on what it is like this season. We want to go back to SC in march and looking for good value accomodation

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kevducky, not sure, as I've never stayed there, and we're usually in Monetier now. Have you tried looking at the 'Rif Blanc' in Monetier, as it has been refurbished and the food was lovely when we had dinner there.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

kevducky, I sincerely hope Inghams aren't selling it, as it doesn't belong to them. They are definitely running it this season though, because they're advertising for hotel staff.

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Yes I do apologise. They had a lease on it last year and were nott going to renew. In previous years apparently it had a poor reputation and then they got a new manger in who seemed to turn it around. He lft though at the end of last season.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Oooh we nearly booked the Livre Blanc, but I believe there was a write-up on Trip Advisor that also mentioned the smell. Confused

After all it is free

It has lots of character, decent food and a cozy atmoshere. When they say lots of character though, each room is different. It tends to be a lottery on what quality of room you get. the first time we had a bath which was about 30 inches long. second time we had a lovely room.

I like the Lievre Blanc a lot - stayed there around 4 years ago and we had a great time - staff were excellent (Inghams) and I'd definitely go back. I can't recall smelling any drains but I'm not completely surprised - when I worked in Serre Che in the late '80s and early '90s I used to drink in the bar there a lot and it was a problem sometimes (the drains not my drinking in the bar Very Happy

). After my last trip I'd assumed they'd fixed the problem but possibly not.

The Frejus hotel (where I worked) used to have occasional problem with it's drainage as well - normally with erm...stuff...coming up from the drains in the kitchen. Not nice Shocked

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BUMP

Just a week to go, so I thought I would bring this thread to the top again:

1. To make me feel better after the $hit week I've had Sad

2. For thsoe who may not have seen this thread to add their two-penneth-worth Toofy Grin

3. Any predictions for weather/snow conditions too ?

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IncogSkiSno, snowing quite hard all morning and more on Sunday. Looking good.

snow reports

chris Checked on snow forecast via SCGB and seems there is more during the week too. Lets hope that even if that is it on the snow front, that it at least stays cold. Getting excited now!

Does anyone know if the Snowboarding Championships are on in SC next week, as our friends seems to think they are ?

You know it makes sense.

Just returned froma week at the Lievre Blanc with the family

I have tried to answer the various points posed below:-

1. Yes the Lievre Blanc is still run by Inghams , there is talk of it being pulled down and started again as apparently it would be cheaper to rebuild than maintain the current building, although no smells during our stay.

2. It is being run by a female manager this year and the food remains very good as previously suggested. As it was half term there were plently of kids staying who were well looked after, the service was very good on the whole with wholesome hearty meals.

3. We stayed in the apartment which has 2 twin rooms and a lounge with a bed in. The facilities were on the whole good, only slight criticism was that the beds were a little on the small side , although at 6 ft 2 this can often be the case. The 2 twin rooms were quite basic but more than adequate.

4. The biggest issue was the transpot to the resort, flight to Grenoble from Gatwick was ok, but the First Choice crew on duty on the way out had no personality and the aircraft was old and tired ( B 757 ), although we were fed a hot breakfast, which strangely had no tea or coffee served with it?
The transfer was a nightmare. Out of the airport inside 45 mins ( I consider anything less than an hour from the steps of the plane to the coach to be good ). No waiting for another flight, WOW...........
The rep then told us that the traffic was a nightmare... ( ok it is half term and Paris to boot) but the coach had a toilet, ah but it isn't working.
Out of the airport and onto the motorway all good so far, then Grenoble. 2 hours passed and only just off the motorway onto the Bourg D'Oisans road..........Another 1.5 hours and we reach Bourg D'Osians, many cross legged kids meant a stop in the coach depot just outside Bourg with the Alpe DHuez and 2 Alpes coaches from the same flight all sharing 2 dirty workshop toilets and a coffee machine. Sense prevailed and we wandered back up the road to the Total garage on the main road, whos owner must have thought all his Christmasses had come at once!!!
Back on the road and once passed the Alpe DHuez turn the traffic thinned and up on the Lauteret. Then the driver ran out of hours!!! He stopped for 20 mins then continued. we arrived in Serre Che at 17.35 having left the airport at Noon.........

We had a great week and the snow that had come down the previous week and on our first day ( last Sunday ) meant the piste were in great shape, very impressed with the ski area, it must be the only place I have been where there are no long walks after a misjudged schuss on a flat section.Weather was great, yes the snow was very spring like towards the end of the week and some lower runs were looking a bit worse for wear, but there was still some great off piste in the trees to be had.

Only minor complaint about the skiing , apart from the out of control Fench skiers who should have been in ski school , but instead spent their time colliding with 2 of the 4 friends we skied with and many others we witnessed, was some strange lift upgrades creating bottle necks.... e.g. to go from Chantermerle village back up you have a cable car, a 4 person gondola and a 6 man chair, no problem, however if you take the 6 man, you end up with a 4 man or drag to complete the journey to Grand Alpe. Even worse to get to Briancon and back, the 6 man Prorel leads to a drag!!! as the piste down by the Rocher Blanc chair is south facing and very stoney at the being of the week and unskiable although still open at the end of the week. I suppose outside of the peak this would be not such a big issue, but the queues at these bottlenecks was reminicent of the 80's.

