 Poster: A snowHead
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While there is another thread where we can vent our dismay at over priced resorts\ establishments, "I don't like the country", or just poor service. I thought a more 'upbeat' thread may be also useful.
There can always be bad experiences or times when we believe we've been overcharged and certainly cost is a 'relative' value but I'm hoping to bring out the 'better' side of skiing expieriences.
For, "I don't like, I wouldn't go back, I hate the French\Germans\Austrians (and anyone else i've missed out)" etc post here:-
http://www.snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=71675
If you have a good experience you wish to share why not post it here? It can be anything that you believe deserves a mention or recommendation. Location, quality service, excellent food, good value for money etc... .
I'll kick things off with a few honourable mentions, in no particular order:-
Val Thorens (2008, 2009)
Restaurant Deux Lacs. Can be busy so get in here early. We found the service good , food excellent and not over priced. The Plate Du Jour was always worth a try (€12/13 ish)
The Viking Bar. In a resort where beer prices can be as high as you want to pay, The Happy Hour was a few euros cheaper and, during that time, you can toss the boss for a free round. Maybe it was fact we only paid for 5 out of 6 rounds that has coloured my review here. Hic....
Hotel Mercure, Ski Hire Shop. We were let down by another ski shop and, at very short notice, they arranged some quality skis (actually brand new Rossis). I like the skis so much I bought a set on my return to VT 4 months later.
Chalet Residence L'Oxalys. Thought this deserves a mention. Quality accommodation and service. As part of the EoSB and SFB's, excellent !
Les Arcs (2010)
Unknown Bar Just below the snow park, by the side of the Claire Blanc chair. Its name eludes me...
Service with a smile and the kids were made to feel welcome. Including the occasion where Minimum_2 paid for his ski servicing by standing me a beer (he was only 7 years old). In his best-est French he requested "une grande bière s'il vous plaît" to which the bar man winked and announced "Oui monsieur". The queue of people behind him were astounded!
Chalet St. Bernard, Les Arcs. Owned by snowhead rob@rar. 4 bed apartment, right location, right price.
Belle Plagne (2010)
Hotel Carlina Restaurant Great food, service excellent. Based at a 3 star hotel. Not what I'd call 'cheap', approx €80 for 2 adults and 2 kids, meal, desert and drinks but as a special lunch it was worth the cash. You can pay a lot more if you wish. We sat outside in the sun, excellent!
Courchevel 1650 (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)
Restaurant Bel Air Situated at the top of the Ariondaz bubble above Courchevel 1650. Excellent food, and service, but can be very busy. Booking recommended! Been here many times and it is consistently 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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Belle Plagne
The L'Arpette restaurant under the Arpette chairlift, was pleasantly suprised with this place, really nice inside, good food, good portions, spotlessly clean free toilets. I'd say reasonable price for piste side restaurant, others may disagree, but went back a further couple of times.
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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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LaTania, Ski Lodge, Good value and great service. Also entrertaining watching the organised chaos.
LaThiele, Cafe facing the lifts in the village. Good coffee at just 1 euro.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Hotel du Col in Sestriere for fantastic service - nothing was too much trouble and all the staff were excellent - we'll definitely be going again AND right next to the slopes - fab. New Year's Eve fireworks display in Sestriere was one of the best we've ever seen and an impressive torchlight descent on 30th. Cafe in Sansicario at the top of the bubble up from the village and at the bottom of the long piste down throught the trees - 2 coffees for 2.50 euros - great. 
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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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Val d`Isere Les Marmottes self service restaurant, Bellevarde area. Very good value; steak 10.5 euro, salad bar 4.5 euro for loads. Chat up owner for complimentary coffee/genapi on quiet days!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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cstreat, +1 for Les Marmottes. Coffee only 2 Euro
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Mon 10-01-11 11:00; edited 1 time in total
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la plagne center 4 course meal Including wine 13 euros yes this is not a typing error !! 13 euros
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cockofthenorth, Wow. What's the name of the establishment?
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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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Lockkeeper, called "la petit bouchon" 
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| Lockkeeper wrote: |
| cstreat, +1 for Les Marmottes. Coffee only 2 Euro |
+2 - very nice place.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| adithorp wrote: |
LaTania, Ski Lodge, Good value and great service. Also entrertaining watching the organised chaos.
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+1. My OH went in there to ask if there was a pharmacy in town as she needed some paracetamol. Waitress said there wasn't but promply offered two of her own. Nice touch.
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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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We tried on Boris' recommendation the Savoy in Arcs 2000. Service was, as reported, excellent. It's not going to be cheap, but for the drinks we had it was not way OTT.
We also tried Pierre Blanches restaurant on the way to Belle Plagne today. Drinks seemed very good value. 3€ each for vin chaud, hot chocolate and tea. We ate there too, and did plat du jour for 12€, cheese omlette was 8€ - it was self service, but the food was cooked fresh and was hot and filling. Not bad value IMO.
The tandem bar in Arc 1800 is sporting a SH friendly sticker! Good, friendly service, but you have to be careful picking your way down their steps in ski boots.
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You know it makes sense.
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Serre Chevalier - Chantermerle bottom of the Luc Alphond piste - go to the right - and The Station Bar - run/owned by Clive who used to own the Grotte.
