Poster: A snowHead
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Hi Wonder if some of you can help me. I have been to Les Deux Alpes once before and if im honest i wasnt that keen. It was my second week of skiing and at Easter, it was early April and the snow was awful. The runs back to the resort were shut on the glacier side from the first lift down to the resort but open up to the glacier, but on the other side of town there was limited skiing and with green pastures on each side of the piste. Non of the skiing down below Les Deux Alpes was open either. So, from what i remember it was pretty crap, but my brother and his mates want to go skiing this year and i have found us a pretty good deal to........you guessed it L2A. So first of all what should the snow conditions like be the first week of February? Also my brother and 1 of his mates have never skied before, what it the resort like for complete beginners? The rest of us are compitent skiers and 2 borders, so we will be fine im sure. The chalet i have found for us is The Titan Lodge in L2A. Has anyoen been here and you you give any reviews on the place?
Thanks for any help, cheers rick.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Ricklovesthepowder, the snow will be snowy. You've been skiing before - you know very well it's different every season. If you'd been here in early April last year, for example, you would have found everything open and in excellent condition.
There's plenty for beginners, mainly at the bas des pistes, Cretes and on the glacier. Don't take them to the Vallee Blanche side, they won't like it. Recommend Easiski or the European Ski School for lessons.
Titan Lodge is next to Marché U and opposite the Windsor Pub, handy for the quaffing of champagne cocktails. Five mins from the main lifts.
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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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Ricklovesthepowder, if the snow in LDA was bad when you were there, you can be quite sure it will have been worse in many places - e.g. Portes du Soleil which is lower. Can second the recommendation for easiski. Don't let the beginners just bumble around - make sure they are booked into lessons.
First week of February should be good - before the French hols kick in. But yes, weather is weather; no guarantees.
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Cheers for the replies. I have got 7 nights in that titan lodge, return flights, transfers, ski hire and 6 day lift passes for £630PP. Good deal in your eyes? Having a look at other resorts etc to see what i can find but i think its a good starting point.
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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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Good deal in your eyes?
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Yes, I'd say that was a great deal.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Agree with pam w. Does it include food?
We stayed 2 doors down last week and found the position pretty good. I struggled early on when I was there, mainly due to light/fog/visibility, being wind blasted, and it being a bit lumpy (don't mind lumpiness if I can see where I'm going). But at the end of the week we had 2 beautiful clear days with perfect fresh snow, it was pretty much perfect conditions - I even dared to go down the Valentin the whole way on my last day (successfully). Although seeing some boarders slide down on their backsides pretty much the whole way nearly put me off!
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We are just back from L2A after our second Xmas there and again had a great week. Husband did his first week of skiing ever there last year and had a good week with an ESF course (only 4 or 5 in group)... he wanted to ski again so was fantastic from that point of view but we had a mixed experience with the kids/ESF. This time we had lessons with Easiski - girls had group lessons and loved it (youngest has been observed kissing her certificate); grown-ups had 3 sessions across the week and had an equally positive experience and loads to take with us and practice on our next trip. For your beginners I couldn't recommend anyone more highly.
Skiing-wise we found it great for us as not very experienced skiers - it did help a lot having someone who knows the place very well guiding us as to which of the Blues are hairy and which easier. Compared to the only other place I have skied (and I understand many other resorts) some of the blue runs in L2A can be more like a red elsewhere so is worth sussing out which runs suitable before taking others out. We did ski a lot more of the resort this year with an extra 2 ski trips under our belt (was my 4th trip and hubby's 3rd). Weather wise it was brilliant.... but you get what your given don't you!
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youngest has been observed kissing her certificate
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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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hammerite, yes it includes 7 breakfasts and 5 evening meals with wine which means 2 meals out but there wass lots of choice including cheap options when i was last there. Just compared a similar deal to Tignes but it worked out more expensive. Think i may go with this as long as the others are up for it.
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We had a session with Easiski too, like katedenhaag would highly recommend Charlotte if you want tuition Ricklovesthepowder.
Sounds like a good deal there Ricklovesthepowder, I'd be there like a flash if I was allowed out to play. Sadly we're stuck with school hols, we're missing out half term, and will hope that we can book a good deal somewhere with good snow over Easter school hols.
If you are on a budget, or don't fancy stopping for a proper lunch some days the Marche U next door does a decent range of packet sandwiches along with the usual lunch extras. There's picnic tables up at Cretes, and a picnic room next to the Jandri lift station (changeover from Jandri 1 to Jandri 2 lift), there's probably a few more, but these are the ones we noticed.
I'd highly recommend the restaurant over the Vallee Blanche side. Can't remember it's name, but a few have mentioned it on here. Moules et frites with a beer for €14. I had some sort of sausage made out of chitterlings in a mustard sauce which was lovely.
We didn't eat out in the evenings as we had evening meals included every night, but had a few drinks out. I particularly liked the Lutins bar (seemed to be popular with locals), which handily has free wifi too.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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hammerite, cheers for that. I remember a restaraunt next to a black run diable? which served lovely hot sandwiches for maybe 5 euros each when i was there. As for the 2 nights off for the chalet staff you can pick up a pizza for maybe a tenner, and there is a great sports bar at the bottom of one of the lifts in the town itself, the jandri i think its maybe called smokin joes??? does great food and has sky sports on screens, great atmospere in there, it was owned by an english guy last time i was there, maybe called Paul? Can anyone tell me if the green run back to resort is currently open, and what about the runs below L2A itself anyone know? Cheers.
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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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Yep, Smokey Joes is at the bottom of the Jandri, don't know the owners name, but they were very helpful when we needed a hand one evening (the owner/manager and the scouse singer - help not needed through anything alcohol related!).
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We came back yesterday, from a week there.
All runs except from the one down to Mont-d-Lans were open.
Towards the end of the week the Village runs were getting quite Icy but still being enjoyed by beginners, but from 2100m up the runs have got super cover and plenty of people are still ski-ing down to resort.
Price? Can of coke on mountain 3euro 50, March U 2euro 50 for 6pack. Panini on mountain 6 euro. So compared to some places in France quite good.
The Titan is 2 min walk in ski gear from Smokey Joes!
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You know it makes sense.
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Just got back from L2A yesterday too. Everything was open although after 6 days of glorious sunshine with no fresh snow, the runs into the resort were geting a little dodgy. Valentins was icy most of the way down, and the long green one was geting very thin in places.
The female half of my group had a few lessons with Charlotte of easiski fame. If improving your technique is high on your list then she definately comes recommended. One of my friends, a complete novice had lessons with European Ski School, with lessons combined with help from others within our group he was looking pretty good after a few days. I imagine that he would recommend that ski school too, but he is still dosed up on morphine in Grenoble after a nasty break to his leg, and is probably not in the mood for talking about skiing.
EXTREMNIC, your prices seem about right for the majority of places on the slopes. Although we did find a few bargain places: Umbrella bar (near the bottom of Whte Egg) does a burger for €3.50, and the food window at the bottom of Cretes does panninis for €5 and canned drinks for only €2, soup and a bread roll here is only €4.30.
The cheapest place we found for apres beers was Bivouc, on the slope side of the ice rink, BOGOF at €5 for 500cl 1600-1700hrs.
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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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Cheers guys, not booked this deal yet still waiting for the 8 to all say "yes" but i hope they do as i just want to book it.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Ricklovesthepowder,
whose doing those chalet deals Rick? Sounds really good.
Mitch
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Quote: |
One of my friends, a complete novice had lessons with European Ski School, with lessons combined with help from others within our group he was looking pretty good after a few days. I imagine that he would recommend that ski school too, but he is still dosed up on morphine in Grenoble after a nasty break to his leg, and is probably not in the mood for talking about skiing.
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Ouch. How did that happen?
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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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Pam W: Not really too sure. He had been skiing well all day, and was on his way to a lesson when it happened. Going quite slowly on a flat approach to the Bellecombes lift and he caught an edge. His ski didn't come off as easily as it should, even though the binding was set to the correct level for his ability/weight. I even tried the binding myself and could not find any reason why it would not have come off. Just a very unfortunate accident.
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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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Peter_K, very unfortunate - hope it doesn't put him off for life. Poor guy.
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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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Just another thing, do you need a photo for a lift pass in L2A?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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No!
Just go and ask Lizzard nicely for a lift pass
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who is lizzard? Im now not going as a group of 8, some didnt want to go here, others couldnt make their minds up so there will be just me and 1 other possibly 2 others going. Going to book tomorrow hopefully.
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Ricklovesthepowder, Lizzard is a regular Snowhead, in fact she's posted on this thread. She works in one of the lift pass offices over there.
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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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Colin B, oooooh!!! thanks
Lizzard, been recommended to you! Looking at a weeks stay in L2A from 29th (first ski day 30th Jan). Is there anything you could do with the lift passes at all? Any help would me really appreciated and several drinks could be heading your way if you could possibly sort something!!! Cheers!!!
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Colin B, actually I work in several lift pass offices this year, as I'm doing day off cover. This means I get Saturdays off, which is s bit of a bonus.
Ricklovesthepowder, I can sell you a lift pass, but that's about it. As an adult of working age with no children in tow and no interesting disabilities, you have zero chance of landing a discount on a standard six-day pass unless you bring 29 mates with you, in which case you get a group rate. Sorry!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Lizzard, worth a try but thanks anyway. I will let you know when im there if you fancy going out for a drink or something, cheers anyway.
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