 Poster: A snowHead
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It looks like I may be in for a better season this coming year, not only do I have a trip booked to Canada and a "partial" pass out for the ESA, but a few of the people from the Canada trip were inerested to hear of the idea of long weekends skiing without sprogs and want me to sort something out. Yehah 
We'll be a very mixed group, ranging from near beginners (one who only likes to ski a couple of hours & then do something else) to more experienced "first to last lift" skiiers (well me really). I think we'd like a bit of nightlife, but as there's eight of us we can make our own entertainment.
So, where to go? I can get reasonable priced flights to both Zurich and Geneva (nothing from this neck of the woods goes to Sion, Innsbruck or Turin) so the list could be,
Zurich; Flims/Laax (I've been twice), Kloster/Davos (went last year), Wengen (transfer a bit long?)
Geneva; Les Gets (a bit small?), Morzine (a bit low?), Megeve (a bit pricey?), Avoriaz (no weekend deals), Chamonix (no good for beginners?), Villars (bit small and low?), Verbier, Flaine (no weekend deals), La Clusaz (a bit low?) and Les Contamines.
So many to choose from  Does anyone think my comments are incorrect or too pessimistic? Any recommendations?
Cheers
Marc
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Flaine - great ski area, plenty of accomodation, limited nightlife
It would be cheaoper to book your own flights etc rather than look for a packaged weekend deal, I would say.
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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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Marc, a lot depends on when you want to go - good snow cover obviously widens your options considerably.
Of the options you list, the Portes du Soleil is a great, varied area for a mixed ability group - you could, for example, find yourselves a chalet in Les Gets or Morzine (good for beginners, while the experts can fall down the Wall at Avoriaz). Forget Cham (you will all end up skiing in different places). Flaine would be good - you should be able to find somewhere to stay in Les Carroz or Samoens for a weekend, as would Les Contamines (known for holding the snow well).
If you need to confuse yourself more, there are loads of Resorts near Geneva and a few more near Zurich. It's worth calling some of the independent chalets on spec - if they don't have room themselves they may know someone who does.
Hope that helps, 
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marc gledhill,
IMO length of transfer is only important if you are skiing on the day of arrival/ departure otherwise an hour here or there doesn't make a lot of difference.
I'm planning a midweek to midweek visit via Geneve (flights booked) in early Jan but am waiting to see what the snow is like before firming up on a resort.
I have a similair short list to yourself.
I have also thought of Crans Montana, Courmayeur. Last year I skied the Flaine area from Samoens, beautiful village no problem getting weekend accommodation in the low season. I also went to La Thuile probably a bit far from Geneva but great for most standards of skier (Apres ski v quiet).
Couple of other places. Friend went to Leysin and highly recommended it as he does not want to ski the same place twice we are not looking at it this time. I also looked at Val d'Anniviers, it seems to have a dodgy early season snow record so I probably won't go this year but looks attractive with plenty of skiing in the valley and high enough that there should be something decent in March.
If your going to Zurich you could consider the Arlberg or Montafon 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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Morzine Low? Depends on your point of view.
IMHO, yes, you might find the runs to resort a bit iffy and if there's precipitation then the village might get rain but often not. The beauty is you're in a huge area that often has great snow then. One often find oneself skiing in Avoriaz and upper Chatel in any condition just for fun.
Les Gets in its own right isn't huge - not tiny in an absolute sense but why go to an area with 650km of pistes and only be able to ski, err, about 80km. It's minimally higher than Morzine and if the Morzine/PDS links are in poor shape you'll be confined there.
But both probably get you inexpensive weekend accomodation (e.g. Hotel Rhodos in Morzine) and access into the Portes du Soleil area.
One thought might be to book rental cars as 1. it probably won't be any more expensive over a weekend than transfers and 2. that would let you drive straight to higher access into Avoriaz.
If it's any indication I've just booked myself 2 weekends in Morzine as late as mid and late April 05. (Don't you just love slushy bumps?)
!! BTW, avoid the french holidays although you probably will anyway:
Zone A 12/02/2005 au 28/02/2005
Zone B 5/02/2005 au 21/02/2005
Zone C 19/02/2004 au 07/03/2004
* Zone A : Caen, Clermont-Ferrand, Grenoble, Lyon, Montpellier, Nancy-Metz, Nantes, Rennes, Toulouse. * Zone B : Aix-Marseille, Amiens, Besancon, Dijon, Lille, Limoges, Nice, Orléans-Tours, Poitiers, Reims, Rouen, Strasbourg. * Zone C : Bordeaux, Créteil, Paris, Versailles.
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Ah, should have thought of Flaine/Samoens.
No-one near you fly to Milan either? That would open up Aosta, etc. although a longer transfer.
