J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by bandit

lavaghman wrote:Hi there

Considering a ski trip for Jan '08 in Europe and am looking for some suggestions! Looking for a large mountain with lots of run options and plenty of intermediate to advanced slopes (don't wana get bored! :twisted: ). Also looking for decent Apres Ski and somewhere that is fairly accessable to a large hub city (for travel from UK/Ireland).

Thanks,
John

lynned wrote:
If you want apres ski and miles and miles of piste, even miles and miles of off piste, why don't you try Val d'Isere or Tignes.

For Tignes and Val D'Isere, from GVA, expect a TO transfer to take 3 hours minimum, or public bus from GVA as far as Bourg St Maurice 3 hours, and rail 5 hours+bus or taxi up to the resort.

For Chamonix TO bus around 1hr 30m, public transfer buses the same. By car an hour at the speed limit...mind the speed cameras!!

For Verbier from GVA 2 hour transfer by TO bus, the same to drive, speed cameras again...but you might get a flight to Sion, which is much closer. By train, Verbier is about 2.5 to 3 hrs hours, the rail station at GVA is underneath the airport.

Chamonix would fit the bill, tons of intermediate and unlimited advanced skiing, easy access from GVA, it's overshadowed by Mt Blanc (how big do you want your mountain?), and a serious, party town.

Over in Switzerland, Verbier would also suit. Big mileage for intermediates, plenty of advanced stuff for a challenge, close to GVA, and a lively nightlife.

Hi babyrose
I have skied the Les Arcs area for about 10 weeks over many years. The range of skiing is superb, though, unless you and your family are exceptionally fast learners, you won't be able to enjoy much of it. The villages, are predominantly high rise blocks, and although they are wood clad, to me look pretty utilitarian and bleak. They provide a place to sleep, between full skiing days.
As for La Plagne, it's built along similar lines, another big skiing area, which can be bleak in bad weather, as much of the area lacks tree lined slopes. The high altitude Tarentaise resorts have been labelled by some as "ski factories".

If your family are self contained and enjoy making your own celebrations, you could have a great time in an apartment in either location. There is IMV, very little ambience and charm, the apartment blocks are functional, little more.
As you have children, they may enjoy the traditional celebrations and atmosphere of an Austrian village, which will have year round residents and a genuine vibe. As novice skiers, it may also be a more gentle introduction to the sport for the whole family.
As you have costed out accommodation in the Tarentaise, have you compared lift pass and ski equipment prices, lesson costs and food prices yet?

Thread drift, apologies to Marv!

ise wrote:
Driving there on the transport infrastructure my taxes paid for :D

Hmmmm, , the Swiss road tax on tourists is disproportionate to their amount of road use IMV. I suppose I'm subsidising you driving around as well :lol:

ise wrote:
The lifts reopen the weekend after next I think for the summer.

Good news, are they open weekends only at first though?

ise wrote:
that's usual, there's no mass market interest after Easter either from the UK or even locally. It's a good thing, we get a few quiet reasonably tourist free weeks which we obviously deserve :D

Those will be the same tourists that subsidise your season lift pass :P

I shall make it my mission to ski late season this coming winter :D

Marv wrote:Thank you very much for all your kind input, have not responded until now as you have given us a lot to think about. I think the top resorts in the running are Obergurgl, Zermatt, Saas Fee, Alpe d'Huez and Tignes, so as you can probably tell still quite a way off making a decision!

It will deffinately be the 13th April we will be going but we have come across another problem, of the major package holiday companies we have checked so far don?t cater for that week in April (which has concerned us further about the snow cover prospect) when flying from Manchester. Would anyone be kind enough to suggest a holiday company that would arrange a package at that time of year, as we don?t relish the prospect of arranging all the transfers ourselves on this particular holiday!

Marv, you're very welcome :D It's been so long since I took a package, I'm stunned that the main tour operators are quitting the mountains so early next winter. I've looked, and it's true :shock:

For Switzerland
If you are keen on buying a tour op package, Crystal are still carrying outbound passengers to Switzerland on 12th April, so their A La Carte department, may be able to sort out your flights, transfers and accommodation.

Another option is to contact Switzerland Travel Centre in London.
http://www.stc.co.uk/
I have not used this company as I prefer to sort out my own travel and transfers, and they do state that they will create tailor made packages. The blurb says they are a company of..

The Swiss Railways SBB, and Switzerland Tourism

I have travelled to both French and Swiss ski resorts by public transport, and the Swiss system is miles (km's?) better. :D

As this will be your honeymoon, IMV, it should be somewhere very special, with good facilities and high standards both on and off the slopes. I would suggest either Zermatt, or Saas Fee, both of which have good intermediate slopes, amazing scenery and high quality hotels. French is one of Switzerland's official languages, though most hotel staff seem to speak English as well. Standards are, well,... Swiss, they take a pride in their work :D
Both resorts typically stay open most of the year for skiing, as both have glacier lifts. I ski in France and Switzerland, and believe that Switzerland gives better value for money.

ise wrote:

Well, I'm notoriously not a very serious skier of course :D I don't find cereals work for me, I'm not sure why, porridge does but nearly anything else doesn't and I find a benefit from some sugar, like a donut :D It's probably a ritual though as much as anything. Obviously I get a few days skiing in a year mostly and I noticed last season a bit a few days I felt a bit drained mid-morning and initially switched from having a quick coffee to hot chocolate or lemonade and thought I could feel a difference.

Isostar is carb' and some salts of course, again it's hard to know if it's a ritual or really beneficial. If I have it right the effects of dehydration set in before you actually feel thirsty as well which makes it doubly important to keep drinking stuff.


How much benefit the isostar drink and one of their energy bars has compared to water and a digestive biscuit is anyone's guess :D But digestive biscuits are hard to come by here anyway.

I would say to be careful of some of the flavours though, I bought some other brand recently and when last out touring we stopped and I nearly choked on the stuff, about as pleasant as dental mouth wash :D

Well, okay, forget the cereals idea, and have a bowl of fruit instead, and porridge when the weather is really cold :D Oats are one of the very best slow release carbohydrates :D
Of course you will know that the concept of eating breakfast is to replenish the blood sugar levels within the body. A donut will do the trick(fat and sugar, some carbohydrate), unfortunately it may give you a sugar rush, you will release insulin to process it, and after your body has burned the sugar, plunge your blood sugar even lower! Would this have accounted for your need to supplement your blood sugar in the middle of a ski session?

As a notoriously non serious skier, the challenge for you is to find a slow release carbohydrate that you enjoy eating, and works for your system :wink:

I always carry muesli bars when skiing, as I know from experience that I must eat regularly, because when my blood sugar falls, I get a nasty headache.

Yes, Isostar needs a loading intake before exercise begins, as well as quenching thirst during exercise. It's supposed to provide a controlled release of carb, avoiding blood sugar surges...allegedly. Just a minor word of caution with Isostar, if you don't burn the carbs you ingest, you will get fatter, it's the calories :wink:

Oooh, what was the brand that tasted like mouthwash? :shock: