 Poster: A snowHead
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We are a group of four intermediate skiers and one boarder looking for an alternative to the big resorts. I stumbled across Les Contamines whilst searching for accommodation and it seems to tick all the boxes. Our only concern is limited ski area and whether there is enough to keep us busy for a week?
I understand it is linked with other villages that can be accessed with the Evasion Pass and we are driving down so will have access to a car. We stayed in Notre damme de Bellecomme last year with the Espace Diamant pass and enjoyed the skiing. Has anyone skied both areas and how do they compare?
Does anyone have experience of this resort and the skiing?
TIA
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I lived in les Contamines for a year and loved it.... a really "nice" ski resort... rarely any queues... quite a large area (100+km) for a mixed ability group then nice in that you all come back to the same point for a good meeting point.
Where are you thinking of staying there?
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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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There were two places we were looking at. One was an apartment that just says centrally located with 5 min bus ride to cable. The other is an apartment in L'Enclave?
I really like the sound of Les Contamines, can you offer any advice or recommend accommodation suitable for 5 guys on a budget. How does it compare to Les Saises?
PS Do you post on PH too?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
Has anyone skied both areas and how do they compare?
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Yes, I've skied both. It's an interesting question. The Espace Diamant is bigger and more varied, but Les Contamines is also very enjoyable. From here, when we go to Les Contamines we drive up the Hauteluce Valley to Belleville, where there is a gondola and then a chair to take you up to the Col de Joly and the top - and much the best - of the Les Contamines skiing. I have been there about 10 times, I suppose, and only twice gone right down to the bottom in LC. Once because I'd left a purse in a mountain restaurant and it had been sent down to a lost property office so I had no choice. The other time out of curiosity down what turned out to be a narrow icy and deeply unenjoyable track masquerading as a red run.
So, my grip with LC would be having to hike up to get to the worthwhile skiing - which is really above the "Signal" at the top of the double gondola. Normally we don't drop below that level.
Presumably when you stayed in N D de Bellecombe you skied all over the Espace Diamant?
If you stay in Les Contamines there are buses between Belleville and Hauteluce so you could get up to Les Saisies etc for a day if you wished. Or, indeed, vice versa - a very easy visit to Les Contamines from Les Saisies, with or without a car. There are buses every morning and evening.
There used to be a very good ski pass - it was 80 euros for 5 days, giving you up to two days in Les Saisies, Les Contamines and Areches Beaufort. But I don't think that exists any more.
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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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From that I read you prefer Espace Diamant? We stayed in ND de B whilst my friend did a season for First Choice. My only gripe was the numerous lifts to reach Les Saises where most of the action was. Do you think a week in LC will be a drag in terms of access to the slopes, we have a car but dont want to have to use it every day.
Can you offer any suggestions of similar resorts we could try?
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Wed 21-10-09 21:12; edited 1 time in total
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astroarcadia, there are some changes coming this year which will make "high level" acess across the Espace Diamant easier. What level did you stay in N D de B? There will be a new drag lift in Praz sur Arly up to the Ban Rouge, and a new piste leading from there down to the bottom of the Plan des Fours chair, which takes you up to the Les Saisies bowl.
However, if you liked Les Saisies when you got over there (or rather over here, as that's where I am at the moment) then why not stay in Les Saisies, from which you could very easily do a day trip to Les Contamines, either by car or the free ski bus? It would be a worthwhile day trip, that's for sure, but the Espace Diamant has considerably more skiing.
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astroarcadia, OK, that's right down at the bottom level of N D de B - there are 3 (that level, Mont Rond and Les Frasses). It's certainly a big faff to get from there over to Les Saisies.
Did you get to Crest Voland? That's quite a nice option from Les Saisies. I can advise on staying in Les Saisies, though if you fancy fresh pastures Les Contamines would also be good - though it's a very strung out village and if you don't want to use the car every day you'd need to take advice from somewone with local knowledge about accommodation within easy reach of the bottom lifts.
