 Poster: A snowHead
|
@sbooker, is it just the 3 of you?
Accom should be pretty easy to find. Chamonix itself isn't that big. So anywhere central-ish will be close enough to anything else.
Why do you need to be near the guides' office? Any time I've used one we've RV'ed at the start point. Are you planning on joining groups? Do they do such things? Anyway. Central-ish.
By that I mean max 10 minutes walk from e.g. Guides' office. There's lots of accommodation, all over the place. E.g. Les Praz would not be convenient, at all. Nor would Les Bossons.
Lots of apartments in Chamonix Sud (opposite Aiguille du Midi lift). But many are studios, or with sofa bed and bunks in lobby. Ought to be identifiable as such if you want more space. About 10 mins walk to centre.
Bus station is beside Cham Sud.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
@under a new name,
Thanks. Just the three of us. My wife and lad and his mate go to Geneva to come back to Australia when we leave Les Arcs. Myself and the girls will get into Chamonix that afternoon.
After three weeks on skis my preference will be to ski off piste and being a relative gaper I will join a group with the guide’s office. They meet there just before 9am apparently.
I guess there is the town shuttle if we end up too far away.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
@sbooker, yeah there is the shuttle but tbh unless your budget’s tighter than a gnat’s chuff you’ll be able to find something in walking distance.
Must confess I was not aware they did walk up groups - and not sure how good an experience that might or might not be! My limited experience with “random” strangers (including once a BASI 4 (top level) instructor who’d been brought along but had a “dodgy back” ) has not been good!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| under a new name wrote: |
@sbooker, yeah there is the shuttle but tbh unless your budget’s tighter than a gnat’s chuff you’ll be able to find something in walking distance.
Must confess I was not aware they did walk up groups - and not sure how good an experience that might or might not be! My limited experience with “random” strangers (including once a BASI 4 (top level) instructor who’d been brought along but had a “dodgy back” ) has not been good! |
I have spoken with people that have used the guiding service (it's about 100 Euro per person per day) and they've been extremely happy with their experience. It has to be booked the day before apparently. I guess different people may have different experiences though. The safety factor is the big thing for me. I'll be skiing alone most days so I'll need someone to ski with if I'm going off the marked trails. I'm probably just an ambitious intermediate skier as I only get about 15 days on snow per year. I won't need to be taken to any super gnarly spots to have a good time.
On the accommodation front I don't really have a budget but I'm a selective tight back bottom. It's amazing how cheap 'on snow' accommodation is in Europe compared to Australia. Prior to being in Chamonix I am renting two apartments in Les Arcs 1800 for nearly 3 weeks. The total cost for the two apartments for the entire time is only $2900 Aussie pesos. I would not get one apartment for 3 nights on snow in Australia for that. Any our ski hills are about 1/20th the size of Les Arcs. I'm looking on Airbnb and it appears a central self catering apartment in Chamonix ranges between 500 and 800 euro for the 6 nights. Good value I think.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
@sbooker, fair enough, seems sensible re guiding.
Re accom your les Arcs deal sounds v good. Re Cham, we have 2 studios (not big enough for you, and we're selling them) which would be around €100/night at that time. So I'd think that what you might be looking at are typical "French" rabbit hutches. I.e. sofa bed in lounge and bunk beds in the hall.
I'd be looking for 2 proper bedrooms myself .... and I think that would be tricky at €800 in town. But I have never looked other than as price comparisons.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| under a new name wrote: |
@sbooker, fair enough, seems sensible re guiding.
Re accom your les Arcs deal sounds v good. Re Cham, we have 2 studios (not big enough for you, and we're selling them) which would be around €100/night at that time. So I'd think that what you might be looking at are typical "French" rabbit hutches. I.e. sofa bed in lounge and bunk beds in the hall.
I'd be looking for 2 proper bedrooms myself .... and I think that would be tricky at €800 in town. But I have never looked other than as price comparisons. |
Thanks for the tip. I might up the budget. I agree two bedrooms would be better.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@sbooker, as owner/landlord of 2 very nice studios, I would very much encourage it!
Something like this for example, looks nice, friend did a season in the block, not soooo very much more expensive (I'm in no way associated  ) https://abnb.me/7oJK265dBrb
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@sbooker, have you thought of UCPA? It would provide company for your girls, and guiding/groups for you.
If you've not skied much off piste before, are you sure it's worth bothering about proximity to a gym? Rent some touring skis (there's some great easy-moderate well marked trails) and you'll get more exercise than you could ever imagine. Last season Black Crows even hosted a free day (possibly more, I only saw them on one day) of kit rental and guiding to help people get into touring.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
@snowdave, not a bad idea, at all.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| snowdave wrote: |
@sbooker, have you thought of UCPA? It would provide company for your girls, and guiding/groups for you.
If you've not skied much off piste before, are you sure it's worth bothering about proximity to a gym? Rent some touring skis (there's some great easy-moderate well marked trails) and you'll get more exercise than you could ever imagine. Last season Black Crows even hosted a free day (possibly more, I only saw them on one day) of kit rental and guiding to help people get into touring. |
I’ve done most of my skiing in North America so officially ‘off piste’ no. But I spend as much time as possible between the runs. I would like to do some touring.
The UCPA thing would be perfect but we’re there odd days - Tuesday to Monday - skiing Wednesday to Sunday.
The gym thing is just a very long held fetish. I may have a session at the end of the day - but I may not. There is a small window for that. It has to be after skiing but before evening beers - and they start no later than 6pm. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
@under a new name,
That’s a great apartment. I like that it has a laundry.
Thanks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
@sbooker, It's a nice block, or at least it was back then. There are others. Feel free to PM me if you want a 2nd opinion on anything
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@under a new name,
We’re hearing about the dire state of the European glaciers in the news in Australia. Would this have any bearing on when the Vallee Blanche will be first possible this coming winter. I believe it’s usually doable from about mid January? I’m there the last week of January and it’s a bucket list thing…….
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
@sbooker,
Vallee Blanche opens after enough snow has fallen to fill the crevasses, so varies by season.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Sure. But on an average year?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
@sbooker, I don't think the summer weather would be the key factor. The amount of snowfall during autumn and early winter would be more important.
Going back an extra year to illustrate this: Summer 2021 was relatively cool by recent standards. But a lack of snow in early winter 2021/22 meant it took ages for crevasses to fill in Zermatt / Tignes (presumably also the Vallee Blanche).
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
@sbooker, I am afraid I have no idea! It's not something I pay much attention to ... 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
@BobinCH,
Thanks. Australia Day (26th Jan) would be nice.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
