 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi Snowheads
We're new to the forum and heading out to Samoens for our first ski holiday at half term (not choice I'm afraid). Not sure whether we will need the full grand massif lift pass or whether massif will do for 6-7 days. We (family with two young teens) have learnt to ski on local dry slope and instructor says we're good for blues and reds but the kids have never done real snow before. Is it worth being able to ski the Flaine bowl or will we find plenty around Samoens and morillon etc.
many thanks
casals
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Welcome to snowheads
Not sure of the price difference currently , but no real issue in getting over to Flaine. Have stayed in Samoen a few times, and for the sense of travel and adventure alone the grand massif has to be worth it for the family.Flaine Bowl is excellent anf the view from the GrandPlatiere is fantastic too. Go for the Grand massif pass, unless destitiute and the kids cant really ski. Having said all this, should you not all still be in lessons?! It is worth it for at least a couple of years.
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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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You could get the Massif pass spend a day or two around Samoens extending to Morillon and Les Carroz if everyone's up to it. Wait for a nice day, get a 1 day extension on your pass and head off to Flaine early and discover if you thnk it's worth going again. It'll be busy anyway but get there early and leave before the crowds follow you. I agree with twoodwar, about the lessons though.
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Thanks twoodwar and p10dw - advice much appreciated. Initially we were going to take lessons all week but money is tight (we're going in the motorhome!) and we have talked to the instructor at the dry slope where we have been going and having almost weekly lessons for the last 3 months and they seem to think we would be ok with a couple of 2hr session on the first 2 days (these are 100euro a lesson). Hubby and I skied a few times pre-kids and the kids (early teens) seem to have taken to it really well and it's hard going on the dry slope! We're all now skiing (and turning!) parallel. Do you think we should be opting for more lessons than this? Thoughts much appreciated.
Casals
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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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casals, Hi welcome to snowheads, deffo think you'd benefit from more lessons and you'll have plenty of excellent sking around Samoens, Morillon and Les Carroz without venturing over to Flaine. Our group in Samoens last year all very good skiers (9 years skiing once or twice a season) went to Flaine twice, nightmare getting back in whiteout one day, are going first week in March, not bothering with Grand Massif pass.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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The link to Flaine involves two longish blues called Dolomie and Tourmaline which vary in difficulty depending on conditions i.e. they can be hard blues. I believe both blues are included on the Massif Pass (check this) so you could try them first and, if happy, get a Flaine extension one day.
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casals,
I've just been looking at prices as I'm going next weekend. It would appear that the Family Pass for the whole area is 658E but I can't see a family pass for the Massif area so the price for the four of you would be 612E (if I'm reading the price lists correctly). On that basis I'd go for the entire area pass even if you go across to Flaine a couple of times.
I've been to Samoens a few times and have a few pointers;
As the kids have never skied on snow before you may wish as your first run to go down Char (blue), as you come out the bubble turn left and double back on yourself. It's only a very short run (but a lot longer than a dry slope) and will be very empty (some learners on there). It will give all of you a chance to get your snow legs.
Head across to Morillon for a couple of easy but enjoyable pistes - Sairon (blue) and Marvel perhaps (green). Sairon is a very long blue without too many steep bits - it will give you a great opportunity to put into practice everything your instructor on the dry slope has been teaching you without worrying too much about the slope. IMO it's a great piste to both enjoy and build confidence.
If you look on this thread you will see it discussed - most of my video was shot on Sairon.
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=1683796&highlight=morillon#1683796
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The link to Flaine involves two longish blues called Dolomie and Tourmaline which vary in difficulty depending on conditions i.e. they can be hard blues.
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Completely agree! The top of Tourmaline is quite steep for a blue and the times I've been on it it has resembled the M25 at rush hour! The snow can get very chopped up / mogulled with lots of people falling down. This may just be in the morning when there is a big rush to go across to Flaine but I'd probably not do it on the first day.
When you are homeward bound to Samoens I'd probably avoid the blue down (Dahu) and instead take the red (Marmotte), it's a lot wider with less people and not too tricky (if you want to avoid the steep bit at the top you can take Dahu until it intersects with Marmotte). I've been told that at one point Dahu can be carnage when it gets narrow and steep.
Anyhow, have fun - I'm sure you will find plenty of enjoyable skiing in the area.
Phil
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| e17phil wrote: |
casals,
I've been to Samoens a few times and have a few pointers;
As the kids have never skied on snow before you may wish as your first run to go down Char (blue), as you come out the bubble turn left and double back on yourself. It's only a very short run (but a lot longer than a dry slope) and will be very empty (some learners on there). It will give all of you a chance to get your snow legs.
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Or turn right and do a few runs down the short green, especially for those who haven't been on snow before. Will get them used to Drag Lifts on snow too.