As for other suggestions, then maybe somewhere like St Gervais, with plenty of options (there are some Snowheads, particularly Annie, who knows that area very well). There are no doubt also loads of other options that I wouldn't know about, including in Austria.
If you went from the bottom of N D de B most days you'd have spent a lot of time simply travelling to and fro - especially on the super slow Planay chair across the road up to Mont Rond. Did you get across to Praz sur Arly? the new Cret du Midi fast chair serves some good runs. What time of year were you there? The lower levels of the Val D'Arly were pretty soggy during the warmer periods last season; they're very low.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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come to les contamines stay in enclave (close to lift) dont stay in village .If you come in jan pm me i will give you a wizz round lots of sking if you kmow where to go 400 km if you include the evraison, But dont expect to be disco ing at night bars and good resturants only. pm me me for any questions!
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Faff is putting it politely! We did go to Crest Voland, Praz Sur Arly(cold and winy if I rememeber) and all the other places linked. I was thinking of St Gervais or St Nicolas as an alternative. PLANAY! I nearly froze to death that lift is so slow! I think it was February we came over. Conditions were not great when we arrived but it got better as the week progressed.
More research needed methinks!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Brock is it feasible to get to Megeve and the surrounding slopes from LC. The LC piste map does not make this clear, neither does the Evasion one. We are not after night clubs or late nights on this one, just a quite bar for a demi perhaps. Is Enclave a good location within LC?
TIA
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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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| astroarcadia wrote: |
PS Do you post on PH too? |
If by PH you mean "garlicks boudior" then yes I do!! 
I'm not sure where the l'eclave are... personally I would have thought that part of the charm of Les Contamines would be the village so would stay there.
We lived above on of the main bars and it was the quietest I;ve ever seen a bar in a ski resort.. that said there were 2 bars open until the early hours.
If you are from the PH I'm thinking then you'll be driving so a good base to work out from with the whole of Chamonix, St gervais and Megeve included in the pass if you get bored.... that said we didn;t get bored and were living there.
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| marcellus wrote: |
If you are from the PH I'm thinking then you'll be driving so a good base to work out from with the whole of Chamonix, St gervais and Megeve included in the pass if you get bored.... that said we didn;t get bored and were living there. |
Driving indeed! I love a road trip.
How does LC compare to St Gervais? Both seem traditional french places unspolit by the british!
Looking to book this up by the end of the week so will post my decision.
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You know it makes sense.
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astroarcadia, you can't ski from Megeve to LC (though it's very close as the crow flies) - you'd need to drive round. St Gervais is hugely bigger than LC and a real town - I drove through it this morning and was reminded how nice it is! Some interesting old buildings. Loads of traffic though, and you are not exactly on top of the slopes. It has linked access to far more skiing than LC. As I suggested above, Annie is an expert on St Gervais having spent the season there last year - if you send her a PM I'm sure you'd get loads of relevant info. IIRC she liked Combloux and Le Giettaz best, and Megeve least, out of the whole Mont Blanc Evasion area.
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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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What time of year are you thinking of going? Makes a big difference.
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Poster: A snowHead
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astroarcadia, I went to Contamines 4 years back, lots of off piste potential on the bowl below the Aiguille Croche peak, if you could exploit this there's prob enough for a week. If you stick to pistes, you might want to do some days in St Gervais/Megeve area, the Evasion liftpass allows this, easy to get to from Contamines, 10 mins by car to the huge car park by the gondola up to Mont d'Arbois, nice area, amazing views of the Mont Blanc massif, lots of nice cruisy pistes, you could also venture round to the Chamonix Valley as well.
Contamines is a fairly quiet place, near the end of a dead-end valley, quite traditionally French, some nice restaurants and friendly locals, the village centre is about 1km from the main gondola but there is some newer development near the lift which would be a good base if you didn't want to use the car.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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So although LC is part of the Evasion Mont Blanc pass the LC ski area is self contained and not directly linked with the other towns on this pass i.e Megeve, St Nicolas, St Gervais etc?This makes LC the odd one out as all the other towns seem to be linked by chairs/goldolas via MT Joux and MT D'Arbois.
