 Poster: A snowHead
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I am looking for a weekend ski break at easter (Friday 25 March to Tuesday 29 March or Saturday 26 March to Wednesday 30 March) for 2 people. Does anyone know of any companies that can do ski weekends or any websites, etc.
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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www.ski-2.co.uk
Went with them last year just before Easter. Based in Champoluc with access to the Monterosa area. Great for all levels and the off-piste in Alagna is now lift-linked. Very few Brits, quiet and an undiscovered gem. Can't recommend Ski-2 highly enough. They're very flexible and not too expensive. They pick you up from Turin and resort is a mere 75 minutes away. Lift pass and lunch vouchers are included in the price too. If you're into music and the wrong side of 40 , try the Hotel California!!! Otherwise, it's not an expensive place. 
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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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Fraggle, I'm sure I do!! Thought that yesterday but assumed folk would try.com 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Flexi- breaks. Went to Courmayeur mid January and they were flawless.
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Sort it out yourself, flight-hire car-hotel, sorted. Plus smug feeling that you might have saved some money.
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ian bloomfield, DIY= Cheap at Easter at this stage. I think not.
Easyjet Luton/Geneva, Fri to Tues = £230
Car hire,petrol and parking ~ £200 = £100 each (2 going)
Hotel for 4 nights @ £40b&B = £160
Total = £490 per person
skweekends 3 night package to Meribel = 4 day ski with o/night coach travel on Thursday and back Monday night costs £219 per person, which includes travel and 3 nights accommodation 3* B&B.
I agree DIY can be cheap (and have done it and am doing it again), but it is not always the case.
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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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I'll get me coat.
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Ray Zorro, I'd pay £490 not to spend a whole night on a coach on it's own. these ski weekends have to be slick to be worthwhile, the only expensive part of your formula is the flight.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Has anyone been with ski weekends- sudden and unexpected opportunity has arisen without kids end of March so could suffer coach ride! Also, all cheap flights seem to go from Stanstead but we're 30 mins from Gatwick!
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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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helenjane, I have done it once and would do it again, but I have the ability to sleep anywhere (boring work meetings a speciality), so I personally didn't find the journey too bad. They did have a dvd each way and then a long period of lights out once through the tunnel (take a pillow and a small blanket if you do go). They are well geared up to maximise your time on the slopes, with their own equipment in the hotel Verseau and they hand you your lift pass as you get off the coach as you arrive the first morning. They minibus you to the Brides le Bain gondola in the morning and back again at night, if you don't want to walk. The first day on the slopes I felt a little jaded initially, but a good days ski and a good nights sleep gave good recovery for the other days. The jorney from Brides le Bain to Meribel takes about 25 minutes on the gondola and then there is a little flat bit to cover to get to the main lifts. Alternatively they can accommodate you at the Mountain Centre in La Tania. That is a little more expensive, but probably more convenient in terms of doorstep skiing.
I have done 2 DIY weekends and 1 o/n coach. The main advantages of the coach over DIY are:
proportionately less time off work for more time skiing.
cheaper (assuming you hire a car and can't get the really cheapest flights).
Less to organise.
The main disadvantages over DIY are:
You need to be based in the southeast of the UK.
the potential lack of sleep/stiff back etc on arrival.
they only go to the 3 valleys.
This year I shall be doing one DIY weekend (because I want to ski the Vallee Blanche in Chamonix) and am planning 1 o/n coach trip to the 3V.
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ian bloomfield, I agree the flights are expensive, but the dates were the requirements of jb1970 in his/her original posting. I guess that they would have been quite a bit cheaper if booked earlier.
The good thing is that there is choice for us in this. We all have different requirements and so one solution doesn't always fit all. Horses for courses as they say.
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You know it makes sense.
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Ray Zorro, thanks for all that. Never done a weekend before so would definitely try the coach at least once. Just back from easy package in La ROs with kids so quite happy to try "slumming it" on our own! Can also sleep anywhere as have worked nights for years.
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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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Don't forget (so long as you live near Waterloo and are going to somewhere in French Alps) the Eurostar to Paris +SNCF couchette is just as efficent and fast as, and more comfortable than, the coach And it's as cheap if not cheaper than flights. Book Eurostar.com, and SNCF separately. Booking pages for both are straightforward.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Manda, the train involves 2 changes of transport with your luggage. The coach is super convenient.
I did it in 2001 and found it comfortable enough and very efficient in terms of journey time spent awake. Others on my trip absolutely hated it though - depends on how easy you find it to sleep in a seat
+ efficient time usage
+ hotel room available to change in before bus set off back
+ good value
+ enough leg room to sleep
- bit cold on the bus in the night (take sleeping bag next time)
- loud drunk group that didn't want to sleep (take ear plugs next time)
- lack of ski resort atmosphere + long gondola ride (stay in La Tania next time)
- Brit run hotel (eat out next time)
- getting to central London is a pain if you don't live in the South East.
