 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
NatalieG, What's it like without a car? Can you ski in the locality?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| Quote: |
What's it like without a car? Can you ski in the locality?
|
you can't ski without vehicular transport of some sort - it's a short drive to the lifts.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
pam w, Thank you Pam, that's what I thought but was not sure if I was missing something. They look really smart.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Mon 14-01-13 20:02; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Thanks very much for the mention Natalie.
I'm wary of hijacking the thread, but just to very quickly answer Filthyphil30k's question - we have our own free, private shuttle service, which takes 6 minutes and is pretty much on-demand, and there's also a regular free village bus service that stops right outside our front door. We have a free storage locker for skis at the lift so you don't have to carry your skis anywhere either, so a car is not necessary unless you want to explore La Clusaz and the Espace Diamant too, which are also very close to us.
Apologies... but had to answer the question!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
From La Giettaz you can go a very long way - cross the road by ski bus in Megeve - it's an absolutely vast area. For a short visit there would be no point trying to look further afield, really.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Filthyphil30k, we didn't have a car last time I stayed there and I won't with my friends (although we will when I'm there with the family, but just for non-skiing child-related reasons). We didn't make it across to Megeve by ski bus last time so i can't comment on how easy that is but you can access the La Giettaz, Jaillet and Combloux areas (if you wanted to have a look at the piste map) by lift, which kept us busy for a few days. (It's very easy to get to the La Giettaz lifts as miranda says). I really like the Megeve/St Gervais area so I would head over there if I was there for a bit longer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
In Innsbruck, you can get everything (single room in hotel, all meals, drinks, ski/boot hire, lift passes, transport etc) for £100-£150 a day
|
Another great option from Insbruck is to stay in the Dresdner Hutte (virtually a hotel) at the top of the 1st cable-car (2,300m) right in the Stubai ski area.
If you're a member of the OAV the 1/2 board price is 46eu, otherwise it's 51eu which is great value. You can bus from Innsbruck rail station right to the cable station at Neustift/Mutterberg Alm.
http://www.dresdnerhuette.at/en/accommodations/winterpreise.html
| Quote: |
| It is a modern accommodation for mountaineers and skiers. It is located in the middle of the skiing area and offers a direct connection to the Stubai Glacier cableway |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The apartments mentioned here would do a few days self catering. New management company who have raised their game.
http://www.snowplaza.co.uk/blog/4304_close_up_orelle/
Flight into Lyon (easyjet/BA from Gatwick at good times when you fly in the evening) - car hire from travelsupermarket.com will probably be £100 or so.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
First post here, been a snowhead watcher for years. It's time I contributed.
Ski weekends can indeed be very affordable. I try to organise a ski weekend every year (3 to 4 days skiing) for a group of friends which complements our family/ usual snow sports week. Every year I try to get travel and accommodation for four nights for less than 250 quid. The key here is to think outside the box. Look for the lesser known resorts, some of which may have access to the bigger resorts. However in my experience this is not essential, there are some great off the beaten track resorts in the Alps, much cheaper than the well known resorts, but with superb skiing and cheaper prices all round - accommodation, ski passes, equipment hire, food and drink. The best way I can add to this discussion is to give the details of the trips we've had over the last few years, which were all great, without exception. All of our flights are with Easyjet from Gatwick (which we live close to) which offers cheap access to most of the alps. Hiring a car cuts the cost and gives you access to more ski destinations, but it is not essential. To avoid travel problems when hiring a car, stay relatively low, but have access to high level skiing.
2012 Fugen, Ziller Valley, Austria, Mid-March (Wed eve to Sun eve)
The Ziller valley includes Mayrhofen to those unfamiliar (and excellent inter-resort transport, via free train and bus with a ski pass). We preferred the Kaltenbach-Hochfuhen ski area (150 kms +).
Accommodation: Gasthof Hamberg, Hart im Ziller (Fugen), ski bus stop right outside. Booked through easyjet hotel booking 25GBP pppn HB
Flights: Easyjet Gatwick-Innsbruck, 80 GBP pp
Transfers: Local Train Innsbruck-Fugen, Ziller valley and Taxi 30 GBP pp (total)
Total= 230GBP
2011 Pila, Aosta valley, Italy (with an away day in Cervinia - entry via Valtournenche), Mid-March (Wed eve to Sun eve)
Accommodation: Hotel Emilius, Charvensod (above Aosta, easiest to access the skiing via Aosta town cable car), HB 38GBP ppn (food here great!)
Flights: Easyjet Gatwick-Milan Malpensa, 55 GBP pp
Car hire: 120 GBP (between 3) = 40 GBP pp
Total= 247GBP
2010 Mayrhofen, Austria, Late January (Wed eve to Sun eve)
Accommodation: Landhaus St. Joseph, Apartment, contact direct - B&B, 590 quid (between 5), 118 GBP pp total
Flights: Easyjet Gatwick-Munich, 60 GBP pp
Car hire: 200GBP (including Austrian road tax) between 5, 40 GBP pp
Total= 218GBP
2009 Alleghe (Civetta ski), Italian Dolomites, but access to the Sella Ronda via Malga Ciapela (Marmolada Glacier) 15 mins away by free bus, Late January (Wed eve to Sun eve)
Accommodation: Hotel Garni Esperia (opposite lifts), 25 GBP pppn B&B, 100 GBP pp total
Flights: EasyJet to Venice (not sure flight times are suitable any more, i.e. evening  ), 75 GBP pp
Car Hire: 140GBP (between 4), 35GBP pp
Total= 210GBP
2008 Auron with away day in Isola200, Alpes Maritime, France, Late January (Thurs eve to Sun eve, only 3 days there)
Accommodation: Hotel Las Donnas (opposite lifts), 40 GBP pppn B&B, 120 GBP total
Flights: EasyJet to Nice, 65 GBP pp
Car Hire: 135GBP (between 3), 45GBP pp
Total= 230GBP
Some varied, off the beaten track suggestions there. Hotels respond best to being contacted direct (email or via their website). Hiring a car a huge advantage. Good luck.