We are going to be arriving on 23rd January for one week. Its so much easier to hit one of the big resorts but we want to do something a bit different. We will be in Alpe D'huez for our sins over Xmas so would like to visit a smaller traditional "french" town in January.
Pam, thankyou for all this advice.
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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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Luigi - Thanks for the post, The accommodation we were looking at in LC is equidistant between lifts and town centre so could be ideal. I suppose we could ski LC for 2-3 days depending on conditions and then head round to St Gervais, Megeve area in the car if its only 10 minutes away. Like all things there has to be some compromise.
(Note to self: avoid expensive jazz clubs in Megeve)........
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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astroarcadia, but would you really want to pass up the opportunity of getting to know that hot chick at the bar? 
Back on topic, snow conditions are usually pretty reliable in Contamines, the snow was always better there than at St Gervais when we went.
There's no lift link between the Contamines area and the St Gervais/Megeve area, I believe you can ski somewhere off the back of the Aiguille Croche down into Megeve but that is strictly off-piste and there's no lift back, there were plans to build a link but nothing has materialised yet.
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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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astroarcadia, St gervais is about ten mins away by car chamonix about half an hour the lift in st gervais acesses nearly all of the megeve area so no need to drive to megeve however this is only another 5-10 mins on from st gervais.st gervais is an old spa town quite big and spread out. As regards staying in contamine enclave is in the hameau du ley area next to the main gondola into the ski area .If you stay in the village you will have a short bus trip every day to go sking Ps I have an appartement in enclave so i know exactly where it is!
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We ave found very reasonably priced accommodation within the enclave complex in LC so may go for this. It is harder to find accommodation in these smalller villages, I think we need to go to LC just to check it out. If we stayed in Les Saisies or St Gervais we would still drive to LC to check it out anyway. St Gervais is somewhat lower than St Gervais too. I think we have been spoilt by the convenience of larger resorts but need a low key more authentic experience of France.
Brock - are there any shops, bars, etc near the Enclave or is it just the Gondolas? Can we walk into the main village from Enclave?
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astroarcadia, you can walk anywhere to anywhere in Les Contamines it really isn't that big.
BUT and this is a massive but here do not let the talk of size put you off in any way... I lived in Les Contamine for a whole year... I skiid every day I could be bothered to and didn't get bored... if you're into pistes it's a very well linked up resort yes with quite a modern lift system which are usually quite fast... if you want to develop your off piste skills then there are nice relatively safe areas between pistes for you to play in.
You are right LC is a "Traditionally French" resort those who know it well would say it is unspoilt by the Brits.... it's the sort of place that when you fall over someone will stop to help you up.
Late January the snow will probably be superb.... LC has an excellent snow record...... if it didn't why do operators in St Gervais, Megeve, Les Houches bus their clients in when snow is scarce.
I've pencilled w/c 23rd Jan in teh diary as a week when I might venture back and play at Les Contamines for a day .....
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I also have an apartment in L'Enclave and can confirm it's only 200m or so from the main Gondola. Hammeux du Lay is a good base for skiing as the short walk to the gondola is ok in ski boots. It's about a 10 minute walk to the vllage centre. The village is fairly quiet in the evening but there are a couple of good bars and restaurants that aren't too pricey. There's not much nightlife but Bar Tetras (in building next to L'Enclave) and Ty Briez (en-route to the village centre) are open and lively to late. The ski area has plenty to offer and although the marked runs tend to be on the easier end of the scales, reds that are more blue etc, there's challanging runs out there if you look for them. Also there has been a big increase in snowmaking put in over the summer and the bulldozers have been on the hill restructuring some of the runs so I'm looking forward to see how this will work out.
