 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm looking for some suggestions for Morzine in January. We've booked the flights, booked the apartment; now I just need to know what to do, and there seems to be alot of Morzine knowledge 'round these parts. We are a group of five 30something blokes, all confident on-piste, willing if less able off-piste.
Recommended skiing each day...
Restaurants for each day - one on the mountain for lunch, one in the village for dinner... oh, and places for boozing...
Recommendations for ski hire...
Recommended transfer from Geneva ie are we best off with a hire car, or transfer firm...
No - I'm not too lazy to do the graft myself; just getting excited at the first signs of snow and wanting to start getting organised!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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rainman, For skiing, loads of good stuff up at Avoriaz. If the snow's good lower down, the slopes at Nyon / Chamossiere and Mont Chery are really good too.
Restaurants - I really lie the big place with slippers at Nyon (Point du Nyon?) for a long lunch.
Bars - I'm not sure I can offer advice here, as I get the impression you're going to be looking for livelier nightlife than me.
Transfer - I've done it in a hire car and by minibus with a firm. Both easy, as it's only short. Probably cheaper by car, if one of you can be bothered to drive.
No doubt some of the real Morzine experts will be along soon to offer more information...
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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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One day:
- doing the Morzine / Les Gets side (
- doing the Portes du Soleil circuit (including "The Wall")
- playing around the Fornet bowl in Avoriaz and the Hauts Forts area.
For five it would generally be best to get a transfer (provided your apartment is in a reasonable location) as you'll need a 7 seater for 5 of you plus gear. And then it might be tight.
Drop snowandtrek a PM and she can probably help with transfers. She'll probably be able to recommend the best ski hire place (I don't hire stuff myself).
What do you want out of your restaurants? (Pile it high / best quality / best experience...)
When are you going?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| RobMcQ wrote: |
| Restaurants - I really lie the big place with slippers at Nyon (Point du Nyon?) for a long lunch. |
Unfortunately, that may be closed this season.
Locals may be able to shed more light.
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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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RobMcQ, all much appreciated. Do you reckon you need a car once you're there? Is it worth having one to drive to Avoriaz, or are the links pretty good? I think the apt. is by the Nyon cable car.
Don't think lively is necessarily the prerequisite for watering holes. 'Decent' would be the keyword!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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PhillipStanton, Mid Jan, Sunday to weds, based near Nyon. And restaurant-wise, probably a bit of each. Not looking for haute cuisine, but don't want to be doing steak hache all week, either!
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Bar wise we found the buddha bar to have a good vibe - their 'giraffes' of beer are worth having as well.
The place next door (I can't remember what it's called - cavern perhaps) seemed to be a bit more seasonaire populated, so if you pull your pants round you're ankle you'll fit right in 
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bertie bassett, might give that a swerve! 
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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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rainman - if you're at Nyon then you might be best off with a car as it's not really walkable into town and the bus stops running fairly early.
The little restaurant just by the Nyon cable car base is (much) better than it looks.
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oh and if you head back down the run near prodains from avoriaz at the end of the day - then there's a different little 'apres bar' we found in january. Is on the photo on this page - http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1182100174053918865ybUJyN - it's the building on the right under the cable car, but I can't remember what it's called. Just cross over the road from the button of the run and walk to the right of the prodains lift and you should fall over it.. it has a funky triangular table inside.
Not austrian apres but does nice cold ones and the crepes are to die for...funnily enough as we accessed/returned via prodains most days then this was our stopping off point..
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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If you're looking for food on the mountain try Changabang in Avoriaz, great burgers.
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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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| fijit wrote: |
| If you're looking for food on the mountain try Changabang in Avoriaz, great burgers. |
Is that the shop cum cafe where alll the boarders hand out? If so then yep the burgers rock, and it's pretty good value. opposite the top of the prodains cable car IIRC...
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Personally, I think the burgers are better at La Poya - which is the place with the red deckchairs that you can see to your left at the top of the Prodains cable car.
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You know it makes sense.
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rainman, I would say...
Drinking, get a few 'Giraffe's down your neck in the Bhudda
Skiing, if conditions are dodgy stick to the Avoriaz side, if they're good the Pleny/Les Gets is worth a day. get yourself a PdS map and start to plan an itinerary 
Food wise there's a lovely restaurant called Auberge (I think) in Morzine - you need to book or wait
Ski Hire - Action Sports were great for us, do it online and all went very smoothly.
Food on the Mountain - i liked the self service at Plain Drainse, the green gaff, but the I am a spag-bol 'n' beer man so there are probably more sophisticated choices
Transfer - loads of cheap scheduled transfer services, no way hire a motor
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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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red 27, always very happy with spag bol and beer at lunch, as well. But then again, always happy for one day to be a very late lunch/ blowout with very little skiing post lunch!
PhillipStanton, you say Nyon is a bit of a stretch to walk? What are we talking about? 10 mins? 20 mins? All uphill? We've spent the last few years in Chamonix (staying in Les Praz) so have had a good 25 minute walk along the Arve from town, but it has been flat. But we have always, obviously, had a car. Just thought it would be good to get a private transfer, rather than having a car sitting unused for three days?
