 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi everyone
Planning my trip now for end of Jan, and just wanted your advice about a resort. Due to convenient flight times, going to Geneva, but did Les Houches last year, so was thinking about PDS or Flaine this time. In particular found hotels in Avoriaz and Les Carroz (and transfers there don't seem to be a problem). Also, was attracted by the fact that they have beginners passes available, which is good for us, as we don't need to pay for hundreds of km when we usually just go round the same area all day! Would anyone recommend which resort might be better? In terms of snow cover and suitability for beginners.
Thanks a lot
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If you are newish to skiing go for Morzine/Les Gets instead of Avoriaz which has the famous Swiss Wall of death more suitable for the skiers seeking ultimate challenge. Morzine is within walking distance from Avoriaz chairlift and the three is the main resorts of the PDS on the French side.
Grand Massif has Le Carroz, Morillon, Sameon, Sixt and Flaine. It is also a bit mixed in variety especially if you have to travel around different areas. The easy parts are Le Carroz and Morillon.
My advice is try one place in one trip and another in another trip as both are almost next door neighbour in term of close proximity.
The other sizeable skiing domain is Domaine Evasion made up by Megeve, St Gervais, Combloux and Rochbrune. These are about the same distance from Geneva airport and have plenty of areas suitable for the early intermediate.
The drawback of the resorts around Geneva is most of them are low altitude.
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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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munchimo, Avoriaz will be Ok for you. It has the advantage of ski out / ski in plus lots of varied skiing including easy runs down down into Lindarets.
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munchimo, I think the opposite to BergenBergen, . Flaine has some great runs without too many bottlenecks. Avoriaz has some bad bottlenecks both getting out of the resort and getting back. Even if the snow is perfect by the end of the day these areas are chewed up.
If you do go to Flaine, stay in Foret near to the Grand Vans lift if you can as you may have quite a walk to get there or even get a bus. There is a lot of self catering places v. near to the lifts.
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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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I found quite a good hotel in Le Carroz - is that as snow-sure as Flaine? Is there a regular bus between there and Flaine? Thanks
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munchimo, les carroz will be fine for the end of Jan, no its not as snowsure as Flaine, but end of jan is more about visability at times, and les carroz is better due to all the trees. Also if the links are closed due to wind les carroz/morillon is the best place to be.
No ski bus between Flaine and les carroz unless end of season sometimes
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Thanks - a bit paranoid about snow cover after last year! If I would have to go to flaine for snow is it fairly easy to get there if there is no bus? I read there are lifts, but would anyone know which pass that would entail purchasing?
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munchimo, If you want to do flaine as well you will need a grand massif pass, you can get there with a massif pass, but not ski it!
I skied the last week of jan last season and skied a lot of les carroz, morillon etc The main blue back to les carroz now has cannons on it, it did not last season.
Both seasons before last season there was loads of snow....i would not worry at all (and everywhere was the same in the northern french alps last year) Les carroz will run buses to flaine if the snow is really bad, they did at the end of last season, but in normal circumstances there are no buses to flaine, except the airport transfer ones that travel through which you have to book. If you have a car its easy, 20 mins drive, or 10 mins to a more direct lift link
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I think this might be a silly question, but I just wanted to check - is there a lift to Flaine that you can take without having to ski? Or do you have to ski some of the way? We want to have a base in a smaller village, but be able to access the larger resort if necessary. The same question also applies to Morzine - if we stay there can we take the lift direct to Avoriaz without skiing? Obviously we are ok on flat ground (usually!), but my friend is quite a nervous skier and so it might be a problem skiing the in-between bits if they are proper pistes!
Thanks
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Unless you are in Flaine you have to ski, quite a lot from Le Carroz to get to the Flaine bowl. At the bottom of the Grand Vans lift is the worst bit of the whole Flaine area. We used to ski (from Flaine) over to the other side in the am but kept to the Flaine bowl in the pm to avoid that. It's horrible, chopped up in good snow scraped in bad snow, with loads of beginners and side slipping boarders. It was the only way back and was aweful.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Morzine - if we stay there can we take the lift direct to Avoriaz without skiing
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From Morzine you can get a Navette free ski bus to the Prodains cable car up to Avoriaz. From the top there is a gentle, wide slope to a chairlift which takes you "behind" the resort to the top of Avoriaz, from there there is a gentle slope down to the beginners area.
Alternatively get the "Super Morzine" gondola from Morzine, from the top of that, there is another chair, then a very gentle run, and another chair brings you to the "top" of Avoriaz.
Either way should not be a problem for a nervous skier, especially in Jan as it should not be too busy.
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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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Thanks a lot. One more question. - if I get the massif pass is it possible to travel between the included resorts without skiing? In case we want a few more pistes than les carroz!
