 Poster: A snowHead
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My Sis has a new job where she travels to Geneva reasonably frequently, and she's wondering about places to ski nearby. I know it's a FAQ to ask about places to ski near the airport, does being city centre change anything?
She'd prefer not to rent a car, so a train journey of up to 2 hrs in any direction would be ideal, especially if the train is to the dead centre of the resort, and super-especially if it's a direct train.
I seem to remember reading that you can ski in Brig, although I'd heard of it only as a place to change trains before.
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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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Your second link, Zero-G, is interesting. Among the http://www.goski.co.uk results are:
Les Arcs (35 miles - 0.62 hours)
La Plagne (36.875 miles - 0.66 hours)
Brides Les Bains (37.5 miles - 0.67 hours)
Courchevel 1300 le Praz (38.75 miles - 0.69 hours)
Meribel (39.375 miles - 0.70 hours)
Courchevel 1550 (39.375 miles - 0.70 hours)
Tignes (40.625 miles - 0.72 hours)
Val D'Isere (42.5 miles - 0.76 hours)
Val Thorens (44.375 miles - 0.79 hours)
I believe that travel operators multiply the above times by between three and five for their transfer coaches.
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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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I woudl have thoguth that the easiest thing for your sister would be to use one of the transfer companies from the Airport.
It's quite easy to get to GVA from anywhere in Geneva so if she had to that wouldn't be too difficult alternatively if it's more than just your sister some of the transfer companies might even pick her up... I know I did several pick ups from Geneva town when I was driving out there and don't believe the company charged any premium.
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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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| Adrian wrote: |
Your second link, Zero-G, is interesting. Among the http://www.goski.co.uk results are:
Les Arcs (35 miles - 0.62 hours)
La Plagne (36.875 miles - 0.66 hours)
Brides Les Bains (37.5 miles - 0.67 hours)
Courchevel 1300 le Praz (38.75 miles - 0.69 hours)
Meribel (39.375 miles - 0.70 hours)
Courchevel 1550 (39.375 miles - 0.70 hours)
Tignes (40.625 miles - 0.72 hours)
Val D'Isere (42.5 miles - 0.76 hours)
Val Thorens (44.375 miles - 0.79 hours)
I believe that travel operators multiply the above times by between three and five for their transfer coaches. |
but those distances are wildly inaccurate, just checked and shortest distance Geneva to Tignes is 167km according to google
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Take the train from Geneva to Sion and then get the bus to either Nendaz or Veysonnaz, a lot of people from Geneva weekend there.
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| Quote: |
shortest distance Geneva to Tignes is 167km according to google
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not if you're a crow..... but even if you're a crow, that information is rubbish, like much else on go.ski
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There are bus companies in geneva that run ski trips at weekends
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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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Adrian, are those distances and timings for military spec attack helicopter transfer?
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Chamonix is the obvious answer. Take the bus.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Dr John and lynseyf, they are not my distances and timings. They are extracted from the http://www.goski.co.uk page that was posted by Zero-G. I am sure Zero-G posted in good faith but when I viewed the page I saw how small the values were and wanted to warn awf, the original poster in this thread. Perhaps I should have written my warning in bigger letters.
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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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Back on topic, there are buses (if you are happy getting up at sparrow's windy bottom from the bus station. would seem mighty practical and cheap to me.
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| awf wrote: |
| My Sis has a new job where she travels to Geneva reasonably frequently, and she's wondering about places to ski nearby. |
can you post a photo?
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You know it makes sense.
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Yup, was the link I posted, which I found by entering "closest ski resorts to geneva" into Google.
I don't know anything about either website, to be honest. They could have been set up by sweaty 14-year olds for all I know.
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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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awf, I’ve often skied with mates from Geneva -we network using www.glocals.com and have a skiing from Geneva ski group too. Busses run from Gare Routiere, close to Paquis and is easily accesible. Busses run to most active resorts, the nearest/quickest decent resorts are the Grand-Masif and Chamonix a little further, as is Flaine as the road takes longer. I believe it's possible to buy combined lift/bus tickets. We also have larger meeting wherein 30-40 are booked into an hotel: If you PM me I’ll give you a name/contact number of one of the main organisers. 
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Poster: A snowHead
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You can get a train from GVA (or central Geneva) to Aigle, change there onto the local train to Champery. The station is right next to the cable car which takes you up to Les Crosets. Lots of sking in the Crosets bowl and along the Swiss side towards Morgins, or alternatively from Crosets it is two chair lifts to Avoriaz (more expensive pass if you cross the border of course). Plenty of places to hire skis etc in Champery if your sis needs to.
