 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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What date are you going out? I'll be out there next week.
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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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23rd to 30th. Wanted to go earlier but the missus couldn't get the days off. Still, let's hope the snow that's forecast stays good 
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Specialman, you'll be fine.
There's a little train thing between the bottom of Pleney and Super Morzine. Alternatively you can walk in a about 5 minutes. Though it'll take more if MrsSpecialman is in a shopping mood 
From Super Morzine it's a gentle 20 minutes to Avoriaz village or the Linderats bowl - from which the world is your lobster. The runs across are very gentle.
Given the runs that MrsSpecialman enjoys then you really can't go wrong in Les Gets / Morzine. The bowl has lots of lovely runs into it and is a good place to head for on the first day. Lyottys (top of the Nauchetts lift) is a great place for a first lunch. (+33 4 50 34 92 09).
Chez Nannon, just above the tree line under the Troncs lift is also well worth searching out, but you must book - +33 4 50 79 21 15 - they do two services 12 and 2.
Mont Chery is also a great place with lots of cruisy reds. But don't be tempted to take MrsSpecialman on the blacks there. They're not kind. The very, very best thing about Mont Chery is the Grande Ourses at the very top of the hill. Go there.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Lou, just looking at the psite map PDF. Tulip run looks nice, plus it takes you down to what looks like a main junction to get other lifts.
Will try to avoid said ESF pupils - always a bad place to be when you want to razz around Getting the bubble back down from Mt. Chery isn't a prob - have heard it excellent up there, a bit of a 'secret' place to go.
Looks like tere are quite a few runs off La Rosta too. Take it that it's a bit of a trek across town if you find yourself at the bottom of the Melezes run though?
Is it my eyes of are there some seriously long chairlifts? Chavennes looks like a beasty?
The Arbis run from Chamossierre look nice going down into Morzine. Is that section heavy with trees? Looks like it on the map but you never can tell with these drawings? haven't done any tree boarding - take it that's classed as off-piste?
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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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Specialman, yep, shopping is plentiful
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It's not a photo ID pass is it? Also, I know it may sound a bit daft, but what happens with the skiing over the border thing between France and switzerland? I take it there's not a set of guards with AK47s pointed at you, but what happens if you just happened to get stuck in Switzerland?
Also, is it Swiss francs only at GVE airport? Got loads of Euros left over from last year but can these be spent when we get there?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Specialman,
Geneva Airport was quite happy to take my Euros on Sunday, although at 4E for a small bottle of water a loan might have been more use to fund lunch!
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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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Specialman, GVA will take Euros, but the exchange rate they use is a shocker. Better off getting yourself 50-100 CHF for drinks/coffees and just hanging on to any change for future transits through.
If you're skiing over to Switz, do have your passport just in case you do get stuck. There are little border post huts - I've been over one on a chairlift into Morgins - and they do have the right to demand ID.
Don't know if 6 day passes need photos anymore - a lot of resorts have dumped that rule this year. The resort website will tell you.
Nice places to eat - the place at Rosta, as mentioned above, does superb pizzas, and La Croix Blanche at the top of the red bubble is very good. There's a place on Mont Chery over the back, great food but sometimes lousy service - I forget the name, but it's at the bottom of the black bumps (which you do not have to go down - you can take the red to the side and then cut onto the black bit at the bottom of the bumps - like a normal piste, not bumpy, shouldn't give you or the missus any trouble, just remember to check uphill in case anyone's lost it on the bumps!)
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La Grand Ourse on the front side of Mont Chery is lovely. Ate there just about every day for the past fortnight. Good food, reasonable prices and nice staff.
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You know it makes sense.
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Specialman, photos only required for 9 days or more.
Found GVA to be very expensive last week, we had to wait awhile for our flight and drinks were not cheap! vetski's advice re Swiss francs is good. Not the place for any sort of shopping. All v expensive with pushy sales staff.
rob@rar, been skiing past it for a long time and got to try for the first time last weekend. They've done a lovely renovation there. I hope it works out for them once fully operational. I know there have been some issues with the Grande Ourse chair closing now & again (esp after New Year) which would make it difficult.
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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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vetski, as long as you have a valid PDS lift pass then there's no requirement to carry a passport in Switzerland within the designated PDS area. This was one of the founding principles of the PDS - free movement on skis. It was a landmark agreement at the time.
There are a number of border "huts" between France and Switzerland. The funniest example of which is at the top of the Col de Cou - which you can only reach by skinning in the winter. Though seldom manned they do occassionally stick blokes in the huts with sniffer dogs.
If you've ever been stopped at the border on the way to the airport you'll quickly learn that the principle concern of the French is cash being taken across the border, rather than being taxed. The Swiss care about the motorway sticker first and drugs second. A drug smuggler without a motorway sticker would make their day. They probably get a special bonus for "the double" and instant promotion.
It's a little known fact, however, the you're required to carry photo id with you at all times in France. Yes, really. I've been sternly told off for this twice now at the random police road checks they throw up from time to time.
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Poster: A snowHead
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PhillipStanton, yup, I take your point. I was more trying to address the getting stuck part of Specialman's concern - if e.g. one missed a lift on the way back in the afternoon and was obliged to take a hideously expensive cab ride to the other side, or if one had an accident. The ID on demand thing isn't limited to France, though - it's the same in quite a few countries, though not always exercised with the same zeal! Certainly Austria (moderately zealous), Italy (guaranteed if you're a foreign female with good legs wearing a short skirt) & Spain (if you look like you might be Moroccan), I believe also Switz & Germany. And we may well be heading the same way. Sigh.
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FAQ
. At the bottom you can have a hot choc at les Blanchots before winding down pretty tree lined and easy blue to the next lifts. If your other half would prefer to avoid red, then Choucas from the top is very cruisey and pretty.