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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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Oh what a great treat to wake up to folks! Lots of great ideas - Love the video Phil and very useful link to Morillon - we'll make sure we get over that way earlier rather than later. The lessons are still a bit up in the air - it really is a question of 5 days skiing with lessons every day or 7 days with only a couple of half day lessons - dilemma  . We'll get more organised next year and save a few more pennies. Family of 4 on sub 1800 pound budget is a challenge at half term - but I guess many people in the same boat at the moment over here and we're lucky to be going!
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casals, yes budget is hard. We are driving to Samoens this year and self catering. For the lift pass it will all depend on how good the kids get and their strength. This year we will just get a Massif pass as there is plenty for us to do over a week and the kids are in ski school every morning, so once we have had some lunch I would not then ski all the way over to Flaine with always the danger that a connection closes at some point in the afternoon. If I was with the lads I would have a full pass as we would cover more ground every day.
I started on a dry slope in Sunderland (far too many years ago now) but I found the transition to snow much harder than expected. I know this sounds obvious but snow is slippy and brushes on the ground are not. The dry slope was easier to dig your edges in (days before carving skis as well) and I spent my first day on snow sliding backwards all the time. If you can get 5 days of lessons, a little bit each day might be more effective than two days at the start, but I certainly understand about the cost.
If I see a motorhome it might be you!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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it really is a question of 5 days skiing with lessons every day or 7 days with only a couple of half day lessons - dilemma
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Tricky! I'd probably go for the seven days with lessons on the first afternoon and 3rd day, or 2nd and 4th days.
As you have transport I have heard that the older bubble that goes up to Samoens 1600 is a lot quieter - you may wish to check it out (I don't know what parking is like).
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We used the Vercland bubble every day the week leading up to Christmas. There is quite a bit of parking up there - and we always managed to get a place, though we were going up for start of lessons. We did need snowchains to get there on one day!
You can ski over to Flaine on a Massif pass but you can't take the lifts up on the other side of Flaine. As a returning (after 24 years) very middle aged lower intermediate, I found the runs over to Flaine and back quite challenging as they were busy - and snow cover wasn't great that week.
I would definitely take lessons both to consolidate technique and to be guided around the skiing area. Of our party, three had lessons with ZigZag (which seems to largely cater for the English speaking market) which were good but considerably more expensive than ESF - i.e. the cost of 3 mornings with ZigZag was almost the same as 6 with ESF. The expert skier joined an ESF Level 4 group - largely for the company - and enjoyed that too.
As others have said, do go down to Morillon and try the long blue and green runs (they can also be reached from Samoens 1600). They are very attractive and great for building up confidence.
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You know it makes sense.
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casals, we will watch out for your motorhome. we are staying in an apartment about 5 mins from GME so will not be far away
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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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casals, I'll be in Flaine at half-term. If you want to try the Flaine bowl one day I could show you round - I know the easier runs (blues /greens). If you find youcan do confident linked turns on snow you can ski top to bottom easily.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hi again
we're now trying to book lessons finding that many are already booked up - only availability is late afternoon! How difficult is it to get to Morillon - does the ski bus take you there? Is this free with ski pass or not? How long would it take to ski up and over so to speak?
many thanks
casals
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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casals, getting back might be a hassle if you miss the last connecting lift. i am not sure if the bus is free and the lessons meeting point is important too as there is morillon and morillon 1100. pm in samoens might be better and less hassle if you can get it
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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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casals, Skibus is free fron Samoens to Morillon, also easy to ski between the two both resorts go up to tete de saix and then you can chose to ski to Morillon or Samoens. So no problem getting back home in evening, morillon samoens and les carroz all easily accessible to each other, flaine is the one thats a bit of a hike.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Is it possible to upgrade your pass for a day or so? if so how much does it cost? thanks
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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 jumping in on this Samoens thread, apologies for asking a question within it, 5 of us are thinking of going here 5th feb for 4 days. Im getting worried about the crowded slopes?? should I be?? 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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1063roberts, check when french school holidays start, i think it is after the 5th feb?
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French school holidays start on Saturday 12 February.
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If you do decide to have lessons with esf the instructor will let you know what level of pass you need for each day. You can then upgrade as you need to. Both our girls had ESF lessons which were great and both progressed at a fantastic rate. Great freindly teachers. Last March we had a couple of days when we couldn't get over to Flaine from Samoen because of the weather and the runs over there did get busy and icy by the end of the day. Having said that we had a fab holiday and are going back again in March. Can't wait.
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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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Skied a day in Samoens/Flaine the week before last. From memory, it was about 40euro for the full area pass. There were other 2 other passes advertised & one was about 27euro. The Flaine bowl was good, but I'm not sure if it was 13 euro better than Samoens & if money's tight I'd stick with the smaller area for a couple of days and then upgrade for a day or so latere in your trip. Although, if the snow's in short supply when you get there, Flaine's higher & therefore should have better cover.
CW
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