 Poster: A snowHead
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Having just got back from les saisies, hubby announces that we might go skiing in March for a weekend, so who am I to argue?
However, I think I would probably prefer doing midweek, like going sunday to thursday and getting 3 days skiing in. We have decided to leave the kids at home this time and I have found flights to geneva for the 2 of us from 15th March returning on the 19th march to geneva which will give us 3 days of kid free skiing. it will be our 4th week skiing and we prefer a resort where we can just "pootle" about so somewhere cruisy that will have accomodation that doesnt require having to book the full week out. dont like small resorts and prefer resorts that are linked. so far we have been to niderau, valmorel and les saisies. how much do you think I should budget for? not been skiing without the kids so not really sure what I should be aiming for? what do you reckon it will cost for accomodation for 4 nights, lift passes for 3 days and transfers? is there any company that specialises in it?
thanks in advance
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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polo99,
Its usually pretty straight forward at this time of year as it is not high season. Transfers can be done by train from Geneva to many Swiss resorts and less easily to French resorts. Car hire for this kind of period is usually pretty reasonable as well.
Where to go? Not a great season so far so it might be worth seeing where the snow is. You might like to try places like Samoens which is convenient for Geneva and links into the Flaine area. La Thuile in Italy is said to have decent snow and is not too far from Geneva and there are any number of Swiss ski resorts in the Valais that you can get a train to.
Personally I tend to contact hotels directly and would not espect to have too much trouble finding somewhere to take a midweek booking at htis time outside some of the more modern French resorts where one week bookings are a bit more popular untill the last minute.
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Car hire? Paying loads for transfers?? Getting a train from Geneva... on a 4 day break???
MountainSun to Tignes, that's what you need.
Slope side, great food, warm rooms, Geneva transfers included and cheap for short breaks. Plus, you are in a snow sure resort.
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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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I have looked at the moutainsun place in tignes and looks nice but the only reservation i have is that the easyjet flight lands around 10am and it says free "evening" transfers so dont fancy having to sit and wait around in the airport. Also it says that Tignes is 3 hours away from geneva and is just about a bit too far than I would have like to have travelled. dont want any more than 2 hours from geneva max.
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Innsbruck
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polo99, or Salzburg will open up loads of opportunities all accessible using public (& cheap) transport! 
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Cant really fly midweek from newcastle to salz or insbruck, or it seems to go up loads. I was looking at ellmau and found a really nice apartment but think flying to geneva is going to be the best/cheapest option. Liverpool to Salzburg only operate once a week. Liverpool to Innsbruk going sunday to thursday works out nearly double the price (£350 for flights for 2) I could do Edinburgh to Munich for an extra £100.
I dont think we would consider getting a train or a bus from the airport. it will be either car hire or private transfer (sorry I am starting to sound really fussy lol)
Last edited by After all it is free  on Sun 13-02-11 20:32; edited 1 time in total
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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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| polo99 wrote: |
Having just got back from les saisies, hubby announces that we might go skiing in March for a weekend, so who am I to argue?
However, I think I would probably prefer doing midweek, like going sunday to thursday and getting 3 days skiing in. We have decided to leave the kids at home this time and I have found flights to geneva for the 2 of us from 15th March returning on the 19th march to geneva which will give us 3 days of kid free skiing. it will be our 4th week skiing and we prefer a resort where we can just "pootle" about so somewhere cruisy that will have accomodation that doesnt require having to book the full week out. dont like small resorts and prefer resorts that are linked. so far we have been to niderau, valmorel and les saisies. how much do you think I should budget for? not been skiing without the kids so not really sure what I should be aiming for? what do you reckon it will cost for accomodation for 4 nights, lift passes for 3 days and transfers? is there any company that specialises in it?
thanks in advance |
Rent a flat for a week in somewhere like Morzine of Avoriaz..
car hire
job done
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polo99, this might be worth a look;
Arrive: Tuesday 15th March 2011
Depart: Saturday 19th March 2011
Quad room with 4 single beds and en-suite shower, basin and wc
Price per person based on 3 or 4 people sharing is £300 for 4 nights
Our prices include:
•Accommodation
•Breakfast
•Afternoon tea
•3 Course evening meal with wine (except wednesday
•Geneva/Morzine airport transfers (transfer supplement may apply)
taken directly from
http://www.jollygood.com/Morzine/W_Prices.html
could be a deal to be done or they may have smaller rooms available it is catered chalet in morzine that we are staying in soon, never been before but will report back after.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Try the guys at Mountain Sun, we've been with them 4 times now and always great food and service. Their chalet in Tignes, les melizes I think is great.
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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 did just that to Morzine and managed to get 2 half days on the slopes with the 2 full days for 4 nights stay as our flights to Geneva can be early morning and late evening back. Morzine is only 1.5hrs transfer and there are plenty of people providing transfers (even a snowhead).
Stayed at the Ridge hotel which was happy to do the mid week as they then had the weekends free to sell too which were more popular for short breaks; but I would not recommend there as it is a long way out of town. Hotel was good just the trek to and from town was hard work - the ski bus does stop outside but walking was quicker. There are plenty of threads on here that do recommend places to stay in Morzine.
