 Poster: A snowHead
|
Booked up for 14th April in St Gervais and was told yesterday that lifts close 15th April !!!!
Obviously I'm not overjoyed at this news (TBH I feel a bit conned) but wondered if there is any likelihood of them staying open longer if snow is still good and what are best alternatives, Megeve and Chamonix are obviously nearby. Any suggestions, recommendations and advice welcome . Thanks
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Ruffwood, booked with whom?
Although I will confess, we will accept bookings at any time in our Chamonix apartments. It's not my business to tell people when they want to go on holiday!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Booked via Lastminute.com in their 'ski holiday' section, so I would think it is fair to assume you could actually ski in the area itself!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Ruffwood, Les Contamines will be worth a look - a bit late for much of Megeve but the top skiing at LC (above the Signal middle station) will be as good as almost anywhere in the area.
I hope your rental was cheap.....
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
I spent the very last day of the season at Les Contamines about 3 or 4 years ago and the snow was terrific. But that's not always the case...
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Ruffwood, lastminute is simply a robot aggregator. I would expect that you could book St Gervais under skiing in July.
I am afraid their defence would simply be that it is a ski resort.
You may find decent skiing around Cham, certainly up Grands Montets, but it is a bit of a drive.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
19th contamines closes you could always get the skins out
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ruffwood, there will be some lifts open in the Evasion area (Megeve, Cote 2000 and Les Contamines) until the 19th, but I'm not surprised you feel a bit conned. We accept bookings at any time too, but always mention lift openings and closures to people inquiring about the first part of December of the latter part of April. Most people are already aware of the lift situation when they make inquiries anyway, but I do think someone taking a booking in St.Gervais the day before the lift closes ought to mention it just in case...
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
ah just spotted the lastminute bit... yes, under a new name, is right...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I'll be checking the smallprint when I get home tonight. No doubt they will have an airtight cancellation penalty clause but there may be something re online selling/mis-representation I can use.
Annoying thing is, I didn't think I would be able to go again this year until this cropped up. Proves the old adage, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is 
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Ruffwood, but but but, Grands Montets doesn't close till 9th, 10th May and is probably only 30 mns away...
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
and Les Contamines is less than quarter of an hour away! Plenty of ski resorts require you to get on a bus for quarter of an hour. Can't imagine what kind of "misrepresentation" you could claim. What sort of accommodation/package is it?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cheers all.
I'm a lot happier now as I've asked the same question on a mtb forum (I know there is a bit of a crossover of members on here, thanks nbt for reminding me) and have had similar replies on there.
under a new name
one of the reasons I booked a package was because my GF is new to skiing this year and it was supposed (haha) to take the hassle out of organising flights/transfers etc. in an area I don't know very well. Nearest I've been is Montgenevre and Les2Alpes. I'll probably be looking at booking an apartment next year so if you can point me in the direction of yours I'll have a look. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
well you'll need a car, I guess. I'd book your GF into a week's lessons at Les Contamines if I were you, without delay. The Grands Montets won't be suitable.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
Lessons will be booked as she had 4 x 1 hour private lessons on dry ski slope before going to Austria and thought she would be fine.........she wasn't and now realises it was a mistake. What put her off, was that the Austrian school is both morning and afternoon, which she really didn't want to do.
In fairness, she did get down a few easy reds by the end of the week but it meant my skiing was limited, which is why I'll be mainly boarding in April and making the most of my freedom during lessons 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Ruffwood, the LC school will only be morning OR afternoon. But I would book now because that will be a quiet week. If they take a booking, and you pay, they will probably honour it even if the group is v small, but if you just turn up and there's nobody else, they might well not run a class at all. She obviously doesn't need to be in a complete beginner class.
There is some interesting terrain in Les Contamines - I've seen groups being briefed for off piste sessions there - it might be worth signing up to a course yourself - will probably have a very small group and could be great value.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Thanks pam w, I will try to persuade her to get at least a couple of days. Would love to book a course for myself but I'm a bit skint and will probably board for the week as I missed it in Austria. Depends on snow conditions really.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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 wrote: |
| well you'll need a car, I guess. |
I see how you could book it, I just went through the process picking st Gervais for the 14th April and it just lets you go ahead, Flights via Grenoble with Easyjet if travelling from LGW.
Assuming I went through the same process you went through, you do realise that there is no transfer included with these holidays? If you're traveling the same route via GNB, I doubt you'll be able to get a transfer on a bus. GNB is a lovely airport but in the middle of nowhere! So you'd need a car anyway!! It also offered MAN-GVA, also easyjet but with no transfer that I can see: "Transfers, Insurance & other holiday extras are not included unless detailed above"
I may have totally missed what you've booked of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
andyrew, good point!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
get it from the french side.
(if you're on EZY you'll be there anyway).
(I usually use holiday autos)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
get it from the french side.
(if you're on EZY you'll be there anyway).
|
No, if you fly in from the UK you'll be on the international (Swiss) side. Only French domestic flights go into the French side AFAIK. There is a great deal of discussion on SHs about the pros and cons of hiring on the French or Swiss side of Geneva. The Swiss side is sometimes (not always) more expensive but does include snow tyres and the Swiss motorway vignette. The former will be welcome if there's snow, if you have to commute daily to Les contamines - they would make it unlikely that you'd need to use chains. The vignette makes driving to and from the French border at Bardonnex more straightforward, but driving through Geneva instead is not a big problem.
