 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all!
I was wondering if anyone could advise on the resort of Vaujany... my questions are as follows  :
How long does it take to get in to the main ski area of Alpe D'huez? I found some info which suggests it is actually quicker to get up to the top from Vaujany as opposed to Alpe D'huez itself:
'Linked to the superb resort of Alpe d'Huez and the Grandes Rousses ski domain (220 km of pistes), Vaujany's high capacity cable car departs from the village centre and reaches the top of Pic Blanc (3330 m) in less time than from Alpe d'Huez itself - and there is less queuing too.'
I'm a bit concerned about getting back to Vaujany as some of my group are beginners and from what I've read, some of the return runs are tricky reds?? Is it possible to avoid these and return by gondola/cable car?
I know that Vaujany is quite a sleepy town with little in the way of night life - can anyone advise how difficult it is to get to Alpe D'huez by road, how long it takes and how much this would cost by taxi/bus and also if taxis/buses are readily available and what times they operate?
I doubt we would go out much, maybe a couple of times in the week we are there and it seems more sensible to me to avoid the expense of staying in the main resort, especially since the chalet I've found in Vaujany looks amazing and far better and cheaper than anything in Alpe D'huez itself.
All advice welcomed!
Many thanks,
Gemma
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If you're going to want to spend your evenings in Alpe d'Huez, don't stay in Vaujany. It's a long way round by road, there's no bus and you have to drive up (and down) the 21 bends from Bourg d'Oisans to resort. Have a look at a map or put the details into viamichelin.
You can get back to Vaujany via cablecar if you have to (down to Oz, back up to the Alpette, ski down to Vaujany) but it's a bit of a faff. On the other hand, if your people are beginners thay might well be happy to ski Vaujany on its own.
And I wouldn't trust your source for the information above - the Vaujany cablecar doesn't go to the top of Pic Blanc. Piste map here: http://fr.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Alpe-d-Huez/pistemap_full
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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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I have to agreee with Lizzard about the time from Vaujany, the only way I could imaging it been faster is if you stayed in Les Bergers and used the Marmottes lifts as you would need to ski back down to the DMC or use the chairs on the Glacier to get to Pic Blanc 3330m
In any event as you say some of your groups are beginners the last place you would want them to ski from is Pic Blanc, photgraphs yes and a lift back down
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GemmaB84, I never answered the original question - I lov ADH and have been there for the past 6 years but as I have never stayed in Vaujany I cant give my personal view.
I know lots of people stay there, say its good and cheaper, I just like the convenience of ski in ski out but you may be able to find accomodation near the the bottom - but la fare is a black run ( although not difficult and is usually well pisted ) , u will probably need to get the cable car back down
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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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The statement about how long it takes to get to the top of Pic Blanc is probably true. In practice, if you take the first lift out of either ADH or Vaujany you will probably have to wait for the Pic Blanc cablecar to open. Vaujany is less prone to queues esp at peak times.
Vaujany suits me because it is very convenient - you can park right next to the cable car! - and it gives the best access to the areas of the skiing domain I like most. That said, if going out for anything more than a few quiet beers is important to you ADH would be the better choice.
You can download to Vaujany using lifts. In fact, trying to get back to town without using a lift isn't really something I would recommend to anyone!
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| GemmaB84 wrote: |
I'm a bit concerned about getting back to Vaujany as some of my group are beginners and from what I've read, some of the return runs are tricky reds?? Is it possible to avoid these and return by gondola/cable car?
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I've only been there once but from what I recollect the Red Rousses is reasonably challenging for an early intermediate skiier - so the only other way back would involve quite a few bubbles down as well as up.
I took a couple of beginners on my trip to ADH proper and they enjoyed learning / improving on the greens under the main DMZ lift in the main part of town.
Bit more nightlife in town proper
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The last time I was in ADH (2005?) was a fairly lean snow year in the early part of the season. IIRC the lower runs down to Oz and Vaujany were closed due to lack of snow when we arrived. We had booked with the forecast in mind so we got a good dump of snow which opened the runs in the first couple of days. We ventured down the Alpette on the last day and it was shocking - some parts were just sheet ice. I can only assume that La Fare would have been worse (similar orientation, lower altitude.)
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If you want any nightlife other than a restaraunt or two, dont go to vaujanay.
That said, we had an amzing chalet there, and didnt feel the need to go out anyway once we were there (think it slept ten and was massive, with amazing cooking facilities but burnt down in a fire a couple of years later)
The chalet we were in was actually in la vilette, which was good for the small cable car but took a fair while to negotiate various lifts up to the main area of alpe d'huez, but nothing too ridiculous in terms of time, and the smaller vaujanay slopes were great for learning as they were not too busy, then you could venture onto the bigger runs later in the week.
