 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi folks.
Starting to plan next years trip. We are going to Val Cenis in January 2010. We are driving. So we plan to get eurotunnel into France arriving around 1100 French time.
Where would be a good place for overnight stop, assuming we wish to stop around 2000 hours.
Would Chambery be okay, i assume we can comfortably make Chambery between 1100-2000 and if so have we just the choice of ETAP or Formula 1. I would like about a 3 hour drive the next morning, leaving overnight stop at 0700 so get into resort at 10ish
Four adults 1 car
Many thanks
Tim B
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I think you could get there in 10 hours so why stopover when you're nearly there? I'd stop off earlier if you really do want to have a stop off? I'm sure you'll get some good answers here either way.
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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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PS - let us know what Val Cenis is like as we are thinking of there for late season trip.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Libertine wrote: |
| I think you could get there in 10 hours so why stopover when you're nearly there? I'd stop off earlier if you really do want to have a stop off? I'm sure you'll get some good answers here either way. |
Not yet i haven't 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Just keeping an eye on this - like Libertine, we're looking at Val Cenis and the surrounding areas for a late season trip. We'd also be looking to break the journey like you, although maybe earlier as we're coming from further north
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The one time I tried to stop in Chambery on a Friday night I found that it was full of people wanting to ski the next day before checking into an apartment somewhere.
There is an Etap just before St Jean de Maurienne too if you wanted to be a bit nearer.
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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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We have driven to Val Cenis twice and simply set out extremely early and did it in one day. Returning, however, we did a day skiing and then set out in the late afternoon, staying at Beaune in the Formule1 (but going to a good restaurant of which there are many). This leaves a very easy day for the rest of the return. Going out you would certainly want to get much closer but I cannot advise where. If you felt up to the full journey in one day you could even stay at Modane - the hinge between the upper and lower Maurienne. It does make a very long drive, though, you arrive as it is getting dark.
We will be there again next season (skiing with a guide) during the 3rd week January (there will be important dog-sled races up the vlley from VC that week, so the village will be fuller than usual - when will you be going?
Val Cenis is a smallish resort - very cheap and uncrowded, mostly frequented by French families though the British holiday companies are starting to discover it. I hope you booked in Lanslevillard, which is a better base than Lansleboug - though both will be fine. They are traditional French villages with some extra buildings rather than purpose-built resorts - Val Cenis is the collective name for them and does not exist as a place on the map. The skiing is all on one side of the valley (the other is steep and rocky). The lower slopes are wooded which protects the runs. From the crest you can look over at a big lake, but the highest parts of the ridge you can only skin to..
There are a series of small resorts along the Haute Maurienne Valley which you can easily ski since you have a car (or using the local bus). They include Bonneval at the top of the valley (which you can ski to from the back of Val d'Isere - or by car in summer), La Norma and Valfrejus (above Modane and well worth a visit). Another small one (Termignon) has been linked to ValCenis since I was last there. There is a lift pass which covers them.
There are a series of extraordinary forts and some huge fortifications from earlier centuries (presumably protecting the border) between Modane and Val Cenis.
There is lots of good off-piste in the area which almost nobody skis (mostly above the trees, though there is some tree skiing) but you need a guide to find much of it.
Val Cenis Website with piste map.
For those who fly out Turin is the best Airport.
Lanslevillard from our hotel. (New snow, low cloud)
View over the ridge. (Our worst season for snow there)
Some tree skiing with part of Lanslevillard below.
Some off-piste from a tiny resort just beyond Termignan - I forget the name (those tracks were all ours).
PS This website is a bit slow at this time of year - people only look on occasionally so response takes a while. Nearer the season opening it gets much busier.
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Snowball. Thanks. We are staying from 30/01/10 at Lanslevillard.
From your report it all looks good. For the last two years we have done La Toussuire, which is not too far from VC.
We prefer smllr more French resorts than the bigger ones. Have done the big ones in th past.
We normally fly to Grenoble and pick up a hire car. We used to drive years ago last time was 2002. So really just wanted to get an idea of distances and times.
Our plan is to have a chilled drive on Friday, stop somewhere no more than 2 hours drive from Val Cenis and get up at around 7-8am on Saturday and be skiing by at the latest midday on the Saturday.
Coming back we aim to leave resort at 0900 the following Saturday and do the run hom in one hit.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Well, leaving after skiing on the Saturday would give an extra day skiing and a less hectic drive - back mid afternoon I seem to remember).
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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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Timbobaggins, your plan sounds good to me. But you'll have plenty of time to drive before you need to stop so I'd try to get really close - why leave yourself with such a long drive next morning. You could be skiing by 0930!
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