Poster: A snowHead
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Hi - as anybody got any advice on putting together a weekend trip from the Leeds area?
I'm trying to find flights on Thursday night - but looking at the M62 airports (Liverpool, Man, Leeds, Doncaster) there's not much choice - Geneva from Liverpool or Doncaster is all I've managed to find
So - if it's Geneva does anyone know how late you can get a hire car - earliest I'd be there would be 9 pm - or is it better to stay at the airport and get out early next morning?
Then...where to head for - I've been to Flaine before and was thinking maybe the bottom of Grand Massif to save a late night drive up the hill - and to find somewhere for 3 nights only.
I'm hoping for a mid Jan trip
Any advice gratefully received
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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kewhoward, welcome to snowheads
I have arrived in Geneva after 9.30pm and the car hire desk was open - mine was the last rental of the day. However, if it happened in future I would just stay over at one of the many airport hotels and then drive to the slopes in the morning first thing.
Chamonix is close by but we were in Les Arcs in three hours.
You could also use the train to a swiss resort ?
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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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Welcome to s kewhoward.
The car hire desks are generally open until 22:30 or 23:00 - depending on the company. They seem to be reasonably reasonable about late flights - so if they've got a few cars booked by passengers on the same flight and it's late they do seem to hang about. The latest I've walked away with a car is just after midnight. My flight landed at 22:00 - just don't ask what happened.
There's a thread on car hire discounts here.
If it's your first trip I'd "stay local" - Chamonix, Megeve, Flaine or Morzine/Les Gets - which are all within 75 minutes of the airport.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Ryanair fly to Milan (Bergamo) from Liverpool at 18:20
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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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Chambery from Leeds, or Basel from Liverpool are options worth considering....
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks for the advice - it's great to find such an active forum! The train sounds interesting - Does anybody know the shortest airport to slopes journey?
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Hi kewhoward, I've done a considerable number of three/four day trips from Leeds over the last few years. Options for you would be drive to L'pool and get late Thursday night flight to Geneva, then return on late Sunday night. Gives you pretty much three full days skiing. No problem with car hire, even when the flight's a bit delayed I've always been OK. Other option is Leeds to Geneva with Jet2 early Friday am. Gets in about 1030 to Geneva, so you can ski Friday afternoon, then all day Saturday and Sunday and return 2115 Sunday evening. There are loads of resorts within 90 mins of Geneva and mid Jan shouldn't be a major problem with regard to getting accomodation.
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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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jet2.com do Chambery from Manchester & Leeds/Bradford.
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Kenzie wrote: |
jet2.com do Chambery from Manchester & Leeds/Bradford. |
And Geneva.
Sadly I think BA have sacked their flights to Swiss airports from Manchester now.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks again - the challenge for us wage slaves is max snowtime vs min annual leave usage - Don't know where Jet2's planes go at night but its not from Leeds to the alps...all their flights are early morning which uses half a day of precious time.
Manchester also seems to early morning for the cheapies and middle of the day for Swissair (and as you say no BA)
Is this a marketing opportunity for the budget airlines? Given Jet2's phenomenal success from Leeds you'd think the demand would come forward.
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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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kewhoward, We are doing Thomsonfly Manchester to Salzburg. Out 6.15 am Sat return 19.40 Tueday. Loads of resrts within 60 mins of Salsburg
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In case anybody is interested - this is what I've ended up doing.....
Thursday 6pm Thompsonfly from Robin Hood (Doncaster) to Geneva
4 nights half board in Les Carroz (Grand Massif - 50 mins from airport?)
Car hire
Monday 21:30 pm flight back from geneva
= 4 full days skiing for 2 days off work! If snow is poor at Les Carroz then we'll drive up the mountain to Flaine.
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You know it makes sense.
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kewhoward, over the years I've found the extra hour drive to Luton opens up so many more options, prices usually cheaper and more choice of flight times.
e.g. Luton - Zurich, then train to one of many great Swiss resorts ... or St Anton.
... suppose it depends which part of Yorkshire you're in though, quite a difference between Sheffield and, say Harrogate !
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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 masmith - I'm north leeds so nearer harrogate than Sheff (and very near LBA!)
I think the margin for error on the drive to Luton means that I'd need extra time off work - though I would like to be able to get to a hub other than Geneva. I still surprised that Jet2 haven't found a way of scheduling that really works for the max skiing minimum time off.
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Poster: A snowHead
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how about Liverpool to Granada Ryanair do it for about £34 return and its about 30 mins to Sierra Nevada PM me if you need hotel details etc
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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best I can think of is Manchester > Salzburg, fly out 15:55 Thursday, return flight at 20:05 Sunday.
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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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Which airline is that masmith?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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kewhoward, sorry, I meant to say, it is Thomsonfly.
Should have thought of that earlier as I'm booked on those flights 17-20 Jan, I just got in in my head you wanted Geneva, but plenty of good weekend options from Salzburg ...
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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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PamG, Doncaster airport is great, it's just a shame that Thomsonfly don't cater for the weekend skier, as others have said, flights tend to be Sat-Sat only. I look forward to the day that other airlines start operating out of Doncaster and we can make much more use of it. The car park, as you say, is ideal. Who cares about the shops, there's a bar.
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kewhowerd, Assuming you want to start higher, the Vernant car park is the best bet. Half the drive and no parking hassle as there is in Flaine.
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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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Which resorts are around Salzburg?? PM Me plz
Rob
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masmith, Thomsonfly go to Geneva from Doncaster Thursday/Friday return Sunday/Monday, which I would have thought would have been ideal for a weekend.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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Just go back - my weekend plan ran like a dream - on time from Donny great parking as promised by PamG, to Geneva- car hire waiting at Geneva - 1 hour to the hotel. Great 4 days skiing (see Flaine snow report) BUT plane diverted to East Midlands last night due to fog! Booger. After waiting for coaches at East Midlands to get to Doncaster finally got home at 4:30 am rather than planned 11:30 pm. Oh well - back to work today to catch up on the sleep.....An almost perfect ski weekend from Yorkshire...
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What was the total cost of the weekend, if you don't mind me asking, kewhoward?
I am in very much the same boat as you in terms of location and ability to slope off for a long weekend
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You know it makes sense.
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kewhoward, welcome home!
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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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