 Poster: A snowHead
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So we have a week planned in Chatel from next Sunday and Paul decides to join us for the second half of it - except he books a flight to arrive in Geneva at 10.20 on Thursday morning. Not wanting to lose a morning on the slopes we direct himto SBB's fine rail service to Champery via Aigle. We can drive round to Champery with his boots and skis which are currently in my cellar, ski all morning and meet him at the station (next to the cable car) at lunchtime. So far so good.
Then we got to thinking - is there anywhere interesting down nearer to Geneva airport. We could go and pick him up and get in a day (alright three quarters of a day) somewhere other than a Portes du Soleil resort.
Any suggestions? We are three 50-ish guys who have been skiing 20+ years - nothing extreme but anything on piste tackled. Looking at the forecast high would be good.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Morrillon.............. 45mins from GVA!
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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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marcellus, "high"? 
DJL, Brevent-Flegere? (1hr, almost all >1,900m), Grands Montets? (+15mns)
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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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Morillon links into the whole of the Grand massif so you can get all te way up to flaine
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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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DJL, given current conditions I think your idea of meeting him at Champery with his boots and skis is as good as anything else and wouldn't mean buying another lift pass. A full day trip to the GM later might be worthwhile.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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thollon les memises is about 1 hour from geneva and about 45 mins from chatel
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| under a new name wrote: |
marcellus, "high"?
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Didn't realise that was part of the criteria but as nbt says, Grand Massif all the way upto to about 2500m, 4th largest resort, less than an hour from Geneva.
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Thanks guys. Grand Massif has been on our radar for a day trip so looks a possible. Chamonix likewise but I'd prefer a full day there really. I'd been thinking about Thollon-Les Memise but wonder if its a bit too low.
How about any of the Swiss resorts? I know they're a bit further from the airport but are Villars / Les Diaberlets / Leysin any good?
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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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For Villars you should meet your mate at Aigle, it must be 15 minutes nearer to Villars than Champery, probably less drive from Chatel as well.
Ski-ing there is good for your ability, plenty for a day, its not super-high.
But it may be no further just to drive back to Chatel? I dont know how you get to Chatel from the Swiss side by road, never done it.
Or maybe suggest to Paul he can get a cab from Aigle to Chatel, or Villars?
If you can work out how to get the boots and skis to Les Crosets, you could ski over to Crosets from Chatel and meet him there. If he doesn't bring a big bag. Take boots/skis round the night before and find a friendly cafe/restaurant to leave them in? Especially if you promise to have lunch there the next day.
Have fun, cheers, Tim
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sanman,
You're right about Villars - Aigle a good pick up spot and only 30 mins from Chatel. Getting back over to Chatel from Switzerland is easy - straight over the Pas de Morgins.
Don't fancy the Les Crosets option really - good skiing but a bit of a faff to get the skis round.
Looks like Grand Massif from the airport, Villars from Aigle or Champery if he can get the early train (only gives him 30 mins from scheduled landing to train departure - pretty tight). We'll decide on the day depending on the weather.
Paul is buying the beers after all this performance!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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DJL, is the pas de Morgins open? Chatel to Aigle a right pain if you have to go round the lake.
Why not just get him onto.a transfer shuttle and he can make his own way to Chatel? Also maybe scheduled buses from central Geneva?
Marcellus, not intending to be rude about your local area, which I like rather a lot, but given the request is for this sunday, and the current conditions, I'd personally be wanting EVERYTHING I was making a special effort for to be above 2,000m
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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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DJL, is the pas de Morgins open? Chatel to Aigle a right pain if you have to go round the lake.
Why not just get him onto.a transfer shuttle and he can make his own way to Chatel? Also maybe scheduled buses from central Geneva?
Marcellus, not intending to be rude about your local area, which I like rather a lot, but given the request is for this sunday, and the current conditions, I'd personally be wanting EVERYTHING I was making a special effort for to be above 2,000m
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DJL, is the pas de Morgins open? Chatel to Aigle a right pain if you have to go round the lake.
Why not just get him onto.a transfer shuttle and he can make his own way to Chatel? Also maybe scheduled buses from central Geneva?
Marcellus, not intending to be rude about your local area, which I like rather a lot, but given the request is for this sunday, and the current conditions, I'd personally be wanting EVERYTHING I was making a special effort for to be above 2,000m
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You know it makes sense.
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Ahh yes ... this Sunday  ... snow may not be brilliant at Villars (or Chatel for that matter), Avoriaz from Chatel may be best bet. Don't know Grand Massif so can't comment.
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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,
Pas de Morgins (altitude is about 1450m) is always open (unless there is a huge dump of snow coming down) and only occasionally needs chains (if you've got winter tyres). Our usual route from the UK if we drive out is motorway to Dole, then Besancon, Pontarlier, Lausanne and over the Pas de Morgins to Chatel. The main road through the Jura is usually more trouble than the Pas de Morgins. If I'm feeling lazy I go to GVA over the pass as well - 25 mins down to the motorway at Monthey and then straight into the airport - its and easier drive than down the Abondance Valley and south of Lac Leman and through Geneva.
Everything crossed for the weather forecast to be wrong but I must say its not looking hopeful. Even beers on the balcony might be suspect as it's West facing and will get the brunt of anything blowing up the valley!
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Poster: A snowHead
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St Gervais or Megeve (quick access to the main ski area of Megeve and avoiding lift queues view the "Princesse" lift). Relatively quiet, more than enough skiing for a day, and high up on Mt Joly. Also, near the autoroute to GVA
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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 snow is generally suffering a fair bit at the moment - not sure that any significant detour or extra expense is really worthwhile. There just isn't anywhere high enough, other than the GM - and most of Megeve is not v high at all.
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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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DJL, really? cool, fair do's, just the last time I tried to use pas de morgins, when MB tunnel was closed as was col des montets, morgins was closed too and we ended up on a very extended drive (ah, yes the Thonon-Morzine road was closed due rock fall risk) through parts of France I really would prefer to randonnee through, if at all.
Certainly from Chatel I think I'd use your GVA route too.
Some ideas for your chum to get himself to you in time for a late lunch at la tane O'marmotte, here http://www.ifyouski.com/france/resorts/chatel/transfers.aspx[/b]
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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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Just come back from Leysin and Les Diablerets, small but good tree lined reds only busy at the weekend, lift pass is approx 40swiss francs a day £30.very easy to get to from Aigle, snow was good patchy entering village.les Diablerets lift pass is extra.very limited mountain restaurants but skiing is good,completely different to the wide open runs at Flaine.
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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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Thanks for the suggestions guys. Were out tomorrow evening and the news on the snow doesn't seem too good so high as possible all week I think. I reckon its Chatel/Avoriaz/Les Crosets on Monday and then days out to Verbier, Cham and then see how it looks. Probably get Paul to train it to Aigle and then try Les Diablerets - at least at 3000m there shoudl be snow!
Let it dump before we're out in March!
David
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