I remember skiing down to la vilette had a big schuss that could get quite slushy at the bottom, but we did go late in the year.
To get to vaujanay itself, the black isnt really a black and is fine after a few days skiing.
you can also get the lift down pretty easily.
saying you can get the cable car straight up in less time is a little bit of journalistic licence, you need to actually change cable cars twice, the last one with the red dome link to the pic blanc cable car.
all in all I would reccomend vaujanay if you want a quiet resort to learn to ski in, going out for tea a couple of times but boozing and eating in the rest.
If you want to party, go to ADH.
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This is all really useful information, thanks everyone!
I still feel undecided though! The chalet 've found looks great and is a brilliant price http://www.lamaitreya.com/
I'm planning on going first week in March.
It would be nice to go out to a lively bar maybe once or twice so can anyone answer the quesiton about getting a taxi there and back? I understand it's a half hour journey along a windy road but I reckon we would put up with it and also assume it would not be cheap. If it's a complete no go, I dont think it will necessarly put us off Vaujany, I just want to gather all the facts for my group.
The chalets in ADH, while more convenient and in a lively area all look to be about £200 more for the week and do not look nearly as nice. So you can understand my quandry!!
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Also, we are going catered so not bothered about restaurants apart from the one night off
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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GemmaB84, I have stayed at La Maitreya and it is lovely. However, it isn't actually in Vaujany so if you want even what Vaujany has to offer you need to drive/get a lift up there or walk about a mile up a mountain road
We have generally found the sofas so comfy at La Maitreya that we haven't got past the well stocked bar there!
Also, booze is not included in the La Maitreya price (or wasn't the times we have been) so factor that in. OTOH we have always been pleasantly surprised by how low our booze bills have been at the end of the week - prices for beer and wine have been pretty reasonable
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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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I have stayed in both and whilst I like Vaujany and am considering it this season I would go to slows d'huez
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The owner of the La Maitreya has said he would be willing to drive us to Vaujany centre in the shuttle bus and he said it's only a 20 minute walk anyway which I'm sure we could manage. Thanks for the review Arno; the sofas do look very comfy!
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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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GemmaB84, bring a headtorch if you're planning on doing that walk 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Arno, GemmaB84, or snow shoes if you plan to take the little path off the road and through the woods, it's a right trek in heavy snow according to Mrs Sabreboy.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I was on my phone earlier, but I would consider a number of things inc beginners and carrying skis (although the chalet drop you off which helps) also there are a couple of restaurants/bars which are chilled and not for people who want a 'night out'.
When we stayed in Vaujany we usually either took the cable car back or the bubble as the black run does go down to teh bottom, then you need a bubble up to the main vaujany area. You can 'pick' your way back but as good skiers we never bothered.
For intermediates the lifts from Vaujany to the top do feel quicker than those from Alpes huez particularly if you are not staying central ADH as if you are in teh Bergers area you need to cross over anyway.
Alpes d'huez is better if you don't want hassle removing skis/carrying skis anywhere, and if you really want a few bars.
That said I like teh look of that chalet and we were looking at it too
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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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GemmaB84, if you've got beginners with you i'd go with ADH as there are so many nice easy runs that they can do without having to worry about having to try a tricky run back to Vaujany or have the hassle of getting lifts back down.
I,ve stayed in ADH several times over the years and the last 2 i can reccommend are these:-
http://www.rocketski.com/ski-resorts/france/alpedhuez/clubhotel-beausoleil/?airport=LGW&date=03/03/2012
Probably the best location in Resort right next to the DMC gondola but also very easy to access the Signal/Villard Recular area and also a gentle ski to the Bergers side of the slopes too - hotel wasn't luxurious but the location and decent food compensated for that - if you can afford to wait till closer to the time you can also get very good deals from here.
The other place we stayed fairly recently was:-
http://www.firstchoice-ski.co.uk/destinations/france/alpe_d_huez/028755/028755.html#
A very comfortable chalet right next to the little slope that runs right through the town, has an outdoor hottub on the decking outside the lounge which was great to relax in,think when we went the wine was unlimited-you could help yourself as much and when you liked, the only downside to this chalet was that the walls were 'paper' thin so you'd hear all sorts of noises-hence the need for extra wine so could sleep through anything and snore louder than anyone else! 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thanks everyone for all your help. I think we've decided that central Alpe D'huez will be best for us all round. Sad about the nice chalet in Vaujany though 
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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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We stayed in Oz n Oisans, and loved the convenience, Maybe have a look there as well?
There was one nice club and always a lovely drink and waffles at the restaurant/pubs on the deck as you came home.
Quick access to Alp d Huez, and totally car free town
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