 Poster: A snowHead
|
Having read previous threads about the potential hell that half term travel and skiing may present I thought it would be good to compare experiences now that those of us that braved the half term week are back....
This was a double first for us - first time driving to resort and first half term trip and we were approaching it with a fair degree of trepidation.
Outward journey:
Left home Friday 13th about 8.15 a.m. in order to travel from Portsmouth area to Channel Tunnel for 12.20 departure. (Fortunate that son had inset day). No traffic problems and arrived at Tunnel in time to get away an hour earlier than booked. Very quiet at Tunnel Terminal - perhaps this was due to the fact that I think it was the first fully operational day after the fire? Anyway it was pretty empty.
Route in France took us via Reims, Troyes, Dijon and then to our overnight stop in a Formule 1 in Dole. Including a brief break for lunch en route the journey time was about 6 hours. Motorways very quiet with the only brief hold up being the first peage out of Calais.
Formule 1 was as it describes itself really - very basic but very cheap. Also very noisy and quite difficult to get any sleep - consequently we were up and off by 7.00 a.m.
It had snowed during the night and was still snowing as we left in the morning - quite heavily at times which made even the motorway journey fairly slow and cautious at times. However, after the first hour the snow cleared and we carried on via Bourg-en-Bresse to Annecy and then cut across through Frangy to reach Le Grand Bornand in about 3 hours. Again, we encountered no heavy traffic. We were at our apartment and sorted and on the slopes by midday Saturday.
Week in Resort:
Lift queues - none to speak of. Occasional heavy traffic at the beginning and end of day at the lifts directly out of Chinaillon but fairly fast moving and easily avoidable if you timed it right. A few times out on the mountain we had to wait for lifts but certainly nothing that we haven't experienced in other resorts at so called quiet times.
Mountainside - at times it could be a bit busy but equally there was plenty of lovely skiing available on uncrowded pistes and off piste areas.
Mountain Restaurants - we joined the increasing number of diners on baguettes I'm afraid and didn't venture into the huts much at lunch times but when we stopped for a drink during the morning or afternoon we were easily able to get a seat.
Shops - we encountered our first real queue in the Spar shop one evening! Learned pretty quickly to shop for our evening meal at a different time and it was busy but bearable after that.
Resort Restaurants - only ate out once and booked the table the day before. The restaurant we chose was full on the night we went there, so don't think we could just have turned up without booking first. However, other places in the town did look as if they had empty tables within.
General feel was that there were plenty of people around (would be a bit worrying if there weren't at this time of the year) but it was comfortably full rather than creaking at the seams.
Homeward Journey:
Went skiing on Saturday until about 4.30 p.m. Changed and left LGB at about 5.30 p.m. Very heavy traffic getting out of LGB so decided to make a detour up to Bonneville rather than going back via Annecy to Bourg-en Bresse and then Dole for another overnight stop at the good old Formule 1!
Once we'd left the initial traffic jam behind it was a straightforward journey taking about 3 hours again. The night was slightly quieter this time although the kids had a dog barking in the room next to theirs!
Left Sunday morning at about 8.30 a.m.
Channel Tunnel was booked for 5.30 p.m. but made good time and having stopped for a lunch break we were at the terminal in about 6 hours. We were offered a crossing at 3.20p.m. which was great.
Home by about 5.30p.m. (local time!)
So, all in all our experience was actually very positive.....
Was this due to the fact that we didn't have to travel either Saturday during the 'peak' times?
Was it due to the fact that we weren't staying in one of the larger French resorts?
Was it that the credit crunch has really hit home and there were just generally less people around?
Or was it that we were just plain lucky with our experience?
Would be very interested to hear how others got on.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
loatie, We went to the Dolomites for the first time. There was 42 in our party and we all had a brilliant time. The hotel, crowds, snow, ambiance, mountain food etc etc were all excellent. Not perfect, but excellent.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
must be global warming
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
We are half-term heroes, just back from Engelberg.
No queues anywhere all week (apart from at the very bottom on one day when they delayed the opening due to there being too much snow). Even on a couple of bluebird powder days it was really quiet with no queues anywhere on the mountain.
At one point on the last day, we were the only ones on one of the pistes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Same with at Kitzbuhel. The lines were at most 15 minutes, and that was only once or twice, usually being walk on to a 2 min line.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Zermatt was fine. There was a fair scramble for first lifts up in the morning but arriving early meant we could get on the gondolas and cable cars early. Longest queue up the mountain was about 10 minutes on Gornegrat where there is a bit of a bottleneck anyway. Didn't see any queues over in Cervinia and we spent about a day in total there.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We had very quiet mornings and stupidly busy afternoons. There seemed to be fewer families and a lot more young adults around, so that explains the timing. Afternoons were pretty dire and scary.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
This seems to be the story all over - friends who were in Les Saisies said there were no significant queues, worst was about 15 minutes at major lifts after lunch when the ski schools started. It seems that the credit crunch is, indeed, hitting home. Apart from half term, the 3 Valleys was reportedly very quiet in January - compared to previous years.
It's good news for those skiing out there, in the short term, but doesn't bode well for businesses who depend on these 4 February weeks for their main income.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Perhaps the French decided to avoid the English half-term week, as they have an alternative week to go?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Loatie, we travelled behind you - Dover to Dunkerque 8pm Friday ferry. Overnight in Lille - finished the journey at 5.30pm Saturday. Some queues on the A40 but not too bad. The resort felt, as you say, fullish but not overcrowded. We parked down at the base of the Floria each day with no problem. We mainly used the Chatelet chair lift which seemed to stop more often than it should and required the lifties to give it a good kick to restart. We left on Saturday morning and drove back in one hit getting in at 11pm. We were lucky with the weather all week - even Tuesday's snow added to the whole experience for the kids. We didn't miss out on any skiing and I have a sufficiently silly looking tan to produce the expected mockery in the office.
