 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi there,
We've already booked our flight to Geneva, however, we haven't settled on which ski resort. Please help, as we have no clue what the snow is like around Easter time, we're mostly beginners and intermediates.
We've so far found accommodation over in Les Houches, or Praz de Lys. Which resort is better, in terms of snow-wise and cost-wise? Also, anyone know how to get around to Praz de Lys cheaply if we're going there? None of us can drive.
Thanks so much. Your opinion will be much appreciated.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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To be fair Easter is early this year but can still be a bit hit and miss. I am going to Alpe D'Dhuez. Looking yesterday there hasn't been much snow around all over the French Alps of late and it's been warm aswell. On the plus side I did see a dump of snow predicted for later in the week. I've skied a day or so in Les Houches. It is good beginner/intermediate territory. I'd never heard of Praz de Lys but looking at it the altitude ain't bad. Ski Club of GB comment on it has having a good snow record. And there is a recent glowing review on there. If it was me I would give Praz de Lys a try.
Given it's location getting there may incur a taxi. Some contacts here http://www.taninges.com/index.php?saison=hiver&alias=taxis&moid=3
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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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Easter snow can be wet and slushy and most years runs below 1500 metres will be sparsely covered and giving way to mud and grass.
Praz de Lys is a little low to be totally reliable for snow. It should be skiable, but it is a long way to any alternatives.
The bottom at Les Houches is even lower, but Chamonix /Argentiere /Le Tour are accessible by bus.
For price, I suspect P-de-L is cheaper.
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gisellex, welcome to Snowheads.  I think I'd be inclined, from Geneva at Easter, to head for Avoriaz which is very close, and fairly high. Les Houches is not a great choice at that time, the local skiing is not that high. I've been there only once, in a mid January, it was green from half way down and we had to drive further up the valley to find snow. We had a car, so it wasn't a big problem but I wouldn't have liked to have to rely on the buses. I don't know Praz de Lys but it's at 1000m so at Easter I'd definitely give it a miss. It sounds a nice place to visit earlier in the season though.
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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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gisellex, I'd look at staying somewhere like La Tania, which can quickly get you into the snow sure Courchevel ski area, despite being at 1300m it is normally possible so ski back on a blue run over Easter.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Yes, the Courchevel valley would be fine, but it's quite a lot further.
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gisellex, Praz de Lys is not far from us here in Les Gets. Very small resort but with some lovely runs. We usually go over there for a day - Saturday is a good choice - once during the season when we know that there has been a good dump of snow. I was away when my husband and some visiting friends did the trip there at the end of January, they had a good time, but I wouldn't think of going there now.
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gisellex,
If you cant drive the Swiss railway system can make transfers hassle free.
Somewhere like Saas Fee with its glacier has rock solid snow reliability. Might be a bit pricey though.
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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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From what I can see Praz de Lys ranges from 1400m to 2000m, which should be fine. The webcams can't lie (well not totally anyway) so worth checking out. Here is Praz sfor example http://www.webcam-ski.com/interfaces/praz_lys_sommand/interface.php?pk_interface=110&m=images&r=panoramique#depart
I agree with others that staying in Les Houches you do have the option of going to the other Chamonix areas. Although bussing it around is a bit of pain.
I don't know Avoriaz particularly well but I've understood from others that poor snow means the links between all the Portes du Soleil bits get broken and therefore can be limiting. But I guess on a w/e trip that might not matter.
La Cluzac is another option to look at maybe.
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Avoriaz is massive! You would be hard pushed to do it all in a weekend and even if you do, then just purchase a PDS pass (Portes du Soliel) and take the chair over to Plaine Dranse and the Pre La Joux area - which has another stack of Blues and Reds....
Avoriaz is at 2000m and I think that Pre La Joux is 1700m at its lowest.
I ski'd the area last year in the Easter Break (which was 3rd or 4th week of April) and we had snow right down to Pre La Joux...
I strongly reccomend Avoriaz...
Oh, and as you dont have a car, the fact that the whole of Avoriaz is ski in - ski out should be a bonus!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| pam w wrote: |
| Yes, the Courchevel valley would be fine, but it's quite a lot further. |
Good point, just spotted that they can't drive, so Avoriaz is a good call!
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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 very much guys! We've been struggling with which resort to pick for weeks now... We'd love to go over to swiss, but it's too expensive.
Avoriaz sounds good, I will have a look at accommodation over there, hopefully i'll find something cheapish and soon............
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Avoriaz is your best bet with the flights you've booked
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You know it makes sense.