Only trouble is the train journey seems to be about 2 hours 30. Stunning scenery though, along the north shore of Lake Geneva, and then up the Val D'Illiez.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Adrian, keep your hair on love, I'm full aware they're not your (or Zero-G's) timings. I'd be interested to hear from Goski how they got them though...
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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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speak to chamvan or the likes and see if they'll give you a discount for regular use, you can then just get picked up from the airport and dropped off at the lift station 
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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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Dr John, I've started a separate thread on goski - their stuff is so utterly bizarre that it's hard to imagine you'll get any coherent response. Check out the other thread for a little-known Austrian resort with over 32,000 kms of pistes......
I've mentioned on SHs before what a crock of sh*t goski is.
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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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Wow, thanks all! I do like the lateral thinking of some of the suggestions.
If the new job includes a helicopter and driver I'll be sure to send her the goski list (although of course then I guess she probably wouldn't be heading for lift-served terrain)
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Hi - can I recommend the SkiRail Map of the Alps? It shows you virtually all the resorts you can reach by train in the Alps (with all the mountain facts and figures), and how long it takes to get there from the nearest big city, e.g. Geneva. You can see what the map looks like here - http://rogerlascellesmaps.co.uk/SkiRail_Product_Information.aspx?area=SkiRail_Product_Information (I ought to confess that I did help put this map together!).
There are some great relatively little-known places such as Chateau D'Oex and Rochers de Naye within a 2 hour trip. Chateau D'Oex station is about a 3 minute walk to the cable car and hire shop. Villars is also within a 2 hour journey and Leysin slightly longer. I'd also recommend Champery as someone else has, although it's nearer 2 hours 30.
All these places require one change of train but it's very easy, and you don't have to wait long. You can also get a train + ski pass ticket from most Swiss stations which saves you about 30% off the price of a ski pass.
Needless to say, rail travel in Switzerland is a joy!
Neil
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Neil Neige, indeed you can. I am now £14 lighter, and looking forward to my lovely new wall map!
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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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I challenge anyone to drive to Meribel in 0.7 hours from Geneva between November and April lol.
My serious suggestion would be go up the Chamonix valley, you have so much choice up there, Argentiere, Chamonix, Les Houches to name a few and they're are trains and buses up there (95% sure)
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You can also get train to Le Chable which has a gondola 50m from the station. This goes up through Verbier. Train takes 2 hours. This is probably faster way to get to 4 Vallees than going to Sion and taking bus to Nendaz.
But I would assume the buses to Chamonix, Grand Massif etc will be faster.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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awf, As you said "Train" .. the obvious choice is staying on the Swiss network out of the city ... list is endless, Verbier, Sion (but bus ride to Nendaz) ... including Gstaad Superski as mentioned -- Rougemont and Saanenmoser being the best train stops to walk straight to skilift -- Chateau d'Oex a little further walk.
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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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Staying on the swiss train network will get you to lots of fantastic places - your new railmap will sort that out no worries! As some others said, hopping one stop on the train to the airport and enter the mad cap world of arrivals and you have airport transfer companies who will take you almost anywhere at a decent price. Another option using local transport would be to get to annecy either by train or bus and changing for the local bus up to La Clusaz and Grand Bornand. Won't take more than 1.5-2 hours including changeovers etc (tho a transfer is 1 hour tops).
on an aside the goski timetable is hilarious! The J2ski timings are a little suspect in places too - you would be a little rattled by the drive to have arrived in Morzine in an hour... Ended up making our own comparison table having seen this lot - put lift pass prices etc in it too. Hope its useful to some people http://www.skiweekender.com/ski-resources/comparison-of-ski-resorts-near-geneva/
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| Quote: |
Neil Neige, indeed you can. I am now £14 lighter, and looking forward to my lovely new wall map!
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Cool - hope you like it! There is loads of fun ski-rail stuff to do from Geneva.
The loop that takes you along the banks of Lake Geneva (Lausanne, Montreux etc) to Martigny, then up over to Chamonix/St Gervais and then back to Geneva (Eaux Vives) is wonderful. Tons of great resorts and the train ride is pretty spectacular.
Another excellent excursion from Geneva involves train to Lausanne, and then boat across Lake Geneva to Evian (in France - passport needed!). It's then just a 20 minute bus or taxi ride up the mountain to Thollon which is a lovely little-known French resort with daily lift passes for 20 Euros and some of the most spectacular skiing in the Alps (views across Lake Geneva are breathtaking).
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