 Poster: A snowHead
|
Just booked a 3-bedroom 6/8 person apartment for Feb 14th at the new (for this season) Intrawest Les Terrasses d'Eos apartments at Flaine Montsoleil, beside the road above Flaine on the way up to Le Hameau de Flaine.
I've never been to Flaine before. Can anyone who knows these apartments or the plans for them please advise?:
I'm led to believe I can influence the location of my apartment. I favour a high floor (better views, quieter), with a south-west facing balcony (to catch whatever end-of-day sun there might be), together with being away from the (noisy?) road, whilst still being ski in/out (as claimed for the apartments).
Is this realistic & achievable?
Do you foresee any issues here?
Is there a particular block or part of the development I should ask for to best achieve this?
Anything/any block I should avoid?
Anything else I should know?
The plan is for a new piste & lift to be built to serve Flaine Montsoleil.
( http://www.grand-massif.com/panoramaofthefuture/ shows this + other plans for Flaine)
When sking from these apartments where will one actually end up - simply going down to Flaine itself, I presume?
Any idea where, & how much walking is likely to be involved to then pick up a lift out of Flaine?
Is it actually going to be possible to ski back to Les Terrasses d'Eos, as claimed? - Any idea how & where from?
I'm booked with Ski Horizon (AKA Travel Horizon), which, it seems is Dutch. Any comments good or bad on them?
Thanks
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Welcome to 
I own an apartment in the development and was out there a week ago. It is a fantastic development (but I would say that). The south facing apartments look across the valley, those on the other side look onto a quite steep wooded slope about 100m from the block, so not much of a view. The block is set about 30m back from the road so I guess there will be traffic noise, last weekend the place was like a ghost town so no noise at all. All traffic heading for Flaine Forum/Foret has to use the road. There are 2 blocks, the one on the left in the pictures is virtually complete, the one on the right is someway from completion and I very much doubt if it will be ready for this season.
The ski lockers are on the third floor so bear this in mind when thinking about the floor you want to be on. There are 2 lifts (as in elevators) in the block and a staircase. You are going in the busiest week of the year (as I'm sure you know!) so if you are on the seventh floor you could have a long wait for the lift. I guess you must have children with you, are they up to 4 flights of stairs?
The ski in ski out is 'under construction'. Until last weekend I could not figure out how they were going to do it, but think I can now. You leave the ski locker room, through the door at the back of the block, cross a tiny bridge (about 4m) and you're on the snow. You ski down, behind the other block, for about 200m (very gentle slope) where they are building a new chairlift. That takes you up about 200m, from where you turn right to ski down to the bottom of the Grands Vans chair or left to return to the development. To return to the block I think it will be necessary to ski back to the bottom of the new chair, up and turn left. They were moving large amounts of earth when I was there, I assume so that the new pistes will all link into the existing network. All the bits of the chair were lying on the ground and the bases of the pylons were in place so I would be fairly confident that everything will be ready for the start of the season.
Can't help with info on Ski Horizon, I'm afraid. I'll try and post a picture, can't figure out how to at the moment. Am happy to answer any further questions. I will be out there half term week as well so if you want to meet up PM me for contact details.
Chris
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Thanks Chris - just what I was looking for. We can manage a few stairs so may well go for a high floor.
The Grands Vans chair is a major lift out of Flains, I presume? Is it queue-prone in the morning?
I wonder whether the new mini-piste & chair will make Le Hameau closer to ski-in/out.
I'll PM you for pictures - might be easier.
Pete
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| petem77 wrote: |
The Grands Vans chair is a major lift out of Flains, I presume? Is it queue-prone in the morning?
Pete |
Yep, big 8 seater. Can be busy at certain times but the uplift capacity means it's never too bad.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
petem77, The new chair does not affect Le Hameau in terms of ski in ski out. Historically, the only genuine ski in ski out property in the main part of Flaine, SFAIAA, is a property called La Cascade, which is located on the side of one of the pistes. The new development achieves ski in ski out by a slightly contrived method and only when it is tried and tested will I be able to provide a firm opinion on its viability. I emailed you some photos yesterday and hope they help.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
does anybody know if these apartments are up and running and are all the advertised facilities ( ie the pool, sauna etc ) available. paul
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grand Vans hardly ever queues in my experience, but assuming it come down to that point, you dont have to use that one, you can link into the rest of Flaine. Grand Vans is the one that takes you up towards Samoens/Morillon, it is also a great wide blue piste on the way back - but gets very busy early on and late on can be mushy. For ref, there is a relatively new 6(?) seater between the 2 gondola stations on t'other side of flat bit. It takes you almost as high as the gondola and no-one (last year) seemed to know it was there - it's great!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| petem77 wrote: |
Just booked a 3-bedroom 6/8 person apartment for Feb 14th at the new (for this season) Intrawest Les Terrasses d'Eos apartments at Flaine Montsoleil, beside the road above Flaine on the way up to Le Hameau de Flaine.
|
Anyone know anything about the financial health of Intrawest during the credit crunch. They had a lot of debt.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
It was said elsewhere that all the Intrawest properties in France had been sold to Pierre et Vacances?