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munchimo, if you go to Morzine there's an excellent ski school - BASS Morzine - and a few private lessons could be just the thing your friend needs. If you speak to them and explain the situation they would probably have the absolutely ideal instructor available. How would you travel "without skiing"? Will you have a car?
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You know it makes sense.
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No car, we thought maybe there might be a bus, or a lift you could take that didn't necessitate skiing! Hotel prices changed today, so looks like it might have to be Les Carroz! Do you think there will be enough to keep us busy there for a few days?
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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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There is plenty of skiing in Les Carroz for a few days. Carroz beginner pass gets you 2 return trips on Gondola to 1800m and then unlimited access to 1 chair and 2 buttons between 1500m and 1825m. Option to ski back to village on a blue this year as above mentioned cannons installed. Massif pass will allow you to ski to Morillon on Greens or Blues, to Samoens on Blues or Red (not too difficult though) and to Flaine on blues although as mentioned above the blue bottlenecks to and from Flaine can get busy and well mogulled.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I wouldn't recommend skiing from Les Carroz to Flaine for a nervous beginner. Those slopes got extremely chewed up / moguley last year when I was there at NY and were very busy. Also, several of the commuter tracks are quite narrow with a steep drop on one side which can freak out beginners (at the time my boyfriend wasn't a confident ambi-turner!)
With regards to visability, a few days there was total cloud in Lez Carroz but we 'broke through' into glourious sunshine above the cloud over in Flaine!
You can get the airport transfer bus between Les Carrozand Flaine if you don't fancy skiing over. I was recoving from flu so didn't ski the first 2 days, on the third day I ws tempted out and went over to Flaine but by the time we got there I was too exhasted to ski back. The coach had space and wasn't very much, but it was about an hour and a half wait which I spent lying down in the tourist office feeling like I was dying! But I owuld make sure you pre-book and take a timetable with you as it would be a pain to get stuck in Flaine.
There are several reall nice blue runs in Les Carroz which are nice for beginers.
I found Les Carroz to be a bit of an annoying resort. You have to get a ski bus from the centre to the lifts really. Also, the ski bus stops running really early (6pm?) so if you intend to have a drink in one of the 3 bars in town, make sure you are close to the centre!
I love Avoriaz (can't beat ski in ski out) but again there are a few busy and chewed up bottle necks for getting home at the end of the day but to a much lesser extent than Les Carroz. Morzine is a lovely ski area and you can get from Morzine to Avoriaz without skiing. Get the bus or a lift to the Prodaine cable car and that takes you up to Avoiriaz. Simples.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hey there
I don't know Flaine but Avoriaz, Les Gets and Morzine are all fine for beginners and intermediates with lots of wide blues. Les Gets / Morzine might be better for anyone who fancies time out from skiing as there are more varied shops and facilities than Avoriaz, which is all about the skiing.
I'm on this website as I'm looking for skiers to interview on a project developing apps for skiers/snowboarders. (Although I will stay on the website because I love skiing!) We're looking for people who are out there 20th-23rd Jan (tbc) and will give £100 for an interview in the UK to find out more about why you're going, and how you choose where to go and then a brief hookup out there to find out how you use your mobile. You'll need to be travelling with 2+ other people and have/be used to using a smartphone. I know research sounds a bit boring but it's a great project and will be a laugh! If you wind up in Avoriaz / Les Gets /Morzine and are interested, please let me know! You can reach me at billie@enginegroup.co.uk.
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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 all,
We're thinking of Les Carroz or Samoens for the first week of March. From your experience, will that be to late in the season given the low altitude or is the snow that they've had likely to hold up until then? I'm assuming that it won't be too busy then and so wont get as chopped up as Kat describes.
I'll have a 2nd week skier with me. How bad are the 'mogulled bottlenecks' to Flaine ?
All advice appreciated.
Tim
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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Lou, didn't realise the holidays ran on into March. Would we be better to head to PDS/ Morzine to avoid crowds ?
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munchimo, just got back from Les Carroz and theres plenty of snow. The runs down in to Morillon are perfect for a beginner, particularly the long green run, Marvel. If the weather gets nasty, Les Carroz and Morillon have plenty of tree lined runs that are protected from the wind. Morzine also has some lovely gentle tree lined runs, so you can't go wrong with either resort, particularly with the snow this year.
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thanks nfh1958 - off on sun - so excited! 
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godthatssteep, it will be the same there. No chance of going a week later? It would be a much more pleasureable experience 
I organise an annual weekend with some friends, always timed for the very end of French hols. March skiing is generally very good (last year not of course).
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FAQ
IIRC the runs to Flaine (we were the other way around as we've only stayed in Flaine) are ok but they do get very busy. I would suggest leaving plenty of time with a beginner and avoid obvious busy times if possible. Depends on the beginner really 