I'll be there from 6-18 January so keep an eye out for me, I'll be wearing the 'Shrek' green north face jacket, black trousers and helmet, speaking with a Glasgow accent accompanied by a tall red head (Mrs Burnsy).
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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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| Quote: |
This makes LC the odd one out as all the other towns seem to be linked by chairs/goldolas
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No, I don't think it's the odd one out - I don't know the whole area well but there are bits where you need buses or boots in megeve, too.
I'd strongly agee the plus points of LC as set out above - I have a friend who skis lot in Chamonix (has an apartment there) who was bussed to LC on a Ski Club holiday in Chamonix where the snow was pants. There are lots of bits of off piste to play in - as there are at the top of Notre Dame, indeed, and a black off-piste itinerary down to Hauteluce from the top of Mont Véry in Saisies.
I've not been around the village of LC in winter but the description of the "nightlife" sounds just like Les Saisies - pretty laid back (if you like it) or dead (if you're a party animal) but with nice restaurants, bars with some live music sometimes, etc.
If you want "ski in/out" accommodation there's plenty of it in Les Saisies.
So, either way - based in LC with a day out by bus or car to Saisies, or based in Saisies with a day out to LC, it would be a great holiday.
End of January should be just about the perfect choice from the point of view of both snow and crowds.
You'll have a ball!
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| Quote: |
How does LC compare to St Gervais? Both seem traditional french places unspolit by the british!
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They are - I liked them both. Having spent 5 months in St G I know it better and personally think it is the more beautiiful of the two. Of course I'm heavily biased. Neither of them could be described as hot beds of nightlife. Depends what you like ski wise IMO. Les Contamines is better for wide open runs and jumping between pistes. St G is better for tree lined skiing and access to the Evasion as a whole and has, I think, fewer drags - though there are a couple of chairs to avoid! The skiing in all 5 resort areas is quite different. A bus goes from St Gervais every day up to Les Contamines and vice versa I suppose - which can be handy if the road conditions aren't great. I would probably concur with marcellus, on snow record, though it was cracking everywhere last year.
I have to go and earn a crust to pay for my next visits there now, (Xmas and jan 1 but will come back later/tomorrow with hopefully some pictures and contact for a great apt (we lived there for 5 months!)
Annie
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Been to Les Contamine twice. Lovely area, some good off piste apparently, (so my expert skier friend tells me), and lots of good reds and nice blacks as well.
I would recommend Hotel Le Chemenaz. Short walk to the main Gondola and the vilaage is a 10 minute walk along the riverside path. It is relatively quiet, but that has never been an issue for our party as we make the most of evening meals. The Halfboard in the Hotel is very worhtwhile as the food is generally excellent. Have alook before deceiding
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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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Thanks for all the replies and advice guys.
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You know it makes sense.
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this picture, taken on Sunday, shows the access up from the top of the Hauteluce Valley to the Col de Joly - the top of the LC skiing (the Aigulle Croche) is top left. I would never, incidentally, choose to go to LC on a cold and windy day - it's pretty bleak up on the Col de Joly. Les Saisies is infinitely preferable on that sort of day - though the Arly Valley or Crest Voland are even better.
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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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Burnsy, i expect to be in contamines from the 6th jan if you are interested in meeting up after all we are neighbours!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Les Contamines is at a dead end of the valley. To get into Les Contamines one must pass St Gervais so it makes a lot of sense to ski the Domain Evasion (Megeve/St Gervais/Rochebrune/Jailllet/Combloux) when one has a car. Les Contamines is not linked to the others making it a hidden gem.
Les Houches, the first resort in the Chamonix Valley, has similar favour as Les Contamines and has a much better view (the best) of the entire Chamonix Valley. It is about 25.6 km – about 32 mins from LC.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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brock, Hi neighbour, that sounds like a plan, we'll be flying in on the 6th so 1st day skiing will be the 7th, we're fairly distinctive (as described above) and I'll be in L'etape for the happy hour at the end of the day so keep an eye out and say hi.