The return transfer ( back to the airport in 2.25hours ) was very quick, so much so that 4 kids returned their breakfast to the coach floor on the way down the Lauteret, resulting in smelly coach, smelly parents, as we cleaned up the kids ( me included ) and a very peeved driver, even the rep admitted to feeling a bit queesy, so how fast was the driver going?

Overall a good value for money half term holiday with an internet discount from Inghams........

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

RDSpearing, Great report ! We are fly into Chambery, so not sure if that is a longer transfer than yours. Confused

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IncogSkiSno, even longer Shocked

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IncogSkiSno, you are going at the start of the final week of the French holidays though, so the traffic may be a bit better. Only one lot of Fench kids will be on holiday that week.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Helen Beaumont, Yes the ones down South wink

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and our kids! we are the same band as marseille!

The snow here at the mo people is aboslutely amazing!

if you flying to chambery, its more expensive to use the frejus tunnel but i'd say it were worth it and it will take you approx 2 hours if you go that way. It will also avoid the colls that close if it snows.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

snowangel., Do you know if the Snowboard Championships are on during 3 - 10 March?

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I did ask the rep why we did not use the Frejus tunnel, although this appeared to be a longer way round it nust have surely been quicker with the bottleneck which is the road to Bourg D'Oisans.... He said he did not know but my guess is it is all about cost. There was I suppose the alternative of via Gap, even longer way round but at least we would have been moving....... we normally drive but size of car V size of 3 teenage boys now precludes this..... Interestingly at 7.30am yesterday morning they were already queueing into Bourg for about 5km's, although I noted that they are trying it would appear to build a bypass, does anyone know when this is likely to be finished?

Since writing this morning I have been told that the driver on the way back had a couple of narrow escapes on the way down from the Lauteret, involving coaches coming the other way on the narrow sections and almot removing the side of a car going through La Grave ( I do remember the first which was by the 2 Alpes turn off but busy catching sick at the time!!

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

RDSpearing, there was a diversion around the back of Bourg d'Oisans when we were last through in January. I would also make a complaint to the tour op regarding the dangerous driving of the coach driver.

After all it is free

I did make a verbal complaint at the time to the rep and will follow this up with an email.It is strange that 4 kids, all over the age of 10 so therefore less prone to sickness were sick and the rep also admitted to feeling the same.
My view was that 2.25 hours for that journey ( about 140km ) is far too quick in a full size coach especially as the descent down toward Grenoble on the Lauteret is far more dangerous than that towards Serre Che. When you bear in mind that it was mostly completed in the half light of the dawn, makes it doubly bad in my view......

It says it is 3 hours in the Inghams brochure and brochure transfer times must be calculated based on some facts and relative experiences!!

RDSpearing, most definitely too fast. We did the same journey from Monetier in January, and it was around 2.5hrs in a car to the turnoff for the airport, and there wasn't any traffic, and good driving conditions, and for once we weren't caught behind any slow vehicles.

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IncogSkiSno, i've just asked my son and he dont know, but was very interested! But he rides with the club here so i thought he would have known! I'll try and find out!.

now re this timing from grenoble to serre che. It takes me on a good day 2.25 hours to the airport from my house which is 10 to 15 mins past monetier. It takes 30 mins from La Grave, 45 mins from the Dam (2 alpes turning) and 1 hour from Bourg (do you think i may have done this journey a few to many times??? lol

the frejus is many more miles and the tunnel is very expensive but because the roads are faster its quicker. It took me 2.25 hours in the summer inc 2 stops (one for petrol and one for money) to get to my son in hospital, i was very impressed!

I would think that the coach firm would do the cheapest and shortest route.

Incidentally, (i've not done it since november so i dont know if its finished yet) but they are building a by pass road to bypass bourg and the next village (or two) down, which should make things a little easier.

To be honest if you asked me where to fly to to get here i would always tell you to come to Turin as the road is so much better. Marseille is another option. I always tell people to avoid grenoble/chambery/lyon like the plague due to the problems when it snows massively.

I hope you guys get a clear run through

snow reports

snowangel. There was a bypass round one of the villages closer to Grenoble from Bourg but cannot remember which.
Just for info we stopped at a cafe just as the road straightens between the LDA turn and Bourg ( I remember it for the sign which said English and Italian spoke). On the uphill side of the road, to clean the coach up. We stopped there at 7.20 having left Villenuvue at 6.15am. The sign said 54 kms to Grenoble. I reckon we were about half way to Grenoble at this point??? therefore the coach was averaging about 55km/h Shock

I am just glad that it was not icy or snowing Evil or Very Mad

RDSpearing, yeh that does sound a bit scary, but to be honest i'm normally going 70+ on them roads

thats km not miles!

You know it makes sense.

Help!!

Serre Chevalier Musts . . .

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