 Poster: A snowHead
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With an exceptional year of having two weeks available to ski in Feb, we took full advantage of the snow and me and my two mini ski diva girls put ourselves into it full steam ahead.
Megeve
The first week we spent in a renovated farm house, about 50 meters above the the La Petite Fontaine quad chair. At first I thought it would be creepy at night, alone in the mountains after everyone else had gone home, but actually it was fabulous. The skies were clear, and we could see tonnes of stars at night. I guess I'd always dreamed of being tucked away in my own little private mountain hide-a-way, and this was it.
It was so relaxed during the day with the skiing, if someone was ready to go before the others, they could quickly make a run and be back on ski's in about 20-30 minutes. The ski lift itself offered red/black runs, and plenty of interesting trees to ski through in between the groomed runs. By the end of the week, the kids had sorted several 'favorite' routes of adventure that they were happy to do while I took an extra coffee!
There were several families from our neighborhood staying in other self catered apartments around the various villages in Megeve, but slowly and surely throughout the week, we hooked up with each other, and had several extended lunches in the sun overlooking the ski lifts and our maniac kid skiers!
Nendaz
Nendaz was awesome. The first day I was a bit put off because it was super cold and visibility was poor, and basically it's set up one grromed run per lift, and the rest ungroomed, and scary if you can't see!
After that, things improved rapidly, apart from my physical condition. I can manage about 4-5 hours per day, then I'm trashed, then after 4 days of that I need a full day of recovery.
The first 2 days we skied in and around the Plan du Fou and Siviez area, sporting our new helmets with integrated audio – Bluetooth, should one of us disappear unannounced.
So, there was definitely an abundance of challenging terrain. We got to the top of some stuff (blacks or double black like) and I would say 'poo-poo' or 'yikes' and my oldest would smack her lips together and say "TASTY"! At the bottom I'd say, so was that challenging? and she'd say mwah, mwah... the hardest part was waiting for you....na-na-na-na...
Another day, we took the ititinerary tour through Vallon Aroly, that was awesome, and scary. For a bit you had to follow these super skinny tracks with fatal drops off...over controlling things, I fell twice on those. In between some nice steep skiing with mogul fields, but could be avoided by shopping for turns. Towards the end of the tour, there were these open air log cabins, in the sun, with tables and benches and we ate our lunch and just kind of chilled in the sun for a bit. Skiing further we went to La Tzoumaz, took the gondola up, and skied over to Vervbier, where we met a friend of mine for coffee - hot chocolate. Then we casually made our way back over the mountain home. On the Chassoure, I was trashed, and youngest too, she had crashed, and her knee was hurting, and she had gotten her ski in her face with her fall, so we took the gondola down, but the oldest skied it. I just can't ski those blacks all day long like that....it's just too much for me.
To summarize our ski levels, the oldest ski's blacks like they are green, the youngest ski's them like they are a red, and I ski the blacks, well like it's a black. In other words, I probably make it look really hard, and to be fair, if I'd let go a bit, I'd probably ski it better and easier and have more fun. Likely, I do have the skill for this...just lacking courage and confidence.
We skied from the top of Mt. Fort,
Last skiing last Friday, we skied from the top of Mt. Fort in Switzerland at 3300 meters, which was very cold and windy, and the entry was one sheet of ice, which is what I had expected, so I wasn't too freaked out, after we dropped into the run, I just took my time through the steep mogul field, and made it down in control, and without falling, kids were waiting like 5-10 minutes from me...Again, I repeat, sometime it sucks being older!
Then we packed up the car and made the 10 hour journey home, in 10 hours, arriving home at 12.30, including being stuck in Friday afternoon traffic for 30 minutes around Basel. It's good to be home - - I think. Already I miss the sunshine. Winter should always have sun.
Most impressive, me and my two girls were on the football field promptly at 8.30 am Saturday morning, me with coffee in hand, sporting my ever so tan face to the other pale faced parents who had been stuck in the cold and GREY weather for the last two weeks. The girls running the field, like they've actually had been trained to peak out that day, and continuing to play two games each. To look at them run, you'd never guess they had just been standing on sticks for the last 14 days straight. A stellar performance on their part. Still doing laundry and getting everything clean and ready for the next ski trip, whenever that may (Easter perhaps? or our May Vacation?)