We ate out in LGB village on Thursday night - early because of the kids and we managed to get a table for 8 within 20 minutes. Also managed to do the short horse and carriage ride which was fun.
We'd like to go back to LGB next year but will look for a nicer chalet. Le Moulin was somewhat shabby - spacious and warm with great views but in need of a refresh. Let me know of any recommendations for self catering in Chinaillon....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We just back from Risoul. The slopes were definately busier than when we went off peak there last year. But hey, it wasn't that bad as the lifts were generally filled and we tended to use the fast queue and wait at the top.
Spar was a nightmare first two days, but fine after that.
Had an excellent time, great conditions - full sun. Oh except the fire at our hotel that gutted the bar area and we had to be evacuated for four hours in the middle of the night !!! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
We had a great trip, left Friday am and had no traffic all the way to Albertville, 8 am start and were skiing by 10. only had one day of congestion on the slopes and had a very easy journey to Dijon late saturday after a very quiet days skiing. sunday got home 2 hours early as there was next to no traffic.
I heard the roads were bad saturday morning and midday but if you can cut that out by staying overnight i dont have any problems with skiing at half terms in the 3V's
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
loatie,
Nice report. Looks like you had a great trip! Never tried skiing in feb, so can't comment on the 'busy' side of things. That aside, the only part of your report that really surprised me was that you were allowed to cross the channel before your booking times without being charged for the privilege (you don't mention any such payment).
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
MazDave, Hi - we looked out for but failed to spot your two cars and the chalet moulin - I can only really report back about the Village de Lessy as an alternative for you to consider. I think it's great but I would say that!  Have a look at www.cgh-residences.com or i think www.peakretreats.co.uk also go there and inclued a crossing in their prices.
Youspurs1 - No - we were'nt charged for an earlier crossing. When we keyed in our booking reference - both ways - the machine just came up with an option for us to choose earlier crossings if we wanted to. It gave us a couple of alternatives and I think I recall it actually stated beside the times available that there was no charge for it. So a bit of a lucky break for us.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
youspurs1, have turned up early and late on several occasions and haven't been charged extra.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| Quote: |
you were allowed to cross the channel before your booking times without being charged for the privilege
|
that's often the case with eurotunnel - which is why I can't imagine why people pay twice as much for the "premium" service.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
We are back from Les Arc. We left home at 1.00am for 4.30am tunnel crossing arrived at terminal to be told crossing canceled and next crossing at 5.45am. Then fairly wet journey down to Albertville. About 20 miles from Albertville car decided to start playing up, loss of power and lots of smoke, after stopping to investigate problem, found a split in intercooler pipe, managed to limp to hotel and met by breakdown service. We were then taken by truck to local garage and a hire car was found, getting luggage and ski gear for 4 from Freelander with roofbox into Renault Laguna proved interesting. Having made it back to hotel where we had left daughters we discover younger daughter had left her new ski pants at home. Quick dash was then made to local Decathlon 5 mins. before they closed, empty shelves but found one pair that we thought would do. Finally arrived back at hotel with take away pizza and bottle of wine exhausted.
Next morning set alarm for 7.00am to get early start into resort. Youngest daughter awakes to tell us she is feeling very unwell, so we dose her up and send her back to bed for an extra hour. She then decides she is feeling a bit better so we decide to head for the slopes, she then decides new ski pants are too small so extra detour is made to Sport 2000 in Bourg on the way to resort, £80 lighter finally get on the piste at 10.30am. A rather eventful first 36hr........................
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| youspurs1 wrote: |
loatie,
That aside, the only part of your report that really surprised me was that you were allowed to cross the channel before your booking times without being charged for the privilege (you don't mention any such payment). |
Eurotunnel booking condition allow you to turn up either 2 hrs before or after your booked departure and they will let you go on next available crossing for no additional charge.
Turn up after 2hrs and up to 24hrs they will let you go on next available crossing but might charge you the additional cost if it is a more expensive crossing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
2 hours queuing to buy lift pass, 45 minutes + queuing for nursery slope drag lifts, 20-50 minutes wait for bus back to resort, 2-10 mins wait for chairlifts. Nursery slopes quite busy, sides of nursery slopes incredibly crowded with camcorder wielding parents and grandparents; remaining slopes very quiet; ski school fully booked for kids' lessons many weeks ahead; adult ski school only running a few classes as numbers too low for some classes to run
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
truffaut, sorry to hear. Where were you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
kevinrhead,  I hope the rest of the holiday was a bit more restful!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
This was our first half term experience in the espace Diamant. We were anticipating mayhem but apart from a 3 hour delay on the M4 and M25 on the friday night (Eurotunnel allowed us on the next crossing after we arrived 2 hours late for our booking) we had a clear drive down overnight.
During the week lift queues in the smaller resorts of the ski area were almost non existent only building when we happened to coincide with ski schools. The larger areas of NDB and saisies had queues of up to 15 mins at peak times but when we avoided the lifts in the beginner areas we could move relatively freely.
We tended to ski until about 2pm then stop and eat before a final burst before home time. On one afternoon we did end up in Saisies and on seeing the queue for the chair we settled for a coffee and watching the carnage as ski classes of beginners headed down the slope. Tables chairs skis and spectators and classmates were all fair game for the out of control first timers and with classes of 12 -15
I do wonder how an instructor maintains control, but that said there was a lot of laughter and squealing going on so they did seem to enjoy it.
We left Saturday night at 8:30 and 12 hours later climbed into bed tired and sad to be back home again!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
We really enjoyed the rest of the week, only slight pain was having to return to Albertville to collect car. The biggest surprise was the bill for the repair only 40 euro a very pleasant surprise.