 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi All,
a point in the right direction please. I am organising the annual lads trip and flaine has been mentioned due to it being near geneva. We are a group of 8 men, all the wrong side of 30, who like a beer or two after skiing but skiing is our priority! We range from decent intermediate to advanced and like to cover a decent amount of ground. Some off piste would be good too.
Would flaine suit us? Recent trips have been tignes, avoriaz, chamonix and verbier.
Any help gratefully received.
Cheers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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begsski, the nightlife is limited compared to your previous locations but there are a few bars and it is very convenient. Piste skiing is great in terms of extent and variety throughout the Grand Massif. DO NOT go off piste without a guide the local geology can make it lethal.
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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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Hi begsski,
Sorry I can't provide any information to your request, but thought I would cheekily chuck in a request. I am in a similar position in organising a lads trip (by the way have you knicked half of my group as the description sounds uncannily familiar) for Janaury, we have taken the bold step of booking flights to Geneva but then we become stuck, as not quite sure where to book accommodation.
Avoriaz top of the list originally, then Flaine, did not fancy Chamonix for a short weekend, and we have now started looking at La Plagne (especially Belle Plagne). Not sure if you or anyone esle can shed any light on where would be best to head. What did you think of Avoriaz? Accommdoation seems on the expensive side.
Ed
PS - Apologies for any dodgy spelling - Currently sitting at Biullund Airport in Denmark sinking my 4th 3/4 litre lager - spelling is no longer top rpiorty!!!! 
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Avoriaz was good, we went in january as well, but struggled with the snow. We ended up having to book two weeks accomodation in a PV apartment as knowhere would do weekend accomodation. Nightlife ok but limited. Chamonix is my favourite place for ski weekends overall - but we have done it to death - 8 ski weekends in total!! Hotel pointe isabelle in chamonix is ideal and will take shorter bookings.
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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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Does the faffing around in Chamonix getting from ski lift to ski lift not become a bit bothersome for a weekend, or is it not as bad as people make out. We are probably what you would call low to mid level intermediates, and 2 snowboarders.
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we have always had a car, but you pick your ski area for the day and stay there all day, then it is exactly the same as everywhere else. There is plently of skiiing in each area for a full day. Le Tour, Brevent/flegere and les Houches would all be ideal for your ski level and then when feeling more confident on the last day you can tackle the Grande Montet. If you are all feeling adventurous, hire a guide and do the vallee blanche - a great day out!!!
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I think that Val d'isere has probably got the best night life and the skking is really good as expected in alps!! have sorted accommodation and stuff?
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So by the sounds of it Chamonix should not be struck off the list of possibilities?
I had been put off by people talking about long queues / getting from area to area etc etc. Perhaps not a huge problem in Janaury. The hotel in Chamonix you mentioned the is worth a look.
Oh no, battery about to die! Want to talk about skiing and drink Danish lager!!!! Bug ger
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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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begsski, reded78,
If either of you fancy Les Carroz (also part of Flaine's Grand Massif ski area), then I have a chalet that sleeps 8-10. Only restriction is that we need a Saturday change-over day. Can arange catering if required. See my website or send me a Personal Message.
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| reded78 wrote: |
| Does the faffing around in Chamonix getting from ski lift to ski lift not become a bit bothersome for a weekend, or is it not as bad as people make out. We are probably what you would call low to mid level intermediates, and 2 snowboarders. |
What about morzine - we did a 'lads trip' there in Jan this year - stayed in the excellent snownadtrek apartments..nice big rooms, decent enough location - great for 5 days skiing as we were 'skison' by about 11am IIRC and then skiied all last day til around 4. Quick shower in a can and off smellily to geneva..
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Agree with bertie bassett, Morzine is ideal for w'ends out of GVA. Better village and nightlife/ restaurants than Avoriaz (IMO) but the Avoriaz ski area is easily reached from Morzine by Super Morzine lift or ski bus to Prodains cable car/ chair lift.
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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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begsski, you've done Chamonix to death in 8 weekends? I must be doing something wrong  Flaine would, I imagine, be a little on the quiet side. It's really not very big - at least as far as I can see.
reded78, Chamonix excellent for short weekend. Most reports of problems with buses/interlinks/queues etc. are put out by folks who don't really know what they're talking about.
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Ski Tyke, Would agree that about village and nightlife, but not the restaurants! There are a few excellent restaurants up the hill, but they are quality and as a result you pay for it. French celebrity chefs et al!
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You know it makes sense.
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begsski, all really depends on what you call intermediate/advanced/off piste/the wrong side of 30/ one or two beers!!!
My only advice is to not go to La Grave. Apart from that I am sure that you would all have a great time anywhere!
All the suggestions are just fine. Buses in Chamonix only a pain if you see them as a pain and not part of the deal- or if you need to get from le Tour to Chamonix in time to pick up your kids in which case they are a total piece of W4NK. That said Chamonix off piste can be a bit tricky for British 'decent intermediates'. If you really are all ok off piste (ie no one going to be left behind falling over in a big sweaty and possibly quite upset/scared mess) then fine. That said some of the pistes in Chamonix can leave good skiers in a bit of a state.
But you would have great time in Cham - lots of bars/restaurants etc (not many girls- but I'm guessing all married and not really on the pull).
Austria famous for beer but not too keen myself. Very good nightlife, not expensive, food a bit dumplingy.