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gisellex, Praz de Lys is lovely but I think you'd find life easier elsewhere. My perception is that the best likelihood for what you're looking for is (as said elsewhere) probably Morzine-Avoriaz. I give it its full name as you'll struggle to find accommodation in Avoriaz itself for a weekend. (I think).
However, you should easily find somewhere to stay in Morzine and the links up are fine at the moment, and you're only 11 days or so from heading out there. Portes du Soleil is ideal beginner/intermediate country. Although the last week has been warm, the winter has been generally very cold otherwise so snow is in much better shape than depth/snowfall metrics would usually suggest. The link Avoriaz-Linga should easily last until the season end, for example.
Les Houches is not so extensive.
NB Pre la Joux is NOT on the Avoriaz lift pass. It's in the Chatel sector, so PDS pass required from Avoriaz.
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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 just got a crazy idea running through my head, as I recalled the owner of the apartment in Praz de Lys said it's only 10 mins drive back to Morzine (obviously we're not driving), but she said there's public bus running from Praz de lys to Morzine. I'm just concern with little time ahead of us, it'll almost be impossible to find reason priced accommodation at Morzine/Avoriaz - given most of them are already taken... I don't know whether to risk it and stay at Praz de lys..
Do you guys think it's feasible if we stay at Praz de Lys and just get on the public transport to Morzine if the snow is crap at Praz de lys? We're only there for 4nights, so technically 3 days ski.......
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Poster: A snowHead
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gisellex, between Morzine, Avoriaz and Les Gets I reckon you will be able to find accom.....
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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gisellex,
"10 minutes"? No. 30 minutes at best to ski lifts. (count 15 minutes from Morzine to Les Gets lifts, and PdL is twice the distance).
"Bus"? No. Not that I'm aware of and certainly not one with any sort of decent frequency.
"Crazy Idea"? Yes.
You should easily find accomm. Try the Tourist Office. Or the search function here. Or hotels directly: Igloo, Bergerie, Rhodos, Sol y Varney, Concorde, Samoyede, Sporting.
Unless you mean by "reasonably priced" something like"so cheap that almost no-one is interested"...
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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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under a new name, is absolutely right - ten minutes is way out for a time to get to Morzine from Praz de Lys. I have just searched and cannot find a bus service - do ask the owners the question of how frequent this bus is and where exactly it goes.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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gisellex, personally I think you're crazy going to either at Easter. They are too low. A couple of rain showers and the snow will be destroyed. It happened last week. Choose somewhere that has access to high slopes. Someone mentioned La Tania, somewhere in Espace Killy, les Arcs, La Plagne etc
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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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Hi
Well, we have just booked to go to Praz de Lys for six cheap and cheerful nights starting next Tuesday. We left it till last minute to check on the snow. They claim to have just had 20 cm of snow yesterday and apparantly the forecast is for more; we shall see.
But a) we have a car and b) we have alternatives to downhill.
It's on a very pretty plateau with great views - not crowded, v good value (well, for a ski resort!) and v French. Gloriously quiet on Easter Saturday but some slopes were a bit busy on Good Friday morning. We spotted a small queue in the distance once but it had gone by the time we got there. The resort is perfect for beginners and intermediates. Nice bit of cross country too, if you're interested. You absolutely don't need a car when you get there. Everything is easy to get to on either type of ski.
Again, FWIW we went last Easter (which was two weeks later). Four days before, many more pistes (cross country and DH) were already closed than is the case today. In the event about 70% of the DH pistes were open which was easily enough. We had four days of 20 degrees and sunshine. Mr Badpanda said it was "la soupe" but I'm not good enough to care for DH - and the cross country was perfectly managable. We had a ball. Our apres-ski consists of exhausted boozing on £1.10 wine from the supermarket so I can't comment on party possibilities but I don't think it's exactly Ibiza .
Even after the heavy rain (where the webcams looked a bit iffy) they were still reporting many slopes open -things are better again now of course.
We did not see any buses out of the resort - even the in-resort eco navette was shut. I have to agree that without a car, you are more at risk. I would probably risk it myself but then again I couldn't be having with those Chamonix valley buses! And it's much more expensive.
If you are having problems getting accommodation elsewhere at the last minute, Iwould try France Loc - they offered us an appt in Morillion (Grand Massif) for 176 Euros for six nights and they may have other choices which might widen your options. Incidentally, we had logistical problems with at least one other appt because we were so late - they could not get the keys to us in just four days so do check this with any owner early in the negotiating process!
Have a great Easter.
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