 Poster: A snowHead
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4 weeks today myself and a group of 4 others head out for 4 days stay in Les Houches.
Questions
- Will les houches ski area alone be enough for us for 4 days? (off piste not considered)
- If not, how easy is it to get about the valley without a car?
- Eating / drinking out whats it like? What will we be expecting to pay?
- What is the Thurdays night skiing like and on what piste is it?
- What are the current conditions like?
- Any other advice / recent photographs would be appreciated
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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We just got back from 3 days in Les Houches. We did not ski the area there.
Day 1 we drove to Les Grand Montets, days 2 and 3 we took the bus to Flegere and Brevent. The bus was easy, but be away that the schedule is only a rough indication. The bus to Les Grand Montets may have been a bit much, I was glad we had a car.
We ate once at the hotel (Hotel Antione) and the other nights in Chamonix. Be aware that after 19.30, there are only two buses back to Les Houches (21.30 and 23.20). Planning around this is not a lot of fun. We took a taxi home on New Years and it cost €50 for four people (not too bad, really).
Conditions were great for us, not sure what's happened since.
I've got photos here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48566742@N00/sets/72157603635293911/
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Renry, six of us are off to les houches in mid march for a mid week 3 day break , have been told enough skiing there for a couple of days then have one day eleswhere. also we are planning one big night out in chamonix (late taxi back) and a couple of nights out in les houches which is quiet but very pleasant for a few beers and a good meal.
will look forward to your thoughts. have a great time 
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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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that sounds a little how I think our trip will plan out Neilski,
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Been to Les Houches quite frequently while I ran a static caravan there.
There is 55 km piste. Whether this is enough depends on your level. It is quite hard for beginners because the red and black runs are quite steep and the upper section is full of trees, leaving even fewer piste to try. Piste 2 is red and Piste 1 is black but they share the same route for 50% of the length ( It is the run you can see from the valley floor). It is an enjoyable resort if one has no problem with the red slopes. There are 2 Black, 11 red, 6 blue and 2 Green
The resort Le Tour/Vallorcine at the opposite of the valley is a better bet for early intermediates because it is bigger, wider, flatter and the 12 blue runs outnumber the 7 red runs. For absolute beginner at the bottom of Le Tour there is a very flat area ( 3 drag lifts, 2 green and 1 blue ) and it not linked to the Le Tour/Vallorcine which must be accessed by a gondola. The beginner area is cheaper if you do not go up the resort above.
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Will les houches ski area alone be enough for us for 4 days? (off piste not considered)
Depends on conditions, your level and your approach to skiing. If you are a 'run collector' one day will suffice.
- If not, how easy is it to get about the valley without a car?
With a tourist card(if your accommodation doesn't provide them, ask at the Tourist Office) you have access to buses and trains......using the latter you can have a leisurely trip to Argentiere and Vallorcine stations and ski those areas. Lunch in the V. station is usually good. LH station is a 10-15min walk out of town depending on where you're staying.
- Eating / drinking out whats it like? What will we be expecting to pay?
Quiet. Dinner + wine....20-30euros? depends on your appetite.
- What is the Thurdays night skiing like and on what piste is it?
The beginners slope, Le Tourchet, in the village. Fun for beginners! Can be fun for others if you try something different like snowboarding.
- What are the current conditions like?
Check the website.
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From memory nice pplace to spend a day skiing or 2 if all open. After that, you would want to check out the other areas in cham. Slightly sceptical as to there being as much as 55km of piste.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Renry, Don't write off the skiing in Les Houches - the long runs back down to the resort through the trees (red / black) are good (but can be icy) and there are some crackers on the other side of the ridge heading down towards St Gervais which have great views of the valley below. Due to being in the trees more Les Houches can be much better than the other Chamonix areas if the weather is not too good.
I have never used the Chamonix buses much but with a car you can access lots of great skiing within half an hour - Brevent / Flegere, Le Tour, Argentiere, St Gervais / Combloux / Megeve and Les Contamines.
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is les houches linked to any other ski area by lift rather than using the bus as we only have three days skiing and want to make most of time on slopes ??
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Les houches is only linked via Bus
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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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... and train.
But no, not by lift.
Getting the bus to Flegere or Brevent is very easy. Just get up early and you can be there when it opens.
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Neilski, you can get the mountain railway to St Gervais and then access the whole St Gervais/Megève area. It's a bit of a walk from the train stop to the Bettex lift though.
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You know it makes sense.
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Neilski, what do you mean by "late" taxi back?
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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Neilski,
1. Taxi Buton Tel: +33 (0)6 07 19 70 36 seemed good when we used them 6 weeks ago but he was not happy with a post-midnight pickup. Very reasonable though.
2. Better than the Grands Montets... I don't pay attention too well to these things but I think that there are some nice beginner slopes up at the top of Les Houches - although that beginner lesson may include an early poma experience. Well, you have to learn sometime don't you? We're big LH fans - great for mixed groups, good on mountain restaurants, nice tree skiing.
I hate to give away secrets but based one one visit "Les Marmottes" restaurant at the bottom of the Prarion lift is well worth a visit...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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as previously stated the reason for our three day trip to les houches/chamonix is to celebrate my sons 21st birthday, and really want to make it a great night out, cause his younger brother is a fussy so and so with food we have to forgo a real posh nosh place or even a typically french place, therefore we have settled on italian. i seem to have a choice of three and would like to know if anyone has an opinion on any of them
1/ Casa Valerio
2/ La Dolce Vita
3/ La Spiga d'Oro
really just want somewhere with a great atmosphere and decent food, let me know what you think, thanks 
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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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Neilski, Casa Valeria is our "standby" regular, or whenever we can't make a decision. Pizzas are excellent, truly excellent - at least in our opinion. And they do a cheese free one (tomato, basil & garlic that Mrs M adores). If La Dolce Vita is the one next door (I think it is) it's owned and operated (I understand) by the same family, albeit with a slightly different menu. Quieter, smaller, but we've liked it too.
La Spiga d'Oro - not a clue. Where is it? Oh, now I see. Haven't tried it.
I'd go for Casa - bustling, always busy, even in mid November - but make sure you book!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Casa Valerio every time. The Dolce vita is nice, smaller and prettier, but doesn't do pizzas or the fantastic seafood tagliatelle of Casa Valerio.
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firebug, not a seafood fan but Mrs M adores that too. And being 1/2 Italian and daughter of a chef, she should know.
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David Murdoch, thanks have booked "casa valerio" through our hotel with a lift back at midnight, 
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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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David Murdoch, are the nursery slopes at the top of the les houches gondola suitable for a complete beginners first turns
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Hmmmm........for a complete beginner they would probably be intimidating, but they are used for adult beginner classes by ski school.....the Mont Blanc piste at the top of the Bellevue cable car is almost flat.......but to get a beginner from there to the top of the gondola as s/he progresses would involve some walking. Why not try the Le Tourchet piste in the village if there is sufficient snow.....it's meant for beginners.......but it means you'd be separated. If s/he is plucky enough, head for the top of the gondola!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Neilski, I'm not really the best opinion to take on that. But given that a first day may well involve simply walking up and down then there are some very gentle slopes there.
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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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Can anyone recomend which moutain restaurant to use in Les Houches. Pizzas/pastas and beers prefered.
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