Flaine just might be a bit boring (I have not been but a lot of the French Station de Ski are just a bit crap when it comes to night life).
What about Zermatt- rail transfer easy but not fast- skiing fab, nightlife very good indeed (but really quite expensive)?
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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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geneva-zermatt more like 4 hrs on 3 trains but easy
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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begsski, me and my mates are often in the same predicament. Do you (like us) always find the best bar to go to on the last night of the holiday?
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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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edsilva, isn't it 2 trains usually from GVA to Zermatt, with one change at Visp ?
begsski, we (lads >30 like your mob) did Zermatt for 4 days a couple of years ago. Fantastic. Highly recommended. Well worth the train journey, which is dead easy and make it part of your hols, have some beers, watch some interesting movies on your PSP or similar etc.
If you're going for 4 or 5 days an extra hour or two getting there and back is small payback for a better overall holiday experience.
Would also highly recommend Val d'Isere, hotel Cretes Blanches great hotel for groups.
For a lads group I wouldn't touch Flaine with a barge pole. Meribel awaits our group of 14 this season mid January.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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begsski, Why on earth would you want to go to Flaine for boys trip? Fine for family and sleeping at night maybe but surely not for the boys trip. Would Val d'Isere not be better? Realise that this is a longer transfer but just means you can have a few more beers on the bus? Think you would be hard pushed to beat St Anton or Ischgl for a boys trip, but probably too big a hassle to get to from Geneva.
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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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begsski, Been there, done that. 4 times in fact, once by car, 3 tims by plane, always in Jan. We tend to major on the skiing (first lift up, cleared off the slopes by the pisteurs) so storming nightlife isn't our ticket, but we had a good night down at the Diamant Noire on a couple of times. Local bars are pretty quiet. If theres 8 of you you make your own fun. The skiing is great, but I would re-itereate the need for a guide off piste. Its also the cheapest resort we have used (Cham, Les Carroz, Les Arcs where we will be returning for our 7th consecutive trip)
Out Friday night to GVA & hire cars x2, Formule 1 or Ibis hotel in the valley, in resort for 9am skis lift and off. Bieres serieux all round for lunch, home completely knackered Weds evening (after a full days skiing and an early supper) for 2 days "work".
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Anyone know how convenient the new Mont Soleil apartments are? They are described as ski in and ski out, but they seem a long way from the main lifts and pistes up at Flaine Foret? Was there talk of buliding a new lift to service the apartments?
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Hywel, Not very in my opinion, Its above the centre half way to Le Hameau, so its easy to ski down to the skiing in the morning, but with a new lift les Gerats back up in the evening it should be OK if its open in time. More info On the Grand Massif website here
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begsski, when did you have trouble with snow in jan in avoriaz?
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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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Ski-finder, avoriaz was very patch jan 07, couldn't ski to morzine or do any of les gets etc. up top was fine but the whole morzine and avoriaz area was in the same place so absolutely rammed!!
When i say we have done chamonix to death, i mean more being in chamonix itself. Although it is good fun, just a buit tired of going to the same place.
So far we have been to tignes twice, chamonix 8 times, avoriaz once, morzine once and verbier once. We are really just looking for somewhere we haven't been yet, but it sounds like the consensus is that flaine wouldn't suit!
Cheers for the advice everyone.
Begsski
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Don't let 07 snow conditions put you off. It was the worst year anyone could remember, and was similar to conditions over much of the rest of the Alps. Jan 08 was phenomenal.
And yes, Morzine's probably a better bet than Avoriaz, which could be a touch on the quiet side at night, but perfectly easy to get to for riding during the day. Have spent 5 years there now and still not bored of it!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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What ice_pie said. Been there 5 yrs in a row, and had superb snow for all except Jan07. Down to Lindarets was bad (too many people out of their depth in cement). Up on the Arare/Fornet area was OK. Plaine Dranse sector was not bad and was relatively empty. Fair bit of the Swiss Side was not bad either (although it was a bit of grass skiing on way down to Planachaux lift).
No idea regarding weekend accommodation (maybe a hotel in Les Gets or Morzine?).
Was tempted to book a flight or 3 to GVA for a few weekends, even if it means spending 2 nights in the IBIS in Annemasse, Sallanches, or Thonon and driving the 20mins or so up to Les Gets, Chamonix or Ardent respectively. I don't care so much about getting tanked. I just want a fix on the snow. Wouldn't recommend that for a 4-5nt trip for a group. I'd be flying after work on Friday and last flight back Sunday.
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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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Try the hotel Igloo. Went there for a week in august (stuck in London all summer  ) and it was cheap, clean and central.
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begsski, How about Saas Fee. My neighbour has got a pad there and raves about it. 3 hours from Geneva. Despite being quite family orientated the skiing is pretty good, although probably not in same league as Tignes, and the apres ski pretty good till dinner time then dies of death.
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You know it makes sense.
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We are going to arrive saturday morning and get self catering accomodation, apartment or chalet, and book it for the week. we find that is much easier than trying to get 4 or 5 nights accomodation. In the cheaper resorts like avoriaz, we have even booked PV apartments for 2 weeks so we can do a more traditional long weekend.
I think i will have to call a summit to choose the resort so I can dissolve myself of the responsibility!!!!
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FAQ
and quite like a beer (or used to b4 the kids came along 
), have been to Flaine for 3 days as a couple a few years back and was bored, nay very bored at night time, to coin a phrase, its pants. Skiing was ok though to be fair.