Ruffwood, there are plenty of bars in St Gervais. though I suppose some might be closed once the lifts are closed. It's a town with a year-round life.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ruffwood, car hire - if we don't have inside knowledge we generally use holiday autos. Make sure you rent from the Swiss side, as there can be late (and probably at that time wet, heavy, slippy) snow and you will want snow tyres in case. The French won't have snow tyres and probably not chains neither.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
You could cut your losses on St Gervais and go somewhere like Les menuires for the week! booking on lesmenuires.com I see you could get an apartment for 225 Euro, problem is you'd need to be out on the saturday, so you'd have to use St Gervais that night! (also if you were taking it from the sunday you'd have to let them know as the immobilieres will probably be closed)
www.latania.co.uk has an apartment there for £260 for the week. Grand Bois 408, I've stayed there, its very nice. (also probably easier to get the key on a sunday!) (actually I see the apartment isn't booked the week after, if there's no-one in it the owner may let you stay saturday, I remember he did for us)
LA Tania IS open then!! (until 26th April)
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Mon 18-02-13 12:10; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
No, if you fly in from the UK you'll be on the international (Swiss) side. Only French domestic flights go into the French side AFAIK.
|
Last time I used EZY to GVA (a while ago) you arrived at the swiss side, but departures and checkin (by machine!) were in the french side so it made it very easy after dropping off the car, I can't remember if you then had to "cross over" to get to the plane.
Also, car hire on the swiss side was a lot more expensive when I last looked (X2!), you don't really need the vignette if you're staying in France and you can rent chains for 35 Euro. YMMV
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| andyrew wrote: |
| you can rent chains for 35 Euro. |
Or buy them for less..
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Thanks all. I'll have to check which side I'm flying into as when I looked at rental I only specified Geneva airport. That could well account for the big difference in quotes! I've flown in to GVA a few times and can't for the life of me remember the layout. Is it a case of just walking across from one side to the other depending on where the flight comes in and which side I rent the car from?
I don't think I'm at the 'cut losses' stage, as there is still plenty open within easy travel from St Gervais and having sampled the delights of Les Menuires a few times, my GF will appreciate an apartment bigger than a shoe box in an attractive village. I found La Tania good but very limited in apres ski.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ruffwood, if you fly from the UK you will fly into the international side of Gva airport. You will need to clear immigration. Last time I did it you then picked up baggage, came out into the international arrivals area, then you have to find a wee passageway labelled "France" (which I think is up on the depatures level? somebody will remember). If it's far cheaper on the French side be sure you specify that you want chains - not that you'll always get them. You can always buy them (make a note of the tyre size) but that's not always convenient, for example if you arrive on a Sunday when shops will be closed. You will sometimes find a swiss motorway vignette on the window - otherwise, drive off the motorway, through Geneva (down to the lake, then round the end of the lake, then follow signposting to chamonix - turning right soon after you've gone round the edge of the lake.
Or you could buy one at the border post just outside the entrance to the airport.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
IIRC you can no longer check in for easyjet flights on the French side - it's back through that passageway again, like Alice through the Looking Glass, into Switzerland.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| Quote: |
like Alice through the Looking Glass, into Switzerland.
|
haha you were reading my mind, as you described the procedure for getting from arrivals into France I was about to post, "Just follow the white rabbit wearing a waistcoat"....
| Quote: |
Ruffwood,
I found La Tania good but very limited in apres ski.
|
If you think La Tania was limited with apres-ski (which it is, which is why I like it  ) think what St Gervais is going to be like _after everything has closed_ ........
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
pam w - thanks for the airport advice, much appreciated.
andyrew - I'm sure I'll find at least one cosy hostelry willing to take my hard-earned and I like quiet too. If you think La Tania is quiet at night you should try Kirchdorf, positively deathly............apart from the snowplough which passed within inches of my bedroom between 0400 and 0600 5 days out of 7 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| Quote: |
think what St Gervais is going to be like _after everything has closed_ ........
|
But La tania exists justs as a ski village, really. St Gervais is a town which won't close completely in the same way. I've been there in October and it was bustling (there was a fair going on, but I'm sure it hadn't all been closed before.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
^^^^ agreed. St Gervais is a nice town & spa resort which is more than just a ski village. Whilst there will be a few end of season closures I'm sure most shops, bars and restaurants will stay open.
There is a bus that runs between St Gervais and Les Contamines (not sundays after the 14th) every couple of hours or so, but a car would be the preferred option. It is a very easy drive between the two, and gives the option of going to Chamonix or others still open.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| pam w wrote: |
But La tania exists justs as a ski village, really. St Gervais is a town which won't close completely in the same way. I've been there in October and it was bustling (there was a fair going on, but I'm sure it hadn't all been closed before. |
I doubt the apres ski scene will be very good though seeing as there won't be any skiing!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| Quote: |
the apres ski scene will be very good though
|
I don't think people would choose Saint Gervais for an "apres ski scene" even in mid February. It's not what the place is about. Some people might choose it precisely for that reason.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Update
After all that hassle.....................................
Thumbs up for lastminute.com
After having a 'polite' word with them about selling a ski holiday where the resort closes the day after I arrive, they have come back to me with.........
..........a brand new apartment in Flaine, ski in/out to the door with swimming pool, sauna, gym etc. for the same price!!!.
Woooohooooo
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