Oh, also wanted to mention, the food on the mountain is much better in France, but in Switzerland, there are many more legal 'picnic' places, and I always bring my good, otherwise it just gets to crazy expensive! Even the hot chocolate in Switzerland was a disappointment compared to France.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Lovely review and pics, sounds like you had a great time.
I'm hopefully in Verbier the 1st week of April on a Warren Smith course, so I'm really looking forward to it and will check out some of your runs
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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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Agreed, a really lovely report and some great photos 
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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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Hi again Heidi, you have clearly got the "photo posting" issues sorted now! 
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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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I'm glad your trips worked out so well
Thank you for taking the time to post the report.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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lilywhite,
thanks...nice see you double dipping on the other side...
since I had the photo's done, and most the text, thought I'd share the joy 
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HeidiAmsterdam, sounds terrific, thanks for such an upbeat report - love the idea of the quiet and starry skies in Megeve. That's what I love in my place at night. Very little light pollution (especially when the agent hasn't sorted the streetlights; others grumble but I love the lack of lights). No noise.
How can any place go wrong with making hot chocolate? You'd think the swiss would have that down to a fine art.
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HeidiAmsterdam, what a smashing report. Thank you!
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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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pam w,
Really, the hot chocolate thing surprised me. Most times, they heated up milk and they gave you a sachet of chocolate to mix yourself. The whip cream didn't have sugar...even the little one made a comment about how the whip cream on top wasn't even yummy...and in some eateries, they just had machines like in the gas stations, put your 3 CHF and the machine does its thing...
As you know, in France you get the Mt. Blanc sort of hot chocolate. A really yummy hot chocolate and whip cream that looks like the Mt. Blanc, with some chocolate sprinkled on top of it, also for 3,50 EUR in most places...I mean those are a real treat.
Now, I haven't even started on the crepes... in fact I won't even go there.
But, for example at the snack bar next to our house, they always had this patissiere du jour, and those were some mighty tasty morsels! Lemon Pie, Chocolate mousse tart, apple and rhubarb also 3 EUR for an extremely generous piece...and there panini's, the tomato/basil/mozzarella for 5 euro, so big we split it between two of us, with some chips...
I didn't find anything like that in Switzerland, they were more cafeteria's... completely vacant of atmosphere. Anyway, it confirmed why I like skiing France so much. And if you listen to what they say on Dutch Forums, they complain the French don't know apres-ski, well, it's THEIR word that they rest of borrowed, but OK, perhaps fair enough, but that's from people who like consume the max amount of alcohol and dance to bad German music....
To each their own is my point, so you can filter my opinion through my above stated preferences.
And next time in Megeve, pam w, you'll have to join us for at least a night or two in Megeve! And deffo going back to 4 Valley's for some more intense skiing!
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HeidiAmsterdam, there are much nicer places on the hill in the 4 Valleys than the obvious cafes near the lifts.
I'll let you know where they are before you go next time.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Well, I was at one place below the freeride park in Mt. Gele I think...and also in the restaurant on top Plan du Fou... there were a couple of on the hill places we checked out...and probably we could find nicer, but not convinced we'll find the haute-cuisine of France.
BUT.
Mosha Marc, Prove me WRONG!
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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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Most times, they heated up milk and they gave you a sachet of chocolate to mix yourself.
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HeidiAmsterdam thanks for your excellent trip report. Brings back happy memories of holidays in Megeve and Verbier. Haven't been to Megeve in winter since 1993 and you've inspired me to go back soon. Surely the most atmospheric winter sports town in France.
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You know it makes sense.
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HeidiAmsterdam thanks for your excellent trip report. Brings back happy memories of holidays in Megeve and Verbier. Haven't been to Megeve in winter since 1993 and you've inspired me to go back soon. Surely the most atmospheric winter sports town in France.
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here, here!
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FAQ