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Poster: A snowHead
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rainman, I reckon Nyon's about the same to Morzine centre as Le Praz to Chamonix. But having a car opens up a whole bunch of choices depending on weather/conditions. I.e. driving to Ardent for Avoriaz/Chatel access. That said, in good conditions you could easily while away three days in Morzine/Les Gets without any trouble. Of course, you have to get over the old british "I have to ski it cos it's there attitude".
If you want good - i.e. excellent - ski hire, Francois Baud Sports is the only place to go. It's just down from the Pleney cable car. Tell Eric I sent you.
The best place to drink in the PDS is called Les Ruttennets. Sadly it closed in 1992.
The best places to eat on mountain are (in no order); La Terrasse, La Cremaillere, Chez Nannon (you have to pick your moment) and the one above the Chavannes bowl with the foxy waitresses.
AFAIK, the one mentioned above on Nyon is still looking for someone to operate it. More's the pity.
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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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rainman as David Murdoch says, it's six of one and half a dozen of the other. The walk is "mildly" uphill, but not too bad (though I've never done it personally).
Five is a tricky number for a car. My instinct for 4 would be to hire. For 5 it would be to get a transfer.
Personally, I'd look at the car rental prices and compare that to a transfer (work on 160 euros each way for all of you). See what's cheapest. Bear in mind that a 10 minute drive to Prodains, or 15 minute drive to Ardent, will save you 40-50 minutes each way on your skiing day.
Don't forget the magic car hire link for HolidayAutos, which gives you a 15% discount.
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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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rainman, Yes we can help with a quote for transfers, If you are here 3 days you are highly unlikely to need a car staying at the Nyon - good bus service from 08030 until 1900 and then in the evening walk into the centre is about 20min - not too up or down. There is a restuarant and bar at the Nyon.
Ski Hire - if you book online at www.allmountainrental.com and put Snow and Trek you will get a 10% discount - all their kit is less than 2 seasons old and serviced between each rental. I agree with David Murdoch, that Francois Baud is good - definetley the best of the rest - again if you quote Snow and Trek you get a 10% discount.
David Murdoch, PhillipStanton, The Pointe de Nyon is opening this winter - we have booked a table for Christmas day already!!!
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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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snowandtrek, oooh, interesting - who's operating it?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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David Murdoch, That I'm not sure about that but will ty to find out. Our friends next door neighbour is working there this winter hence we know that it is open!! Will let you know when I do.
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Blimey! Thanks, everyone! Some great tips here. I must admit, I can't wait to try somewhere different. We've generally managed 5 of us (large though we are) in the Renault Scenic type cars, with a couple of ski racks, so may go that way if it means easier access to the other areas if conditions are a bit dicey. That said, I suspect the walk back from Morzine to Nyon will be happenning irrespective, as 'designated drivers' are not really our thing...
Andsnowandtrek, thanks for the discounts! I'll PM you for transfer quote, anyway!
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| snowandtrek wrote: |
| The Pointe de Nyon is opening this winter - we have booked a table for Christmas day already!!! |
Yeah - good news. Would be a shame to lose the place at many levels.
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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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Now that everyone has been helpful as can be on the food, booze, hire and transfers side of things, is there one particular bit of skiing in the PDS that should positively, absolutely, not be missed? Piste, off-piste, guided tour, whatever?
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The Swiss Wall - a bit like Rome - 'ski it and die'
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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[quote="snowandtrek"]
[b]David Murdoch[/b], [b]PhillipStanton[/b], The Pointe de Nyon is opening this winter - we have booked a table for Christmas day already!!![/quote]
Is it still going to be run by Pascal, or has he disappeared off into the distance on his yacht?
If it's a new owner, I really hope they keep the ambiance - I have many happy recollections of glorious food and afternoons lounging upstairs watching rugby on the telly 
CW
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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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cardweg, AFAIK definitely not Pascal. Hence my earlier question of "who?"
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PhillipStanton,
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Don't forget the magic car hire link for HolidayAutos, which gives you a 15% discount.
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Thanks for that - I managed to wipe most of my favourites the other day (trying to deal with the log-in problem on here  ) including that link, so I'm grateful to have it back. Was just reading this thread to see what I missed when I went to Morzine, for the only time, a couple of years ago.
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You know it makes sense.
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[quote="snowandtrek"]
[b]David Murdoch[/b], [b]PhillipStanton[/b], The Pointe de Nyon is opening this winter - we have booked a table for Christmas day already!!![/quote]
snowandtrek, How was Pointe de Nyon at Christmas? Does it live up to Pascal's standard?
Looking forward to getting out there in 13 days and counting.
CW
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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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cardweg - I'm told that neither the food nor service are up to previous standards.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Off this weekend! Can't wait. Does anyone know if there's a bar in the village which is likely to show the Castres v Wasps game on Sunday afternoon.
Andsnowandtrek, I've mentioned your name to Francois Baud, and they've offered us a 10% discount. So, thanks very much!
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FAQ