We ate there four days out of 6 - consistently good value food and quantity - though pint of coke was a let down at 5 Euros - but overall good value and good food.
Daily soup at 4 Euros was always good with loads of bread - good size Fish n'Chip with peas or beans - almost too much on the plate 9 Euro
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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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We ate in Le Chaudron in La Plagne Centre next to the Le Grand Rochette Gondola station today. The kids had the children's menu - they had cheese and ham pizza (but could have had burger or fish) and a dessert - they chose chocolate mousse, but ice-cream could also have been chosen. Their food was quickly devoured and pronounced more than OK - two courses were 10€. Us adults had Plat du Jour for 14€. We had steak and shallot & redwine sauce (the sauce was excellent), saute potatoes, green beens and a grilled tomato. We then pushed the boat out and had puds - blueberry tarte and raspberry tarte - 6.80€ each, but good sized portions, The service was excellent with drinks delivered almost quicker than you could order them and water provided on the table. All the food was hot and clearly cooked to order and really quite good. We would have no hesitation in recommending the establishment.
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Poster: A snowHead
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cockofthenorth, Le P'tit Bouchon - where in La Plagne Centre is it please? We went to Le Chaudron - were we close to it? - we will kick ourselves if it was next door and as we didn't recall this thread when were there today.
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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: |
6.80€ each, but good sized portions
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sounds expensive, actually (going rate about 5 euros round our way), but I bet they were delicious. Those French tarts are massive - we always share one.
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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 need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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how about a group of 7 adults for 4 days every day having 3 bottles of water on the table, 2 bottles of wine minimum a day (probably 3 consumed some nights) , numerous beers/soft drinks ALL consumed in a Hotel in Italy (piste-side may i add!) hotel bar bill came to a pathetic 40 euros, we even checked it twice because we couldn't quite believe it --------- love Italian resorts --- well done hotel marilleva 1400!
Oh, and possibly the best breakfast/lunch/dinner buffet i've ever seen, normally stear away from buffets but this was amazing, hot, fresh and different everyday!
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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allanm,
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| cbowls30 wrote: |
how about a group of 7 adults for 4 days every day having 3 bottles of water on the table, 2 bottles of wine minimum a day (probably 3 consumed some nights) , numerous beers/soft drinks ALL consumed in a Hotel in Italy (piste-side may i add!) hotel bar bill came to a pathetic 40 euros, we even checked it twice because we couldn't quite believe it --------- love Italian resorts --- well done hotel marilleva 1400!
Oh, and possibly the best breakfast/lunch/dinner buffet i've ever seen, normally stear away from buffets but this was amazing, hot, fresh and different everyday! |
Name them. So we can all stay there.
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pam w, Always happy to share...
Ok.. sensible note... I really rate the Hostellerie du Petit Saint Bernard in BSM both for food and lodgings, although only been there in summer.
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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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Azimut in Courchevel Le Praz. Modern French, good value menus (also does pasta at lunch, which we didn't try). Think it was 29 Euros for 3 courses, but worth every penny - one of the best meals I've had!
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| Quote: |
Starter salad savoyard, main course lasagne with salad, then cheese board, followed by chocolate torte served with creme anglais, coffee and wine all for 13 euros pp.
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Sounds amazing. Especially the thought of skiing after that lot. 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hurtle, depends on if your here for the season or just hols for a week 
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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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cockofthenorth, I think I'd have a job skiing after that much food, however long I was there for. Or are you saying that, if you're there for the season, you wouldn't even bother trying to ski in the afternoon? If so - I'm entirely on your side! As an occasional skier, skiing tops lunch for me but, in the otherwise normal scheme of things, nothing tops a good lunch. 
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Hurtle, I think one of the nicest things about having your own place, and being out there for weeks, is that after a good lunch (whether it's in or out) you can relax, have a nice long siesta (having remembered to switch on the electric blanket beforehand...) followed by an hour in a chair with a good book before fixing yourself a gin and tonic to help you focus on what you're going to do for supper.
If we get out on an early lift (which is by no means always the case.....) and come back at 1.30 for lunch, having had a short hot choc/vin chaud stop, we've done 4 hours skiing. Which is enough for the elderly, especially as we practically never wait in a lift queue.
We will go out again if conditions are mega-marvellous or we have keen visitors though. Just to prove we can.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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cockofthenorth, We hope to be over on the VE again tomorrow - if we get that far we will look for it
Big Dave, IMHO the pistes on the Les Arcs side on the whole are far worse than those on the La Plagne side. I have been topping up the snow report thread for Les Arcs and have also been writing about the holiday on a thread in the Piste if you want to catch up with how I see things at the moment.
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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, great post - apart from the 'e' word.
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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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| Quote: |
apart from the 'e' word
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"early", is it, that offends you?
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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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pam w, if I switched on an electric blanket in my apartment, I would die of heat exhaustion.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Megamum, Apparently the best snow is to be found, unsurprisingl, in La Rosiere.
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An old street house in Villarenger, a couple of clicks outside of St Martin de Belleville. A car required, but we needed them for the transfer. Good quality gaff in the 3 valleys for less than £70 quid a head for a week in mid March. Guess where we are off again in 6 weeks?
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FAQ
the thing is 9 times out of ten we don,t have anything else in the afternoon as still full 