 Poster: A snowHead
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I've got a chance of a weekend in Feb staying in Nendaz - what's the route over to Verbier & how long does it take, say to the top of the Tortin lift?
Nendaz chalet would be B&B, any recommendations re eating out?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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spyderjon, I'll let you know when I get back next week 
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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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spyderjon, up to siviez and then up the gondola over Tortin to col de Gentianes. An hour? Very do-able
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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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spyderjon, The quickest way is to get the bus, or car if you have one, to Siviez. Then you can access the Verbier area quicker than the people from Verbier via chair and gondola from Siviez. When we went we only skied from Nendaz across and back on the first day and I can't remember how long it took, but the route is low and doesn't have snow cannons, so hence we didn't do it again as it involved mud as well as snow.
I'd recommend getting to Siviez by bus or car if you want to access the Verbier skiing, but maybe ski across if conditions are good.
I can't remember the names of the restaurants we used but there aren't too many. There's a mexican restaurant which is also popular for apres and it was cheap and the portions enormous, it will be obvious to spot it by it's name, even though I've forgotten.
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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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Get the bus! Where's the fun in that? Last resort only 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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spyderjon, Jon, ski over the bus is a nightmare coming back, really busy. It's a great run both ways, but especially coming back down Plan De Fou, you can get all round 4 Vallees and so long as you set off back from Siviez by 3.45pm you'll b fine. Eat at Les Etagnes, great little hotel/ restaurant by the main gondola station. Also a very nice pizza place. Seeing you Saturday for ski tuning will give you the lo-down then! Want to buy my flights, 2 for sale on here, we can do a deal!!?
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You save a lot of time getting an early bus to Siviez. I enjoyed skiing back but it was prone to bottleneck at the first chair then button after Siviez back towards Nendaz. Infact it was a real pain in the bum that link.
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spyderjon, I seem to recall rungsp spent a season there 2 years or so back 
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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'll qualify that having thought about it. The link from Siviez up to Plan de Fou is a pain, but after a few days we tended to head back a bit earlier and had a late lunch /snack in a restaurant at Prarion at the bottom of the Plan de Fou itinerary. Gorgeous views back up to Plan de Fou and across to Savoleyres. The itinerary was absolutely brilliant, albeit my wife tended to get the gondola down whilst I tried to beat my teenage son to the bottom, (Tried but failed). Some of the moguls were waist high and brought my mogul confidence up several notches.
At night we usually did apres in a tent/bar behind our apartment near the gondola with large jugs of beer. Night life was low key, but there was a Tex Mex type place down the hill from the gondola as I recall on the corner, which was reasonable and did deals on buckets of Corona as I recall.
I think it was the 0810 or 0820 bus from outside the gondola station we got, which got you up to Siviez as the lifts opened.
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If youre outside school hols and there's snow at Prarion, which there will be in February almost definitely then you have to ski. If there are no queues and you hit the cable car right you can do it in about 35 minutes.
It's a pity because Nendaz is a great place but the link is so unreliable and they have allowed too much development for the access. If they put in 2/3 gondolas/chair lifts between Nendaz and Thyon the entire 4 valleys, particularly for on piste skiing could be transformed.
The tex mex place is the Cactus Cantina, which I'm really fond off, Les Estagne is usually good food but you can get an off night, the Mont Fort is a hotel/restaurant/pub and is probably the coolest spot in town. Hammea Les Cleves is fancy, well worth a visit. There is an informal pizza/Italian opposite the entrance to Migros which I also like - v friendly.
Pubs? Mont Fort and the Cactus, for après CC and the igloo at Les Etagne - Chin chin the piano bar can be great on the right night. As has already been said its not wild - slightly dead even but most places are outside the peak weeks - are they not?
Hope you enjoy yourself.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Just too add there are another dozen restaurants on top of those I've mentioned and several other pubs. 2 large(ish) supermarkets and 3/4 small ones.
It's bigger than you expect.
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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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We were there half term week and another reason we got the bus was that the queue at the Nendaz (gondola) bubble, i can't remember what it was could be horrendous. I would concur with Fifespud, brilliant area, shame about that link.
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Jivebaby, Not me, we have a place in Le Chable, so about as far away in the 4V system as you can get.
I know Nendaz pretty well though as we have several friends there.
For quick access to 4V in either direction the short drive (or bus) to Siviez is best.
If you are there during 1/2 term holidays and driving you MUST be up early as the car parks at Siviez fill very quickly and thereafter parking is along the access road which could mean a long walk....although they do run a minibus service picking/taking parkers from along the road.
The bus is very efficient.
Either way you will be skiing Tortin before anybody from Verbier if the early bird thing is to you liking, it is a quick connection.
The ski connection is prone to bottlenecks, but is a very nice ski if you have the conditions for it.
Sadly there is one vital part of the ski connection that has a tendency to lose its snow as it is directly south facing, and what makes it worse is that for some Nature reason (the details of which escape me) there is no chance at all of getting snow cannons on it. That alone can close the link even though there may be ample snow on 95% of it elsewhere.
Given the snow this season, and given you are thinking of February you will be fine thoughspyderjon.
I'll be in Verb' for 1/2 term, so if that co-incides we could meet for a beer or ski?
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You know it makes sense.
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It was swampy who did the season in Nendaz IIRC.
As I said if you're not queuing (much) to get on the bottom bubble it's a definite ski over. The red down to the button up Fontaines is good fun, if not mobbed and totally scraped off on the steeper sections and the run down from the top of Plan De Fou to Siviez is a great blast.
If you don't mind buttons and T Bars too much some of the best on piste is between Siviez and Thyon, often the quietest too. Some good off (the side of the) piste over there too and some proper off piste over the back of Greppon Blanc and Etherola. Obviously Verbier has its attractions too.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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What rungsp said. If you're after the off piste get the bus to Siviez and up to Mt Fort. 15 min bus saves 40 mins of lifts and means you can get first bin up to Gentianes/Mt Fort. If conditions are good low down the Etygeon itinerary is also a nice option on the other side.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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BobinCH, No photos for a couple of weeks............any on the horizon, look forward to the regular updates from CH-land!
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