However we now spend a bit more time in the hire car and go to Pila in Italy using pilaski.co.uk, Carole sorts it all out so no hassle for us (hotel, pass, ski hire). Perfect for a short break as Pila is mainly well groomed red runs and quiet during week. Weekends see all the locals from Aosta up skiing and it gets busy. Hardly ever have to queue at all for a lift during week, just straight on. Just flight and car to sort ourselves. Snow is good too at the moment. We stay at a B&B right on the slope so its 1 min from ski store in garage to the slope. Bad news is it does take 2.5 hrs to drive to Pila, but it is not that bad. Courmayeur in the same valley is nearer to Geneva at 2hrs.
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You know it makes sense.
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Geneva to Tignes is 2.5 hours.
MS like you to arrive the evening before (you get to the hotel around 22.15) and then you get 4 full days on the slopes, leaving at around 16.15 on your last day.
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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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i am not sure whether cost is a big consideration but a short trip rapidly begins to cost as much as a week, at least that's what we found before xmas. So if you can ditch the kids for that long then just do a week.
I would contact owners direct - you can find some on here, Tripadvisor or Chalets Direct. We got a great pre-christmas break Thurs to Mon that way. Owners picked us up at Geneva and shuttled to and from lifts. Out of peak season you will have loads of choice. So stick with your flights, it's a buyers market.
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Courmayeur in the same valley is nearer to Geneva at 2hrs.
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but dont forget to put the cost of mont blanc tunnel on top of your car hire.
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Poster: A snowHead
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St. Anton via train from Inns?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| bar shaker wrote: |
| Geneva to Tignes is 2.5 hours. |
At best in a fast car with clear roads maybe, on average a bit longer imv, at worst it could be much much longer than that. Altibus 4 hours minimum to Val C. I would suggest allowing 2.5 hours to get to Geneva for a flight might be slightly optimistic 
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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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scooby_simon, sounds like they are set on Geneva though.
If it were me I'd be thinking along the lines of jumping on the train from Geneva Airport and heading for somewhere like Crans Montana. Easy peasy and far classier than a mountain carbuncle.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Ray Zorro wrote: |
| polo99, never used them personally (and don't know anyone who has) but these appear to do what you want http://www.flexiblebreaks.com/ |
Wrong tense... this from the front page of their website...
Since Flexible Breaks launched their "flexible formula" many hotels and other accommodation suppliers have realised that this is the way forward for an increasing number of skiers and borders and now offer flexible length stays directly to the customer, thus negating the need for a specialist in this area. The result is that Flexible Breaks SA is no longer able to compete in the short break market which was the major part of the business and has therefore ceased trading.
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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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polo99,
Another recommendation for Morzine/Avoriaz. I've used MorzineLets.com twice now for four night breaks and booked everything through them to save hassle (Transfers, HB Accomodation, Lift Passes & Hire).
Cost was around £600 per person (including flights). I did a week last year and will be this year, but in future I'm going back to 4 day trips with my mates (or even on my own) as I spend more time skiing and less time organising the wife & kids 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| sbirring wrote: |
polo99,
Another recommendation for Morzine/Avoriaz. I've used MorzineLets.com twice now for four night breaks and booked everything through them to save hassle (Transfers, HB Accomodation, Lift Passes & Hire).
Cost was around £600 per person (including flights). I did a week last year and will be this year, but in future I'm going back to 4 day trips with my mates (or even on my own) as I spend more time skiing and less time organising the wife & kids |
I know what you mean about organising the kids. most mornings we never got on the slopes till about 11am what with breakfasts, sorrting all boots,skis, have you got this that and the other,falling over, whining, skiing off in a huff.............need I go on lol. that is why me and hubby have decided for a few days for ourselves but it is proving to be harder than organising a week. a week is just a bit too long for me away from the cherubs lol well for the first time away at least.
I have since found flights to munich and was looking at a place in ellmau. the flights work out about £240 but the transfers work out about £350! how easy is getting the train from munich to somewhere close enough in austria to get a taxi to resort?
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www.chaletdirect.com 'solution room' if you are flying to Geneva - put in your details and what you want and I am sure you will receive lots of offers of accom and transfer etc. Morzine would seem to be one of the best options for you.
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polo99, 14th to 18th you can go from Leeds/bradford Jet2 for less than £200. (it did make me laugh that the base fare was £6 for both return... then there is all those other things !) Nearly as quick to get there than Ponteland from Durham. Used to live in Washington.
Shared transfers are steep but should be about £200 return As suggested Morzinelets.com do transport and everything else if you want them to.
If you search in here there is a showhead that does transfers chamexpress I think. Just search on morzine.
Huge area with loads of skiing to suit.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Quote: |
Geneva to Tignes is 2.5 hours........ At best in a fast car with clear roads maybe, on average a bit longer imv
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Having driven from Geneva to Tignes about 10 times in the last four years, I can confirm that prior to the opening of the new section of motorway between Geneva and Albertville, it was always a two and three quarter hour run. Since the new motorway opened, it is indeed a two and a half hour trip - and that's to Val Claret. In heavier traffic - which we have generally (and fortunately) managed to avoid, we've still never gone above 3 hours.
Via Annecy is the shortest route but can be slow going round the lake. Via Chambery is all motorway but is further and more expensive in tolls. Both routes take about the same time though.
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mountainaddict, Many thanks. I have done the trip on transfer buses 8 times in the last two years and thought I had recalled it correctly.
I suspect it could take longer on a Saturday morning, as that is French change over day.
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