 Poster: A snowHead
|
Hi I posted a while ago about our Christmas skiing holiday as I was trying to find the impossible - a pretty smallish resort where we could holiday with grandparents but limited to mid-week dates.
I've been offered a couple of things in both Samoens and La rosiere which sound great but know nothing about either. I'm guessing Samoens (being lower) could be more risky and there is the issue of taking a lift up to 1600 for ski schools for the children but it does sound a very pretty and a gentle place which would appeal to the non-skiers. On the other hand, La Rosiere sounds more snow-sure but I'm not sure about what it offers in the way of charm and anything other than skiing. I'm not fussed about skiing extent for this holiday as it needs to appeal to an age range of 3 - 70!
Can anyone give me any input or better still make the decision for me!!
many thanks
Tor
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
tor, Can't help with Samoens but do know that La Rosiere can be very windy as it is across the end of the valley at 1850, which is also why it gets lots of snow 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
boredsurfin, thanks! better to be prepapred and all that .....
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
boredsurfin, sorry, typed that too quickly!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
tor, There is little/nothing in La Rosiere for non-skiers. Samoens is a better bet for them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Frosty the Snowman, thanks Frosty! just what I needed to hear - even if we end up donkey riding in Samoens due to lack of snow!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
tor, A pleasure. I am a big La Rosiere fan for kids, but suspect that Samoens would suit you better with oldies in tow
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
tor, for you, with non-skiers, Samoens no question. And wouldn't worry about the snow, as easy access to it in unlikely event of any problem.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Samoens is likely a good bet for the non skiers. nice sized town not a custom resort not over priced. Some really nice restaraunts. If you have a car Morillion is only down the road nice town with a market during the week. Morillion is also a good location for Grand Massif. Nice village very gentle slopes for beginners and early intermediates good access to Flaine and Les Carroz. For longer and or steeper runs.
Trees in Le Carroz Morillion and Samoens when the weather gets rough. Flaine is mostly above the trees so can suffer with flat light in poor light but has miles of motorway reds and blues.
Some good ski school's. We have had good experience with both ESF and ZigZagSki here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
tor, Samoens is a charming village in pretty valley with links into the huge Grand Massif area, nearby Morillon is excellent for beginners with it's 5km 'Marvel' green run down through the wooded slopes. A real sense of acheivement at the end of a first week.
Skiing is mostly above 1100/1600m and the snow record is good here due to proximity to Mont Blanc. We were able to ski down to Vercland 800m in early March.
The Cascades run from the top of Flaine down to Sixt is pretty special too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Can't help with the comparison to La Rosiere, but Samoens is indeed lovely and would be a perfect place for skiers and non-skiers to holiday together. It's a quiet little town, quaint and picturesque with lovely little restaurants. Have skied there over Christmas before and will be skiing in the Grand Massif at the same time this year. Snow wasn't the best the previous time, but you can ski over to the slopes above Flaine fairly easily (just watch the little black stones that seem to show through thin / poor snow there). From Verchaix / Morillon it's actually quicker to drive round to Flaine than it is to ski it, which is probably what we'll be doing if the snow is iffy!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Lou, thanks so much Lou
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
mfj197, brilliant - that sounds perfect and thanks so much for your post
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
RPF, Hi and thanks very much too for your input although I'm beginning to think Morllion sounds a better bet now!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
Definitely Samoens.
Whilst Samoens is quite low on the valley floor, the Grand Massif Express lift takes you right up to the snow in one hop - and then a second (new this season) lift right to the top of the ridge from where you can ski anywhere into the Grand Massif. Morillion is much smaller with much less to do for non-skiers (alhtough they can take the bus to Samoens  ). Driving round to Flaine (from Morillion or Samoens) is possible, but I don't see the point as the you can get high up very quickly from Samoens (but I agree less easily from Morillino).
La Rosiere is a no-no for non-skiers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
RobW, perfect - thanks so much Rob - that's incredibly helpful. Samoens seems to be winning hands down!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
tor, Still think Samoens is the better base for your needs. Morillion ski area is handy enough from here. There is a new lift this year which should help further.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Samoens is better for your purposes because of the lift up to 1600 for both skiers and non skiers. All can have lunch easily at 1600 even if not skiing. Also the nursury slope at 1600 has to be one of the best around.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
twoodwar, brilliant - decision made and thanks to you all for your kind input!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| twoodwar wrote: |
| Samoens is better for your purposes because of the lift up to 1600 for both skiers and non skiers. All can have lunch easily at 1600 even if not skiing. Also the nursury slope at 1600 has to be one of the best around. |
Agreed that Samoens is the best base for a mixed group, just want to point out that the runs above the 1600 nursery area are pretty steep reds and blacks, only the narrow blue track down, had trouble with timid first weekers finding anything other than the short nursery slopes for them to progress to until we found the nice green at Morillon, but maybe the OP's kids are beyond this stage anyway.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Just one dissenting voice... it depends what the grandparents want to do. If they want to be able to just pop out and watch the little one on the slopes a bit, and generally sit with a nice drink and watch people pottering around on the snow, La Rosiere would be much better. Also far less of a drag getting a little one between the accommodation and the ski slopes.
Without knowing what kind of non-skiers people are, it's a job to say what kind of place suits them. Not all non skiers want access to "entertainment" and "facilities". When we took a non skiing grandparent with us she wanted
a. to be able to walk to somewhere she could sit with coffee and cake etc and watch the kids in ski school and drink in the atmosphere
b. to be able to get quickly back to the apartment and read her book, when that activity got a bit cold
c. somewhere where we all went back to the apartment at lunch time (she prepared lunch, I prepared the evening meals) so she could hear all about our morning in ski school and have a fun sociable hour.
