 Poster: A snowHead
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We're considering spending a bit of time up that neck of the woods this Winter, but haven't ever been before.
They're all pretty much the same distance from Annecy (Carroz is slightly the closest, and Samoens is slightly the more distant, but there's not a lot in it). I think I'm ruling out going to central Flaine itself, as it's just uncomfortably far away.
So questions:
1) Which has the least grim/scary road up in Winter, generally?
2) Which has the best facilities for a 3 year old (good ski school, good creche, nice runs served by magic carpets rather than drags, that kind of thing.)
3) Which is best for accessing the GM area at large?
Anyone know if the GM is doing their el-cheapo season pass deal this year?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Samoens is a very easy run, we`ve done it home in a day, one driver and towing a caravan. There is a telecabine that goes up to the ski areas which link into Flaine, as well as other lifts a little further up the mountain though as far as I remember from the years before the 'new' telecabine was built parking was not so easy at these as at the 'new' one. The climb to Samoens is very gentle, on good roads, and we have never needed to put on our snow chains. There is plenty to do in samoens and plenty of restaurants.
I can`t really remember the routes to the other two because they`ve been day trips whilst staying elswhere, without the caravan in tow most routes seem relatively easy 
Can`t help with the other points I`m afraid as my children were older and wouldn`t do ski school after a bad first experience at Avoiriaz.
PS rather late in the day - should have looked at your location before making assumptions, sorry
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Tue 11-09-12 10:55; 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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I find it strange that you rule out Flaine as "as it's just uncomfortably far away". It is only just around the corner from Carroz and imho has better facilities for beginners. There is one magic carpet and a slow two man chair that serve two separate nursery areas.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Corduroy, half an hour from Carroz to Flaine according to Google Maps. That would raise my round trip time from approx 2 hours to approx 3 hours, which is just a bit more time on the road than I fancy for a day's skiing.
Is gmaps wrong about this?
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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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Googlemaps says Annecy to Flaine at 1hr 21mins for me  Sounds about right, though i'd maybe allow 1h45. Having said that, I've never done it from Annecy, only Geneva.
I'd reckon maybe 20 mins from Carroz into Flaine at most - you do have to pop right over the lip of the bowl effectively to get into Flaine, and the roads into the resort itself can be slow going if there's other traffic - they are very narrow.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| fixx wrote: |
| Googlemaps says Annecy to Flaine at 1hr 21mins for me. |
Yes it does. And under an hour to Carroz, for example. Hence why I consider Flaine to be just that bit too far away.
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les carroz to flaine in normal conditions is about 20 minutes, it can be a bit fun in snowy conditions, but is usually clear. The actual approach is flaine is downhill.
Les carroz has the advantage of trees in snowy weather, as does morillon. Access is very much uphill, but again usually clear, but you may need chains, more usually after les carroz.
Les carroz has beginner areas at the base that gets rather busy at times, and a protected zone near the gondola top that is fenced off so other skiers don't go through it, and they have no need too either. It is served by a queue prone drag.
The area served by the free slow chair in flaine has lots of skiers trundling through it, (however not so much last season as the aup de veran was closed) the other area is near grand vans and is fenced, but still has skiers going from the telebenne (lobster pot lift) to grand vans as its the most direct route, but i think it has a moving carpet????
samoens and morillon will be the easiest access for you as there is not much uphill at the end of the journey.
according to a friend cheap season pass will be available.
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carroz, thanks that's great. So not a great deal of magic carpet lifts in the outlying villages, then?... damn
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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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| Mr Piehole wrote: |
| fixx wrote: |
| Googlemaps says Annecy to Flaine at 1hr 21mins for me. |
Yes it does. And under an hour to Carroz, for example. Hence why I consider Flaine to be just that bit too far away. |
I can't recall Flaine being that long from Carroz but maybe we had good road conditions.
Perhaps you should (if you are getting a season pass) just try the different resorts and make your own mind up. Personally i would not drive to an inappropriate resort for the sake of 20 mins.
I guess you just have to go and check them out yourself.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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[quote="Corduroy"]
| Mr Piehole wrote: |
| fixx wrote: |
| Googlemaps says Annecy to Flaine at 1hr 21mins for me. |
Yes it does. And under an hour to Carroz, for example. Hence why I consider Flaine to be just that bit too far away. |
I can't recall Flaine being that long from Carroz but maybe we had good road conditions.
Perhaps you should (if you are getting a season pass) just try the different resorts and make your own mind up. Personally i would not drive to a resort that was not suitable for your needs for the sake of 20 mins behind the wheel.
I guess you just have to go and check them out yourself.
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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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| Corduroy wrote: |
| I guess you just have to go and check them out yourself. |
Is that, honestly, your answer to a thread asking questions about a resort? "Go and find out for yourself".
You win my "Helpful Poster Of The Day" award. Many congratulations!
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| Mr Piehole wrote: |
| Corduroy wrote: |
| I guess you just have to go and check them out yourself. |
Is that, honestly, your answer to a thread asking questions about a resort? "Go and find out for yourself".
You win my "Helpful Poster Of The Day" award. Many congratulations! |
So you base your trips around what other people tell you to do? I was merely pointing out that flaine may be worth the extra miles if it suited YOUR NEEDS better than the others. One mans trash is another mans treasure and all that.
Your questions:
1. Samoens.
2. Samoens.
3. Carroz.
But IMHO you should still look at flaine for the little one.
Perhaps next time i just shouldn't bother trying to be helpful as some people just don't appreciate it.
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You know it makes sense.
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aup de veran should be running this season, some new pylons and cable.
Not sure about moving carpets now as my daughter is now skiing off piste with me, and she is quite mad....at 12 years old......help 
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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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I'm a bit obsessed with the magic carpet angle. Mini Hole made amazing progress at the end of last season using those brilliant long covered things, and that's spoiled us a bit. Not sure if there's anywhere that matches up to them! Again, just a bit too far for it to be a regular destination for us... GM is a candidate mainly if they do that insane cheapo lift pass deal again (and it's one of the big ones that I've never been to, and I quite fancy the look of it).
Instead of commuting from here maybe I should just move house to Moutiers or Bourg and have done with it!
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Poster: A snowHead
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If the little one is the main driver of where to go then why not just cut the journey time right down and visit one of the smaller ski stations at the other end of the lake? Just because they don't get the tour operators does not mean they are not there!
You'll be able to go ad-hoc on a nice day, just have a half day if Mini gets tired or cold, you'll have no issues with traffic or crowds.
OK so for you the skiing will not be of the GM standard....but a small place, good conditions....you can have a superb day there too.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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rungsp, umm. Popping to Semnoz or Hery for the day isn't a very good option. They lack the infrastructure we require. The problem we're trying to solve is:
1) decent area
2) decent kids facilities
3) not a ball-breaking commute
Clusaz/Bornand are where we spent most of our weekends last season. They meet criterion 3 but not the others.
Candidate places are Megeve, GM, 3Vs, Espace Diamant, edge of PdS at a push.
GM had bubbled to the top of the 'must investigate' list due to the possibility of a rank-cheap season pass.
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