 Poster: A snowHead
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Already booked to go to Les Deux Alpes in January but thinking of going away again in March (if funds allow!) - had a look at Brides les Bains - from what I can gather its at the foot of the 3 valleys and there is a 20 minute gondola ride to get to the 3 valleys and nightlife is non existent practically (which doesn't bother me too much anyway.
Anyone else have other information about Brides les Bains?
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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It's just outside of Paris and is connected to Meribel via a ridiculously long gondola. 
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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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Lovely little french town, some nice quiet bars and couple of nice restaurants iirr; couple of lovely buildings / houses that i would love to live in; particularly nice bakery
The gondola ride goes past easily, nice warm down after a days skiing, and it starts before the main lifts anyway
personally had no probs using it, but some on here hate it with a vengence
depends what youre after
Ski Weeknds have a couple of places in town - if you travel with them, they are entertaining enough in their hotel bars in the evening
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jb1970, great place. I stayed in a hotel 50m from the lift - http://www.altisvalvert.com/ - which was a great and very reasonable price - lovely quiet hotel and town - journey up in the gondola actually rather relaxing at the beginning and end of each day ... and all for a fraction of the price of meribel....
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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.
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I had a week with a school group in Brides les Bains almost 20 years ago. The town didn't make a great impression on me (maybe we didn't explore much of it) but was pleasant enough. I too didn't find the gondola trip any bother, though it does take some time away from skiing. It may mean that you can't explore as much of the 3V as you might if based more centrally.
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Personally I see no reason to stay there unless you get a ridiculously good deal.
Stay in Le Praz instead. Great ski down every day. Nice village.
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If Brides les Bains was an airport EasyJet would use it instead of Courchevel.
As sev112, says, some like it, some hate it. I am in the latter camp.
IMHO because the gondala ride up to Meribel only puts you where the punters in Meribel already are - it means you have another lift ride (and queue) before you can do any skiing. It means you are rarely sliding a whole hour after you have started in the morning (if you see what I mean).
However, it is a cheap way to ski the 3V so if that's what you need why not try it? There are some great deals to be had but this is for a reason.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Apparently there is a casino in the town if you're so inclined.
Tiger2, if the gondola ride annoys you, never go skiing in North America - towns are rarely mountain adjcent so factor in a bus ride minimum
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Have used Brides les Bains as a night stop on the way to Tignes a couple of times. It's about the nearest place to the EK that you can buy a single night's accommodation. Based on a fairly limited exposure I would agree with sev112, . It's a pleasant town but doesn't really feel like a ski resort.
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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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| Bogusman wrote: |
| Have used Brides les Bains as a night stop on the way to Tignes a couple of times. It's about the nearest place to the EK that you can buy a single night's accommodation. |
That sounds weird. BLB isn't really 'on the way'. Moutiers is, and you'll get a 1 night hotel stay there.
Bourg-SM as well, surely!
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Never managed to find anything available for 1 night in Bourg when I wanted it. Try it some time, the hoteliers in the region are geared to full weeks or nothing, in peak seasons at least.
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You know it makes sense.
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I have only every been to Brides Les Bains in the summer and it is very much a spa town. Imagine adding a casino and some beautiful scenery to Droitwich and you get Brides Les Bains
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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 have spent about 15 weeks in Brides-Les-Bain over the past 10 years, since a skiing chum owns an apartment there.
The town has lots of accommodation because it is a spa town and full of visitors during the non-skiing months. The number of visitors during the Winter has increased over the past few years. I can only presume that this is because it is cheaper than Meribel.
The gondola lift opens early enough to reach Meribel before the lifts to the pistes open. Many people enjoy the lift journey as a time when they can 'phone the office' without wasting any ski time. The return journey last lift is about 5-5.30pm depending on the season, and means that if you stay in Meribel for apres-ski, you will need to take an expensive taxi journey back to B-L-B.
The apres-ski in B-L-B is not very lively, but there are about half-dozen reasonable restaurants & bars.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Mr Piehole wrote: |
That sounds weird. BLB isn't really 'on the way'. |
Hardly 'off the way' . Fall off of the road to Meribel, to the left and you're in BLB. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Brides is fine if you don't want to go out and don't want to ski back to the chalet/hotel (variable in meribel anyway!)
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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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We'd previously skied from BLB for the odd day or two but in 2011 got a late-bargain Inghams package deal there for about £200 pp (2 persons) in an apartment about 5 mins from the gondola. We had a great week.
The rides up and down each day were fine - and the gondola opens before (and closes after) the main Meribel lifts so you can still do a full-on day on the slopes.
The town is indeed very quiet on an evening (typical valley town like Moutiers or Albertville, although smaller). We catered in a couple of times and found enough places to eat out for the rest of the week. A bonus was that we found the food and drink prices to be a fair bit cheaper than up in the 3 Vallees proper - with a happy hour (hotel) apres-ski bar just down the hill from the gondola knocking two for one large beers out at about €4.
Verdict: We'd stay there again if the price was right.
| Quote: |
| Never managed to find anything available for 1 night in Bourg when I wanted it |
We have but it can be difficile. On the other hand, we've had no problems with the odd night in Brides les Bains using Hotels.com and Expedia.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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mountainaddict,
| Quote: |
Quote:
Never managed to find anything available for 1 night in Bourg when I wanted it
We have but it can be difficile. On the other hand, we've had no problems with the odd night in Brides les Bains using Hotels.com and Expedia.
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Exactly. I have booked the Amelie via Expedia at a very reasonable rate. And leaving BLB at around 8 am you can be on the Palafour (or the Aeroski, Paquis etc) lift in Tignes by 9.30. So squeezing 7 full days skiing out of a week's accommodation.
