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La Giettaz/Combloux for Easter Weekend?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi there,

After a bit of advice ...

I am looking to go for Easter weekend with my OH and 2 kids (17 yo girl and 6 yo boy). The girls are both relatively nervous skiers with 2 weeks under their belts. The little one has also skied 2 weeks but could do with being a bit more nervous wink. I'm a competent skier but will be happy to make the most of what ever is on offer for the others.

Last minute, short break and Easter are making it difficult to get a package together! I have found a couple of possible options staying in La Giettaz or Combloux but don't know much about the area.

My main concerns are that it seems it closes on 1 April (Possibly just because it is a small resort?) and English speaking ski school - particularly for the 6 yo.

Anyone with some inside information?

Many Thanks
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Of the two I would maybe opt for Combloux as it is a bigger village (lots of shops and restaurants) and both the Portes de Mont Blanc sector (Combloux/Megeve/La Giettaz) and Combloux/St Gervais/Megeve sector can easily be accessed. I know one Snowhead has a chalet in La Giettaz so may be able to advise better than I.

Megeve is open until 15th April, the only concern being it is fairly low so snow might suffer, but given the excellent conditions this year you should be OK barring a heatwave. It is on grassy hills though, so snow cover doesn't have to be so deep to ski on.

I spent quite a few days in the Combloux/La Giettaz area last season and loved it. I would say there is great skiing options for the abilities you mention, and the area above Combloux on the Portes de Mont Blanc side sounds ideal...lots of easy wide runs to build up confidence.
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Quote:

it closes on 1 April (Possibly just because it is a small resort?) and English speaking ski school - particularly for the 6 yo.

The skiing above Combloux is on the sunny side of the valley - and it does suffer in sun. That's why it closes on 1 April, I think, not because it's a small resort. Miranda would be able to advise on La Giettaz, which links in but I think will have better snow because of the aspect.

In that area, with your nervous ones, I'd suggest Les Saisies would be better - it's quite a bit higher (village at 1650m) and the snow will be better - though that doesn't necessarily mean brilliant. Weeks of warm weather, if that's what happens, will wreak a fair bit of havoc anywhere but, in that area, Les Saisies will definitely have the best snow and also has the most gentle runs (I've not skied down into La Giettaz, Miranda can advise but I think that's not nervous beginner territory, really). Crest Voland would be good from the point of view of gentle runs but it's too late in the season to book there - LS would be better.
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frankm, If you will have a car, I would definitely recommend the Combloux option; Les Contamines would also be in easy reach (and is the on the Evasion lift pass, like the other resorts (apart from Les Saisies) that have been mentioned); and Chamonix and Flaine are only slightly further afield.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
The Portes du Mont Blanc closes on the 1st of April no matter how much snow there is - the lift company have said it will not keep it open beyond that date until there is a big increase in the number of beds in the area and this has been the case for years. They used to allow Combloux to continue for a week or so but decided it wasn't worth it.

For this early Easter weekend, with a couple of nervous skiers, I wouldn't think about driving around to Chamonix or something like that. It's not unthinkable that conditions in the region will be poor a few weeks from now, of course, but I really don't think you have to worry.... conditions were fine last year when very little fresh snowfall came in February and March and March was pretty hot and sunny - we're already into March and the snow levels are better this year than last so something pretty drastic would have to happen over the next 3 weeks!

You can see in this video from the 1st of April last year that the unpisted south facing mountains that are not part of the ski area are green but the pistes are fine. Our April guests generally ski in the Espace Diamant (we are much closer to Notre Dame de Bellecombe than Megeve by road) and conditions were fine too -there was actually loads of fresh snowfall in April last year. Les Saises will be fine too and easy runs. La Giettaz has a new beginner area so is now ok for nervous beginners, though the reds are wider than the blues (they are running up a blue run on the annual snow trail in the video). You will be able to find English speaking instructors in any of the local areas but you should request one in advance.


http://youtube.com/v/yr1urgrK0bE&feature=player_embedded
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frankm, it all depends quite a bit what you want, really. If you want "resort level snow" and something close to ski in/ski out then Les Saisies is much the most likely to deliver, but I don't know how easy it would be to get accommodation over just the long weekend, if that's what you're after. I do think a bit of altitude is useful at Easter but the "top" of that whole area is quite low - only about 2000m. Friends staying at my place in LS for half term went down to Praz sur Arly and said it was an ice-fest - nasty conditions compared to LS, where there was no ice. However, I skied in Praz sur Arly and Notre Dame de Bellecombe on the last day of their season a few years ago and the snow was lovely, and pistes completely deserted - conditions at lower altitudes are definitely more variable at that time of year, and if you stay in one of the lower areas you would have to be prepared to travel a bit. If you stay in Les Saisies itself the snow on the doorstep will be as good as anywhere, but it's further to drive from Geneva - a good 40 minutes further than Combloux. Combloux is an attractive village but most of the time, in most Aprils, there is very little snow down in the village itself, which is situated below the ski area (I have driven that valley loads of times every winter since 2002).

As Miranda said you will find ski instructors with at least adequate English throughout the area and some good prices for private lessons. I have arranged a whole lot of private lessons for a family party at Easter - including a group of 4 complete beginner kids who are going to have 5 x 2 hour private lessons with a hand-picked instructor for €102 euros each. Little more than the price of group lessons. snowHead
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Thanks for the replies. All very helpful!

pam w, I hope you got some use out of my Dynastars!
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After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
For Easter, I'm just trying to get a bit higher with the shortest drive...

For me, Austria may be the answer.

Having said that, I love the charm of Megeve...and plenty of doorstep skiing possibilities, and many lovely (albeit sometimes dear) eateries, and consider returning to Megeve for Easter...I haven't booked anything, I'm still recovering from returning last week.
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Quote:

pam w, I hope you got some use out of my Dynastars!

frankm, Ah! Were you the guy who gave me a pair of skis in Morzine, where you'd spent the season, or the one I bought a pair off, in Bristol??

Both pairs have certainly been used (not by me, they're too big, but by my son and son in law).
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Quote:

Were you the guy who gave me a pair of skis in Morzine, where you'd spent the season, or the one I bought a pair off, in Bristol??


Just realised this sounds like the old joke "Am I the first girl you kissed?" "Could be; were you in Torquay in 1986?"
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