 Poster: A snowHead
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Could I tap into all your amazing downhill resort knowledge please?
Six day cheeky Easter trip, up to two hours from Geneva. Priorities are snow (doh) and lack of crowds.
Now, snow I should be able to work out (tho' advice always welcome), but how busy are different places? We'd like to avoid queues (I have been horribly spoilt and queued precisely once and I couldn't really see the attraction) and busy pistes. Other things less important.
Currently the front runners are:
Samoens/ Morzine/ La Clusaz/ Valloire.
Other suggestions very gratefully received of course.
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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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Badpanda, Easters' the wrong time to avoid queues!
Not been to the resorts you mentioned but I have been to the 3V's, in particular Val Thorens. I'd expect it to be busy but not too bad though. It would also depend on conditions in the lower resorts as they'll bus in to VT if conditions are poor lower down. It's also not a cheap time as it's a mainstream holiday period, schools off etc....
We were in VT easter 2011 and the snow was ok 2000m + but lower down the valley there were green fields instead of snow covered pistes. Hopefully better this year.
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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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Just avoid any resort well-known and well frequented by Brits and you should be fine. The French schools are not off during the first 2 weeks of April, so the slopes will not be too full of French, other than the weekend days.
Go and look at the snow reports of Samoens, Morzine etc, as Easter is only 2 weeks away, if there is snow at the bottom still, you should be fine for 2 weeks time! We're off to Les Houches, low lying, but there's still 40cm left at the bottom. A few too many Brits there, but we'll put up with them 
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Do resorts in France get busy at Easter. I go to L2A every school Easter holidays and it's never been crowded at all.
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Chamonix will be busy for the weekend then not at all.
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Colin B, my experience is the same. We go every year - iirc the only silly queue one year was first thing in the morning at Les Eucherts/La Rosiere. Very few French, mostly Brits,Dutch and Belgians. Other resorts I've been to at that time include Les Gets, Morzine, Avoriaz, Flaine/Les Carroz, Les Contamines - can't give a true verdict on Les Arcs or La Plagne as the snow was so poor last year. That's the first year in about eight that it was a real challenge.
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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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Badpanda, take Morzine and Samoens off your list - both will have big morning queues for gondolas
2 hours gets you to Les Coches if you put the pedal to the metal
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| Quote: |
Do resorts in France get busy at Easter
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Not in my experience - I don't think French schools are on holiday in early April. Les Contamines would be a good destination. The Espace Diamant will still be open too: the top of Notre Dame de Bellecombe (and Praz sur Arly) should offer good skiing and very little in the way of queues. Going rate for a 2 bedroom piste side apartment in our place is 350 euros/week in early April.
You can probably afford to wait and see about snow. Last year was unusually poor. The weather this year seems to be in the balance - it's been exceptionally warm but the very good snow cover means that conditions should still be better than last year. Les Saisies still has 143 cms down in the village and 190 cms at 2000m - though it must be getting pretty slushy given the hot temperatures recently. If you stay away from the big ski factories you shouldn't have too much problem picking up accommodation at the last minute, if you're flexible.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Wow, many many thanks for all the advice.
We're OK with one queue I'm sure - it's just doing it all day. Which gets Morzine etc back in. Aaaah, decisions.
You're right about us being spoilt - too many of those little French resorts where you get your own personal piste and you have to clear an inch of snow off the chairlift.....
Think 3Vs and Les Coches too far. Don't want to lose precious snowy hours in the car.
Pamw - hiya btw - am rather tempted by Les Contamines (know it from the Tour de Mont Blanc in summer); good accom too it seems; but website says several pistes closed. ED looks rather low tho'.
Agree about advantages of "French" places; but the only place with Brits on slope (Champoluc) was lovely - everyone just pottered and chatted leaving us to zoom about unhindered.
Really must make decision this week....
Thanks once again!
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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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Badpanda, Morzine is the one. From Mr Biased 
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Badpanda Don't rule out the 3 Vallees. If you are used to small French places it may (literally  ) blow your mind. Access from St Martin de Belleville is about 90-105 mins from Geneva, cheap digs down the hill in Moutiers.
Or what about Combloux - which is big and linked to Megeve? Reasonably priced digs 15 mins away in the valley town of Sallanches.
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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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| wildnoon wrote: |
| from 41st March |
Isn't that just a little too late in the season? 
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