 Poster: A snowHead
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We've driven through Annecy, en route to the Tarentaise, loads of times.
Has anyone skied any of the ski areas around Annecy that we've seen advertised/signposted eg Col de La Forclaz, Seythenex?
Is Les Saisies feasible (is it a slow tortuous mountain road)?
We may put a day in at one of these either on the way from or back to Geneva - just as somewhere new/different to try.
Any thoughts?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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One of the road along Annecy Lake leads to La Clusaz and Le Grand Bornand. Been there several both in winter and summer but didn't ski it. Think it is OK if the snow is good.
Drove through Les Saisies only in the summer. It is a quiet place out of the main road.
I suppose comparing with Albertville (gateway to Tarentaise Valley) at one end and Chamonix/Megeve on the other end these small resorts in the middle don't get look at very much. I am sure many SHs will argue small could be beautiful.
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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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If you go the East side of the lake, it's a short drive through Thones to La Clusaz, and a little farther to St Jean De Sixt, Le Grand Bornand, and over the Col Des Aravis (if it's open) to La Giettaz.
If you go the West side, Le Semnoz could be worth a quick ski, but it's small, and low, so check ahead to see what the conditions are like! You could also find your way to little places in the Bauges like Margeriaz.
davidof's website raves about Seythenex.
I have skied none of these places yet though! La Clusaz tomorrow is the plan however 
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It's extremely rare for the Col Des Aravis to not be open, so unless you were trying to drive it during a big storm like last week, it will be open and La Giettaz would definitely be cheaper and quieter than La Clusaz but it is obviously a little bit more off the beaten track. It's all nice on that side though, as I'm sure it is on the other side but I've not been there.
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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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Is Les Saisies feasible (is it a slow tortuous mountain road)?
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No, it's a pretty tame road actually. But to get to Les Saisies from Ugine you would normally drive the Gorge de l'Arly road, and that can be problematical. Also, before you got to Les Saisies, you would drive through Notre Dame de Bellecombe (linked, part of the Espace Diamant) and it might be more logical to ski from the top station of Notre Dame (Mont Rond) than to drive the further distance up to Les Saisies. The top part of the Notre Dame area probably has the best skiing in the Espace Diamant, very rarely busy, and some good accessible off piste (I watch the lads from the chair lifts - a few were having fun today, though there are relatively few tracks. There's probably a significant avalanche risk and the whole area is very quiet at the moment; I have not seen a lift queue yet.
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Phew! So a few to pick from then!! Will check 'em out. Thanks to all for the responses .
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Phew! So a few to pick from then!!
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And not forgetting Arreches, just above Albertville. Worth a look!
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And not forgetting Arreches, just above Albertville. Worth a look!
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Yes, Beaufort-Areches is well worth a visit. Very cold place - keeps the snow well! Has very good off-piste opportunities - so they say. I wouldn't know.  We were there one cold January day and our bog standard downhill skis were the poor relations outside the restaurant, surrounded with touring gear. Another rarely crowded spot, but a bit more of a hike from Annecy than the other places mentioned. Probably about 45 minutes from Albertville? I think you can get a combined coach and ski pass deal from Albertville, for the price of the ski pass (ie transport is free). The Carrefour in Albertville often has money off vouchers for Areches on the back of your checkout bill - worth looking. IIRC adult day tickets were 13 euros with one of those two years ago.
My comment above about Notre Dame de Bellecombe was wrong. The top level is actually not Mont Rond but a little place called Les Frasses, a wee bit up the road from Mont Rond. The best place to go, because parking is easier and there's a drag lift right there which takes you to the top of MR. The Chair up from MR 1350 is paralysingly slow - gonna be replaced any time now. That drag at Les Frasses is a much better way up and has a superb blue run down it - quite steep for a blue, hugely wide, cruisy and fast. And almost always empty. And from the top you can access all the rest easily. The only restaurant up the mountain is near the top of the drag too.
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