Presently, 2013 looking like (but not confirmed) - Champoluc, Monte Rosa ski area (hugely under rated domain, with splendid views underneath the Second highest Alps peak)
Easyjet Gatwick - Milan Malpensa, great selection of cheap flights via this route, Wed eve - Sun eve
Car Hire
Affittacamere Buenavista, can be booked for 39 GBP pppn B&B via Easyjet website
Via Geneva, we have previously done Les Gets, staying at the Boomerang hotel (Geneva flights), you could do it for good value, but it would break my 250GBP rule by some distance I'd guess.
Cheers all snowheads. Good luck. Hope you find a great ski weekend.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Really good tips on here! Will be saving this...
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
benboski, welcome to Snowheads, quite possibly the most interesting, informative, detailed and helpful 1st post I've ever seen on an Internet forum. Don't remain a lurker!
I notice you put Sunday eve as your return home. How late we're the flights home (rough guide) and what time did you finish skiing? Do your flight costs include hold luggage or did you just take hand luggage and hire boots?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
hammerite,
I fly on the 9.30 out from Lyon on Sunday (or Monday) nights when I go in 3V. You get a full days skiing on the final day if you get yourself organised.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thanks Alti. Really tempted for a weekend away, would be worthwhile doing if I just had to pay for myself, bit more difficult for 3 of us!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Our trip to La Giettaz in Feb - flights are with Swiss, London City to Geneva, arriving Geneva about 9.30 on Friday morning and departing about 8pm on Monday, so we should get half a day's skiing on Friday and most of the day on Monday. Get back to London City 8.45pm.
Flights - £133pp including one item of checked luggage plus boots, skis (if I had any) and helmet
Accommodation - €515 between us so about £110pp for four people sharing a very nice 2 bedroom self-catered apartment but including basic breakfast
Transfers - €300 between us so about £63pp for private return transfer
So total = £306
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| Frosty the Snowman wrote: |
| Bode Swiller, sounds perfect BUT any alternatives but Gatwick? |
Parents flew Birmingham - Innsbruck (think with BA) in mid-Dec to visit me for a weekend, for £60 each return. I recently flew Ibk - Frankfurt - Birmingham with Lufthansa, the detour added little over an hour to the flight time. I've flown Aberdeen - Amsterdam (occasionally Paris or Frankfurt) many times with KLM, usually the detour adds an hour or two max. I'm sure there are plenty of options from most main UK airports.
More flights into Munich too, a little over 2 hours drive.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
benboski, Hi there, good to see such an informative first post as said above. Have fun here 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
hammerite, thanks for the welcome.
Good flight times are key and as Easyjet constantly change their schedules, it produces different options each year. Ideally we try to fly out at around 6pm and return at around 9pm (which lands in Gatwick at 10pm). This allows skiing until about 4pm on Sunday. Late but not quite last lift and plenty of time to get to the airport. This year if using Easyjet from Gatwick (from memory) Milan Malpensa, Nice and Toulouse flight times fit those times, as will Geneva and Lyon as the flights are frequent (flights using GVA are usually quite expensive, especially the Sunday eve flight). To keep the weekend cheap we try to avoid France (I've done a lot of skiing in France in the past anyway), unless it's the Pyrenees or the Southern Alps and Switzerland (where skiing on a budget is difficult).
Those flight costs 'did' include hold luggage (I'd target 80-90 quid today), where the ski boots are crammed in too, but to keep costs low we're always on the look out for an Easyjet winter seat sale (which are quite frequent) after deciding on the flights some time in advance. Good flight prices are fairly easy to find in any case, however I have not tried adding the new seat allocation cost. Think I won't bother. Alps are only 1.5 hours away. Chances are you'll find unallocated seats together anyway (atleast in twos).
Milan Malpensa is a good choice, that many would not normally consider. Malpensa is way out of Milan and right next to the Motorway. So any of the long appearing drives are really quite quick. Aosta is easily less than 2 hours for example. Pila, La Thuile, Courmayer, Cervinia and Monte Rosa (Champoluc, Gressoney, Alagna) are easily within reach as are the Milky Way resorts west of Turin (Sestriere, Sauze D'oulx etc.).
The options from Nice are less and maybe risky snow-wise very late season, due to their Southerly latitude and proximity to the Med. But upto mid-March Auron, Isola2000, Limone Piedmont, Valberg, Val d'Allos are good cheap french options.
Haven't done any of the mid/west Pyrenees resorts yet (from Toulouse), but I hear they are worth a visit (Domain du Tourmalet - Bareges-La Mongie, La Gourette, Cauterets, St Lary Saulon and many others), however I've skied Andorra (only ok) and the Eastern French Pyrenees (which I prefer for their character/charm), for example Ax-les-thermes, Les Angles, Formigueres, Puyvalador (and Font Romeu, only ok) but the resorts are quite small (small vertical drops) and the slopes aren't very steep (may suit many, good for families).
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
benboski, thanks, really useful.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
