 Poster: A snowHead
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garethjomo, I do not stay in apartments normally, I stay in hotels or B&Bs and if I book in advance they can sometimes sort things out for the estra day, but it may mean a room change or even staying in an associated establishment. Actually a trip to Hinteglemm last season was just that, Friday to Sun and I was going to stay in Innsbruck for the Friday to get a day's local boarding in and travel on the Saturday by train, but the hotel managed to get me and my mate a hotel room each for the Friday and we then changed to our booked accomm - an apartment within the hotel - for the week. At times it may mean that I have to stay 'down the mountain' for the first night and do the ski bus thing, but that is not such a hardship.
Innsbruck is great for what I do because it is a city that caters for weekend travel, actually I believe that the weekend is quieter and cheaper than the week due to business men heading to their homes at weekends.
The (Brit?) TOs seem to do this Sat to Sat thing and it seems to have totally infested the French ski market, but I have had much more success in Swiss and Austrian resorts in getting past this Sat to Sat restriction. There is a ski world outside of Brit TO run French resorts.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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There is a ski world outside of Brit TO run French resorts.
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I know. I've only used a Brit Tour Operator once in the last ten years!!
I don't think it is a British thing. All UCPA centres for example do Saturday to Saturday. As do all the French resorts when you contact them directly.
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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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garethjomo, yes I know, so maybe it is a French (mega resort?) thing but it does seem to mess up the flexibility of taking a holiday. I have been quite lucky with AdH and L2A in getting a 3 or 4 day hotel booking and likewise have had catered chalets in Morzine and Cham, so it can not be France as a whole. Also Chalets Direct is quite good for booking an odd day to tag on to a Sat/Sat reservation.
One thing for sure is that with a little thought and planning, whether you are driving or flying, it is possible to buck the rigid TO trend.
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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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We've driven once (crashed en route too but that's a long story) and would do so again. The one thing that puts me off is the schlep to the tunnel in Folkestone. Particularly galling since we live 20 mins from Portsmouth ferry port.
Does anyone take the long sea crossing as opposed to the chunnel?
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RobinS, if i could get some one to drive to the Alps i would willingly tag along 
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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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Don't drive and never want to. Wouldn't want to go as a passenger either. I just hate being strapped up in a seat for hours on end. The journey to and from the airport is bad enough! What's wrong with flying? OK, you have to check in early but can eat (comfortably, with a choice of menu), drink, wander round the shops, read, look at the planes out of the window, whatever, and not be stuck in a seat unable to get out. When on the plane you can, once it's up, read, watch a DVD, play games etc, (oh, and eat and drink again, if you want to!), plus you are able to walk up and down, have a pee and a wash, get changed etc. OK, you have to queue for various things at airports but I just stick my nose in a paperback and the time flies.
Being strapped in a seat and told that we're not stopping until we get to X (however long that takes  ) and I can't get out is torture!
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maggi,
Some people like to drive and some don't. Those who enjoy the car's capability will find it pleasant to drive through several countries in a day.
If one is stuck with a underpower car like a one-litre Micra then it is not the same experience sitting at the back of a BMW 530 for the same journey. Let say the car is a Posche then the journey is an enjoyment in itself though in winter I would prefer something like a X5 or a Cayenne on proper winter tyres.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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A decent car that is up to the job is mandatory IMV..
We have taken a Land Rover or two and altho' they handle the mountain element more than ok...they are a poor drive down by some standards.
Best so far has been a brace of Subaro estates, a Toerag, 7 series and a RR which have the right combination of space and a decent motorway drive with 4x4...except the 7 series which was just a breeze ... just as well we didn't use it in resort much, tho.
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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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| maggi wrote: |
| Being strapped in a seat and told that we're not stopping until we get to X (however long that takes ) and I can't get out is torture! |
Thats the reason I don't like flying and will happily drive instead?
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We are driving in January. At the moment I have booked the Eurotunnel for nothing using clubcard vouchers and have a hotel booked on the way down that I can cancel up till 4pm on the day at no cost. if i have to cancel the trip then I can re-use the Eurotunnel trip for up to a year and the hotel i can cancel at no cost.
If I was flying I would most likely have had to fork out between £800 and £1000 in June for flights and if I cancelled I would most likely lose the lot.
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You know it makes sense.
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thefatcontroller, the ability to alter the times of the crossings was invaluable for us last season. I switched our March trip to the summer instead. Painful to do it, but it had to be done.
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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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I drive because:
1. I like the drive down - road trip and all that!
2. It's less hassle than flying.
3. I have 2 kids so can take the kitchen sink if we want !
4. I have an A6 Avant Quattro with snow tyres on during winter
5. I live in Kent so it's so quick to be on the tunnel and flying down the A26.
Alex
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Poster: A snowHead
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There are 4 of us and the Wife is the shortest at 5ft 11in. The car itself is the biggest problem.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We have always drived to our Apartment. as has been already said it deos save a fortune in flights & hire car costs as well as parking at the airport, it is a long drive, we are 120 miles from Folkestone & 700 miles door to door, we are always get the 6am CT and rock up to Flaine by 4/5pm the same day, we also always travel on a Friday going out so we get to maximise our seasons pass by skiing all day on the Saturday when most others are travelling.
What is also great is we have all our kit & food that we need in the back of the 4x4, skis & boots are already at the Apt. I hate flying the constant quest at check in & passport control is a pain, we have timed it & there is not alot in the travel times between driving & flying, 99.9% driving is a lot less hassle.
Mutt
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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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FAQ
/tea on the plane and land at 11.10 am local time, out of airport by 11.30 a.m. (what a chore 
), take 10 minute taxi to hotel and ask them to wait whilst you change in to ski kit, take taxi to any one of the 16 local slopes (or even St Anton is just 1 hour away) and be boarding by 12 noon, a full eight hours later with some else having taken the strain 
(One trip booked, another in the planning stage 
)
) We have an apartment in Les Contamines and our ski stuff lives there so the ability to carry lots of stuff in a car isn't really an issue for us.
