 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm new to posting in this forum, but have been a keen reader for the last 6 months. In fact I seem to have acquired an addiction to the site. Nice move developing the media section - the Corbets Couloir clip is fantastic.
Anyway, the reason for this post:
I'm going to Belle Plagne in 4 weeks  and need to know where is the best place to hire skis. I've found that SkiSet http://www.skiset.com and Intersport http://www.interlocation.com/index.aspx?page=pack.aspx&partenaire=6&station=155&magasin=1041 both have websites that allow you to pre-book equipment at a discount. However, for the same level of skis - the VIP/Performance level - SkiSet charge 50% more than Intersport for 7 days hire (Intersport €80, SkiSet €126). Is there a reason for this? Are SkiSet any better than Intersport? How does the service/range of equipment compare?
How good are these shops for swapping kit during the hire period? I have occaisionally had a snowboard out for a few days in place of skis, in Tignes and Alpe d'Huez with no problems, but from smaller 'local' hire shops, what are the big chains like at allowing this?
Thanks in advance,
Ste
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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just got back from LP centre...I hired my skis from allais (skiset) under Le France....Great service and friendly people...
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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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Oxygene in Plagne Centre are usually very good at changing stuff for you. We always take people in our group who need to hire stuff there. Also, if your looking to buy, the Intersport shop in Plagne Centre (downstairs from the Lift Pass office and telecabine to Aime 2000) are superb. Both my brothers trialled and bought ski's there this year, one a pair of Atomic SX7's and the other Rossi B2 Bandits. Both got a set to use for as long as they wanted, and the cost of hire refunded when they bought the (new) skis.
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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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skiskool,
I used Armand Bertrand in Belleplagne, downstairs from the gondola, and had VIP or black skis. No problem changing them around and I paid £74 for 7 days but I had my operators discount which save 15%, I think.
The selection they had were Head Monsters, B2's and Xscreams and they had a lot of new skis which I didn't get to see much of. They sold Dynastar, Atomic, Head, Rossi and Salomom.
A good ski for an advanced intermediate might be Dynastar 4800.
If you are anywhere Les Balcons then have a look at their ski shop and there is another one near the Spar shop about 100-150 meters away but I never went in to see the skis.
To my knowledge there are at least 6 shops in Belleplagne, 4 in the centre around the gondola and the two up near Balcons.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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well, i hope 'Elpro sports' in belle plagne are ok, cos i just hired a pair (+boots) for the old man for 77 euros for the week (only 'normal' skis), which seemed pretty good, 30% off booking on web.
hope they arent a bunch of cowboys!! 
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skiskool, now you've been and gone can you give us the answers to your own questions - since nobody else did. tomski01, the 4 hire shops JT mentions are all really close together in the small commercial centre of BP so I reckon a 'cowboy' would stand out like a sore thumb and would go out of business. For standard stuff, I think you'll be OK with any of them. The differences in gear, service and pricing might be more apparent for the top of the line models.
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We stayed in the Cassiopee Apartments in Belle Plagne, which open out onto the upper 'street' in Belle Plagne. There are 4 or 5 ski hire shops in very close proximity, you can see them all in about 30 seconds at walking pace, so for location there is nothing to choose. We went with Intersport in the end, who had the best online discount and gave you the 7th day free if you rented kit for 6/7 days. There are 2 intersport shops in Belle Plagne, the one that deals with the online bookings is the smaller of the 2, tucked away behind le Tete Pub, close to the Spar.
Anyway, the people in the shop were great, on the first day 2 of us didn't feel comfortable with our skis so took them back at lunchtime, and the chaps replaced them without batting an eyelid. I got some Salomon 1080s instead of the crappy Head skis I originally had (then spent the rest of the trip trying to hurt myself off the jumps in the Champagny snowpark - unsuccessfully I might add ) and one of the girls got some shorter lighter skis which helped her turn more easily.
On our last day, we traded in our skis for boards and only had to pay a small fee to hire boots (since we had our own ski boots). The only thing that I was dissappointed with was the lack of flow bindings/boots in my size. However, you can't have everything. I would thoroughly recommend Intersport in Belle Plagne. Make sure you book online before you go to get a 30% discount!
It's totally depressing to be back. Wish I was skiing.
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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 stayed in the Cassiopee Apartments in Belle Plagne, which open out onto the upper 'street' in Belle Plagne. There are 4 or 5 ski hire shops in very close proximity, you can see them all in about 30 seconds at walking pace, so for location there is nothing to choose. We went with Intersport in the end, who had the best online discount and gave you the 7th day free if you rented kit for 6/7 days. There are 2 intersport shops in Belle Plagne, the one that deals with the online bookings is the smaller of the 2, tucked away behind le Tete Pub, close to the Spar.
Anyway, the people in the shop were great, on the first day 2 of us didn't feel comfortable with our skis so took them back at lunchtime, and the chaps replaced them without batting an eyelid. I got some Salomon 1080s instead of the crappy Head skis I originally had (then spent the rest of the trip trying to hurt myself off the jumps in the Champagny snowpark - unsuccessfully I might add ) and one of the girls got some shorter lighter skis which helped her turn more easily.
On our last day, we traded in our skis for boards and only had to pay a small fee to hire boots (since we had our own ski boots). The only thing that I was dissappointed with was the lack of flow bindings/boots in my size. However, you can't have everything. I would thoroughly recommend Intersport in Belle Plagne. Make sure you book online before you go to get a 30% discount!
It's totally depressing to be back. Wish I was skiing.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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tomski01,
the Cassiopee apartments are standard issue regulation French ski resort apartments. Usual tiny 2-ring kitchen, small bathroom, and pull out living room beds. But they are well kept. I've stayed in some awful places, charmettoger in Arcs 1800 springs to mind, but these are as good as it gets (it cost us £320 for a 4 person apartment for the week). The key thing is that you only sleep/shower and occaisionally eat there anyway.
the staff are friendly and even put up with my awful franglais language skills without looking at me like I was something that crawls out of a dogs a$$.
For a simple no frills place to stay, I'd thoroughly recommend Cassiopee 
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FAQ
Good technique 
