 Poster: A snowHead
|
Afternoon All,
I'm a bit bored at work and thinking I need an additional short ski trip in December for 4 days before the big one in January. I've just been online looking at heading off to Chamonix with my brother. I'm picking up all the costs so I'm hoping to keep them quite low if possible, but from the looks of things it's going to be quite pricey:
London City/Geneva (Swiss Air)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday 14/12/2011 06:45 £56
Sunday 18/12/2011 17:50 £55
TOTAL (for x2 adults return): £220.02
(I'm taking my skis as well so I assume that will cost a bit more. Anyone know how much? I had a look but couldn't get any accurate figures.)
Shared Transfers Geneva Airport/Chamonix (peaktransfer.com)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL (for x2 adults return): £96
Hotel (Hôtel Alpina)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL (Twin room x4 nights): £307
Lift Pass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL (for x2 adults): £245
====================
FINAL TOTAL: £868.02
====================
This figure doesn't include food, drink or the cost of transporting my skis on Swiss Air.
Any other suggestions regarding different methods or transport, hotels or resorts? I'd ideally like to travel from London City Airport so I just jump on the DLR from Canary Wharf and whizz down to the airport.
Thanks,
Chris
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Tignes with Mountainsun. Would be a heap cheaper and a higher likelihood of good snow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
We'll provide you with some nice skis, keep the hotel, get a Transfer with Cham van, Lift passes are lift passes. Eat burgers at Monkey bar and get proper smashed during their very happy hours. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
I tihnk skis go free on Swiss
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Cham's a gamble that early. It could be open, but been there that weekend when nothing is!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
manicpb, you must have had some bad luck - if there's no skiing in Chamonix that weekend then most of the French alps will still be closed 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
if there's no skiing in Chamonix that weekend then most of the French alps
|
fair enough, but then in mid December a good many French resorts will be closed, except at weekends, even if snow cover is excellent. For example, unless I've misread the websites, areas such as Le Tour and Brevent aren't due to open until 17th December.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
ChrisKitchen, That's the pe-season week and snow allowing the skiing can be fabulaous -half price passes and empty slopes with open chalets for seasonaire gatherings etc -If you're half sociable (SH?) then you'll be OK: IT can be a gamble but then most of the season is a gamble and you have the bonus of being able to choose without a fight which un-skied line you fancy. If the snow is half decent, then Flaine for it's skiing would be a cheap alternative if your catering expectations aren't too
As stevev, said, Skis are free on Swiss and for that matter on BA out of LCY if you book before the end of October. Tignes as PW offered is also a good bet and likley to be cheap with good transfers thrown in: try Chalet Hotel Les Melezes via http://www.mountainsunltd.com/ -basic, well positioned and a fun place to stay. I've been there recently so can say that with confidence.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you are travelling 14 December check the websites VERY carefully. Flaine opens 17 December too. Our area will be open before then if the snow is good, but only at weekends.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
|
|
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.
|
the Grand Massif opens 17 December, flaine partially the previous weekend, depending on conditions. I don't think there was anything very misleading about the information, which is from http://www.flaine.com/fr/hiver/domaine-skiable-fr-hiver-3-11-1.htm
Advice to read carefully about lift opening times in mid December is accurate and sensible. What's your problem? and why the embarassed smiley?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
pam w, This is ridiculous -you even misquote your own posts! =
| Quote: |
| If you are travelling 14 December check the websites VERY carefully. Flaine opens 17 December too. Our area will be open before then if the snow is good, but only at weekends. |
THIS IS A STATEMENT -how else did you intend it to be read?
Moving on: How does that now equal this =
| Quote: |
the Grand Massif opens 17 December, flaine partially the previous weekend, depending on conditions. I don't think there was anything very misleading about the information, which is from
|
There's no shame in admitting mistakes, even glaring ones like this, however this isn't the first time a misleading post has been penned AKA the visit to Samoens in Summer pre 2000. There is absolutely no point is making +21,000 posts if your statements are to be worth anything.
SH is a forum for an exchange of idea AND critically an information. It's vital that readers can discern the difference between the fantasy of the first post and the now adjusted fact in you last post.
A simple apology would go a long way to restoring your credibility as a fact provider, however that shouldn't detract from the many useful posts you've made when an opinion was required. It's just that it would be nice to be able to rely upon what we read, and not have to second guess which it is.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
(ouverture partielle du 10 au 16 décembre 2011 et du 16 au 22 avril 2012, sous réserve des conditions d'enneigement)
Jivebaby, just what is your point?
Anything non-glaciated pre-christmas is a risk
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
under a new name, Your conundrum neatly underlines and proves my point.
As you say, the Flaine website indicates that it opens Snow allowing ; which is an oxymoron as this applies to every resort on the planet:
The fact that you’ve posed the question demonstrates that less knowledgeable readers (other than you) should indeed be able to immediately differentiate between a verifiable fact and an opinion which perhaps should not be relied upon as actual information.
More to the point, if a snow head of longstanding >X k’s posts cannot be relied upon to provide reliable information relating to SH questions then where will those seeking answers go? One of the critical tenets that the SnowHeads website/club is built upon is the provision of knowledge, otherwise why would aspiring skiers/boarders bother to ask us questions or seek knowledge if our responses are fundamentally flawed in this manner?
A quick glance at the forums shows equipment exchange, debate/discussions, provision of factual &/or humour news and serious questions which deserve well informed and accurate answers. Misleading people merely dilutes the value of SnowHeads to members and perhaps to potential advertisers that may view SH as a lightweight bunch of opinionated trolls that have no validation: IMO that’s where we’re heading if we continue to aim low and miss (but that's my opinion - not a fact!) I should perhaps add that I enjoy good humour, but if I want fantasy I read a book or dream of being an expert skier 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Jivebaby, 
I have to say that pam w is one of the most reliable snowHeads on this site.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Lou, I respect your opinion, and as I said above -I am interested pam w's opinions too. Just not when they are represented as facts.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Try zermatt slightly longer transfer but best chance for conditions. I would wait and do something short notice when you can see how the conditions are shaping up and the lifts plus get a deal.
Not wanting to throw a spanner in the works but Austria often has good early season conditions.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| Quote: |
Tignes sounds like a possible option, although I've had transfer quotes up to 880 EUR
|
There are very few places where you are "guaranteed" snow in mid December, but Tignes is probably one of them because of the glacier. As for the transfer, that was for how many people? If that's just two of you, far cheaper to hire a car - it's an easy enough drive.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Roger C wrote: |
| manicpb, you must have had some bad luck - if there's no skiing in Chamonix that weekend then most of the French alps will still be closed |
No skiing in the Chamonix valley this morning apart from the nursery slope at Savoy and Planards according to:
http://www.compagniedumontblanc.fr/wp-content/themes/CMB/img/plans/plans_chamonix.php
I repeat my words early season skiing in Chamonix is a massive gamble (ok, it's avy risks rather than limited snow but steep mountains and no base don't go well)!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
