 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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I would estimate 40 minutes from the main lift station in the town once you have negotiated the queue down there, or a more certain 30 minutes from Le Bettex. This is including a lift queue of 10 minutes for the gondola up from Le Bettex. The new chair on Mont Rosset will help if the queues are very bad as it will provide an alternative.
However, I would aim to be at Le Bettex at 9 am.
I would add that it is definitely best to buy your lift passes in advance, either on line or the previous evening at the tourist office /lift stations as the worst queues are to buy passes.
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Sun 30-10-11 22:12; edited 1 time in total
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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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beequin, many thanks 
Would it be any quicker to drive round? Or drive up to Le Bettex?
I am asking as I have a preference for ESI school and I can't see that there is one in St Gervais, so closest is Megeve. ESF is at Le Bettex, I might be persuaded if I heard any good reports of it.
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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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sarah, it would be a fair bit quicker to drive up to Megeve - the first lift you'd come to is the Princessa IIRC, where there's a big car park.
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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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sarah, I endorse all of the above; driving all the way to the Mont d'Arbois plateau (where the schools meet) would be the quickest, but who can resist a ski? The Princesse option is probably best. There are a few different ways down from the top of that lift, to suit all abilities, but my favourite is Pylones - there's an excellent twisty chicane at the top that you can schuss if you're feeling up to it. A little challenging on early morning hardpack  .
The ESI guys are great; they organise GS races that I go in for from time to time.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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It is about 10 minutes drive to Princesse, but this will not save you a lot of time as you still need to go up to Mont d'Arbois and down to Pt Vorasses. The drive to the Mt d'Arbois telecabine is a further 10-15 mins.
There is an ESI in St Gervais ( http://www.saintgervais.com/en/alpine-and-sports/ski-schools.html ). We used it when my children were young, but it was no better than the ESF which we found to be decent with enough english speakers.
A final piece of info to bear in mind is that there are works going on for a new bridge which make the car park at St Gervais more crowded than it was (which was quite crowded already in half-term weeks).
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pam w, laundryman, thank you very much, very useful.
beequin, thanks again! I saw the ESI listing on the St Gervais website as per your link but then there is no listing for them on the ESI site and their own site is not working, I thought maybe they'd disappeared.
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sarah, we were in St Gervais for a season 2 years ago and used ESF for the lessons that we had - including my son then 11 twice a week with the local kids ski programme and including a week for lower level at half term. (9 in the group). They were absolutely fine with good English, good, fun instruction and good care - Walter and Stefan would come particularly well recommended by my son with Laurence (female) a not too distant 3rd place.
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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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| beequin wrote: |
A final piece of info to bear in mind is that there are works going on for a new bridge which make the car park at St Gervais more crowded than it was (which was quite crowded already in half-term weeks). |
is that the roadworks on the main road opposite the bettex lift? I thought it was a re-modelling of a roundabout or something, its a right mess at the moment! 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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they're building a by-pass of some kind, I believe - it was all pretty chaotic when I was there a few weeks ago for a fair, but then the town was extra busy that day. There were long, long, delays in both directions at the one way traffic lights at the bottom of the road down from Megeve.
Every time I go through St G, which isn't very often, I am reminded how nice it is - the day of the fair was lovely, bright sun, loads of people, cows of various kinds, heavy horses, mules, sheep, puppies, loads of loads of the usual market tat, several Andean musicians and much else besides.
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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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sarah, the ESI in St Gervais had a tiny team and as such they weren't able to offer too many levels for peak dates such as half-term. We lost contact with them but they may still be going. The ESF has improved in recent years and personally I would not drag the kids all the way to the meeting point in Megeve in the morning during half-term. Breakfast, getting them kitted out, getting to Bettex lift, more skiing - by the time you get there you will be so stressed that you will need to spend the rest of the morning on vin chaud drip 
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| Quote: |
personally I would not drag the kids all the way to the meeting point in Megeve in the morning during half-term.
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No, I don't think I would, either. Very boring for them and stressful for you, worrying about the timing. And would severely constrain what you could do during the morning when they're in ski school.
for littlies, it's so nice to be able to just flop, and relax, after ski school.
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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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FAQ
That's great, if we end up going there then I may well just choose this line of least resistance 