My daughter and BF (teachers) were in Flaine last half term. They said the lift system coped very well, with little queueing, but they did say that the pistes were horrendously busy at times (and they're both quite experienced, and not easily spooked).
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
paulie, I stayed in the new block in July. The swimming pool, sauna and hot tub were all operational. However, when I was there at the beginning of this month they were doing repairs, apparently there were some leaks that needed sorting out. The apartments in the first block (on the left as you look from the road) are, I believe, all complete but at the beginning of this month there was still work to do on the ski lockers - they were there but did not have the hooks for hanging boots on - so small but essential things still to do. The wifi was working in the apartments back in July. Are you thinking of staying there? I can let you have some recent pictures if you're interested, PM me.
pam w, I'd read that elsewhere but Intrawest employees still appear to be in charge of admin, front desk etc and the emails I get are still using Intrawest addresses. Does anyone know the exact position? There is also a fair amount of work to do on the second block - if P&V have bought it have they also undertaken to finish it? One of the big banks (HSBC, IIRC) put up a performance bond which (I think) basically means that if the developer goes bust then HSBC will fund someone else to get the work completed. Whether HSBC are a better risk than Intrawest these days is a moot point.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Chris Mason, I think that all larger French building projects must have have an insurance policy of some description, which means that the work will be completed if the builder/developer goes bust, we certainly had such a guarantee with our apartment, despite it being a much smaller concern than Intrawest.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Chris Mason wrote: |
| (from Les Terrasses d'Eos...)The ski in ski out is 'under construction'. Until last weekend I could not figure out how they were going to do it, but think I can now. You leave the ski locker room, through the door at the back of the block, cross a tiny bridge (about 4m) and you're on the snow. You ski down, behind the other block, for about 200m (very gentle slope) where they are building a new chairlift. That takes you up about 200m, from where you turn right to ski down to the bottom of the Grands Vans chair or left to return to the development. |
Anyone been here & know whether it is possible to get onto this chair behind/beside Les Terrasses without a pass? I'm thinking about 1st day skiing out from Les Terrasses d'Eos down into Flaine to buy a ski pass.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Im heading there in March, and while i cant properly answer your question i know that the ski bus will stop outside the door on its way between l' Hameau and flaine itself.
Im not a fan of skibusses but hopefully it would be the only time you need to get on it with skis.
Another option is to get your pass through the GM website before going, its costs no extra and you will have it from the "get go".
Im more interested in how easy it is to get between flaine and les terrasses in the evenings for meals and beers as ten of us are staying in les terrasses and eight are in flaine itself.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
petem77, it's the Gerats chair and you don't need a lift pass. At the top turn right and follow the slope to the bottom of the Grand Vans chair where there is a ski pass booth. I'd recommend getting your pass here as it's hardly ever busy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| ianbradders wrote: |
| Another option is to get your pass through the GM website before going, its costs no extra and you will have it from the "get go" |
Do they post passes to the UK?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Im going to Flaine in March does anyone know the best way to get from Geneva airport and the costs? Also is it worth getting a pass for the whole of Grand Massif or just my resort?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
billo89, best way is by helicopter 
welcome to snowheads.
It is really easy to get to Geneva but best way depends on how many of you, for how long. I personally have always hired a car but this year was considering a private transfer. However with the poor exchange rate i am planning to hire a car and stop in Cluses at the supermarket and get loads of supplies and hopefully cheap wine rather than paying resort prices.
Again with the lift pass it depends on how long you are there and how experienced you are in your party.
Bit more info and hopefully we can give you more personally tailored advice.
I think you will love the GM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
petem77, Yes, or at least they posted my season pass back in December - came through in about 5 days.
billo89, When I went out just before Christmas I booked a transfer with www.resorthoppa.com The return fare was £78. As I was travelling on my own this was cheaper than hiring a car. I had to hang around at GVA for someone to come in on another flight but as this was in the evening it didn't make any difference to my piste time. Transfer time is about 75 minutes.
Advantage of a hire car is, as ianbradders, says, you can stop at Carrefour in Cluses to pick up sensibly priced provisions.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