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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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jb1970, Had a week there last year. Was fine, but would echo the reservations some others have mentioned re not really feeling like being in a resort. Also, the return via gondola can be stressful if you're on the last minute - don't want to miss the last one and have to get a taxi. The gondola station is also a bit of a hike at the end of the day. If it's snowing then 25 mins in the gondola in wet gear is not the best way to finish the day. If you could get somewhere at similar price in La Tania or Le Praz (or even Courchevel 1550) I would consider that to be better.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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jb1970, I had a few nights in B-L-B parking out of the way in a covered car park. The night life is fairly quiet, but cheap. There is a casino in B-L-B so if you like to dress up like James Bond and splash some cash there is some nightlife.
Just as you get off the gondola in B-L-B there is an extraordinarily cheap apres ski bar, which tends to get quite busy at certain times.
There is often live music in bars along the high street, and because it is a Spa town there are the thermal baths, and massages etc.
It is quite low down, and so tends not to be so cold at night than Meribel. (this is important if you are sleeping in a van and want to thaw out)
The bubble lift in the morning and last thing at night did not bother me too much. Time to listen to your IPOD, put your make up on, and whatever else you could do in a bubble car for 30 minutes.
I have heard that sometimes it stops, and it can take a while to start again. So 40 minutes is only an estimate....
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Thanks everyone who responded - I am going to have a think about it! Will let you all know!
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Lots of cheaper hotels in BLB that will let you stay for just a day or two. Doubt you would find anything at a similar price in La Tania or Le Praz.
If you're on a budget then BLB is hard to beat. If money is not an issue you'll pay more to be closer to the slopes.
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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 tend to find the makeup just gets stuck in my beard
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| dw832 wrote: |
Lots of cheaper hotels in BLB that will let you stay for just a day or two. Doubt you would find anything at a similar price in La Tania or Le Praz.
If you're on a budget then BLB is hard to beat. If money is not an issue you'll pay more to be closer to the slopes. |
And closer to Geneva for a spot of shopping,
It would be harder to be further away, Brittany maybe.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Never stayed there but know the valley quite well, and have stayed in Les Allues a few times, further up the valley... My advice would be, if you can, stay further up... BLB is pretty uninspiring, IMO, as a winter place to stay and like others have said, not very practical if you want a full day on the hill, and a drink afterwards up in Meribel.
The lift, might only be 20 odd mins, but a pain after a few days, I would imagine... 
I know it is kind of the same distance down the hill... But I reckon Bozel would be a better stay than BLB.. Ok it doesn't have the gondola but is only a short drive up to Le Praz 1300 and also you are only a few minutes from Champagny en Vanoise as well, with access to La Plagne and Les Arcs...
Les Allues is a cool little village with good eateries and a great little bar... 
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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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It is quite a cold gondola ride down once the sun has gone down a bit - may be OK in March but freezing in January.
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| countryman wrote: |
| It is quite a cold gondola ride down once the sun has gone down a bit - may be OK in March but freezing in January. |
Not really sure that would put me off? It won't be any colder than when your out skiing.
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You know it makes sense.
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All booked for Brides les Bains - going in March.
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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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jb1970, ....incidentally...which hotel huave you booked?
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Poster: A snowHead
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| jb1970 wrote: |
Already booked to go to Les Deux Alpes in January but thinking of going away again in March (if funds allow!) - had a look at Brides les Bains - from what I can gather its at the foot of the 3 valleys and there is a 20 minute gondola ride to get to the 3 valleys and nightlife is non existent practically (which doesn't bother me too much anyway.
Anyone else have other information about Brides les Bains?
Cheers |
Heading out to L2A on the 5th of Jan!
I stayed in BLB March of this year, it was a last minute thing and I wasn't too worried about the lack of après ski.
The gondola up to the chaudanne in Meribel is around 25 minutes, but in my opinion the time flies by and you will find yourself admiring the scenery before you know it.
But yeah it's a great place if you're looking for good value and are not too fussed about evening activities. Plus it can get pretty toasty at 600metres in Spring 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| valais2 wrote: |
| jb1970, ....incidentally...which hotel huave you booked? |
Hotel Amelie.
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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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| Quote: |
nightlife is non existent practically
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This is not true. The little cafe does a roaring trade in selling Loto tickets. You can even get a pastis there.
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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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| andyrew wrote: |
| Quote: |
nightlife is non existent practically
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This is not true. The little cafe does a roaring trade in selling Loto tickets. You can even get a pastis there. |
I'm not fussed about nightlife - tend to prefer my days than nights when on a ski holiday.
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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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jb1970, ...thanks....report back...might use it if good....thanks again
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| valais2 wrote: |
| jb1970, ...thanks....report back...might use it if good....thanks again |
Will do but its not until March!
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Let's be honest, great resort for the tight fisted. 
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We Got a S/C self drive for £198 for two people inc Eurotunnel in about 2000 IIRC! Apartments were on edge of town, built for Olympics apparently. Basic but satisfactory. Nightlife was pretty much as described above. Casino was tiny, there were around 6 punters in the night we went!
We only took the bubble once. After that we drove to La Tania each morning where we skied on to the bottom of the red run out of the car park.
We were skint at the time and it meant we got to ski in the 3V for a real fraction of the cost of skiing more or less anywhere at the time.
I don't think I'd rush back but it's horses for courses and it ticks certain boxes.
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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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| Mollerski wrote: |
| Let's be honest, great resort for the tight fisted. |
No, its a resort for people who have friends and family;none of whom ski and would like a reasonably priced holiday for one person!
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jb1970,
Let's be honest, great resort for those lacking a sense of humour.
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