Not that there will be a next time but if I lived in London I would be a regular.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Ok have now booked coach as live 20mins from victoria. Have booked posh seats with ear plugs and pillow included and will def take sleeping bag and probably fight with husband for it all the way!!!! Thanks neilswingler, for all the tips!
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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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neilswingler, Yeah, but coach involves lugging luggage to the ruddy coach station, and you've still got to get off the coach to get across the Channel spending either 30mins or 1.5hrs depending on form of transport off the coach), and you've still got to stop for dinner somewhere (on ferry or at a service station).
Lugging luggage across Paris is a cinch. Paris provides a better standard of dinner at cheaper prices. Chalets and hotels normally hold your luggage and let you use a toilet to change in if you arrive early/leave late. Taxi drivers will help you with your luggage. Last week as I was being bused at night across France, while I wasn't as uncomfortable as I imagined I would feel, I kept thinking it would be far more enjoyable and easier to sleep if I could stretch my legs out on a proper flat bed, or even get up and walk around and/or go to the toilet when I felt like it rather than when the driver decided to make a stop. You get to do that on the train. Incidentally a coach company running trips to from London to Meribel do in fact have proper flat beds on their coaches.
It's much of a muchness between coach and train in terms of conveinence, but for me the train pips the post in terms of civilisedness.
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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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Manda, all the coaches I used had a toilet.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Manda, and the company we're going with let you use the bathrooms in your rooms to shower/ change on arrival, even if they haven't quite made up the beds yet. Showers also available for leaving late.
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Helenjane:
went with ski weekends over xmas. Few tips - take food as the hot food/drinks advertized as available on coach not provided at all - and on the way back the toilet was frozen up so couldn't be used! Definitely take a blanket as coach heating was unpredictable.
We had problems with ski passes - make sure that you send them a photo in advance as those that hadn't ended up waiting for 3 hours for passes that "would be here in the next 10 minutes".
We also had problems with the room as radiator leaking foul smelling liquid but they dealt with that pretty well - by transfering us free to the posh 4 star up the road as there were no other rooms available!
just a warning about the showers - they had to get 40 people through 5 showers in an hour....
Overall though they were pretty good - I've probably just highlighted the bad bits - although we didn't get an evening meal main course less than 90 mins after ordering it. I think that they were having major staffing problems - the staff that were there apparently hadn't had a day off since the season started - three weeks earlier!
The coach was fine - slept most of the way down and back - but can fall asleep anywhere.
Have a great time
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k, thanks a lot for that, planning to eat large lunch before and take chocolate and cocoa! Hip flask may need refill by morning! Had planned to eat out of hotel anyway, and hopefully staffing will be sorted by March ! Already have spare photos from week in Ros so will make sure we post them off. Now feel really prepared - bring it on!!
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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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helenjane, I have also booked. Going at Easter with my 13yr old daughter. When are you and Mr Helenjane going?
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Ray Zorro, weekend after easter while the littlies are off school and can be shipped to Grandma's! Mind you , still waiting for confirmation!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Bit off topic, but it is to do with coaches!! When I was driving through Aberdeen once, i saw a huge old coach (1960's 70's) that was like 3 layers high, and seemed to have beds in it aswell. The writing on the outside was in German ( i think) but wow, if you're doing a long coach journey that looked the business!! Id imagine it was full of old dears though!
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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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Nadenoodlee, do you have the rgistration as i collect coach number plates !!!! 
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helenjane, also been with ski weekends. Picked up coach at Folkestone which made getting from home faster. Although some of the criticisms above don't surprise me, I don't think you can get a cheaper weekend break! The hotel always had hot running water. Plenty of places to eat in Brides and a lot cheaper than up the hill.
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You know it makes sense.
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bbski, great, had planned to eat in Brides. Old adage of you get what you pay for, so cheap 'n cheerful is fine.
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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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Providing you live near Stansted (or other budget airline airports) I've found there are quite a lot of places you can fly to for a cheap DIY weekend.
For example, last year I did Zell am See in Austria for a long weekend. 0640 Ryanair flights from Stansted->Salzburg (from about £38 return). Arrive 0930 (despite loosing an hour timzone). Grab the train to Zell (about 1 hour wait, then 1 hr 40 direct journey, cost €8 each way), and you're in the resort by midday. You can ski till about 4pm on the last day, and get last flight back from Salzburg. If you take Friday and Monday off work (the Friday am flights and Monday flights are typically cheap). You can get 3.5 days of skiing for 2 days off work. Travel costs are about £60 return, and you can get a nice privateley owned hotel (B&B + en-suite rooms) for about £25 pppn. Which gives a total of about £130 + ski-pass, or about £200 for 3.5 days skiing.
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FAQ
