 Poster: A snowHead
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Off to stay in Balcons Du Savoy, Chamonix in a month and just looking for any handy pointers regarding best slopes, watering-holes and places to eat.
A friend has been before and says it's gonna be v. expensive!! Are there any reasonable bars, supermarkets, restaurants, etc local that I won't have to sell a kidney to frequent?
Cheers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The town of Chamonix itself is a big town and not just a ski town so I would imagine there is plenty of choice and competition. If your friend has been before surely he sussed it all out 
The skiing is split into several areas. Les Houches, fairly tame but pleasant. Red run territory of Brevent and Flegere. And the more serious stuff of Argentierre and Aiguille du Midi. Oh and Le Tour.
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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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solstice21, don't have time to type it all out again. Geneva Curry Club meeting to go to. Yum.
Do a search or check out www.ultimate-ski.com on Cham. Or do both.
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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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Solstice21, I will be there in about a week and a half and let you know what I find. A friend of mine and I will be there on a tight budget so I suppose we will need to find deals or starve, or even worse, stay sober...
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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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when you going? im there jan 8th to 15th
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Cheap place to
eat=Poco loco or midnight express on the main street, good burgers
drink=many bars do happy hours, the cheapest probably in chamsud
shop=the supermarket on the highway with the garage in front, The Spar is v expensive
Take a butty and drink for the hill, save 20 euro
Have fun finding the rest.
americanskier, did you find accommodation?
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There's a sandwich van on the road between the town and Les Praz (Route du Bouchet, I think) from about 7am to 11am. All the buses that go to Flégère, Grand Montets and Le Tour pass it. They sell half baguettes (about 20cm long) with a good choice of fresh fillings for about €3. They also sell enormous fresh croissants - the almond croissants are delicious!
On the street leading down to Chambre Neuf is a little pasta cafe that is good value.
And towards the end of last season, there was a Scandi couple doing barbecued sausage in front of Chambre Neuf. Served on a hot dog roll with a choice of sauces and relish for €1, it was a steal.
Oh and the burger place (a little stall, really) on the Rue du Dr Paccard is also good for a cheap meal. I think that's the one jbob mentioned.
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Cheers for the pointers folks. I'll be sure to hunt
bezthespaniard, I'll just miss you as I get there 15th
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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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I'm out there this weekend so I'll let you know the score on happy hours. Already done my homework over the internet.
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Cymru am Byth, Cheers, hope you get good conditions......1 month today for me 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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solstice21, Haven't been for a few years but I've always found Chambre Neuf a great Apres venue.
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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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Definitely can't beat Poco Loco for a cracking Burger and Beer!!
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You know it makes sense.
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Hi
You won't be slumming it staying at the Balcon de Savoy!
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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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solstice21,
I have more time.
Avoid Spar supermarket in ChamSud. Anyway, you're closest to SuperU.
Boule de Neige at the end of your road is a nice enough bar. Napoli in the complex containing the Alpina is probably your closest pizzeria and it's OK.
Bar'd-Up has happy hours.
Bistrot des Sports is good, typical French drinks and food.
You're at the right end of town for MBC (microbrewery) - I like the Granite ale and the monthly special seldom fails to satisfy. Decent bar food. Watch out for predatory cougars (e.g. my sister in law).
Not too far away from Chamre Neuf for apres (and indeed a good lunch). Also good is Elevation 1904 across the road. Fish finger sandwiches, marvellous (although I wish they'd use better quality fish fingers). Petite Kitchen near the roundabout does great fish and chips. Mind you, as you live in Suffolk you probably won't be missing them.
Lapin Agile does magnificent pastas (yes, I know, pasta, whatever, but it's really very good, great wine selection and Leffe draught).
Happy hours also available at the Pub, Monkey and Munster.
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Poster: A snowHead
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under a new name, Ta, some very useful tips there. I like the sound of a local microbrewery!
Another thing I wanted to ask you smartypants on here is if it's worth me upgrading lift pass as we booked with t. cook and they only offer the cham pass (not the mont blanc pass). It looks like upgrade's about £10 per day.
Cheers again all for advice.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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solstice21, MBU upgrade gets you access to Les Houches, Aiguille du Midi, top GMs cable car, Courmayeur and Verbier.
Les Houches can be a good plan. Otherwise, I think you can upgrade on a daily basis.
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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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I would just upgrade for the week (assuming you're there for the week). If you upgrade per day it won't be any cheaper I don't think. Plus the trip up the Aiguille du Midi is a must not miss experience. Truly stunning scenery on a clear day! I think to pay seperately for that it's about €20-30 so you may as well upgrade as I think the difference for the week is about €40??