We took grandma to a tiny Austrian resort nobody has ever heard of and she loved it to bits. If we'd disappeared up a distant mountain all day she would have hated it, however many attractive old buildings and shops and restaurants there were.
Personally, there's no way I'd take a tiny tot somewhere where the accommodation wasn't pretty close to the ski school meeting place. Getting from Samoens to the slopes (and back, which is more to the point with exhausted child) is not a matter of moments.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
tor, we've had non-skiers stay in our chalet and they've absolutely loved La Roseire. As Pam W has pointed out the resort is very convenient for access to ski schools and the pistes, so grandparents can sit and watch their grand kids. La Rosiere is mainly south facing so it's usually sunny and warm enough to sit outside. There are lots of walks, either solo or accompanied by a guide, there's even a walk right down to the valley with a return by heli-copter, our guests who went on that trip said that was the best experience they ever had in a ski resort. There's a fitness centre, ice rink and enough shops, restuarants and bars to explore, above all the village is very friendly and welcoming.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The snow depth at one altitute in France can be completlet different to the snow depth at the same altitude but at a different location. This is extremly previlant around mont-blanc in areas such as the portes du soleil and the grand massif, of which samoens is a part, and is known as the mont blanc effect. For this reason I would not worry too much about te snow conditions. And La rosiere is south facing anyway meaning that it is more likely that the snow will be icy in the morning and slushy in the afternoon. I've been to samoens in the summer and it was very pretty then, a lot more so than your typical french ski resort.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
It's a good point, in the rush to get kids ready and at ski school on time, the thought of having to get lifts etc there would put me off staying in Samoens. As Pam has said it is a question of what the grandparents want to do and how much hassle and panic you want every morning to get the kids to ski school.
Even getting a bus a few stops is more hassle than simply walking/skiing down to the meet place, and IMHO adds alot of stress to the morning.
cheers,
Greg
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We've been taking the kids and non skiing grandparents to Samoens since the kids were 11 months and 2 years old. It has worked really well for us, and after a year off for the grandparents, they are coming again with us in March for their fourth trip. They have their car with them which makes a difference, allowing them to drive up to 1600 to meet us for lunch or take the lift. I haven't found that getting up to the slopes is a hassle, even with two small children. They love going up in the gondola because it makes them feel asthough they are skiing at the top of the mountain and therefore very grown up  The nursery slopes at 1600 are lovely, and for absolute beginners the nursery slope at Sixt is great - very quiet with a lovely restaurant to watch from.
The plan this year is for Skidaddy and myself to take the kids off to ski school, go off skiing, the grandparents pick them up and give them lunch and then meet us somewhere so we can ski with the kids later in the afternoon.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
I would rather not ski than take grandparents on holiday. Horses for courses.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Frosty the Snowman, very festive Frosty  really, this holiday is a family holiday with a bit of skiing thrown in (hopefully). I plan to have my skiing holiday later ....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Skimummy, Hi and thanks so much - it was great to hear it works well for you and yes, whilst having to head up in a bubble first thing wouldn't be my first choice, we're a bit stuck for options and I'm thinking (hoping) this will make it all part of the adventure - albeit harder work for us no doubt!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
kitenski, Hi Greg - it wouldn't be a first choice but our options are v limited with our dates so I think we'll just go for it and see. Just have to get up a bit earlier that's all ....
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
rambotion, Hi and thanks for the snowy info - interesting and hopefully, reassuring too!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
If the grandparents like swimming and saunas they might like the appartments we used at La Rosiere. We stayed in Cimes Blanches appts in Les Eucharts area. Our children were too young to ski all day so we spent some time each day in the pool, jacuzzi etc after skiing. There was also a bowling alley, ?ice rink and a cosy pancake/tea shop. Then the nice walk through the trees to the main part of la rosiere. So it would be possible to enjoy oneself there without skiing. It is also a very good resort for young children learning to ski. If you go there at Xmas/New Year buy everyone a balaclava!. The other nice thing about la rosiere was being able to get the train to bourg st maurice and be up to the resort in less than 30 mins.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
tor, Have done both and as others have said the both have their advantages, we stayed in Sixt last season and there was a non skier, who enjoyed the walk along the river to Samoens and the ability to use the ski bus to do a bit of exploring, they were 70, her OH was 72 and skied.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
I love Samoens but I think pam w makes some really good points about what your non-skiers might want. Does anyone know if the new MGM apartments opposite Table de Fifine in Samoens are finished? They are due to have some jacuzzis, steam rooms and swimming pools which will be open to non-residents. Even better, Tor, you could stay there and then you are really close to the GME (Grand Massif Express).
There is an excellent market in Samoens on a Wednesday - rotisserie chicken is yum. Nice walks into town, along the river and around the lakes - grandparents came with us and loved looking after our 4 month old taking little walks - it was the end of the season and the Alpine Gardens were open too - shorts and Tshirts in the village and snowy pistes - happiness all round.
Have a great time whereever you end up! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Boredsurfing, perhaps she would like to take part in some tranceiver training.....and you could accidently forget to charge yours 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Frosty the Snowman, I hope when you're a grand-dad they leave you at home with your pigeons. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Frosty the Snowman, this whole would you take the inlaws thing could be a great new skiing holiday thread methinks!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