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Marc, of the ones you've mentioned, I think Megève would probably suit the '2 hour skier' best, while providing a good amount of linked terrain for the rest of you. I've been going every Feb in a large group (about 60) including 2 ladies who don't ski at all.  There's loads of shops (pricey, yes), public swimming pool, indoor and outdoor ice rinks, etc, etc. There's also plenty of walking itineries. Many of the mountain restaurants are accessible to walkers for meeting up at lunch. Lots of good restaurants and bars in town for the evening.
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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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J2Dave, a helpful list but are you sure (on your website) that Villars is less than 1.5 hours from Zurich?
marc gledhill, we did Ischgl from Zurich last year which would suit your group (2.5 hours max by car), but there are other places around there that you could also consider including the often well-mentioned Galtur.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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J2Dave,
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I mean I find the snow in Les Gets on the 25th March is just so much more agreeable than Flaine on the 24th, and going anywhere on the 23rd, well...
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I think you have got it wrong again the 25th is fine for La Rosiere, the week before you should be in Wengen, if you dont want door to door skiing and the Meteo is OK then Bourg St Maurice is usually reliable from the 26 th onwards. But to be absolutley certain you really need to book well ahead and go to Bansko 
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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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J2Dave, Ah, sorry.  Nice site BTW.
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marc gledhill, St Anton is just about do-able for a long weekend. Engleberg and Andermatt are within easy reach of Zurich, but you'll have to make or bring your own entertainment, as these two are both pretty quiet resorts.
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You know it makes sense.
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Again, thanks everyone. I must admit I looked hard at Megeve. However it seems I forgot about the Easter school holidays. This has put me back to mid-April, so I think I'll really need the altitude to be sure of decent snow.
So, could well be a village in the Flaine area, the web is calling me............
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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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put me back to mid-April
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Mark, I think if you are headed to the Flaine area - great skiing, but the links to the other resorts can be iffy at that time of year for beginner / early intermediates, and the peripheral villages are all lower and less snowsure. We have hired an apartment for 8 for a week, used it for a weekend and still had an incredibly reasonable weekend. Look at www.ernalow.co.uk
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Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks Martin,
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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marc gledhill,
If you are going mid april you probably dont need to worry about weekend availability in any resort, most places will be half empty.
Although april has been pretty good for skiing in most resorts in recent years personally I would wait untill late just in case it turns out to be very warm with little snow and you need to go really high.
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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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Yes, great skiing in Flaine; I've been there in April a few times, and have always had good conditions. It has wide open pistes for beginners and intermediates; and for the more advanced, the off-piste doesn't get skied out(as quickly) as the more popular resorts.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Kit whats your experience of the Grand Massif links and the blue piste back into Flaine so late in the season?
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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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Thank you all for your help, as suggested we've booked the flights already - and were able to get mid-March after some advaced toadying to the childcare back here
We've opted for Geneva for a change, have a great deal on car hire, and I am about to start emailing all 2* and 3* Hotels I can find recomendations on in Morzine, Les Carroz and Les Contamines. Can't wait.
..................but if anyone has any email addy's for accomodation in those resorts?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Marc, what are your dates& how many, we've got some space in the w/c 13th March. If you're looking at PdS, Les Carroz, Contamines etc, maybe we could tempt you to La Rosiere?
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Marc, have a look on here , you might find something .
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Marc, last season I went to Courmayeur and flew from Stanstead to Turin with Ryanair (extremely cheap even when booked close to the time). We went with a company called FlexibleBreaks who included transfers and accomodation. This also allowed us to go to La Thuile (higher and better snow at the time we went, second week in March). I notice that you live in Yorkshire, but the drive from the North East to Stanstead was not too bad.
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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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Wengen is a good family resort. The cog-railway up through (really) the Eiger (with a stop for the view from half way up the North Face) and on up to the glacier-top; or down and then up to Murren and the top for the James Bond revolving restaurant: both good outings for those not wanting to ski all the time. And no traffic which is nice.
It is slightly limited for the expert skier, but I doubt that's a problem.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I am new but found info on this thread really interesting..... I have been looking for a weekend and have been looking heavily at Davos.... any comments?
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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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What did you end up booking then marc ?
Another option that you could've considered are some of the Italian resorts throught the Mont Blanc tunnel.
La Thuile(+ La Rossiere), Cervinia (+Zermatt) plus loads of others.
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craigb, welcome to snowheads. haasn't Davos lost it's appeal somewhat since the G8 summit?
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You know it makes sense.
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craigb, how rude of me. Sorry,welcome to snowHeads. No comments on Davos though, sorry
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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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It's Davos or Flims for me.... any preferences...... any suggestions on budget accomodation in either place? At the moment I have a quote from a place called Solaria but I am unsure of location and ease of access.
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Poster: A snowHead
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We stayed at Hotel Waldeck in Flims Waldhaus very friendly and traditional right next to the bus station where Chur bus stops. They have their own website and I have booked direct before.
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