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Weekends from Yorkshire

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
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 Little Angel
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
kewhoward, welcome to snowheads snowHead

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?
Welcome to snowHeads 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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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.
Chambery from Leeds, or Basel from Liverpool are options worth considering....
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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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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Grenoble to Chamrouse - 40 mins (apparently).
http://www.crystalski.co.uk/destinations/france/chamrousse/chamrousse.html
Crystal are doing a free lift pass all season with hols to Chamrousse and I think you'll be able to fly from East Mids (Derby) or Birmingham, pretty easy airports to get to from the north.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
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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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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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.
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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So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
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. snowHead
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
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:
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
Poster: A snowHead
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 snowHead
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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?
Which airline is that masmith?
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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.
kewhoward,

I use Jet2 from Leeds Bradford to Geneva and usually go Wednesday (dead early) to Saturday (late as possible). This gives Wednesday PM, Thursday, Friday and Saturday to ski and your also there while the slopes are a little quieter (ie not over the weekend like anyone else).

I found a lot of the budget airlines flying from the North only have flights on Saturdays to/from Geneva which is a pain - I think BMI baby fly from Manchester to Geneva each day of the week so this may be an option for you.

You seem to really be wanting to minimise time off work so would Thursday or Friday (early) through to Sunday (late) work for you ?

Regarding hire car availability, I use www.holidayautos.com - you could log on and check the times this site allows you to book - also a very good price usually wink

Welcome to Snowheads Very Happy
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kewhoward,
Don't know how long it will take you to drive to Doncaster, but as a Donny lass who lives 10 minutes drive from the airport Very Happy, I can confirm that when you get there the car park is right outside the terminal, so it will only take you a few minutes to walk from your car to Departures. Although I'm sure you'll be depressed to learn that the shopping opportunities within the tiny airport are limited rolling eyes
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
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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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
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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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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PamG, Dasright - and we're on this Thursday's flight - snowHead snowHead snowHead

masmith, if you search on my name you'll find my plans in detail! (from other threads about weekends)

snowHead
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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.
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... snowHead
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
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 Very Happy
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
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:
Ok - in the spirit of full disclosure (I was meaning to work it out anyway....)

Flights: Thompsonfly Doncaster -Geneva - £90 return incl taxes

Car parking: £32 (£16 each)

Car hire - 4 days - £90 (£45 each)

Petrol - £12 (£6 each)

Hotel (Bois de la Char, Les Carroz - on the piste) 85 euros per person per night half board = 340 euros = £255

Pass: "Happy Days" Massif only pass (ie Les Carroz, Morillon, Samoens) works for 1 sat, 1 sun and 1 weekday 58.50 euros = £44 Bargain!

Pass - One day Flaine pass (we drove up to Vernant and parked free there and skiied over Grand Vans to Flaine - first tracks - fantastic!)
32 euros = £24

Ski hire: see web sites but I paid for top quality slis (have own boots) at 65 euros = £49


So ex beer and lunches (but including evening meals and brekkie) this comes to (gulp) £534

Only snacked at lunch so kept it down to 10 - 15 euros per day for a hot sandwich and drink stops etc

Interested to hear what you think but given I normally spend this on taking out my other half shopping and for a nice meal on a saturday wink Laughing it seems like a bargain to me! snowHead

Butterfly, Thanks - its good to be back but can't wait to go again....
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