 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi there
As you know I started the thread about long cruisy blues and from that information I have concluded a shortlist so I need your help again.
I was originally going to do DIY with flights, hire a car and book accomodation separately but I have been looking on Thomson ski and Crystal websites and for flight, transfer, accomodaion, boots and skis and lift passes for 1 week from edinburgh (would have preferd newcastle but you cant have everything) going on 6th march for 1 week works out around £1600. this is going to Chamrousse for myself and hubby and 2 kids age 9&11 self catering. this was staying in an apartment with an indoor heated pool but not sure if ther was anything else in the vicinity or how hard it would be to get to anywhere like supermarket etc.
Is march 6th the best time to go in terms of conditions and queues. I dont want it to be too cold for the kids, the reason for going march is that I thought it would not be too cold. we went half term last year and weather was ok most days but any colder and i think it might get a little uncomfortable for them. We are a family of 1 week skiers. We may have the odd day of lessons but the plan is no lessons at the minute. We will NOT be going in the school holidays so can basically go any time.
I liked the look of Valmorel but thre is only 1 tour operator goes there, cant remember who it was though. I also like the look of les Saisies but obviously we will have to do DIY.
What would be your suggestion out of these 3 or any further info you can give or experiences on Valmorel or Chamrousse would be appreciated.
Many thanks in advance.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
I was originally going to do DIY with flights, hire a car and book accomodation separately but I have been looking on Thomson ski and Crystal websites and for flight, transfer, accomodaion, boots and skis and lift passes for 1 week from edinburgh (would have preferd newcastle but you cant have everything) going on 6th march for 1 week works out around £1600
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Are you sure? That's certainly a fantastic price if it includes lift passes and hire of equipment. I don't think you could better that, though that will almost certainly mean having people sleeping in the living room, which on the other thread you said you didn't want.
As for the date, yes the second week in March is a very good compromise all round, though obviously it can become very cold at any time of year.
If you do a forum search on Chamrousse you should find some reports.
When I looked at the Crystal and Thomson sites that swimming pool seems to be an outdoor one. 
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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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I have read on another thread that the apartments that thomson use is Ecrin des Neiges but then again i have read so much about this on various forums that I probably have mixed wires. I think "Chamrousse apartments! could either be ecrin des neiges or L'arselle. they have described the apartments as having a double bed in the living room and double in a bedroom which i know is not ideal but i thought for the price it was a fair compromise. I was pricing the apartments on thomson website the other night then the next day i did the same thing again and I swear they went up another £200 unless I forgot to add something on. at first it was only working out at £1355 but maybe i didnt add the ski hire, i was just doing it qiuckly.
Both Chamrousse and Valmorel have good write ups as well as Les Saisies. I am going to try and pin down brother and sis in law to see if they are coming as I think that will influence our decision too.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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polo99, are you wanting to go skiing or swimming? Is a pool necessary?
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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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For one week skiiers, Chamrousse would be a very nice area. We stayed in L'ecrins des Neiges which has a pool and is situated very conveniently for lifts and piste. The only negative thing about Chamrousse is the lack of choice of restaurants or Supermarkets. Having said that, it's a nice little place with fabulous views over Grenoble itself.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Valmorel is a great resort, reasonable amount and variety of skiing, mostly decent lift system, not too crowded, some great cruisy runs.Links to St Francois Longchamps, worth getting the area pass rather than being restricted to Valmorel. If you have transport, 3 valleys or Paradiski are within 40 minutes drive
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David we want to ski but just thought a pool was a bonus to keep kids occupied when they are not skiing. it is a long night to fill.
Hywel - so was there no supermarket in chamrousse? just we were planning on self catering.
Patch if we go with tour operator we wont have transport and would proably just stick with valmorel itself rather than get bus to other places.
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polo99,
Yes there were a couple of small supermarkets, one in the centre of 1700 and one in 1750 - just not big, expensive and poorly stocked 
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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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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hi Nick.
thanks for your response. I think the reason why the Thomson offer was so reasonable is because they are doing lift passes for free. this is quite a big chunk of the budget. thanks for the link. I had priced the hol with snowtrex but still cant get it cheaper than the thomson ski one and the other link you gave me is completly in French and my French stretches just about to say Je Mappelle polo99, j'habit engleterre!. lol.
I am not sure if you book with thomson that you just get pot luck with either ecrin des neiges or domaine de larselle or whether you can choose. can you really use the outdoor pool in winter? or is it just toooo cold brrrrr.
What is a sherpa store?
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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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Sherpa is a mountain corner shop/small supermarket. Specialise in mountain produce such as cheeses and wines. You can often get raclette stuff etc from them borrowed for free if you buy the food from them.
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Hi, Snowtrex offer both the Ecrin and the domaine - they also offer free ski passes. The Chamrousse apartments Thompson relates too is the apartments at the Domaine. The outdoor pool is about as warm as your local swimming pool in the UK.
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You know it makes sense.
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Nick do you know if you can chose between the Ecrin or the domaine and if so which would you recommend.
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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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Hi, As far as I know snowtrex is the only company which provides both via their website - which you can choose. Both areas have very easy access to the skilift's - both have swimming pools, hot tubs and sauna's. But the domaine has the general store, restaurant/ bar, pizza takeaway, ski hire shops, late night bar, ski school also the piste is lit at night for sledging - If you stayed at the Ecrin you would need to walk to the domaine or 1750 which isn't far but you do not have any services onsite like the domaine. The Ecrin has three blocks of apartments whereas the domaine is spread out over a large area and is comprised of low level blocks of apartments.
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Poster: A snowHead
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hi there
I am trying to locate the apartments on the piste map to see where exactly they are. do you have any idea what lift the domaine apartments are next to?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| polo99 wrote: |
hi there
I am trying to locate the apartments on the piste map to see where exactly they are. do you have any idea what lift the domaine apartments are next to? |
The arselle lift
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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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| polo99 wrote: |
hi there
I am trying to locate the apartments on the piste map to see where exactly they are. do you have any idea what lift the domaine apartments are next to? |
The arselle lift
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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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thanks for the links
I have just found a similar holiday with crystal but flying from newcastle airport for £1800 for 2 adults and 2 children to Valmorel. Everything except food included. If you had the choice, which one would you choose? Valmorel or Chamrousse?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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polo99, have you decided yet?
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I have not been to Chamrousse, drove through Les Saisies a couple of times in summer and skied Valmorel twice.
Charmrousse appears too close to a big city and may be crowded I would have thought.
Personally I think Valmorel a safer bet and £1800 for a family of 4 including flights looks a good price too. I am almost certain the skiing will be superior if the family can ski say 1/3 or half way to St Francis Long Champ to explore a sufficient blue and green runs and manage to stay away from the busy areas.
I have visits 100+ facilities in the Alps and Valmorel is the biggest blue/green resort I come across. The only warning I would give to the potential visitors is that its green runs may have steep sections that would be classified blue elsewhere. The resort may try to attract beginners so it may classify a run in a lower category when it is marginally also in a higher category. Overall it is still a truly easy reasort to ski and is one the flatest 150+km resort I know. It hasn't got much for challenge but is "the" place for confidence building and the enjoyment of skiing with a family recently taking up skiing.
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Well I think my mind is made up, well this week anyway! lol I have flip flopped so much. When I thought my only option was Chamrousse I was disappointed that we couldnt afford Valmorel, but then found this holiday for £1800. Now that we can see Valmorel in our price range I just want to make sure we are diong the right thing. hubby and kids were doing red runs in Niederau so I think it should be ok for us. It sounds really good. I may just go for it. Ill keep you up to date!
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