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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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ST GERVAIS -could anyone suggest any places to eat and shops/supermarkets that are good value for money.,? also what can you exspect to pay for pizza.,? (: many thanks
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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St Gervais is a small town in its own right with only a short distance of 11.4km to Sallaches located at the bottom of the Chamonix Valley which should be the cheapest place in the area. Sallaches has a cafeteria which has food, quality and price just as as another one attached to a major French super hyper market.
Haven't eaten a pizza at St Gervais but this area is an ordinary skiing French resort. I think only skiers get ripped off at place like Courchevel or Tignes confined at the top of the mountains. St Gervais is on the main tourist route with loads of passing traffic. The prices there should be the daily prices for the French people.
Just like Chamonix people rarely complains about the prices there.
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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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jasminee, There is also a huge hypermarket in Le Fayet, just a couple of km down the hill from the main town. it sells everything you might need and lots that you would never have any use for - can't remember if it's a Super-U but if not, there are lots of signs to it. If you don't have a car, within the town itself there is a small Champion and Spar. Not sure how much a pizza would be, but can recommend L'Eterle (I think it's called that), as a good value, cosy, friendly restaurant with a wood-fired oven, and a good menu including pasta and pizza. This is in the town itself.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Super Market just outside La Fayet is an Intermarche.......... (just next to Quechua)
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jasminee, Assuming for a moment that you are driving/hiring a car, we found that the best value supermarket is Ed's in Sallanches. On your way to St Gervais take the first exit signposted Sallanches from the auto route, go past Carrefour on your right (I think this is still the case, there were roadworks going on when we were there which may mean you by-pass it) and Ed's is on your left a little further on in a small sort of sub parade of shops. They have a good selection of fruit and veg, a butchery counter, baker etc. The dry goods selection is a bit like Lidl in that the quality is good but there isn't a vast brand selection. After that Intermarche in Le Fayet would be my next choice.
Supermarket shopping in St Gervais is adequate but quite limited and EXPENSIVE. There is a butcher, two small supermarkets and a boulangerie in the main bit of the town and a larger Casino on the roundabout to Les Contamines out towards the lifts. There is also a traiteur by the ice rink and a Thursday morning market in the town centre. L'Eterle is good for a 'sit down' pizza or there is a takeaway Pizza place between the Les Contas roundabout and the lift.
Restaurant wise apart from L'Eterle we enjoyed Le Royal - nice cosy atmosphere and slightly more varied menu than most. (leave the steak hache stuffed with foie gras alone though!) La Brasserie d'affiches (or something similar) - simple food nicely cooked, and the name escapes me at the moment but there's another nice place down an alley behind the church, specialises in griddled meat, prawns etc.
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Can anyone comment on the creche/childminding facilities at the places mentioned in this thread?
I am regretting this already but I put my hand up to organise a long weekend over Easter for some friends who have gone and had kids since we last skied together (  ). Looking for somewhere near Chamonix (because I will be skiing around there the week before) where it won't be a total pain getting accommodation for the easter weekend only. I like Les Contamines so I have a natural bias towards there but Espace Diamant looks interesting as does St Gervais if the facilities for kiddies are right
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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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Arno, what age are the kiddies? There is a well-run creche at St Gervais (Le Bettex) for under-fives (though few English-speaking children go into it).
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Depends whether you want on-piste or off, if you're looking for pistes Les Contamines will be fine for a day or possibly two but Espace Diamant will keep you going for a week. Best bet if you've got the cash, is to stay in Megeve and drive from place to place. Megeve is very very French though, they palpably dislike the English and you'll probably need to speak some French - its one of the the prettiest towns in the Alps though.
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FAQ
s saying that les Contamines is great for sunny days when the snow might be suffering a bit elsewhere - we had the opposite issue with no sun, some snow and iffy visibility and St Gervais worked out better for that, with lots of trees (and a nice cafe at the bottom). Very easy to pick where you want to go on the day with a car though.
