 Poster: A snowHead
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Can anybody recommend a skiing resort close to Geneva? As my family have a day to kill in mid February before we set off on our proper skiing holiday in Saas Fee. We will have a car for the day from Geneva airport. My party has two novice snowboarders and it would be good for them to have an afternoon getting some experience and we don't have time to try out different places.
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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Try Crozet, it is about 20 minutes from Geneva in the Jura. You take a telecabine to up the mountain and from there you can take a chair lift. There is a mix of slopes with a steep run down to Lelex. The cafe at the top of the telecabine is ok and if you can eat outside has views of Mont Blanc and Lac Leman.
A bit futher afield I can suggest both Sommand and Habere Poche.
Crozet may be busy if it is a weekend. Off the beaten track I would suggest Mont Saxonnex.
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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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bargainbill,
The Portes Du Soleil (Morzine, Avoriaz, Les Gets etc) in France is about 1.5 hours from Geneva as is Verbier. There are a number of resorts resorts just off the A40 between Chamonix and Geneva.
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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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Slightly off topic but we have a day to kill in Geneva, we will be on our way back from our week's skiing, getting dropped off at the airport about 11.00am, our flight is not until 22.00, we are just going to dump our bag's at the airport and head into Geneva, just wondered if anyone has any ideas as to how to fill the day........ attractions / sights / bar's restaurants....... any ideas would be welcome..........
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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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Where were you planning to dump your bags?
As for Geneve, the old town is pleasant. Good restaurant sinclude the Pied de Cochon, Brasserie Lipp (figure about 250CHF for the Lipp for 2 in the evening), Restaurant de l'Hotel de Ville. All the good restaurants are on the Rive Gauche.
At the airport you have a car museum. In town you can do the "jet d'eau". Botanical gardens on the Rive Droit. You can take a boat ride to somewhere like Ivoire but it will be cold. Carrouge has a lot of nice cafes. The Tourist Info is by the main station. There are a number of museums - art, watches etc.
To be honest it is not the most exciting town in the world, unless you stray into the Paquis, so I'm told.
David Murdoch could tell you a lot more than me I'm sure.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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there are left luggage lockers at the airport........ they are snown on the Geneva airport website..
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bluestar-ale, Who is "we"? Geneva has a nice old centre easily accessed from the airport by rail (look for the signs on the arrivals level, its to the right as you look at the airport past car hire stands) with some good restaurants and that aren't too pricey (well, weren't 3 years ago!). The city museum is a diverting hour or two and explains how Switzerland came to be the land of banking and watches.
Edit: I've just remembered the crazy museum of modern art, with a village made out of cornflakes amoingst other things. Strangely radical place for an apparently conservative society.
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Thu 8-01-09 18:14; edited 1 time in total
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there are 5 of us...... all male ..... we just thought it might be something different to do to finish off our trip.......
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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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| davidof wrote: |
| To be honest it is not the most exciting town in the world, unless you stray into the Paquis, so I'm told. |
Are you allowed to call them that nowadays?
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Seriously though, I love hearing about tiny unheard-of places. Will be googling Crozet etc. immediately.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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bluestar-ale, Bang opposite the rail station - Cornavin, there's a bar that makes it's own beer Les brasseuers or something like that. We had a nice lunch and few beers in their on Monday.
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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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| bluestar-ale wrote: |
| there are left luggage lockers at the airport........ they are snown on the Geneva airport website.. |
You'd better check they still exist. Most airports got rid of them post 9/11.
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| davidof wrote: |
| bluestar-ale wrote: |
| there are left luggage lockers at the airport........ they are snown on the Geneva airport website.. |
You'd better check they still exist. Most airports got rid of them post 9/11. |
They were there at Zurich airport last year, post 9/11.
Well, technically, it wasn't at the airport. It was at the train station (across the street). Geneva's train station is one level below the airport, if I recall correctly.
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You know it makes sense.
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| paulio wrote: |
| davidof wrote: |
| To be honest it is not the most exciting town in the world, unless you stray into the Paquis, so I'm told. |
Are you allowed to call them that nowadays? |
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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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Thanks for all the info everybody. It's the first time I have used the Snowheads forum and it has been very useful, I will recommend it to my friends.
HOWEVER, what I really need is somewhere where people have been personally and can recommend from their own experience - can anybody else suggest anywhere, as we have wandered off the topic a bit? 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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bargainbill, Sorry for the wander OT . Drive up to the Jura. If there's snow you can spend a pleasant day bimbling about Crozet and Lelex (as davidof, advised). What time do you expect to get to Geneva and pick up your car? Why don't you head straight to Saas Fee?
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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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Try Flaine - it's only an hour from Geneva and although the building aren't the prettiest the skiing is excellent.
If you drive right to the bottom car park near the ticket office you can park cheaply and it's right on the nursery slopes and you wont need a pass for the small lift but there are some excellent red and blues right from the top of the mountain.
We've spend loads of time there and I'm sure you'd enjoy it.
Also there is a cute restaurant at the 2 drag lifts that's brilliant - open fire - great baguettes, and a really gorgeous dog! The bar at the pass office also does great Vin Chaud and baguettes.  - Is food all I think about???
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Flaine sounds just the ticket, thanks.
we have to have our ski trip during the the school half term, and the early friday flight was a lot cheaper than saturday, and I thought this would give me some time to check out the skiing around Geneva if we ever get a long weekend in the future.
saas fee is like zermatt, a car free town so I thought it would be a bit of a waste hiring a car as it would not get used during the week.
I got these holiday "destination travel passes" from the swiss tourist office which allows one return trip enywhere in switzerland from their border or airports to your destination, cost about £35 per adult, and children travel free. As its easy getting to saas fee - train geneva to visp (no changes) - then bus to saas fee. this was the best option for us. 
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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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| paulio wrote: |
| Seriously though, I love hearing about tiny unheard-of places. Will be googling Crozet etc. immediately. |
Slightly further along on the Jura, another 10 minutes drive, is the Col de la Faucille which is above Gex. This is more of a resort in that there is (was) a hotel, ski hire shops etc. If the snow is low then this is well worth a shot.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I did not realise Chamonix was so close. I went there last May climbing, but I was a passenger in the car and after the usual stops at supermarkets and gear shops I had forgotten how long the journey actually took from Geneva airport. I did go skiing on one day (can`t remember the name of the resort) It was on the right hand side on the road from chamonix to the swiss border
If the snow line is low we will take a look at the Col de la Faucille, and keep the higher resort as a back up.
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bargainbill, RH side of the autoroute blanche travelling towards Geneva sounds like it could be Les Carroz.
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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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CP. I didn`t make myself clear.
The road i`m on about, leaves Chamonix heading for Martigny, up a twisty switchback road, over a col then down to the swiss border. ( I must get a map or take notes, or both on my next trip), and thanks for the info about Gex
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You could also try the French Portes du Soleil areas - Les Gets / Morzine etc these are also all easy to get to about 1 hour from Geneva and in Les Gets there is a car park right at the bottom of the slope - underneath it in fact!
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FAQ
)- maybe 1-1.5hrs from airport.
