 Poster: A snowHead
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Please could I ask advise on these resorts ? The 'Where to ski' book states that they aren't snow sure. I guess it has to snow sometime there. When is best to go and where is best to stay ? Cheers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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erica2004, I have skied Megeve several times and always had good snow. I do tend to ski in January though. The big advantage that I see with Megeve is that the snow cover could be thin and still skiable, because the slopes are grass base and do not need 2 feet of snow to cover all the rocks. I can't help with Flims, not been there-yet 
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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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erica2004, Have you decided against USA now?
We have skied Megeve for 1 day only and I loved it, perfect for Intermediates and there was plenty of snow but everywhere had snow when we were there. Very pretty! Sorry not much help. When are you planning on going?
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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erica2004,
Although I rate Where to ski a generally reliable book I treat the snow reliablity ratings with a fairly hefty dose of scepticism. I am not sure how much data there is to make a reliable 5 point scale. I suspect that they look at the general orientation of the resort and the height together with a few anecdotal reports. In the old Good skiing guide by one of the same authors they emphasised the amount of snow at resort level I suspect that this guide does much the same, they now give far more prominence to snow making than I personally would hence the dolomites get a high rating.
I have only been to Flims once so I cannot claim any particular expertise. However when I went at New Year the conditions at altitude were excellent though less good down the mountain. Locals who I spoke to seemed to think that conditions were generally better at that time of the year(ie My visit represented poorer than usual conditions). There is a small glacier and plenty of fairly high skiing, many of the slopes face south though so may suffer in the sun and it may be better Jan/Feb than late season.
Personally I thought there was some great skiing and would not hesitate to go back I would of thought that the area is as snow sure as most; certainly untill early March, though as always last minute booking can avoid the odd exceptional bad year which virtually any resort can suffer from.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I went to Flims a few years ago, at the beginning of March. The lower slopes got slushy by lunch time, but the top was great.
As Ray Zorro says, there is a glacier there...so snow shouldn't be a problem.
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erica2004, I spent the first week of Feb last year in Megeve - had snow up to armpits. Almost too much!! (a first for me at any resort). Snow everywhere throughout Megeve was great, even on the lower slopes. Good piste grooming. Very pretty traditional style resort (depsite being purpose built) - not Meribel-esque at all.
The only thing, and it was the ONLY thing, that annoyed me was this: Some outlying sectors of Mevege's piste network are disconnected - you need to take a bus from Megeve resort. I found the linked pistes kept me going for only 3 days before I had to jump on a bus to get to somewhere new.
But having said that, the bus is relatively quick and once I got to the disconnected sector/s there was enough in each sector to keep me going for a full day (sometimes more!), and each sector is fully kitted with good mountain restuarants.
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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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Thanks Manda, I think we just might give Megeve a try! Where did you stay?
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I'm not too sure what Manda means about Megeve being "purpose built". It's not purpose built in the normal meaning of the term - which goes hand in hand with "convenience" and "ski in, ski out". There was ridiculous amounts of snow everywhere last February (I got completely lost in a white out driving through Megeve, but that's not par for the course). Much of the skiing is not very high, and some loses snow quickly because of aspect. I'm not very familiar with the slopes there, but I drive through Megeve a lot, and sometimes there is an awful lot of grass to be seen from road level. You would be lucky to have nice snow in Megeve village itself, which is at valley level. The centre of the town (some of it quite old, hence my query about the "purpose built") is very pretty, in a rather expensive sort of way. some super shops, clothes especially, and art, glasswork and antiques, but at blood curdling prices. Some of the best, and most expensive, restaurants in France. Indeed, one of the attractions of Megeve is that it offers a "proper" town, not just a purpose built block of ski apartments. So, kind of "alpine charm" but it wouldn't always include fluffy white snow. More like banks of black grime round the ring road..... the centre is pedestrianised. Expensive parking. Some accommodation is quite a way from the lifts or buses. Generally you would need to download from the mountain in a lift and, as Manda said, not all the areas are linked. So be very careful about the exact location of your proposed accommodation.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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erica2004, I would echo Manda's comments regarding all the piste's not being linked, I skied Megeve but stopped in St Gervais for a week, but its always in the back of your mind what time is the last gondola/lift to get you back high enough to be able to ski back. Get it wrong at its a taxi or bus ride back.
Other than that a very good resort, plenty of choices, of terrain
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FAQ
I also like a bit of alpine atmosphere - I've been to Lech / Saas Fee and thought they were lovely. I've been to Courchevel and I think the skiing there is fantastic, but the place is dreary. So, I was thinking we'd go to Lech 7/1/06 and then go somewhere 28/1/06 and end Feb/beginning March. But I think we'll now stick to Europe. We live in the SW and our nearest airport is Exeter which now does Chambery and Geneva (Flybe). Previously we have travelled with Inghams and we will do this again to go to Lech. (They have an Innsbruck charter from Exeter) However, BA fly to Zurich from Bristol, which is about 2.5hrs from us. Gatwick - not a chance in hell of getting me there. We do have a shuttle from Plymouth but the 4 times I've used it, it has been unreliable twice!