The MBU also gets you a day in Courmayeur and there is a free bus with the pass too. A day in Italy, pizza on the slopes, really good variety and often better weather than Cham. So if you're looking to explore, get the upgrade!
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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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OK, they don't do daily upgrades, and it looks as though if you get halfway through (say) a 6 day pass and want to upgrade, you can, for the difference between the LP and MBU 6 day price.
If it was me, I'd go MBU.
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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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solstice21, if you go for the MBU you can always do a bin up the Midi after a mornings skiing at Brevent, best to book.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Does anyone know if it's easy to upgrade from basic lp using t cook/Neilsen? Can I simply take my pass once received and upgrade at lift/shops/etc? Cheers
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| under a new name wrote: |
| Watch out for predatory cougars (e.g. my sister in law). |
(I heard nothing.)
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Solstice
I'd check the price you paid for your Chamonix pass from Thomas Cook, operators have a habit of overcharging for ski passes and ski hire too. We always either buy online direct or at the resort. If you find you've been overcharged, ask for a refund from TC, wait till you get there and buy direct. It's worth buying MBU just to do the Aiguille du Midi.
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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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solstice21, I'd have thought so.
What wildnoon says.
FlyingStantoni, I don't think you've met her have you?
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I'll check price paid when I get home but don't think there was much difference.....If I can get cash back though, I will!
Got f/t/a (sc) plus lp for about £430 each which I thought was a good deal anyway?
Eyes will be peeled for cougars! 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| under a new name wrote: |
| Watch out for predatory cougars |
Ha, there is a far higher proportion of lecherous, crusty men in Chamonix than cougars (this is still on topic, it's a tip for the ladies visiting Chamonix)!
Actually, that may explain the cougars - the men their age are decidedly undesirable. Why go for something pallid and flaccid when you can have something young and firm...
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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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| under a new name wrote: |
| Watch out for predatory cougars |
This is blatant pimping, there are no cougars.
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Zero-G, My understanding from the ladies is that in Chamonix, "the odds are good, but the goods are odd".
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You know it makes sense.
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under a new name, forget about all this Chamonix gubbins, just tell me more about the Geneva Curry Club.....?!!!
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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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under a new name, that is frighteningly true 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Another sweet little tip: if you're spending a couple of hours in Bar'd-up and feel a bit peckish, just pop out the door to the little pizza place opposite and order pizzas for delivery to the bar. Within about 20 minutes, they will bring your pizzas into Bar'd-up and the bar manager and staff are more than happy for you to eat them in the bar (as long as you dispose of the debris afterward). Makes for a cheap night out.
Now, I'm not sure if this was a special privilege afforded to us - so probably best to check with the bar staff if this is still ok.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Chambre neuf post 3pm !!!!!! awesome place, Grande Montets area is a fab play gound, Aguile Du Midi be careful but worth it, Vallee Blanche , take a guide ..... a fair bit of bus riding but well well worth it ! Cham is legendary and magical if you appreciate the hard edge side of skiing you will see and hopefully feel why ! cant wait to go back !
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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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chrisedwardsski, Chambre Neuf not my favourite place. To me, it's a bit of a dive and fully of crusties and drunk middle-aged tourists (at least it was on the three occasions I've been there).
I far prefer Les Rhododendron (next to the church and opposite the Flégère bus stop in Les Praz). It has great food, great ambience (and live music on Wednesdays and Saturdays). When the weather is good near the end of the season, there is nothing better than sitting outside at one of the tables or in the deck chairs, surrounded by very happy, chilled skiers and watching people have a go on the slackline set up between the trees. Ahhh happy days.
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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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chrisedwardsski "Cham is legendary and magical if you appreciate the hard edge side of skiing you will see and hopefully feel why ! cant wait to go back !"
Some sound advice but....(And I'll probably now get some boos)...we'll all be boarding! 
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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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solstice21, a skier/snowboarder divide is not prevalent here on snowHeads, apart from the odd bit of good natured jest. All knuckledraggers are welcome
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Zero-G, and with that comment, you fall off my xmas card list...  (though not as epically as Renette's dismount at hh!)
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sherlock235, only if you presume that knuckledragging applies only to boarders...
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Zero-G,
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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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How about the legendary Savoy bar in Argentiere
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whooops have i set the cat amongst the pigeons ? .... unintentional ! our group is 4 skiers and 4 boarders , love Cham ( we all do ) ..... live and let live man and enjoy the hill what ever you are on
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FAQ
