 Poster: A snowHead
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Next Feb 1/2 term (last obligatory 1/2 term holiday for us...) we are flying into CDG instead of the usual GVA / CMF etc - its much cheaper. GVA was £1400 or so. CDG £350.
Only additional costs will be fuel / tolls.
So. Where to ski? Any suggestions? Good intermediates. Skied pds / cham / grand massif / serre che already.
Avoid the crowds (if that's possible) and a decent-ish size ski area.
Thanks,
SM
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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Hemel, You can get train to London St Pancras Tube tu Euston then 45 min to Hemel. Great snow all year round  Limited off piste though
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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shockingmoment, http://www.theotherside.co.uk/tm-heritage/visit/visit-noeux-ski.htm
Sorry I jest, but I would be considering driving all the way if you are prepared to drive from Paris. One of the benefits of driving (for us) is the flexibility that it gives and it works out much cheaper for us with four passengers and all our kit. You will still have the hassle of airports and car hire on top of a long drive. We have never driven at half term but I imagine the traffic is considerably worse, from what I've read on here.
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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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shockingmoment, Get the train from Paris....
You can get the the Chamonix valley via St Gervais...you can get to Martigny for Verbier, BSM for the Tarentaise.....................
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shockingmoment, If your 1/2 term matches the Paris week then its going to be a long hard drive. the jams at the A6 toll start around 5 AM and go all the way south. The first year we drove from north of Paris we were stuck on the A3 and peripherique before we even got to the A6 at around 5AM. Every other year we drove through the night leaving at 11PM. the roads were still busy and the 2 lane section of the A6 was nose to tail but still moving at about 120 KMH. the only alternative would be the A5 route but it is slightly longer and will still be busy. If you have to go via CDG I would get the train, there is a TGV station on terminal 2.
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shockingmoment,
Don't know how easy it is to do but how about TGV to Oulx (Italy) then taxi up to Claviere or similar then you have the very large area of Milky Way to ski.
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Why are your flights so expensive to Geneva? You could reverse it and drive down to Luton or Stanstead and get a cheap EasyJet flight to Geneva.
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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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or fly somewhere like Nice and travel up to the Southern Alps
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You wont get a cheap flight to Geneva from anwhere at half term. When I booked my half term flights a couple of months ago the best I could do was Gatwick to Zurich, £200 each inc skis, fees, etc.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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shockingmoment, TGV also goes to Grenoble giving you easy access to Chamrousse, Les 7 Laux, Alpe du Grand Serre (quite small), ADH and LDA .... lots of choice, easy travel and shouldn't cost too much. 
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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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shockingmoment, 5 hours by train from Paris to St Gervais - lovely town, great ski area even if you don't get the full Evasion Mont Blanc pass
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shockingmoment, will be interested to hear how you get on as I have considered this option.
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You know it makes sense.
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St Gervais would 'probably' hit the not too busy at half term button ( we were there all last season and the previous february, and half term was quieter than many resorts in low season) and as Anniepen, the town is lovely, it is easy to get to and the ski area is big. It would suit you if mileage is a high priority. BUT if you're looking for challenge akin to the places you've mentioned you may be a bit underwhelmed = it's there, but not so easy to find! We loved it but a) we had plenty of time to seek out the best bits and b) regrettably I'm a very average 'intermediate' and don't do scary.
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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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| Frosty the Snowman wrote: |
| shockingmoment, will be interested to hear how you get on as I have considered this option. |
The junior Beaumonts have done it. Flight from Newcastle to CDG, dinner in Paris (resourceful chaps), and overnight sleeper to Briancon. As the car decided it was frozen to death (it was -22) they rolled out of a taxi at 8.30 to a cooked breakfast.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Frosty the Snowman, brother of a chum does the train from (somewhere near London) every time to Les Houches and love it. Eurostar then Sleepers from Paris. Must admit, based in Geneva, I will only fly to Amsterdam or London. Everywhere else is a train...much more civilised.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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shockingmoment, Missed the "not too busy at HT" bit......however, as Annie, says, St G. may well suit - I had a group of 22 there last HT week and they were very pleasantly surprised at how relatively quiet both the lifts and the slopes were. They were used to Meribel, Les Gets and similar at this peak time though, so anything less WOULD seem quiet 
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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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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 everyone - great (and witty) suggestions as usual.
Flight to CDG already booked - from Liverpool so we save a massive drive through the UK.
LPL / GVA flights horrendously priced. We save just under £1000 less tolls. Had an image of a leisurely drive, lunch on the way, arrive late afternoon, spot of shopping for provisions....then off to be for a skifest the following day.
Prefer the drive in France to UK. French roads seem easier and less busy. I'm sure someone will let me know otherwise!
Hopefully our last 1/2 term ski holiday...
TGV sounds good. Never considered that. Even more relaxing. I shall investigate forthwith.
Thanks all.
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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 a ski trip from paris in Jan. TGV is your best option and is possible to resorts in the french alps but you may end up having to travel from CDG to another Paris station (not a huge issue with the RER). Journey takes about 5hrs (I think) which is amazing given the distance, I wouldn't even bother looking at driving personally - way more hassle than it's worth and the TGV isn't that pricey.
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Assuming it's 13 - 20 Feb the good news is that it isn't a Paris holiday week.
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| Colin B wrote: |
| Assuming it's 13 - 20 Feb the good news is that it isn't a Paris holiday week. |
Yahoooo!
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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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shockingmoment, Is CDG a Paris station, I was under the impression it was an airport. Oh well.
By TGV and my reckoning, you are 5 1/2 hours from St Gervais. You may (for some places) be better getting the TGV to Geneva central station (Cornavin) and renting a car. It may well be quicker. TGV is almost (in my book) your best way to get from CDG to anywhere with any snow.
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| under a new name wrote: |
shockingmoment, Is CDG a Paris station, I was under the impression it was an airport. Oh well.
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It is Roissy Airport, the main iinternational airport for Paris. It has a railway station at Terminal 1. You can get down to Lyon / Marseille and probably points north (Lille) but I'm not sure it is convenient for the Alps.
Geneva is not a good plan by TGV anyway, the line from Macon is non TGV and is very slow. You would be better going to Lyon and renting a car there rather than going all the way to Geneva, or simply renting at CDG which is about 5-6 hours to Chamonix outside of rush hours - via the Dijon road.
The closest real ski resorts from CDG are in the Vosges, probably about 3 hours drive by autoroute but the snow is variable due to the lack of altitude. la Bresse has some really good skiing and the domain is interesting but it is very crowded in the school holiday period.
I know many Parisians ski in Switzerland because it is quicker to get to than the French Alps. Worth checking out.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Have you looked at flights to chambery?
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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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| under a new name wrote: |
shockingmoment, Is CDG a Paris station, I was under the impression it was an airport. Oh well.
By TGV and my reckoning, you are 5 1/2 hours from St Gervais. You may (for some places) be better getting the TGV to Geneva central station (Cornavin) and renting a car. It may well be quicker. TGV is almost (in my book) your best way to get from CDG to anywhere with any snow. |
First line of first post - there's a bit of a hint.....
I'll be looking into the TGV option though, thanks.
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| narc wrote: |
| Have you looked at flights to chambery? |
Flights booked. LPL->CDG.
Went via Chambery last year. Not overly impressed with Jet2, and the 6 hour delay on the way home.....
Thanks anyway.
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