 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all,
My Dad, Uncle and I (and maybe my sister and my uncle's daughters) are looking to go on a long weekend style trip (Friday - Monday), so while I'm at home recovering from mild man flu, I thought I'd ask the wonderful bank of knowledge for some advice.
I think we'd be looking at France or Switzerland.
My dad suggested using the ski-train, just because it's easier than doing all the change overs between flights and coaches etc.
So does anyone know of good places to go / have experience of long weekend skiing breaks?
Many thanks,
Si
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The ski train would be a good way to ski Les Arcs or the others around that area. Have a look at holidayloverxx's thread on her day away for info on that...
What you do largely depends on (a)budget, (b)level of ease of organisation that you want (c)level of comfort that you desire and (d) what type of resort you want. I would have thought that the train would be expensive but the organisation would be easy. It just depends on what is your main governing criterion.
Alternatively if you want cheap, then skiweekends.com overnight coach trips are hard to beat, or finding a cheapish flight and booking it all yourself would be cheaper than the train.
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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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Mr.Si, Hi, I've done the Friday to Monday trip for the past few years, early March. Couple of times from Geneva, we've gone to Flaine which is less than an hour by car. We also flew to Toulouse and then drove to Baqueria in the Spanish Pyrenees, great for a weekend, so much cheaper to live than in the Alps.
This year we're off to Innsbruck and probably heading for Mayrhofen. Whichever you do try and avoid school hols as accommodation is at a premium. Have fun 
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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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Not sure about the snow train, but my recent weekend to Les Contamines broke down like this:
Manchester to Geneva (BMI Baby Flight £70 each including ski carriage)
Landed in Geneva at 9:15 and collected hire car (booked through the Holiday Autos link that is all over this site - £60 for 4 days)
Arrived in Les Contamines at about 10:45am, found accomodation (easy), dumped stuff, got changed and drove to lift (free car park).
On the slopes and skiing by 1pm. Skied Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Home on Monday morning.
Les Contamines was awesome - I would fully recommend it.
The only thing about my weekend that I would change is that I would try and get a return flight late on Sunday instead of early Monday - this would have cut my costs quite significantly (i.e. one meal out less, one nights accomodation less and less car hire).
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Do long weekend trips at least 2 or 3 times a season....
I book a cheap flight, preferably to Lyon or Chambery, but Geneva is fine too, then drive to Villaroger. Transfer time has never been more than 2 1/2 hours (Geneva). Obvious advantages to me are that I am staying with friends (cheap bed and board), and have the bonus of being able to ski where ever the snow is at it's finest in the Tarantaise - Les Arcs, Ste Foy, La Rosiere, Tignes or Val d'Isere are all within 25 minutes....
Realistically, an early evening flight on the Thursday means I am there in time for a few beers, then 3 days skiing and a late evening flight back on the Sunday(if available) or Monday(4 days skiing)....you would not get much more skiing in if you were to go for a full week, but you have only taken 2 days holiday - always a winner in my book
Flights - £whatever - usually between £50 and £80
Car - £100ish - split between whoever is travelling
Accomodation - £varies - sometimes free, always put something back in the kitty
Lift passes - £depends where we ski on a particular day
Beer - £hundreds 
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Thanks everyone for your feedback so far. It's all very useful info and stuff I can feedback to my dad.
I think I was thinking Chamonix or Les Arcs as 2 good places to go, given the varying abilities of our group.
Dunno what the budget is, I think "we" were just looking around to see what there was available really.
I think it'll end up being a flight thing, rather than a train thing - I think we'd rather pay more and go on a non-coach-travel travel arrangement! I have experience of 22 hours on an Oak Hall coach, and although they're nice coaches, 22 hours is not fun!
I shall let people know what we do!
And maybe do a trip report, if we do go. Although, it'd be difficult to beat HolidayLoverxx's report.
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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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Mr.Si, I thang yow
seriously, snojito has just posted on my report that he has booked TGV berths for £200 and he and miss S are going to Les Arcs Fri night out sun night back - 2 full day skiing, £200.
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